Dave Knows...

discovering culture...

2011-02-24T21:55:00.000-05:00

God is part of culture, has made Himself known in culture, and is working through culture. He sets the example in that He enters a foreign place to bring a foreign message and aims to communicate it in forms that make sense; not only linguistically, but in understanding, meaning, and form. When considering effective work in foreign cultures, translation of meaning is more critical than linguistic translation. When meaning is conveyed, grasped, and understood, we are able to operate most effectively among the host culture. The dynamic equivalent (meaning for meaning) illustrates the most effective form of communication in all sectors of life; personal and mass. When the gospel is effectively communicated, missionaries are able to communicate Christ through culture without asking them to compromise their culture. For effective ministry to remain and sustain, culture will be the vehicle by which the gospel is sustained and transmitted.

1. M’s should not determine the dynamic equivalent. This should be determined in meaning and conveyed in meaning by those within the culture.

2. Expressions of faith must remain very Christian and yet very true to the culture. If the gospel is seen as something from another culture it will be not received unless it has a direct benefit to the host culture.

3. When sharing the gospel, the M must be attentive to preach Christ and not Christian culture.

4. Recognition of diversity in culture can be a unifying bond in the faith. M’s need to celebrate differences when appropriate.

5. The dynamic equivalent of faith must be the central expression of faith locally within targeted culture. M’s must work with the culture to discover what it will be.

God in Culture...

2011-01-27T20:36:00.003-05:00

God is in culture. It's the tool that He's chosen to communicate Himself by. What's crazy is that

God, is a-cultural (unless you consider HOLY His culture). That's not the crazy part. The fact that

He is absent of culture and yet crosses all cultural lines and is able to relate culturally

appropriate and relative is what's incredible!

He is above culture and yet chooses to work through it. Makes one wonder on the value of

studying one's surrounding when it comes to effectiveness in out reach and service to others of

a different culture; whether it be a ethnic, social, spiritual, different age or class. God can

perfectly relate to everyone, at anytime, and in any place.

There is great value in diversity. I think that's simple to praise and difficult to embrace; for some

impossible. That may be why we're so far behind and slipping by the day, hour, and moment.

Cultural relevance is critical unless we withdraw from the culture altogether - it happens. Xn

school, Xn college, Xn job, Xn fast food, etc. One could literally live among a culture and yet be

absent to it.

This is true not only in spiritual terms but in social ones as well. Consider a foreigner moving to

a new city with new rules, customs, and people. One could easily navigate and make contact

with culture only when necessary and then withdraw just as easily. It happens, we all know that

guy.

Let's not forsake what is. Let's see how God is operating among the broken and see what He's teaching us

on how to love people where they are. Not embrace the sin of the culture, embrace the sinner that Christ

died for. We don't change people, God does. God and His culture of Holiness does.

Thoughts on culture, anthropology, and other stuff...

2011-01-24T21:45:00.002-05:00

So I'm in the middle of finishing my masters; over the next few months, some excerpts will be from some of my working thesis...enjoy!

-----------------------

Often times, culture and ethnicity are commonly mistaken for being the same thing. However, culture does not equal ethnicity. Culture crosses all lines of race, class, socio economics, and even ethnicities.

Because all aspects of life evidence culture, one’s culture is a learned process of incorporative behaviors, languages, responses, and beliefs (enculturation).

Learned culture will begin to lead to the most effective forms of communicating, thus creating clearer opportunities for the gospel to be shared. However significant enculturation may be, it’s critical to maintain that biblical culture will always supplant any and all cultural ethics. Often times, this will lead to problems, especially when biblical culture is in direct opposition to the culture being engaged by the missionary/church planter.

Splash...

2011-01-20T22:32:00.003-05:00

if you've ever done a cannon ball into a pool, you know how fun it can be, especially when the splash is great and you get folks wet...on purpose.

however, sometimes, i've splashed more people than i had originally planned. why? because when i jump in, i close my eyes and then come what may. that's good if i'm aiming to be reckless. that's not so good if i'm trying to calculate my move.

so i said something the other day that i regretted when it came out and i still regret it to this moment.

it was one of those comments that had a much larger affect than i expected it to have. rest assure that it wasn't a curse word or a poor joke. no, it was a comment that was pretty egotistical. i know, can you believe it? me? nah...

anyhow, my language made a pretty big splash, for the worst. especially to the folks that were around me whom heard me say the comment.

i know in time the splash dries off, but it takes time. same thing with the comment. but it takes different amounts of time for language to dry off of different people

all of that could have been avoided, had i controlled my tongue - James, authentic faith. DOH!

open your eyes before you jump. the splash may not be worth it

Apprentice...

2011-01-11T09:33:00.003-05:00

as the new year is getting started, i've been challenged early by my leadership to think farther and beyond. the only way that the movement of God will sustain and grow in the future will be thru:

a. the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of His people

b. replication of the saints (at all levels)

as one who leads, the question that i'm facing most is "how many other folks am i training to lead at the same level as i, or greater?"

with that in mind, i've looked in the mirror and have stared at the statement "replication is intentional"

unless i replicate into others, it dies with me.

a goal for this year will be to apprentice others into leadership; intentionally.

who are you intentionally building into? how long is the process taking you?

we all need to learn together

He's got the whole world in His hands...

2011-01-04T08:06:00.002-05:00

Colossians 1:17 - He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

He is the source; the starting place. And because He is, all things are. They are kept in order and in sync with everything else because He is. That is reason enough to want to know Him more deeply.

HNY!

number your days...

2010-12-21T11:44:00.003-05:00

may we number our days. don't miss the opportunity to love and care for those that God has placed around you.

i'm not sure why i'm always surprised at how God uses tragedy to bring his children closer to Him. yet He tells us to number our days, because one day it will end.

don't wait to love your spouse, do it today. don't wait to pray for your family, do it today. don't wait to serve your loved ones, do it today, because tomorrow is not guaranteed.

if there's one thing that's certain about life, it will one day end. don't miss your opportunity

major changes...

2010-12-14T08:48:00.002-05:00

to make major changes, you have to make major changes.

Joel 1:13-14

specifically to those that seek to minister on behalf of Christ. as we lead where God has called us to lead, may we be striving towards having the same 'attitude of Christ'

the greatest change that needs to occur, is most often in me. in order for God to use me to make major changes, God has to work in me to make major changes.

Simple decisions...

2010-12-02T08:44:00.002-05:00

Psalm 1:6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

This scripture makes most decisions pretty simple. Will it lead me towards His righteousness or towards wickedness?

Why is it then that at times we seem to prefer steps towards wickedness knowing that it openly displeases the Lord and it's end will always lead to our ruin? This is an incredible promise with great benefits that are based on our choice. Will we obey or not?

May we be drawn to paths that honor Him...He's will watch over us and our lives when we do so.

Dec 1...

2010-12-01T08:04:00.003-05:00

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

Why would God do that? Why would he leave everything that is perfect to come and be with us, me? why?

I don't know. It's almost as if He becomes the visitor who knocks at your door unexpectedly. You peek thru the window and you're not sure if you should open the door or not.

Have you ever been pleasantly surprised by a guest visitor?

For some reason, God came to make His dwelling among us. That's greatly in part because we could not go to Him. Again, why? Because He loves us.

This is the story of Christmas.

We stand behind Christ so we can stand before God

2010-11-29T15:11:00.003-05:00

So here's the basic premise of what we shared yesterday at CF DT:

James 5 talks about prayer for trouble, praise in the good, prayer for healing, and prayer for the forgiveness of sins.

We know that He is able. So we take comfort in that truth. Our position is to approach Him thru Christ, the only One who is righteous. The prayer of a righteous man avails much. Our position should be behind Christ as we approach the Father.

We stand behind Christ so we can stand before God.

Let us approach with confidence, not in ourselves or our own abilities, but in HIm and His righteousness.

Qualities of Leadership, Part 1...

2010-11-04T08:18:00.002-04:00

1 Timothy 3:2-7 (NIV)

² Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ³ not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. ⁴ He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. ⁵ (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) ⁶ He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. ⁷ He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. - Paul (apostle, pharisee, church planter, servant, author, example)

DISCIPLINE

Without this essential quality, all other gifts remain as dwarfs: they cannot grow. So discipline appears first on our list. BEFORE WE CAN CONQUER THE WORLD, WE MUST FIRST CONQUER THE SELF. - J. Oswald Sanders

This truly is a game changer. I've noticed it in my life and among my peers. Where discipline exists and has existed, a tendency for effectiveness and success follows. Whether business, social services, or even church, without discipline, no work will ever grow beyond an individual.

I think that's why it may be so hard to intentionally develop self discipline. We don't want it to grow beyond ourselves. And if we honestly look inside, at times, leaders find validation in others looking to them and only them. A disciplined leader will develop and lead other leaders, not just the people of his/her company. If this is truly the case, an effective leader eventually works him/herself out of a job.

Similarly, it's ironic how discipline can exist at a work place, but not in the home place. Whether personal or with family, if effectiveness and success follow discipline at work, would the same not be true at home? Discipline in finances yields savings, better succession planning, vacation planning, and retirement planning. All excellent and valuable things, in light of our current realities. Discipline in time with spouse and children will all lead to deeper and more intimate relationships = meaningful homes. Discipline in time with God develops more of Christ in one's self and less of self in one's self.

