Why the NLT?

I’ve had a friend or two ask me why I favor the New Living Translation of the Bible. My answers can be found here.

Are You a Guy or a Man?

Are you a guy or a man? Let me ask a few “guy or man” questions…

• “Maximus” played by Russell Crowe in The Gladiator… guy or man?
• The dudes in the Coors Light commercials who ask the coach the post game questions…
• William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson in Braveheart… guy or man?
• The husband who loves his Alzheimer’s-stricken wife to the end…
• The married dude who sneaks out to drink shooters at Hooters… guy or man?

 The “guy” it seems, is all about shooters and Hooters and the swimsuit issue. But, what does a woman prefer? I’ve asked some women, and they’ve been very eager to give me answers, and I’ve come to the conclusion that a woman prefers a man—a hero who will sacrifice everything for her. She wants a man who is confident. She wants a man who will provide security for her. She wants a man who’s not wishy-washy. In fact, even though she just wants you to listen sometimes and not offer solutions—after she vents it all out, at the end of the day, she, in fact, does want a solution, and she wants you to provide it, or work with her toward it.  And men are solutions-based. It’s part of our calling. We want to “fix it” and we should fix it. How many Mr. Fix Its are in the classifieds? Plenty. How many Mrs Fix Its? None. That’s because men are geared to fix things.  And sure, she wants you to be sensitive; but she still wants you to be masculine. That doesn’t mean macho, it means masculine.  A woman wants chivalry. Which is to say, she wants all the qualities idealized by knighthood, such as bravery, courtesy, honor, and gallantry toward her. Gallantry? Yes,  it means: Unflinching in battle or action; valiant. Selflessly resolute. Stately; majestic. Courteously attentive, especially to her.  

So are you a guy or man?

Ladies, here’s one for you: Are you a chick or a woman?

Is Calvary the Church for You?

Here are my Top Ten reasons why Calvary may be a difficult place for you:

10. We love the Bible and think it’s important to actually do what it says

9. We think the gospel is more than just talk; it’s walk: going to places like India, Kenya, Ukraine, Mississippi, Assisted Living Homes, the local Soup Kitchen, building houses for people, etc. …you get the point

8. We are a bunch of strugglers and our spirituality is sometimes messy; so we want to help each other UP, not push each other down

7. We don’t feel the need to dress up, and we don’t judge those who do

6. We are real (which sometimes means admitting our own hypocrisy)

5. We hate gossip… but sometimes get caught up in it anyway. Most of us, I think, want to change that

4. We would rather ask, “What was your name again?” than say, “Hey… man!”

3. We think change is usually good

2. We like drums, guitars, smiles, tears, and singing worshipers who applaud God after most songs

1. We’ll ask YOU for time, talent, money and yes, even blood when we bring the Red Cross to town

If you are up to the challenge, then join us in our efforts to change this world amuck, with God’s help, little by little…

Is Calvary a “Seeker Church”?

The term “seeker church” is a label that is born out of a movement in the 1980s and 90s when churches began to tailor their services to reach “unchurched” people. Some people saw the approach as “watering down” the Gospel. At Calvary, our simple mission is “leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.” This includes people at every point in the continuum of growth—from pre-believer to mature-server. So sure, we want to be sensitive to the so-called seekers among us, but we would prefer not to be pigeonholed into any label that under-defines our mission. Fidelity to the Gospel means more than just proclaiming it; it means being honest about what it really is. So our messages/services seek to demonstrate how the Gospel influences every area of life—like marriage, work, raising kids, money, sex, justice, and on and on. So are we a seeker church? If, by that question, one intimates watering anything down, then no, we aren’t that kind of church. If, on the other hand, one defines “seeker church” as being faithful to the Gospel and being creative about how we communicate it; and if it means leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ; and if it means that seeking never really ends but is a life-long pursuit of growth, then yes, we want to be that kind of church.