Is Radical Good?

I had a funny exchange with a woman this morning. She asked me the name of the conference the men from our church are going to Saturday. 

"The Radical Conference," I replied. 

Her response caught my attention. "Radical? I don't like being radical." Then she laughed and added, "Yesterday I went to Chick-Fil-A for "Support Chick-Fil-A Day."  That's the most radical thing I've ever done!"

As Arsenio Hall used to say, "Things that make you go hmmm." I began to wonder, is being radical a good thing, or a bad thing?

When I speak of being radical, I'm referring specifically to being radical in my relationship with Jesus. As I grow older, I increasingly believe that following Jesus is meant to be a radical experience. And, as I grow older, I realize that I haven't been a very radical Christ-follower.This bothers me, for I know Jesus calls me to be a radical follower. Consider these words:

"Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23)

"Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Matthew 19:12)

"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:43,44)

A big part of me wants to squirm out of these words by dismissing them as metaphorical, illustrative, or idealistic. But I know I can't worm my way out. Jesus calls me to be radical. Period!

Radical is defined as going to the root, or source of something. It is also defined as departing from the normal and going to the extreme. I'm beginning to understand that Jesus wants to make extreme changes at the very root and source of my being. For as uncomfortable as I am with this, I know it's what is best, for it is what He desires for me. So I guess it's time be radical.

What do you think? Is radical good or bad? 

Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Reaching the Summit

I did it - completed my second trip to the top of Yosemite's Half Dome. Two days of lung-burnin', knee-bustin', back-breakin', glorious hiking in the mountains. To reach the summit of Half Dome is to accomplish a life-long dream. To do it twice is well,,, crazy!
Here are a few thoughts on what it takes to reach the summit.

• A dream - your dream motivates you to achieve.
• A solid plan - careful plans keep you on the path to success.
• Hard work- lots of it. The summit is never easy to attain.
• Perseverance - The summit is only attained when you're willing to place one foot in front of the other, over and over and over.
• Endurance - There's always pain on the path to the summit. Endurance allows you to overcome the pain and pay the price.
• Friends - when you can't go further, your friends push you to continue.

One final thought - whenever you reach a summit in life, take time to enjoy the view. Reflect. Observe. Give thanks. Eventually you have to go back down to the valley. Enjoy the summit while you can.
What summit have you reached?
Leave me a comment and share your victory.

Old Dog, New Tricks

Last Saturday was a monumental moment in world history - I enjoyed my first ever seniors breakfast. Yep, turned 55 just a few weeks ago, which makes me a senior citizen in some places. If that saves me a few bucks on breakfast, I'm all for it.

I'm pleased to announce that at 55 years young I'm having the time of my life. I'm having a blast. A big reason is that I changed careers a month ago and my new job is having me do things I've never done - and I love it. After being a pastor for 30 years, I stepped out of pastoral ministry and joined an awesome ministry called Iron Men's Ministry. The newness of my new job is both challenging and fulfilling. I suspect it's fulfilling because it is challenging. And it's challenging because it's new.

The old saying goes, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."  Wow, how insulting to old dogs. I'm now officially an old dog and I'm discovering it's never too late to learn new tricks. Not only is it possible to learn new tricks, it's a necessity. Doing something new in life stretches us. New things challenge us. New things add zip to a life that just might be getting a little stale and predictable.

Here's an unsolicited tip from an old dog - try something new in your life. You don't have to change careers. That's just crazy. But shake things up a little. Change your routine. Take up a new hobby. Go back to school. Jump out of an airplane - just don't forget your chute. Try something new.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the Apostle Paul says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here"

It doesn't matter if you're an old dog or new dog. If you want to experience Jesus, if you want to experience life in the fullest, learn a few new tricks.

If you have an old dog, new trick story from your life, please share it with me.

Dancing with Ants, Wrestling with Gators

Which are worse - big sins or little sins?  The answer to this theological conundrum came to me while dancing with some fire ants the other day. Allow me to explain.