Discipline. The best athletes are the best because they were more disciplined than the rest. The best businesses are the best, because they are more disciplined. Churches, small or large, are the best because of their disciplined practices to serve and disciple.

Discipline, the road less traveled.

Peter on leadership...

2010-11-02T08:54:00.005-04:00

1 Peter 5:1-7 (NIV)

¹ To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: ² Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; ³ not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. ⁴ And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. ⁵ In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

-------------------------------------

The flock belongs to God; He's entrusted their care to us. So then, what is our motivation to care for others?

It must have been difficult to be a leader when your life and the lives of others were riding on it. Similarly, modern leadership can undervalue the worth of a life. Lives still hang in the balance. Our urgency isn't there, thus causing a half hearted approach to leadership and caring for the flock. Where care occurs, genuine concern is present.

Peter says to the leaders, "Shepherd your people like God." Just as Israel is God's special allotment, the people we have to serve in the church or anywhere else are our special allotment; and our whole attitude to them must be the attitude of God; we must shepherd them like God. What a vision opens out! What an ideal! And what a condemnation! It is our task to show people the forbearance of God, the forgiveness of God, the seeking love of God, the limitless service of God. - William Barclay

Insights on Leadership from Paul, Chapter 6

2010-10-27T08:28:00.003-04:00

1 Timothy 3:2-7

Social Qualifications - Example is much more potent than precept.

Moral Qualifications - A leader cannot allow a secret indulgence that would undermine public witness

Mental Qualifications - A leader must be prudent, a person with sound judgment...coming from daily self-discipline

Personality Qualifications - If you would rather pick a fight than solve a problem, do not consider leading the church. It can't be about money or position. Hospitality to all is common among shepherds

Domestic Qualifications - While a leader is caring for church and mission, he must not neglect the family, which is his primary and personal responsibility. The discharge of one duty in God's kingdom does not excuse us from another. There is time for every legitimate duty. Paul implies that a person's ability to lead at home is a strong indicator of his readiness to lead in ministry.

qualified...

2010-10-26T10:01:00.004-04:00

we do what we do because God has seen the potential in us to do more. in the areas where we are strong and in the areas of untapped resource, God sees that and moves despite our fallibility.

in colossians 1, scripture teaches that we are where we are, not because of our own inherent abilities or choices. rather, we are qualified to do so, by God Himself.

¹²giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

it's not education, although it helps. it's not resources, although it helps. it's not physical appearance, although it helps. it's not the people that i know, although it helps.

ultimately, it is the work of God thru the Holy Spirit that "qualifies" us to share in the ultimate inheritance.

in light of what's to come and what we will be sharing in for all eternity, how does this shape our current temporary lives?

if God is the One that has qualified us to serve, should we not serve more diligently and faithfully?

If God is the One that has qualified us to teach, should we not teach more passionately and with greater conviction?

if God is the One that has qualified us to lead, should we not lead better, further, and faster?

qualified to do what we do. if we could see what God sees (what we are capable of doing in/thru HIM), maybe we would be more inclined to do more of what God wants.

the gospel in the everyday...

2010-10-21T08:43:00.005-04:00

^{Colossians 1:3-14
what have people heard about your faith and work for Christ?

some time was spent this am praying for the folks i'm privileged to serve with in a variety of capacities - church, non-profit, professional. i prayed for blessing, favor, health, and other good things. as i read this passage, it began to help me shift "how" i pray for others. besides personal gain, it's been a while since i prayed for the gain of Christ and His Kingdom through my friends/co-workers and their relationships. may the gospel and our love for the saints be what we are remembered most for.
^{often times i'll find myself chatting more about family, sports, poker, fantasy football, or sports talk more so than the gospel. none of these bad things. my concern mainly was with myself and how the gospel is not normally a priority. if that's true for me, then what about all of those around me? what if it's true for them?}
my prayer time needs to severely change because of this thought. obviously, personal need and requests for self and others are not bad. they cannot, however, always be the priority of my personal time with Christ. "Your will be done." His will is the Gospel to those in our lives...fact!

the Gospel in the everyday is waiting to be responded to.

"We can lead other only as far along the road as we ourselves have traveled. Merely pointing the way is not enough. If we are not walking, then no one can be following, and we are not leading anyone." - J. Oswald Sanders}

Appointed...for what?

2010-10-14T08:27:00.004-04:00

Effective spiritual leadership does not come as a result of theological training or seminary degree, as important as education is . Jesus told his disciples, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you" (John 15:16). The sovereign selection of God gives great confidence to Christian workers. We can truly say, "I am here neither by selection of an individual nor election of a group, but by the almighty appointment of God."

-J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership

-----------------------------

Colossians 1:28-29

We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. - Paul, Apostle, Servant, Example

-----------------------------

God is the One that has called us to serve because of His choice. As a result, this should have some serious implications on the way we lead. Should we not be more bold in what we attempt? Should we not be willing to take greater risks within the leading of His Spirit? When we operate within the clear and known will of God, the blessing and result of greatness is immeasurable.

I believe that Paul accomplished much because he attempted much. He was not about himself or about others. He was about the mission that God had called him to. In Colossians we read about both the power of God in a man and a man's resolve to work and to work hard. Paul labors and struggles, but he does so with the energy of God, which was "powerfully working in him."

Does this same energy of God, AKA the Holy Spirit, not reside within each of us that have been regenerated through Christ, His suffering, His sacrifice, and His resurrection?

Then what is it? What is it that slows us down? What is it that keeps us going further? What is it that hampers God's work in us to see more people come to Christ, more churches started, more people served, more people fed, or more people blessed?

I believe it's 2 things.

The first, since life is convenient, we've grown lazy. Imagine if Paul were alive today, would we not see even more incredible things?

Second, I think we doubt what God is able to do in and thru us. Not just pastors, evangelists, or ..., but through "regular people" (whatever that means). When the people of God learn to tap into the power of God, I believe that we'll see the movement of God. Education helps, but God is smarter. Resources help, but God is richer.

An appointment by God, more powerful than we can fully understand.

learning to lead...

2010-10-12T08:31:00.003-04:00

^{^{Colossians 1:9 --}For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Excerpts from Spiritual Leadership, Chapter 2:

"If the world is to hear the church's voice today, leaders are needed who are authoritative, spiritual, and sacrificial. Authoritative, because people desire leaders who know where they are going and are confident of getting there. Spiritual, because without a strong relationship to God, even the most attractive and competent person cannot lead people to God. Sacrificial, because this follows the model of Jesus, who gave himself for the whole world and who calls us to follow in His steps.

True leaders must be willing to suffer for the sake of objectives great enough to demand their wholehearted obedience.

One last thing must be said, a kind of warning. If those who hold influence over others fail to lead toward the spiritual uplands, then surely the path to the lowlands will be well worn. People travel together, no one live detached and alone."

If we lead, then let's do it right!}

this morning at CF DT

2009-10-25T20:29:00.001-04:00

this morning at CF DT, i was given the privilege to teach; both at the leaders service and the regular attendee service.

the gospel was shared and people gave their lives to Christ.

i'm always amazed and humbled that God chooses to work through such a messed vessel like myself

the best is yet to come

2009-10-07T21:32:00.000-04:00

i would have to say that the best for ministry and city work is yet to come. i can't really say why, other than God is doing incredible things and i'm just grateful to be a part of it.

the best is yet to come.

reload conference miami

2009-10-03T21:48:00.002-04:00

today i was given the privelage of sharing the little of experience that i've gained with the brightest folks serving in south florida.

today at Christ Fellowship DT, we were able to host the RELOAD conference; sponsored by the Urban Training Network, Youth For Christ, First Priority of South FL, and Family & Children Faith Coalition.

There were about 275 folks there for the same reason. to learn how to be better in serving and ministering to their communities.

I'm inspired by the great things that God is doing through so many folks. I'm also humbled because I realize after gatherings like this one, I am not needed...thank God.

i want to be faithful

2009-10-02T06:54:00.003-04:00

Hosea 3

¹ The LORD said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes."² So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. ³ Then I told her, "You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you."

how many times are we to keep loving someone who doesn't love back? as i read this, i'm struck by the word "AGAIN." i think this is an incredible description of God's love toward us. He loves us again and again and again and again...of course this is God teaching man to honor his wife. but the comparison is clear that God does this with his people the same.

in verse 2 it describes to us hosea's payment for his wife. i know it's weird because it's not american currency. bottom line, it's a lot of money. love is not cheap and there will always be a price to keep it, bring it back, and if necessary redeem and restore it. again, God is the one who leads by example (matthew 27, mark 15, luke 24, john 19) as i glance over the cost of love, i can't but help stop and breathe deeply...because it hurts. to know that i have been the cause of such great pain. how many times has God told me "I'm your God, don't do that because it displeases me." or maybe "You are cheating on me with your time, your money, your resources, your life; stop it."

incredible that God would use hosea in such a way. we honor these men of the scripture, but this is one guy i would not want to be. i can't imagine the difficulty of raising a family without there mother because she's out prostituting herself. hosea is hardcore because he buys her back over and over again - because GOD tells him to.

i want that kind of obedience, i just don't want that kind of trial. i think it's part of the territory however.

i want to be faithful to my God.

that which matters most

2009-10-01T20:18:00.004-04:00

so it's been almost 2 months to the day that i last blogged.

lot's of incredible things going on. so much so that it's easy to forget that which matters most. i appreciate this pick that was taken by a buy attending Imago Dei, out in portland oregon; cool cat.

it reminds me most of all that in the middle of life and it's clutter, it's important not to forget the sacred; that which matters most.

what matters most and is it reflected by your time, money, and actions?

life. money. hope.

