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Does Jesus Want Me To Be Physically Fit?

Mission statements are meant to grab your attention, start discussion, clarify your motives, get on the same page, understand where you are headed, clarify what you are not about, etc. But, rarely if ever do they fully surmise the depth of your passions, or your personality. Often, they leave no room for variance or seasonal discrepancies. Some mission statements are purposely worded to fit on a t-shirt. That being the case, rarely do they give an adequate definition that is satisfactory.

OUR MISSION (Westwinds) is to lead everyone toward full life development in Christ.

A couple of years ago, someone lovingly and jokingly chided and teased us (me) about “full life development.” “It’s so vague! What does it mean? Does it mean Jesus wants you to work out and lose weight and stuff?” The laughter suggested that certainly this is not what the person thought we were saying by full life development. They supposed it was something much more “spiritual.”

My reaction to the prodding? Ummm, being physically fit, yeah, that’s part of it.

My answer was met with silence.

I believe being physically fit and healthy is very much a part of being spiritually fit. That conversation has come back to me many times.

Not being overweight or obese is only part of the physically fit and healthy equation. Eating right, making wise choices, strength and endurance, learning to say “no” and “when”, establishing new habits, thinking of your loved ones’ and family’s reliance upon you, planning ahead, sexual choices etc. are all parts of a physically fit and healthy lifestyle that is indeed tied to our spiritual well-being and our relationship with God and others. We often times don’t give this mindset enough credence.

The old adage, “you are what you eat” is extra-biblical proverbial wisdom that is in fact very biblical.

How does it affect us spiritually if we ignore our physical health?
• Exhaustion that deprives us of time with our families.
• Complications that affect our ability to work and provide.
• Attitudes of anger and bitterness because we do not feel good about ourselves.
• Irritability with our loved ones.
• Apathy and lack of motivation.
• All varieties of depression.
• Sleep deprivation and physical pain that keeps us from doing simple things like spending time with others or reading our Bible.

The list goes on.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” I Corinthians 6:19 and 20

While we may not espouse any of the diets and fads that attach themselves to Christianity like The Old Testament Diet or Weight Loss God’s Way, and we don’t get so ridiculously specific as to ask “What Would Jesus Eat,” we certainly recognize the connection between unhealthy choices/bad habits and our spiritual condition. Garbage in=garbage out has implications mentally, physically, emotionally, and indeed spiritually.

Westwinds empowers our staff each year with a sum of money designed to impact the local community in creative ways that are “missional.” In light of the mission of “full life development in Christ,” our staff is given the freedom to spend a certain amount of money in the community to bolster and augment spiritual conversation, meet needs, raise awareness, etc. (though each endeavor may not do all these things at once). We call this “Beyond 1000” (our address is 1000 Robinson).

This year, during the second quarter of 2010, we will launch a Beyond 1000 initiative/missional endeavor designed to promote health and wellness—physically and spiritually.

Beginning in April, a petition will go out to the Jackson community through various media outlets encouraging people to write a short essay on “why I need to get healthy.” From the collection of essays, a group of 12 will be selected to join a Westwinds satellite dedicated to health and wellness. These 12 will then be given a 6-month membership to a local gym in Jackson and a 6-month membership to Weight Watchers (subject to rules and accountability guidelines).

As part of the satellite, members will have access to a qualified nutrition and health expert for questions, guidance, advice, and support. They will also have access to a spiritual guide they can contact and be in relationship with if and when they wish to pursue biblical counsel in relation to this challenge.

The purpose of this mission is:
• To provide inroads to spiritual conversation
• To foster community and relationships
• To make a concerted effort to raise health awareness in connection with spirituality

During this 6-month satellite, members will be held responsible for meeting guidelines that include but are not limited to regular satellite meeting attendance once a week, having an accountability partner, regular Weight Watchers participation including a once-a-week meeting, and regular gym usage no less than 3 times a week.

This is all in the initial stages. I’d love to hear what you think.