I love to fish and I love to fish in Florida. It's bass heaven. However, there are two problems, one big and one little, both are significant - gators and fire ants. The gators are pesky, constantly making runs for my lure. The fire ants are pesky, swarming my unsuspecting size 16 feet, causing me to do an impressive version of  "River Dance." It's amazing how fast one can learn Irish dancing with the right motivation.

Common sense says gators are more dangerous. They're big, nasty, and have really sharp teeth. Surprisingly, the fire ants pose more of threat. Each year more people die from allergic reactions from the bites of fire ants than die from gator attacks. In my 15 years of fishing in Florida, I've never been bitten by a gator. I can't count the number of times I've been bitten by fire ants.

Back to the sin question. Like gators, big sins seem more dangerous. They're dramatic. They inspire fear. And yes, should they get hold of us, they can do some serious damage. And yet, the small sins bring greater destruction. Like fire ants, small sins are seldom noticed. They seem insignificant. But man, do they ever hurt. It's not one or two bites that do the damage, but the repeated bites from ant after ant, from sin after sin. The damage is accumulative, and sometimes is deadly.

Here's a suggestion - avoid the gators and avoid the fire ants. Avoid the big sins and avoid the little sins. They all are bad news.

"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."    ~Romans 6:11-14

Leave a comment. Big sins or little sins - which are worse? What's your opinion?

Gentle Giant - A Message for Dads

A few years ago my Dad's screen name was "Gentle Giant," a fitting descriptor for the 6'4" greatest influencer of my life. I've always seen my Dad as a big, strong man, capable of anything. Yet, he's always been soft-spoken, humble, and joy-filled. He's gentle - a gentle giant.

I'm not a small guy either. In fact, I'm an inch taller than my Dad, a fact I love to remind him of. And, like my Dad, I too am a gentle giant.

In the third chapter of Colossians, the Apostle Paul gives some helpful advice for healthy families. It's interesting that in the two verses of advice for men (verse 19 and 21), Paul warns husbands to "not be harsh with your wife," and to "not embitter your children." Both of these negative warnings speak of the need for men to learn to control their strength, to effectively harness our God-given power and channel it to good, not harm.

Jesus is a remarkable example of a gentle giant. He had the power and strength to calm storms, cast out demons, confront sin and hypocrisy, to overturn the tables of the money-changers. He had the power to overcome the grave. And yet, he loved people, played with children, embraced the sick and weak, and wept at the grave of his friend.

Dads, be strong for the sake of your families. Lead, protect, provide. Be a giant. But please, be gentle. God has entrusted you with great responsibility and great power - use it with humility, grace, and gentleness. Your family needs a giant. Be a gentle one.

Any gentle giants in your life? Take a moment and share your story.

A Leap Day Leap: My New Adventure

 

It's Leap Day, a good day to talk about my latest leap of faith. At the age of 54 I just quit my job and have taken a position that pays no salary. After 30 years of being a church pastor, I'm walking away for a new adventure. And I'm super excited!

I'm devoting my time, talent, and energy to an incredible organization called Iron Men's Ministry. I passionately believe God is going to use Iron Men to change the lives of 1000's of men, their families, and their churches - all for the sake of Jesus Christ.

For most of my life I've been committed to making a difference in God's Kingdom. By joining the Iron Men's Ministry team, I know God is going to use me to make a significant impact for Him in this world.

I invite you to be my partner in this adventure. As I mentioned earlier, my new position has no salary. I'm asking my friends, relatives, and acquaintances to consider helping support me financially in 2012. Over the years God has blessed me with incredible people who have shared some amazing faith and life adventures. Would you please consider helping me?

If you want to help, you can do so one of two ways. Email me at tallpastor@comcast.net and I'll send you a support letter along with more information about Iron Men's Ministry and a contribution commitment form.

Or, go to ironmensministry.com, click on financial support and make your donation. On the confirmation page be sure to click on "add special instructions to the seller" and type in "For support of Jim Kennon."

I covet your prayers for Sue and me. Keep an eye on this blog for regular updates on the great things God is going do through Iron Men's Ministry.

Please take a moment and leave a comment.

Thanks!

Jim