2009-08-02T20:45:00.002-04:00

this weekend at CF we started a 2 part series by dave ramsey. good stuff. lots of insights.

above all, he mentioned this one piece of info that was so true

20% is head knowledge

80% is actual doing

knowing about over spending is easy to understand; not overspending is the tough part

the same thing could be said about all the stupid things in life that we do

we know it's stupid and would never recommend anyone else to do it and yet we somehow end up doing it ourselves

it's the 80% that's tough

to the Don...

2009-07-31T22:48:00.001-04:00

tonite i had the cool opportunity of being with a pastor friend of mine, noel lozano (aka The Don) to celebrate his 10 years of ministry. myself along with a few others laid our hands on he and his wife; prayed for their church, membership, future, and God's will

pretty cool time. please continue to pray for him and his family; most people have no idea how hard it is to be a pastor/pastor's wife/pastor's kids

to reading...

2009-07-11T23:29:00.002-04:00

been reading about sin lately; what it is and how it works. also been getting ready for a message that i will be sharing at CF DT next week, it has to do with sin.

in the mean time, i'm trying to implement what i'll be sharing. it's easier said than done.

my sin is very real and alive. it reminds me of my past, which stinks.

which is why i'm thankful for God's word; it reminds me of my future, which is incredible.

can't wait to share with CF next week.

proceed with caution...

2009-07-07T22:19:00.001-04:00

so this is what i'm learning about...

God is holy

I am not

i know it doesn't sound like much, but when one begins to understand who and what the essence of God is like, anything in comparison is pitiful; especially me

knowing how screwed i already am and can potentially be helps me reframe my thoughts and my position when i approach God

He's holy...proceed with caution and reverence

"holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts. the whole earth is filled with His glory" - Isaiah

to the sexy prayer...

2009-07-01T21:51:00.003-04:00

so i was thinking about guys that lead worship. some cool, others not so much.

either way, when they get into, there's almost always that pause or break in the middle where you can sense that something cool is going on. it's at that point that the sexy prayer begins.

passionate words are uttered. hand gestures are used. it even becomes emotional.

the catch is in the tone. the voice and feel changes. it's...well, it's sexy.

am i the only one that thinks so?

to breathers...

2009-06-30T22:11:00.002-04:00

so being out in the community meeting folks and developing new partnerships is pretty exciting...and draining. been out and about moving fairly quickly for the last few weeks and i'm a bit tired.

not complaining, just stopping to breathe.

if i don't i'll miss the other good things happening all around me.

don't forget to look up every now and then; lots of good things happening in our world.

to 9 years of marriage...

2009-06-24T21:49:00.002-04:00

so today i celebrate 9 years of marriage with adriana. loving it.

i can honestly say that i have no regrets in my marriage with her. if the next 9 are any where as adventurous as the first 9, then the rest of my life is going to be incredible.

i remember the day i said 'i do.'

i still 'do.'

adriana, i will love you as long as God allows me to.

little dave's surgery...

2009-06-23T21:55:00.004-04:00

in case you didn't know, my little son dave had a minor surgery procedure done on his ears today. he should be able to hear much better

just wanted to say thanks to all of you who thought of him and prayed for him.

he came out just fine; we are having difficulties calming him down now.

ironically enough, we can already hear that his speech is improving. he's pronouncing his words a bit clearer

thanks friends

to reflections...

2009-06-22T22:43:00.003-04:00

so during my quiet times with adriana, we are going over a study called 'down pour' by j. mcdonald. good stuff.

here's where i'm at. there's a few things that i've noted and been convicted of.

-i truly don't realize how holy God really is...it scares me

-i don't spend enough time in worship of Him

-i need to start praying for revival

so with that in mind, i'd like for the blogopolis out there to consider these things with me and to take them to heart

what would it take to bring personal revival?

what would it take to bring revival to our cities?

i know it starts with prayer, what's next?

"I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground" Isaiah 44:3

father's day...

2009-06-21T20:45:00.002-04:00

in case you forgot to call your dad, step dad, dad-in-law, mentor, older guy you look up to, etc.... today is father's day.

you might want to give him a ring. if things are weird and you don't know what to talk about, here's a couple of things you might want to say...all true of my dad and those men that have mattered to me

here's 5 things that could help make father's day

1. i love you because...

2. my best memory with you is...

3. one thing that i've learned from you is...

4. one thing that i would like to learn from you is...

5. you are an example to me because...

and to top it off, give your dad a hug and kiss. yes a kiss on the cheek is all good

i love this place

2009-06-20T21:09:00.002-04:00

just wanted to let you know that christ fellowship is beginning it's new series this weekend. went to the saturday night service, it was good.

it's about the church, it's role, and how God is doing some great things through it.

check out anyone of the 5 campuses

to facebook...

2009-06-17T20:06:00.002-04:00

so i was going thru my facebook and noticed some new friend requests from highschool...la souwesera (southwest)

i accepted and began browsing thru their page. before i realized it, i was like 50 clicks away from my own home page.

initially i thought it was curiosity. but after some reflection, i'm wondering how nosy i really am. also, it's pretty easy to stalk people thru facebook. when ever someone does anything, like updates, pic change, hangover, fart, anything...i'm quickly informed.

maybe i'm the only one, but this has the potential of becoming an obsession if i'm not careful. curiosity didn't kill the cat, but it's making him blind

anybody else have a thought?

is it me or is it all of us?

todays services at downtown...

2009-06-14T21:31:00.003-04:00

this am i had the opportunity of teaching at both the christ fellowship downtown services; 9.30 am leader service(my heroes) and the 11 am service.

as i was processing what was shared, i thought i might highlight some of the points that were shared.

here goes (in case anyone out there cares):

1, we have found the saskwach(bigfoot) in the bible, his name is Goliath. he's big, mean, and hairy

2, the inaction of a nation, people, or person demonstrates what they believe about God

3, God’s invitation for us to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. (henry blackaby is the man)

4, no action = no faith

5, hasn't God proven Himself to us over and over and over again? why can't we just trust Him?

6, i can only do what i can only do. once i've done my part, God does his part

7, impossible is nothing...for God

i'd love to hear what different folks heard around the city in their houses of worship.

what's God telling you out there?

to the least of these...

2009-06-13T22:15:00.003-04:00

so tomorrow am i'll be teaching at christ fellowship - downtown campus. pretty excited about the opportunity.

however, there a ton of other good things happening while service is on. to name a few, a worship environment is created for our homeless friends. about 150 strong show up. we sing, teach, we don't push it, but many of the folks there even give of the resources they have. i'm floored every week.

showers, clean clothes, breakfast, and a hot lunch are served -- this happens every week.

sunday mornings are great for different folks, for different reasons.

so glad to be working within areas that are serving the city; regardless the cost.

to the least of these...

to little dave...

2009-06-13T08:35:00.003-04:00

some pics that my friend merari took...thanks for capturing dave's life. these are the images that we will look back on the day he gets married, has kids, and becomes a grandpa. thanks so much!

to the weekend...

2009-06-12T21:27:00.004-04:00

so as i'm getting ready for the weekend, a few thoughts are running through my mind...so here goes.

-the nba finals were a great reason for adriana and i to spend dinner and time with our next door neighbors. it was incredible considering that we didn't really spend too much time watching the game

-i'm excited about teaching at CF DT this sunday am again. had a great response from the staff and folks there last sunday. this week, we'll be looking at the next chapter in dave's life - running to the battle and living on the edge...because that's the place that God has invited us to be (you gotta be there for the whole thing)

-class 401 at all the CF campuses are going on this weekend...get connected!

-we are taking dave's pacifier away today...for good. he's not reacting well to that, but oh well.

-my heart goes out to the many friends and family that have told me within the last 6 months that they've lost their jobs or have gone through financial loss. all good people that love God. i have been and will be praying for you

-my anniversary is coming up - June 24 save the date. this year makes 9 years. i love my wife more than i ever have

-God is in control.

to abilities...

2009-06-10T21:49:00.002-04:00

so what do you do when you know that you have abilities and talent greater than that of your supervisor or up-line?

as i sit and chat with more and more folks, i discovering that this is more common than i realized.

so my thoughts on the matter are as follows:

-honor your leader as best as you can (if you can't follow your leadership, then it's time to go)

-do what's best for the organization/business (if you get in trouble for doing what's right, it's the right thing to do)

-make lemonade out of lemons (if the current leadership is the problem, then provide solutions, not just complaints)

any thoughts on the subject?

i'm still learning how to handle these things wisely when they come my way

to insecure leadership...

