For the longest time I've heard this rumor that if certain people walk into a church building they will be struck by lightning. REALLY? Where did we get the idea that when certain people are present in a gathering of believers, they will be struck by lightning and die. It is true that there are instances in scripture where people are, "smited by the mighty smiter."* However, just like we talked about in class yesterday. These instances are not the usual occurrence when people who are "sinners, liars, etc." are present in a gathering of believers or enter a church building. I don't have any idea when the last time was that a person was struck by lightning when they participated in a gathering of believers, yet somehow this has become a common excuse and understanding among those inside and outside of the church. So we start to believe that God's ultimate goal is to punish all who are not well-behaved.


Yesterday in class we looked at the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. From what I can tell, these were the last two people who were struck dead by God mentioned in the Bible. Somehow, we've taken this story and started to believe that God wants to punish us for not being good enough. Ultimately, Ananias and Sapphira were bringing deception into a fledgling movement and God sent a message to the church, one that sometimes gets twisted into, "God is gonna cut you down." God's message for the church is that I don't want you to experience or become a place where deception is the norm.

The only reason to fear lightning seems to be when you come to the place where God's people are with the intention of deceiving others. God's message in reality is one of encouragement, not punishment. When you come to this place with other believers, know that God values you being yourself over the commonly accepted and often encouraged "Christian" practice of deception.

Don't fear the lightning...enjoy living in the light!

* Anyone remember what movie this is from?

Tonight, my family and I will be saying goodbye to Vanessa Long, AKA The Best Intern Ever. One of the things that I've always questioned about relationships is if they are worth all of the effort in relation the heartache that they cause. I'm sure all of us have been in relationships and had friendships that inflicted a lot of pain, instead of the expected benefits of a friendship.

I remember one of Vanessa's many life goals being to be Noah's best friend. After just a week as an intern, Vanessa was declared to be Noah's best friend. The two of them spent the summer doing what every BFF duo does, dancing, singing, playing, talking and laughing. It really has been pretty awesome to watch. One afternoon, Vanessa dropped by our house for a moment to say hi and was about to leave when Noah came to me with a sad look on his face. "Daddy, I want Vanessa to stay." Noah and I went out to find Vanessa and he asked her to stay for dinner. After this, Danielle and I have spent the past weeks trying to figure out how to prepare Noah for the inevitable.

This morning, while Noah and I were sitting on the couch together, I told him that today was the last day that he would see Vanessa for a while. Noah just got quiet. His voice had a hint of sadness as he wanted to know more about why his best friend wouldn't be around again for a while. Part of me wondered throughout the day if I should have worked to protect Noah from the inevitable pain. I mean Vanessa was an intern. Intern by nature is a temporary position and therefore a temporary relationship.

We are about to embark into some new territories with one another and God this fall in which you are going to be asked to invest in relationships with other students and adults that will inevitably cause pain. These relationships may be temporary. Vanessa, however, reminded me in many ways that the temporary nature of an internship or a relationship doesn't matter if you choose to fully invest in the relationships. The only relationships that might not be "worth it" are the ones in which we are half-hearted participants. When we choose to invest fully in a relationship regardless of risks, tenure or shortcomings, we choose what I observed from Vanessa and Noah's friendship and the ways that she has cared for so many in The Zone this summer, "ADVENTURE!"

Choose adventure by choosing to engage in new friendships this fall with students and adults as together we move forward as a community.

Q How did Jesus' relationship with his disciples, including Judas exhibit and model for us this spirit of adventure?
Q How does Jesus' statement in John 15:13 embody the spirit of adventure that we are invited to exhibit in our lives?
Q Who or what is the spirit of adventure most concerned about?