Gungor

Saw Gungor last week. This band blew my mind. And my head. And my brain. If they come to a town near you, GO! I am going again tonight in Grand Rapids. This is the future of worship music. This live experience is in my top 5 concerts of all time. That's top 5 concerts. Not Christian concerts. Concerts. Period.

How Video Games Saved Church Music

There has never been a greater, happier, more fulfilling, more fun period of time in my 20+ years of being a musician in the church as this very moment. By “moment” I am referring to the period of time that began sometime in 2004 and stretches to the present—The age of Guitar Hero.

2004 saw the invention of Guitar Hero. God’s gift to the church musician. On its heels, RockBand came along in 2007 and the angels sang once again.

Not exaggerating.

Church musicians and church personalities come in all shapes and sizes but, if you are in church that is missional in any way (use your favorite descriptive word like seeker targeted, seeker sensitive, relevant, whatever), you are always seeking for songs that are winners. Songs that create moments. Songs that relate. Songs that people dig. As many people as possible.

Talk about livin' on a prayer.

Unless your church is predominantly one demographic, you swing the pendulum knowing every song is not going to hit everyone the same way but you hope it hits some. Few of us have a church full of 35 year olds who crave a Pearl Jam or Nirvana song every week.

Variety is key. But . . .

Something has changed and we owe a great deal of gratitude to the folks at Guitar Hero. They introduced Classic Rock to a generation who used to think it was dad’s old crappy music. Not only Classic rock but a variety of songs that were popular in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s not to mention current hits. Then, with RockBand’s introduction of Beatles RockBand in 2009, some of the greatest music of all time was introduced for the first time to the young masses. Happiness is a warm game.

For the first time in history, when parents are yelling, “turn that down!” there is a good chance it is the exact same song their parents’ told them to turn down . . . or, grandparents told their parents.

What does this mean for church musicians? It means your grab bag of songs should start with these catalogs.

But, the great thing is, it’s not only specific to these catalogs. All of a sudden, Classic Rock is cool across the board. And, all those 30 and 40-something’s who are coming back to church after years of hiding are bringing their kids who already know the words to what dad was listening to in the 80’s and 90’s. Outside of the game playing, younger crowds are listening to Classic Rock and 90’s RADIO because, if it’s cool for the game, it has to be cool. A Kansas song can show up on a game and kids go to iTunes and download the whole album.

Take a trip to Kohl’s or even Hot Topic and look at the clothing. Vintage rock tees such as AC/DC, The Doors, Van Halen and Rolling Stones have trickled down to the stores that cater to teens and they are buying them up faster than dad can say, "radical (or boss, or cool, or awesome)!"

In the last few months at Westwinds, I have run a little experiment. I incorporated Beatles tunes into worship medleys, played songs by The Who, Rolling Stones, REO Speedwagon and others with incredible feedback. By everyone.

The kids, college young adults, parents, and the older folks are all high-fiving us on the same tunes. One older lady who often comments about volume recently thanked me for playing The Who’s “Christmas” that hints at the Tommy lyrics. She is in her mid sixties. “That really spoke to me” she said. “Thank you for playing the music I love. You always do a good job.” (P.S. it was the loudest we have played in a long time).

It is also interesting that worship music heroes like David Crowder have embraced their inner classic rock and, in so doing, have made it okay for the more conservative Christian kids to listen to. After all, Ted Nugent played a guest spot on Crowder's 2007 album, "Remedy."

The planets have aligned. Thank you God. And, thank you video games.