2009-06-08T10:19:00.003-04:00

so today, i thought i would throw out some different ideas that i'm gathering from 2 main sources - 1 samuel and the life of saul and johnny hunt, pres of the southern baptist convention.

basically, being a good leader is tough -- there's so many easy ways to get caught up in the initial success. below are some thoughts that j. hunt came up with; i think this is what happened to king saul.

i hope that i never lose sight of the bigger picture.

-An insecure leader has a hard time giving credit to others. “Why should praise seem like an unrecoverable cost? It is a gift that gives back to everyone.”
-An insecure leader keeps information from his staff. “When you release information, you convey trust and confidence to others. When you conceal it, you convey just the opposite: no trust, no confidence.”
-An insecure leader doesn’t want his staff exposed to other leaders—people who may possess qualities you don’t, people who may have skills your staff wishes you had. “When one person grows the whole team grows….Give your people the best—even better than you are.”
-An insecure leader is often a micromanager. “He’s a control freak.” Nothing can happen that they are not fully aware of. They fear things will fall apart without them. This kind of oppressive control can wring the life out of your team.
-Insecure leaders are too needy of praise. “For this reason, more than perhaps any other, they can’t really be leaders. When someone needs his followers to always be telling him how wonderful he is, he works in direct opposition to the heartbeat of leadership, which is: building into other’s lives.”

-Insecure leaders don’t provide security for those they lead. “If the mood and environment in the office is one of fear, second-guessing, and self-doubt, you can be sure an insecure leader is in charge.”
-Insecure leaders take more than they give. Instead of validating and encouraging others, they are focused on receiving it.
-Insecure leaders limit their best leaders. “Insecure leaders cannot genuinely celebrate the victories won by others.”
-Insecure leaders limit their organization. “Not only does insecurity throttle down the horsepower of individual team members; it results in putting restraints on the whole church or organization.”

what do you all think?

let me know

to small group...home church....

2009-06-02T21:20:00.002-04:00

so at small group tonite, we had a really discussion and reality check. we are not in jail, 1. we are not oppressed to not be able to live out our faith, 2. and we are able to discern those things that truly please God, 3.

i'm excited to be growing with a group of people next to me, not ahead or behind. big ups to our teacher tonite, i think she did a great job.

following our study time, prayer. significant requests were made which is awesome. it shows me where we are as a church family and trust. it also shows the point of maturity where we are in our walk. no prayer requests for in grown toe nails or stuff like that, it was really good.

and to top it off, we talked about how we could be more involved in mission opportunities and serving beyond the walls of the church. it's really cool to see our faith being lived out infront of our very eyes.

if you're not connected to community, you should be. we meet tuesday nites at my place. dinner included, but let us know you are coming.

to tv series finales...

2009-05-26T22:28:00.001-04:00

just thought about asking the blog world

who's going to be back next season on grey's anatomy?

will izzie make it?

will george make it?

i need to know a 'why' as well. help me out. i'm doing a study

to the water shield...

2009-05-22T16:48:00.002-04:00

so for a few years, i had this theory going about a 'water shield' that disney had created to keep bad weather out of it's major theme parks and largest fund generators.

the reason that i held to this theory was that after having been in central florida for a billion times, i would always get rained out at one of the universal parks or minor disney attractions, but never at the big parks, let alone the magic kingdom.

at first it didn't make sense as to why the greater orlando area would be drenched, but disney at best would get a few drops tops. that's it. so out side of being able to control the weather (i don't think that they can yet), they obviously had to have some kind of device to keep inclement weather out...the water shield.

i know it's a stretch, but think about it. if it's pouring everywhere else, then disney gets just a few drops. hurricanes never damage or effect the property of the mouse. they never close down. salese, despite a bad economy, are still up.

how do they promise the 'magic?' with a little help...the weather shield is one of those helpers.

it held true, until today. after a bit of hanging in central fl, the weather shield gave way to a bunch of rain that has left the mouse a bit wet.

i would, however, like to add, that while everyone from daytona to orlando is experiencing 'flood' type weather, disney has rain, but no where near the kind of water found in it's neighbors.

just saying.

to american idol season 8...

2009-05-19T21:14:00.002-04:00

i can honestly say that i've never really been into a.i., ever. tonight i saw the last episode where the final 2 contestants sing.

it's really not about talent, it's about popularity. i think it's easy to see who's the most talented of the 2.

i've been reading about the life of david and i find it really similar. popularity vs. talent. pretty incredible when you think about saul and dave. popularity vs talent.

i'll be sharing a bit more about this in a few weeks at cf dt. i'll be teaching there for a couple of weeks in a row. i really feel good about the 2 messages

to this weekend...

2009-05-06T21:47:00.003-04:00

so i'm getting ready for an exciting weekend

friday - ministry rally at CF

sat - friend's bachelor party

sun - mother's day with mom's and my wife (she's hot)

jam packed, but worth it for all the involved players

don't forget to take care of your moms. if you don't, you're a bad kid, seriously. unless mom did something seriously wrong, make sure that you're mom is up there in priority this weekend.

to priorities...

2009-05-03T21:23:00.003-04:00

it's funny how consistency with God thru quiet time really yields results. besides the sweetness of being with HIM, the blessings that come out of it are incredible. i don't have more stuff nor have i received a raise at work (wanted to clarify). it has to do with personal fulfillment and personal accomplishment.

i think that i've come to grips with myself on a few different things; one of them being priorities. i always make the time to do the things that i want to do. there's no reason that God should not be in the picture.

when i refocus on my priorities, everything that i should/shouldn't be doing becomes obvious.

what are some priorities that need to be priorities?

to tests...

2009-04-30T22:04:00.002-04:00

it's been a while since i took a test. all to say, that i was super excited when i took a test for something that i've been studying for, for about 2 months...and i passed. it wasn't a 100%, but then again, it's a pass/fail thing. 3 more and then i'm done...for now anyways.

i don't care how old one gets, test stink.

any one else out there agree?

beach baptism at cf...incredible!

2009-04-26T21:25:00.002-04:00

so today crandon park/el farito, CF hosted it's beach baptism for all 5 of the campuses. besides the fact that the day was beautiful, it was incredible to see the amount of friends and family that came out to support their loves in taking the life changing step of baptism

all in all, between the 5 campuses, there were approximately 250 people baptized...incredible.

each person different, different story, different culture, different language; same God and church.

i have a hunch that heaven will look similar to this

God is doing some crazy things!

easter at Christ Fellowship

2009-04-12T17:18:00.003-04:00

so this weekend starting on friday night, i had the opportunity of serving at Christ Fellowship Church here in miami - it was an incredible weekend.

the thing that stuck out the most was that regardless of the campus, style, or even demographic of the group, the gospel message was clearly presented

of all the times of the year when the message needs to be easily understood and presented, i can say with confidence that in all aspect of the programmed hour, the gospel was shared

thanks to all of you who helped participate and make this weekend possible

i'm looking forward to following up with all of the visitors who came this weekend

friday was good, sunday was awesome...Jesus lives.

to serving...

2009-03-08T23:12:00.003-04:00

so this morning, despite the hour change, i was at the caring place (downtown cf missions dept) working with an incredible group of dedicated volunteers (you all are amazing - i'm honored to serve with such incredible people

the task was beautiful...serving the under resourced and under privileged of the downtown community.

among those present were homeless men and women, recently laid off people with gifts and talent, transexuals, hung over guys, and the 2 or 3 guys that everyone is scared of.

then tonight, at cf palmetto bay, i got to teach 401 - connect to the world.

i was reminded in the middle of the session why we do what we do

God's priority isn't those present - it's those that aren't present (we call them the lost)

Luke 15 talks about...

-lost sheep

-lost money

-lost son (family)

all of them valuable, all of them equally lost.

today i was able to serve genuinely. not for show and definitely not because people were watching. i'm happy to be able to say that. in the past, my motives have been mixed. but not at 7 in the morning after a hard hour change and poor night sleep.

yet i've had more than enough energy today to do what matters most. worship God, love my family, and serve other.

how are you serving where you are?

what are you doing to add to the kingdom in you community?

let me know

to yp summit 09...

2009-03-02T22:58:00.002-05:00

so this morning spent some time listening to...

dave edwards...traveling communicator

darren w. from axis (willow creek)

jay strack from student leadership university

francis chan from cornerstone church - cali

david nasser from iran - grew up in the US and is now speaking everywhere

the lead singer from 3rd day

shane 1 of shane and shane and some other great musicians

good folks in good places all doing different things. it just reminded me on how organized God is. all of us doing different things at the same time and yet it's all part of the same picture/puzzle.

lots of good things raising lots of good questions among my staff and internally. good stuff today. looking forward to spending time in break out sessions tomorrow morning and finishing with francis chan again tomorrow afternoon.

keep you posted with more

i miss my wife and son.

to cf live...

2009-02-24T22:51:00.002-05:00

so just want to put it out there

cf live will be happening this weekend at 6.30 pm at cf palmetto bay - it will feel like a service with an extended time of worship and a powerful message by pastor rick

this saturday night only at 8.30 pm, right afterwards, the music portion will be repeated; no message or child care

hope to see you guys there!

to slum dog millionaire...

2009-02-21T21:26:00.002-05:00

besides the fact that the movie is a good one, even great one (if you haven't seen it, it's a good one to watch -- much thanks to our friends at fox for the home preview)

something that happened while i watched...i sensed God stirring, yet again.

i was reminded of perspective. over 90 million people living on less than $1 american, per day. this weekend alone i went out to eat twice and spent about an average of $10 per plate -- for one meal.

i know that life here is different. i get that. but knowing that life here is different doesn't change the fact that life over 'there' (wherever there is) is still going on; regardless of me being there or not.

so i wrestle with stewardship...

-my resources

-my time

i realized that while i'm busy here doing great things for God, i've forgotten about those out 'there'... He still cares deeply for them.

that's what i'm wrestling with...and it hurts.

to the unruined life..

2009-02-20T17:10:00.002-05:00

fyi

this weekend we start the new series about dealing with the bad things in each of us -- the jekyll hyde problem

check it out

www.cffamily.org

to saying thanks...

2009-02-14T23:19:00.003-05:00

so as i was reading this morning, i came across this passage that made me think.

in summary, 10 marginalized men needed physical help. Jesus helps all 10 of them, but only one of them comes back to say 'thanks.' His response is 'where are the other nine?'

am i really thankful for all the blessings that i receive; both big and small?

have i really done a good job saying 'thank you' to God and those that He uses to bless me?

i found my self going thru today's events and realizing that there is a bunch of stuff to be thankful about, but unless i would have stopped to reflect on it, i probably would have gone about my regular business and not saying thanks.

have you stopped to say thank you to God or others that He has used to care for you?

has anyone ever stopped to thank you?

let us hear about it

to public educators aka teacher...

2009-02-10T20:23:00.004-05:00

so we've been working through some things called 'reach beyonds'

these are opportunities for people to serve others beyond their current circles of life

our emphasis in feb and march will be to serve the teachers of miami-dade county; for their work and effort in serving our children

this is a shout out to mrs brown, my first grade teacher at village green elem.

i love her, she always gave me more cookies and taught me about verbs!

any way, we all have fav teachers or teachers that we remember for good reasons

this blog is going out to them

who's your fav teacher and why?

to a random update...

2009-02-08T22:16:00.002-05:00

so it's been a while. for all of you out there, lots going on. ministry to continues to move forward and change. that's good. health is back to normal, that's good.

dave started daycare and is on his way to being potty trained.

adriana started her new ft job - that's a blessing

we joined christ fellowship church - we are serving in their missions dept in the palmetto bay and downtown campuses. i got to teach this morning...it went well.

like i said, lots of good things been happening, but they've been happening pretty quickly.

just wanted to update blogland of what has become. looking forward to hearing from you all soon

to history...

2009-01-18T18:10:00.002-05:00

so as we get ready for a historic moment in US history, just wanted to remind folks not to get too busy to miss it.

it's not just another holiday or just another inauguration. for what ever it's worth, whether one voted for obama or not, it's history.

if you wanna see the impact first hand, you are all invited to watch the inauguration with me at Greater St. Paul AME church, in the West Grove (miami), fl. it's a predominantly african/haitian community; low income. we will be showing the live feed of the inauguration plus a moving word from general colen powell earlier. events begin at 9 - filled with words of inspiration, art, performance, food, and history. if you plan on going, please call the number below to rsvp

come and watch the impact of this event on a community near you. fyi, food will be served for free, just be sure to call ahead of time

Greater St Paul AME Church

3680 Thomas Avenue Miami Florida 33133

(305) 448-2742

to a busy week...

2009-01-15T22:57:00.002-05:00

it's been a week full of adventures and opportunity

so here's what i'm learning...

1. opportunity in difficult times is a blessing and reaffirms what one is doing, whether the opportunity is taken or not

2. i'll have an opportunity to work with Disney from now till the end of feb as an area publicist for a some stuff that they are promoting among the faith community in miami

3. ministry organization will lead to ministry sustainability and longevity

4. working with like-minded people makes life so much easier

5. contract negotiations are always a challenge

6. people will always be people

to team...

2009-01-12T23:06:00.002-05:00

during my reading in Luke, Jesus was chatting with people who wanted more of a sign from him

he talked to them and the mentioned something huge:

23"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.

it's pretty cut and dry. you are either on my team or you are not. i began to wonder about this passage and then thought, would Jesus consider me a team member of his?

i think He would, however, i think he may mention that i've got some pretty bad tendencies. tendencies that remind Him of the other team. bad habits that need to be changed in order to be more effective on His team.

part of my desire it to gather with Him and not be scattered by myself.

to unisexual family gatherings...

2009-01-11T21:45:00.003-05:00

so today i was at a family gathering celebrating the festive 'baby shower' event. the catch was that it was not my direct family, it was family of a family member on my wife's side.

needless to say, i observed a few things that are typical in my culture...good, bad, and ugly.

good - watching family come together is always good

bad - watching divorced family members see each other and sensing the tenseness in the air makes the whole experience just plain weird

ugly - watching grown men participate in stupid games - old men drinking bad booz out of mini kid bottles is just wrong (don't make people do those stupid games, serve the food, get the gifts, and get out)

that's a bit of my cultural experience today.

how is the culture on your side of life?

to 09!

2009-01-05T22:24:00.000-05:00

09 is going to be an incredible year.

i know it.

what are you hoping happens this year?

to a new year...

2009-01-04T19:20:00.006-05:00

so here a couple of the good things happening in 09

1. new year day at approximately 12.10 am during the ny's day party there was a malfunction with the fire works...they attacked the spectators. it was pretty funny. a bottle rocket punch and a dive into the pool with a dry i-phone were among the highlights of the evening. it sucked for the injured parties, but it was a funny entrance into the new year. for those injured, my condolences.

2. partnerships at work continue to expand. it's gonna be a great ministry year

3. adriana has had a couple of job interviews line up...God seems to be up to something with her

4. ministry seems to keep expanding to new levels...we'll see where that takes us this year

5. my son can say about 25 words, hopefully he'll be speaking by the end of the year

that's not too bad considering it's the first week of the year.

i've heard that the best is yet to come

happy new year!

to time off...

2008-12-22T18:52:00.003-05:00

so to the next thing that i'm thankful for...time off. the holidays provide some good family quality time that can become so easily overlooked from january to november.

in light of the tough times, being pressed financially actually helps one focus on what matters most, like what Christmas is actually about.

it also helps get to get some needed r & r.

to the holidays and the days off that come with it!

to my kidneys...

2008-12-11T09:56:00.005-05:00

so i've been in the hospital since monday with an infection of the kidney AND i have been fortunate enough to also have a kidney stone develop at the same time....yeah me!

so todays special blog goes out to the twins behind the scenes, tom and jerry as i like to call them. besides doing what they do everyday, my kidneys have been troopers through the last 4 days, 8 vomits, 2 doses of morphine, and the flavorless soup that they've been fed at the hospital.

in case you didn't know it, you need your kidneys...at least one. they filter all liquids that enter your body and then they work to get the liquid out; especially the bad liquids. so to all of you that are about introducing harmful things into the body, watch out, it will get you.

hopefully i'll be leaving the hospital todays as i've been able to recover nicely thanks to the folks at south miami hospital.

to my kidneys...the ultimate digestive warriors.

to little dave...

2008-12-08T14:42:00.003-05:00

so the next great gift that i get to celebrate is my kid...little dave. one thing they forget to tell you when you join the parenthood club, the cuter they are, the more they try to get away with.

although i have my days when i feel like doing something wrong or stupid, all he has to do is climb up my lap, grab my ears, and say 'daddy.'

i'm done. if God ever gives us a little girl, then it's really over at that point.

little dave is mean and tough, but he's mine.

just to finish off, i can remember what life was like without dave, but i can't imagine life without him now.

i love him.

to adriana...

2008-12-01T20:34:00.004-05:00

this christmas season, i plan to highlight some of the best gifts that i've ever received. gift number 1...adriana, my hot wife!

it's hard for me to say anymore, except that she is an amazing compliment/completion to me. if you don't know her, you should get to know her. she makes me a better man.

merry xmas!

ps. thnx merari for you skills with the camera

to giving thanks...

2008-11-29T23:32:00.000-05:00

so it's the saturday after thanksgiving. this is probably the most relaxing thanksgiving that i've experienced in about 5 years. it's kind of weird...takes time getting used to it.

so this is what my holiday was like...

tues - thanksgiving celebration with home church...about 20-25 in attendance; nice

wed - handling business at work till about 5.30 pm

thurs - spent time with the fam...ate and then watched true blood episodes 8-11; nice again

fri - worked on some stuff at home; worked on a friend's wedding and then worked to make sure the ceremony went well...it was lovely

sat - watched dream girls (i wish i could sing or have soul would be cool enough) spent good time with adriana and little dave; started reading 'good to great; social sectors'

needless to say, i was very thankful for the time to stop. it's important to hit the breaks from time to time in order to rest and refocus.

he's what i gathered on thanksgiving reflection...

-thankful to God (for everything)

-thankful to wife (for almost everything)

-thankful for son (he is developing so quickly)

-thankful for fam (their support is incredible)

-thankful for friends (many of them seem to get it; incredible)

so, i'm just plain thankful. what about you? why are you thankful?

to compassion and action...