Westwinds: Baby Bottle Fundraiser

On Cool

I don’t want to be the cool guy.
I don’t want to have to tell you how cool I am.
I don’t want you to think I’m cool because everyone else said I am.
Cool guys die.
Usually young.
More importantly, cool guys only rarely really live.
I don’t think he’s cool even though they all say he is.
I don’t want to do what the cool kids are doing.
The cool kids are dumb.
More importantly, the cool kids are rarely smart.
I don’t want you to tell me what is cool to listen to.
Or wear.
Don’t tell me what place is cool.
Or not cool.
My friends are cool.
They don’t have to be cool to you.
They’re cool to me.
They treat me cool.
I want to be cool like them.
Don’t say that to me. That’s not cool.
I’m tired of you telling me how cool your new thing is.
Let me decide if it’s cool or not.
If I think it’s cool, I’ll tell others.
But, they can make up their own minds.
I don’t want you to expect me to be cool.
Cool is exhausting.
Cool has no end.
Cool is a game.
A losing game.
Cool changes.
Cool becomes boring fast.
I used to think that’s cool. Now, I think it sucks.
Sometimes, I’m cool.
It happens by working hard.
Sometimes it happens by accident.
I may not be cool tomorrow.
That’s cool.
I lied. I want you to think I’m cool.
Lying isn’t cool. But, it wasn’t really a lie.
I want you to know I’m cool where it counts.
But, not cool in the way I don’t want to be.
The kind of cool that just is.
I’m cool with that.
I don’t want to read cool things just to be cool.
I want to read things that make me say, “that is so cool.”
That is not cool how you are treating her.
Get off your . . . do something about it cool guy.
It is not cool to use the God card to manipulate.
I want to cool my jets.
Part of me is not cool.
My friends know what isn’t cool.
They tell me I’m not being cool knowing I’ve invited them to do that.
They are cool for taking that risk.
Does he have any friends who tell him that’s not cool?
I’m not cool enough to be his friend.
I am more than cool with that.
Are you sure you’re cool?
That was so not cool.
I want to sleep easy and know everything is cool.
A clear conscience is cool.
Rest is cool.
Peace is cool.
Forgiveness is cool.
Progress is cool.
Restoration is cool.
New life is cool.
Change is cool.
Feeling pretty cool right now.

Fiction February

At the beginning of the year, I started reading more fiction. I got bored with trade mags, leadership books, “how-to” ministry books, and books promoting the next new thing. I’m all for self-improvement and stretching and learning from people smarter than me but the pressure to produce and read everybody’s new idea is a constant prodding in ministry circles that can be overwhelming and sometimes counter-productive. It’s not that it isn’t helpful but, at least, we have to acknowledge that being immersed in too much of anything is cause for caution and question asking and pause.

Plus, really, if all you do is drink from the same pool are you really stretching?

Without waxing too philosophical, I am on a fast. A fast from self-proclaimed gurus and self-promoting authority figures. I am withstanding the temptations of the masters of pithy grabbers and clever theology. I am abstaining from authors in khaki pants and golf shirts who wield laser pointers in auditoriums full of slobbering rabid fans waiting for the next breakthrough language for leadership and management.

I am reading nothing but fiction. Short stories. Graphic novels. Fantasy. Horror. You name it. Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, J.K. Rowling, Alan Moore, you name it.

I am embracing the world of metaphor and poetic device. I am inviting the world of imagination to take over. I am going down the rabbit hole.

At the end of the month, I want to have conversations with any of you who want to join me in this fast.

You in?

What Do We Fight For?

Had an email convo with a friend today. He asked me what mountains I am willing to die on at Westwinds. My response was lengthy but I can also boil it down to these things:

We fight for the Jesus stuff
We fight for the church worldwide
We fight for invention
We fight for non-complacency
We fight to dream
We fight to heal
We fight to participate with our people and our city
We fight for imagination
We fight to be permission giving
We fight for real, no BS community
We fight for accountability
We fight for Jackson
We fight for our people
We fight for the idea of what we can be
We fight for non- religiosity
We fight to create
We fight for authenticity (the real meaning of ethos)
We fight for our individuality
We fight for justice
We fight for the freedom to listen to God’s leading and try new things
We fight to hold it all loosely
We fight to not fight
We fight for the idea and the ideal of Westwinds.