2008-11-24T23:03:00.000-05:00

tonight i read about compassion...luke 7. it's always incredible to read that Jesus cares and then he shows you how. he not only sees needs, he works to meet them.

lots to learn here. we can pray, which is good. but faith is a verb. something that needs to be placed into action.

we can offer God to people and they may even choose to follow him, but that does not change their situation, whatever it may be.

for example, a hungry person trusts in God and we pray. they will still be hungry right afterwards.

an illiterate person begins to follow God, they still can't read.

a person suffering from illness confesses Christ, they are still ill.

help me understand...what is the role of those who call themselves Christ followers?

how far are we to go? what are we supposed to do?

i know we are to pray. but then what? what does one do next?

help me out.

to learning...

2008-11-20T22:49:00.000-05:00

so it's been about 7 months since i began my current role at my job...i've learned a lot.

needless to say, with that learning comes responsibility and opportunity. one of which i will be executing tomorrow.

it has to do with addressing fellow personnel and talking with them about the hard stuff; evaluation, reflection, suggestions, and then sometimes, it means letting the wrong folks go in order to get the right folks in.

"it's not you, it's me" doesn't work in this arena.

needless to say, i'm learning and i'm sure that i will keep learning. the best teacher, "on the job training."

what's the greatest lesson/principle that you've learned in 2008?

CCDA principle #6...

2008-11-13T22:22:00.000-05:00

Church-Based

It is the writer's position that nothing other than the community of God's people is capable of affirming the dignity of the poor and enabling them to meet their own needs. It is practically impossible to do effective wholistic ministry apart from the local church. A nurturing community of faith can best provide the thrusts of evangelism, discipleship, spiritual accountability, and relationships by which disciples grow in their walk with God. One problem today has been that the church is not involved in developing its communities. Often, the church has been an unfriendly neighbor in communities across our country. Churches are guilty of being open only on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights and being almost irrelevant to the needs of the people around them. Because of this, many para-church organizations have started to do the work of loving their neighbor that the church had neglected. Christian Community Development sees the church as taking action towards the development of its community.

It is the responsibility of the church to evangelize, disciple and nurture people in the Kingdom. Yet, from the command of Jesus, it is also the responsibility of the church to love their neighbor and their neighborhood. Churches should be seen as lovers of their community and neighborhoods. It is out of the church body that ideas and programs should emerge.

This concept is certainly not new in the black community. The black church has spawned most of the substantial community efforts in housing and economic development. There have been shopping centers built, senior housing units developed and communities transformed by the church. As natural as these transformations have been for the black church, they continue to be foreign to the traditional white church. Often, opposition to the church's involvement in community development still occurs among many white denominations and church groups. Recently, many new efforts are also emerging in the Latino and Asian communities as well that are making the church even more relevant to those they serve.

Lastly, probably the greatest sustaining power of community development is the community building of a local church. Because Christian community is based on relocation and people living in the community, having a local church to worship together is essential. It is the church where people gather to be rejuvenated and have their personal needs met. This is true of staff members and non-staff members. How exciting it is to see doctors at a local health center worshipping and sitting next to their patients on a Sunday morning. This is community building at its best. The church helps people to understand that each person has gifts and talents and all must utilize those for the greater good of the community. A worshipping church breaks down many of the barriers including racial, educational and cultural barriers that often separate people in communities.

CCDA principle #5...

2008-11-11T22:42:00.000-05:00

Listening to Community

Often communities are developed by people outside of the community that bring in resources without taking into account the community itself. Christian Community Development is committed to listening to the community residents, and hearing their dreams, ideas and thoughts. This is often referred to as the felt need concept. Listening is most important, as the people of the community are the vested treasures of the future.

It is important not to focus on the weaknesses or needs of a community. Again, the felt need concept, as referred to earlier, helps us as community developers to focus on the desires of the community residents. The priority is the thoughts and dreams of the community itself. What the people themselves believe should be the focus. Asset-based community development focuses on the assets of a community and building upon them. When fused together through Christian Community Development, they can have extremely positive results.

Every community has assets, but often these are neglected. When a ministry utilizes Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), it names all of the assets in the community that helps the community see its many positive characteristics. It is through these assets that people develop their community.

Christian Community Development realistically points out, through community meetings and efforts, some of the areas that people in the community would like to see improved. The areas to be focused upon are not looked at from some outside group or some demographic study that is laid upon the community. Instead, it is the community members themselves that decide what area they would like to improve.

After a community has decided where they want to focus some of their attention, it is then directed to the means with which they themselves can bring this about. What qualities, talents, and abilities does the community have that can help solve these problems? The focus is on the community members seeing themselves as the solution to the problem, not some government program or outside group that is going to be their salvation.

It is essential for community leaders to help the community focus on maximizing their strengths and abilities to make a difference for their community. The philosophy of Christian Community Development believes that the people with the problem have the best solutions and opportunities to solve those problems. Christian Community Development affirms the dignity of individuals and encourages the engagement of the community to use their own resources and assets to bring about sustainable change.

CCDA principle #4...

2008-11-07T22:18:00.000-05:00

Leadership Development

The primary goal of leadership development is to restore the stabilizing glue and fill the vacuum of moral, spiritual, and economic leadership that is so prevalent in poor communities by developing leaders. This is most effectively done by raising up Christian leaders from the community of need who will remain in the community to live and lead. Most Christian Community Development ministries put a major focus on youth development, winning youth to Christ as early as kindergarten and then following them all the way through college with spiritual and educational nurturing. Upon returning from college a ministry creates opportunities for exercising leadership upon their return to the community.

At the core of the leadership vacuum in inner city communities is an attitude of flight. For many, success is defined as being able to move out of inner-city communities, not remaining there. The erroneous goal is to help a few people leave the neighborhood so that they can escape the problems of inner city communities. This core value of escapism has caused a major drain on the community. Success in the world’s eyes is leaving the neighborhood and owning a home in a more affluent community.

Leadership development is possible only when there is longevity of ministry. All too often people are guilty of trying to have quick fixes in poor neighborhoods. Leadership development is of the highest priority in Christian Community Development. Each ministry must have a dynamic youth ministry that is reaching young people with the good news of Jesus Christ and then equipping them to become faithful followers of Christ, and effective community leaders. This will take at least fifteen years to accomplish, so a worker must plan to stay in the neighborhood for at least that long.

In situations where hispanics and other ethnic groups are negatively affected by their current legal status in our country, this progressive, developmental process is nearly impossible to accomplish, as young people are not able to attend college or prepare for a stable career. In this case, ministries are often moved to engage in social action to challenge and change current immigration laws that debilitate the lives of promising youths and their families.

For CCD ministries, developing leaders from the community is a huge priority that requires absolute commitment; the payoff is that our communities will be filled with strong Christian leaders who love their neighbors, and have the skills and abilities to lead our churches, organizations, and other institutions that bring sustainable health to our communities.

CCDA principle #3...

2008-11-05T21:52:00.000-05:00

Redistribution (Just Distribution of Resources)

When men and women in the body of Christ are visibly present and living among the poor (relocation), and when people are intentionally loving their neighbor and their neighbor's family the way a person loves him or herself and family (reconciliation), the result is redistribution, or a just distribution of resources. When God's people with resources (regardless of their race or culture) commit to living in underserved communities seeking to be good neighbors, being examples of what it means to be a follower of Christ, working for justice for the entire community, and utilizing their skills and resources to address the problems of that community alongside their neighbors, then redistribution is being practiced.

Redistribution brings the principles of Justice back to the underserved communities. Justice has left communities of color and lower economic status, leaving an unjust criminal court and prison system, unjust hiring practices, unjust housing development and injustice in the educational institutions. Justice has been available only to people with the economic means to acquire just treatment.

Redistribution brings new skills, new relationships, and new resources and puts them to work to empower the residents of a given community of need to bring about healthy transformation. This is redistribution. Christian Community Development ministries harness the commitment and energy of men, women, and young people living in the community, and others who care about their community, and find creative avenues to develop jobs, schools, health centers, home ownership opportunities, and other enterprises of long-term development.

Seeking a just distribution of resources and working for justice in underserved communities contributes greatly to helping people help themselves, which is at the heart of Christian Community Development.

CCDA principle #2...

2008-11-01T22:10:00.000-04:00

Reconciliation

People To God

Reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel. Jesus said that the essence of Christianity could be summed up in two inseparable commandments: Love God, and love thy neighbor. (Mt 22:37-39) First, Christian Community Development is concerned with reconciling people to God and bringing them into a church fellowship where they can be discipled in their faith.

Evangelism is very much a part of Christian Community Development. It is recognized that the answer is not just a job or a decent place to live but having a true relationship with Jesus Christ. It is essential that the good news of Jesus Christ is proclaimed and that individuals place their faith in Christ for salvation. Christian discipleship is very much a part of this philosophy also.

The gospel, rightly understood, is wholistic. It responds to people as whole people; it does not single out just spiritual or just physical needs and speak to those. Christian Community Development begins with people transformed by the love of God, who then respond to God's call to share the gospel with others through evangelism, social action, economic development, and justice.

People To People

The most segregated time of the week in our nation is Sunday morning during church services. American churches rarely are integrated and weaken the gospel because of this practice. Christians pray in the model prayer that the Lord taught: "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Mt 6:9 Churches should reflect heaven on earth, and heaven will be the most integrated place in the world. People of every nation and every tongue will worship Christ together. This is the picture of the church Christ presents to his people.

The question is: Can a gospel that reconciles people to God without reconciling people to people be the true gospel of Jesus Christ? A person's love for Christ should break down every racial, ethnic and economic barrier. As Christians come together to solve the problems of their community, the great challenge is to partner and witness together across these barriers in order to demonstrate our oneness in Christ. Christian Community Development recognizes that the task of loving the poor is shared by the entire body of Christ, black, white, brown, and yellow; rich and poor; urban and suburban; educated and uneducated. While the Bible transcends culture and race, the church is still having a hard time with living out the reality of our unity in Christ. Christian Community Development is intentional about reconciliation and works hard to bring people of all races and cultures into the one worshipping body of Christ.

This comes not so much through a program but through a commitment to living together in the same neighborhood. This is why relocation is so important and how each of the other principals builds upon it.

This is where what Dr. John Perkins calls the felt-need concept can be so helpful for individuals seeking to establish authentic cross-cultural relationships in under resourced neighborhoods. In order to build trust with people who may be suspicious about our motives for being in the ‘hood’ because of negative past experiences, stereotypes, or ignorance, we must begin by getting to know people right where they are at. As we listen to their stories and get to know their hopes and concerns for the present and future, we also begin to identify one another’s deepest felt-needs; those hurts and longings that allows us opportunities to connect with people on a deeper level, which is always necessary for true reconciliation to take place.

The power of authentic reconciliation between us and God, and between people of every culture and race is an essential component of effective ministry in our hurting world.

core value #1 of christian community development...

2008-10-29T22:02:00.001-04:00

so here's the first one....

Relocation: Living Among the People

Living out the gospel means desiring for one's neighbor and neighbor's family that which one desires for one's self and family. Living out the gospel means bettering the quality of other people's lives spiritually, physically, socially, and emotionally as one betters one's own. Living out the gospel means sharing in the suffering and pain of others.

How did Jesus love? "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn 1:14) Jesus relocated. He became one of us. He didn't commute back and forth to heaven. Similarly, the most effective messenger of the gospel to the poor will also live among the poor that God has called the person to. A key phrase to understand relocation is incarnational ministry.

By relocating, a person will understand most clearly the real problems facing the poor; and then he or she may begin to look for real solutions. For example, if a person ministering in a poor community has children, one can be sure that person will do whatever possible to ensure that the children of the community get a good education. Relocation transforms "you, them, and theirs" to "we, us, and ours." Effective ministries plant and build communities of believers that have a personal stake in the development of their neighborhoods.

Relocation is community based in the very essence of the word. There are three kinds of people who live in the community. First "relocators" are people who, like the project director, were not born in the inner city but moved into the neighborhood. Second, are the "returners." These are the people born and raised in their community and then left for a better life. Usually they return from college or the military. They are no longer trapped by the surrounding poverty of their neighborhood. Yet, they choose to return and live in the community they once tried to escape. Lastly are the "remainers." These are the ones that could have fled the problems of the inner city but chose to stay and be part of the solution to the problems surrounding them.

to CCDA...

2008-10-26T22:28:00.000-04:00

just finished serving at the CCDA national conference. it was a learning event. if you're looking to join a community of folks that are working to make a change in their communities on behalf of those that either can't or don't know how, these are some good folks doing some good stuff. i was glad just to be a part of it.

what i appreciated about the conference was that there were no 'rock stars.' all the headline speakers were walking around with everyone. it was pretty cool in that i got to say hi with folks anywhere at anytime. everyone was pretty accessible. they ate with everyone, spoke to everyone, and even shared the bathroom with everyone. pretty unique from a conference standpoint.

some folks that i got to share with were (i suggest you google them to see what they are up to)...

john perkins (civil rights leader)

wayne gordon (aka coach)

noel castellanos (immigration reformist)

larry acosta (urban youth workers institute)

good stuff.

to enough...

2008-10-21T22:25:00.000-04:00

i'm just gonna throw the word out there. you tell me what comes to mind and how to approach it.

EEEE NN NN OOOOOO UU UU GGG HH HH

EE NNNNNN OO OO UU UU GG G HHHHH

EEEE NN NNN OOOOOO UUUUU GGGG HH HH

i know, i've got time.

so what do you think?

to sweeney todd...

2008-10-18T21:44:00.000-04:00

we took my son to get a haircut tonight. he's much stronger than i realized. for those of you that don't know; he hates the barber. it's like he sees sweeney todd.

either way, he's much more handsome now. he hates me, but at least he looks good doing it. hope to have a pic up soon.

he's afraid of the machine. i know it sounds silly, but i hate clowns.

any other fears out there?

let me know.

to instability...

2008-10-17T13:44:00.000-04:00

October 17, 2008

it's weird because i don't things in the world have been so unsettled like they are today. as i read this morning, watched last night, and heard on the radio on the way to the office today, everything seems to be going haywire. whether economy, jobs, health, climate change, or life, it doesn't seem to really matter.

if it exists, it's going bonkers.

in my time of reading, it's moments like these that God will use to create stability in His people. when all else fails, He won't. when all else seems to crumble, He doesn't. when it's too hot, He's just right. when injustice gets worse, He gets better. when....He....

i've been learning that during the instability, i will be the stability that God will use to navigate people through these hard times. it's not that i'm better than most. on the contrary, i find myself among the general public in the u.s. just trying to get by. and still, i'm not freaking out. i really think that this is part of the 'mystery of the gospel' that paul refers to.

how can you stay calm when all else is going off?

how can you not lose sleep when people keep getting laid off?

how you can you...finish the sentence.

i can because He is, was, and will be. in control, on top of things, planning out time for His best interests.

thank goodness that i'm not in control He is.

to observations...8 of them

2008-10-13T21:32:00.001-04:00

so as i considered number 100, i thought about writing 100 reasons for this, that, or the other. not happening.

so here it is. as i've recently started journaling again (healthy exercise), i come to grips with a couple of things. among them. so here's to 8 observations that i've made this last year...

1- the need for more prayer, especially when all is well

2- the need for more prayer, especially when all is not well

3- obedience = where my faith intersects with God's faithfulness

4- when you are doing something new, it's always hard

5- reverting to what you know is always easiest

6- God is more concerned with His glory than mine (rightfully so...He's God)

7- If we're not planning on changing lives, then we're thinking too small

8- i want to be on the amazing race

maybe i'm missing a couple of thoughts on here. let me know

to #99...

2008-09-23T22:35:00.000-04:00

this is my 99th post. any suggestions on how to celebrate #100? i've got some ideas, but i'm open to thoughts.

the heart

2008-09-19T22:26:00.000-04:00

so i've been doing some thinking on the heart and what the WORD has to say about it. the heart is truly messed up - implication, all of us with hearts are messed up. out of the heart, the mouth speaks. it's crazy some of the things i'm capable of saying, let alone thinking.

there's gotta be a way of not only filtering the heart, but actually working with God to change the heart and the messed up that it is.

as of recently, i've been exposed to how wicked and great the heart can be at the same time. i've seen it in the life of others and experienced it personally.

what i've discovered is, what you project unto others is a reflection of what is found inside. it's the exterior reflection of the inward.

just where i'm at.

...to syndication

2008-09-11T22:01:00.000-04:00

so i watched 30 rock for the first time tonight. funny. as i was changing channels to see what's on these days. aside from the news that ike is going to bust up the eastern coast of tx, seems like there's tons of stuff about burning off fat, panties-medias, cartoons, the office, and really old re-runs in syndication (different strokes).

not sure what the best show on tv is today, but i've got some ideas. i would love to hear about what you guys are watching out there in the blog world.

so give it up...what are you guys watching on tv?

what's the best thing on tv today?

to the hitachi...

2008-09-10T22:39:00.000-04:00

so tonight we had some awesome cuban food at our gathering. madd props to yannick's mom and her glorious hitachi. it may not solve all of the worlds problems, but it sure does make some really good rice.

besides really good food, we had an amazing time of prayer and intimacy with each other. amazing how the hitachi can bring people together :-)

to the hitachi! thanks yan. (you complete me - you had me at hitachi)

i should host the VMA's next year...

2008-09-07T21:22:00.001-04:00

i've never been so disappointed with the selection committee on who elects the host of the VMA's.

here's the question:

was no one else available to host? - next year, mtv, i'll be around!

besides the stupid appearance, foolish comments, and ridiculously tight pants, the poor fellow looked like a woman with a beard.

for a 25th anniversary, i'm thoroughly disappointed.

the only positive things about the VMA's, they encouraged people to vote. please vote according to what you think is the best for the country. don't let people from other countries tell you how to vote, especially at the VMA's.

also, my 2 year old kid was totally upset on the knocking of the jonas brothers and their choice on waiting till marriage for sex.

to an interesting opinion...

2008-09-01T19:26:00.000-04:00

so as i was reading this morning in luke 4, they gave Jesus beef about the coming of a new day. a shift was occurring around all who were there and they didn't even know it. when He tried to warn them, they didn't want to hear about it.

came across an interesting opinion this afternoon as i was doing my daily reading (check out the column to the right for more info on what i'm reading). here's the opinion:

"doing church differently is like rearranging the chairs on the titanic. we must realize that slight tweaks, new music, creative lighting, wearing hula shirts, shorts, and flip flops won't make doing church more attractive. church must not be the goal of the gospel anymore. church should not be the focus of our efforts or the banner we hold up to explain what we are about. church should be what ends up happening as a natural response to people wanting to follow us, be with us, and be like us as we are following the very way of Christ."

pretty hard.

what do you think? right? wrong? some right or some wrong?

let me know.

to facebook...

2008-08-31T16:35:00.000-04:00

so i have a facebook now. less than 48 hours later, i'm getting pics of me back in the 60's when i was just a glimmer in my father's eye.

thanks alex. u made my decade.

sweep the leg...awesome

2008-08-27T15:14:00.000-04:00

this has got to be one of the best things to have come out of the 80's. what's awesome is that whenever mr. miagi comes out, the asian flute begins to play.

"sweep the leg" were the words uttered by the mean karate guy/teacher (sensai or something like that). it's awesome cause the music goes up and daniel goes down. hope goes down with him. but just like all good movies in the 80's, he gets up and wins.

i love the 80's. i love karate kid I, II, III, but not the girl version with hilary swank. the 90's were desperate times - so was pat morita (mr. miagi)

sweep the leg...awesome

...to being human

2008-08-25T23:38:00.000-04:00

i had the opportunity to share with a friend of mine today about her frustrations with life in general. there are lots of things going on, but part of the problem was found in her problems with church and how her specific church operates.

she seemed disillusioned, stressed, frustrated, and disappointed. what's weird is that she thought that there was something wrong with her. i assured her that wherever people are involved, anyone of those characteristics mentioned above will be present...we are all human; that's our pattern and tendency.

but why? why is it that more and more believers are feeling this way about church today? guestimations are that there are between 20 - 25 million xians in the US that don't go anywhere for whatever reason.

as i continued to share with her, i honestly sensed her passion and concern for her church; it was awesome. i believe that she'll be just fine as she re-engages slowly but surely.

just wondering, in your opinion what seems to be the problem with the church today and what do you think is the best way to fix things?

let me know.

...to sleeping giants

2008-08-22T22:00:00.000-04:00

so today i was listening to a guy out of texas share about this idea of waking up. that many folks kind of live like zombies. they move, they eat, they breathe, but it's almost as if they are in this sleep walking stage - like zombies.

then he got real passionate and began to expound on his idea that much of the church in the west is in this chronic state. we move, we eat, we breathe, but we are walking in our sleep.

then i thought to myself...what if the sleeping giant of a church were to awaken to do what it was created to do? what then?

-how would things change?

-how would things be different?

-what would that mean for the current state of where the church is?

if only the giant would awaken.

how would it be different? why isn't it different?

let me know.

waiting for the light to change...

2008-08-17T23:31:00.000-04:00

when you are waiting for 'next' to happen...this can be an interesting time. for some it's school, for others it's work, for some it's a life mate, for others it's that very next thing. learning to wait for what's next is good, it's just the process that's not too much fun.

it's like sitting at that street light that's red -- it's been red for about 15 minutes. you don't want to turn and then turn around 'cause you know it's wrong or someone might catch you doing wrong. so you sit there, waiting for the light to change. finally, when it does change, you move forward in confidence -- you have the clear and obvious permission to do so. it's just the waiting for the green light...it takes time.

what's cool is, when i've waited for His green light, the wait proved to be worth it. the destination was better than i had expected, and had i arrived there sooner...

1. i would not have been ready for it

2. my destination would not have been ready for me

3. it would not have all fitted together, just right

so for all of you waiting for whatever is next...find a good book to read while you're on the wait. the 'next' doesn't go away, you just learn to adjust to His schedule and timing. while you are at the light waiting, what can you do there to serve Him and others? chances are that's why the light is still red.

what can you do at your red light for God, for others?

to the everyday...

2008-08-12T22:05:00.000-04:00

i was listening to perry nobles today and he had some good insights on hearing from up above.

"when you wrestle with the word and begin to walk in what the word says, the result is God's will."

it's that simple. knowing what His will is, is the easy part. living it out is when it can get tough. especially when you realize that your next step is leading you to an uncharted, unexpected, unprecedented territory. but isn't that like Him to do that?

as we are making big decisions again, i'm reminded that everyday is big, because God is in it. that alone should be enough to have my fullest attention -- i should go after the everyday in the same way i go after answers to life's hardest questions.

how do you approach the everyday?

to one of many medals...

2008-08-10T00:24:00.000-04:00

regarding IT...i think this kid has IT. he's not trying to win, he's trying to walk out with 8 gold medals. it's performance to a whole new level.

question:

who else do you think has IT? (church, business, sports, etc)

why do you think they have IT?

to IT...

2008-08-08T21:33:00.001-04:00

so this morning i heard from craig groeshel at the leadership summit hosted at a flamingo road cooper. some of his thoughts on ministry regarding church were pretty good. some stuff was refreshing, some stuff was different. he basically broke the idea of the "IT" factor down. the IT factor is the special something that people/churches/organizations may have that separates them from the rest. it's not the Holy Spirit because all believers have the HS. there's something different. not sure what that different is, but craig calls the difference, IT.

so here you go...these seem to be some consistent qualities in people/organization when IT is present:

1. focus - less ministries = better ministries

not trying to do a lot of stuff at a mediocre level, rather focusing on what one does well and kicking butt at it

2. opportunities, not obstacles

you find a way when others fail to do so

you realize that you have exactly what you need to accomplish what God wants you to do

3. you have to be willing to fail

failure is often the first step to seeing God and who He is

if you can do it, it doesn't require faith. if it doesn't require faith, you can't see God

4. lead by people who have IT

the leaders of these organizations need to have IT

IT finds it's way out to others and can become contagious - when you have IT inside, it tends to spread outside

and to close...

when it becomes about your church or your organization and not His kingdom, you will lose IT

is he crazy? does he have a point? chime in and let me know.

to the 'pause'...

2008-08-07T19:17:00.000-04:00

and so we find ourselves waiting for God to do what He does best...acting in His time. that's right boys and girls, the lopez clan are at another crossroads that will be determined by God's timing more than anything else. so we'll see what happens and when God moves, we'll let you guys know. we need God to provide for us - adriana is looking for a job; we know He will, it's just...when?

in the mean time, help me understand what you do when you are in the 'pause.' i know that we're supposed to wait and we are, and we're good. we really are. different people handle it differently when they are waiting for God to respond to a situation. i'm just curious, how do you handle it?

help a brotha' out!

...to spider sense!

2008-08-06T23:32:00.000-04:00

at our gathering tonight, we touched on acts 8 - philip and his adventures to places that normally are not welcoming. my hats off to those brave enough to trust Christ and His leading to places others may call hostile or unwelcoming. i raise my cup to the person willing to risk all that he/she may have for obedience towards a calling. because of philips' obedience, the word says that many 'samaritan' nations came to faith and rejoiced. then he's off talking to a foreigner about things that pertain to history and heritage...a eunuch from ethiopia of all people. why? because the Spirit led him to do so. crazy.

what kind of 'spider sense' or what 'frequency' was he in tuned to?

i want that.

i just fear how i would respond if the Spirit told me to do something as difficult like go to a 'hostile' place or speak to a random person, because the Spirit told me to.

what would you do? have you ever had one of those moments when you knew that God was leading you to do something, something that seemed so foreign or weird to you that you simply had to stop and question everything about the situation? i have.

great questioned was posed tonight: who is the "eunuch" in your life that you need to be sharing with?

what do you think? does this kind of stuff still happen? let me know of your experiences with it...i'm still trying to figure things out myself.

mama mia...why?!

2008-08-03T18:08:00.000-04:00

i don't normally do this, but because of the epic proportions of 2 hours of life, i will. i went see a movie with adriana today called mama mia. i know, what was i thinking. i wanting to be a better husband. one who supports and encourages. that's what it got me today. let me just say that if weren't for the spectacular scenery of the greek isles, the movie would have sucked. instead, it was just bad. it takes a lot for me to hate on movies. so, if you are a lady looking for a romantic movie, don't use this one unless you're trying to make him pay for it. if you're looking for movie to score you some points with the beautiful babies, they are not worth it with this movie.

music = cool

story = ok

acting = ok

mix them altogether and you get good actors doing bad film. i'm just saying. i'm not even trying to compare it with the dark knight or other summer films, it's not fair to mama mia. if i had to watch mama mia or sweet sixteen, sweet sixteen any day and twice on sunday (at least it changes).

needless to say, i wouldn't even recommend it as a rental; even if you've never seen it and love abba.

sorry.

for those poor unfortunate souls that have seen the film, what do you think? am i hating too strongly or am i right on?

like a ton of bricks...

2008-07-31T21:31:00.000-04:00

last night at church we were having a discussion on God. no biggy, i know. yet somewhere in the midst of a discussion that i could have swore that i have had before, it hit me like a tone of bricks...

"God is always changing and moving towards change, yet He still remains the same."

i've been thinking about this all day.

any takers on this idea or thoughts on the matter? i dare you to try to explain.