Evansville, IN

Alright, so you all have been wondering where I have been. I have been on this Godly thing called VACATION! As a Pastor I get two weeks off a year. So this year I decided to go visit my best friend, and college roomate, James Bonney and his wife Nikki in Evansville, IN.

My Vacation Highlights:

YOUTH GROUP - James is a youth Pastor at a small church in the middle of nowhere. He loves every kid and they love him. I fell in love with them in just the short time I was there. They are all so cool! (shoutout to Mavis). We visited their highshool and they about lost it! I spoke twice while I was down there to both the Junior and Senior High. I also got the oppurtunity to sing a solo, and lead worship for their annual Missions Celebration.

SMALL CHURCHES - I love small churches. Everyone feels like family, and every little thing is a huge deal. For instance, this is a picture of the three Pastors moving in thier brand new photocopier. They were so excited, it was hilarious! As you can see I was big help. (Shout out to Pastor John and P. Tim... just admit it Canadian's are better bowlers)

SWITCHFOOT - One of the nights we were in Evansville, Switchfoot was in town, so James and I decided to go. Reliant K opened up for them, and they were pretty good, but nothing compares to the sweet sounds of Jonathan Foreman singing "We're Awakkkkkkkeeennnning!" It was amazing. In this photo, Foreman came out in the audience with a string of lights while singing "On Fire". I loved it. I was peeing my pants with glee. Afterwards, James and I decided that we were going to start a band.

NASSY GORANG - James and I cooked up his special Thai recipe of Nassy Frekin' Gorang. It was so delish I wanted to shove my face in it. I got the recipe so if you ever want to come over I'll cook you up some. You will die, it is so good!

Nikki's Pink Kitchen - I have never seen a kitchen like it. Everything from the cutting knives to the serving thing a ma jigs were pink. Nikki loves pink big time. I didnt really mind much, because her cracker chicken was incredible. Thankyou Nikki. Oh and thanks for always cooking us cookies! I for sure gained like 20 pounds this past week!

SOUTHERN SEMINARY - Lousiville, Kentucky is about 90 minutes away from where James and Nikki live, so James and I took a day to check out one of the Nation's top Seminary's. I loved it! We even got to have an interview with Dr. Fuller, who is the author of some of the leading Hebrew Text books out to date. The cafeteria food was also awesome! That's the main thing to look for when your checking out schools.

So, there you have it. Some of the highlights from my vacation. We did tons more, but I have so much I have to be doing right now besides blogging. Okay maybe one more... than I gotta go!

I Love ya all that read this though!

CHARLIE - Have you ever seen a Movie where the dog is always humping a certain somebody. Wel, that was me this week. James and Nikki have a dog named "Charlie" and he would not stop. He really liked me... (if you know what I mean). I tried to take a picture of it, but as you can see he wouldnt stop "moving". This is Nikki pushing him off me. hahaha Good times!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To You These Words Are Due

VS. 1

Oh Holy God of heaven, your eyes search me from within
I stand to offer praise, but fall for the weight of my sin
Can slander turn to praise, or hypocrisy turn to truth
Yet only for your Grace I stand, to you these words are due

CHORUS:

Fallen I have proven, depraved through and through
Tis Christ and only his offering that is now mine to bring to You.
My eyes had seen the darkness; my feet were lost in sin
When mercy stretched her loving hands and Grace pulled me in.

VS.2

Oh Holy God of angles, Your praise is ever being sung
What be it to You, Your servant that you should fill his lungs
With songs of praise and gratitude that all belong to You
Yet only for Your Grace I stand, to you these words are due

BRIDGE:

Oh Holy God of mine, and Father of my heart
You know my end from beginning and planned me from the start
You and you alone, my storey is complete
Forever joining the chorus with souls now reckoned clean

VS. 3

Against me the enemy accuses and haunts me of the past
Except the cross of Calvary, the only thing that lasts
For it was there my Savior found me, and there I shall remain
Forever underneath the flood of Emmanuel’s flowing veins





written by: Jonathan Seller

Wounded

Flesh and bones we appear, but do not be decieved.

All of us are so much more, beyond what you can see.

Past the flesh, beyond the bones, and into the inner sactuary of our hearts, all of us will find a cluster of wounds that make us who we are. At least that's what I have learned in my 22 years of being wounded. None of us are exempt. All of us will be wounded. The more we give, the more we can get taken advantage of. The more we love, the more we can get our hearts broken. The more we care, the more we will be hurt. But my question is...

Where is God in our wounds? Is he watching or causing? What's he teaching us? If God does everything for a purpose, than what's the meaning behind our wounds?

I can't say I have arrived at an answer, and I probably never will. But a few honest things I am learning from my recent wounds, I now confess to you...

1. When I am wounded I find out who I truly am. Fragile, used, tainted, beaten up, broken, undone, and unworthy.

2. When I am wounded I find out who others truly are. Selfish to the core. A whole lot like me.

3. When I am wounded I find out who God truly is. Gracious, caring, our Rock, our Constant, our Refuge, our Friend, our Wounder, and our Healer.

So, though I fear saying I am a big fan of being wounded, I must admit the glory of God seems a whole lot bigger when I'm lying flat on my face. So I beg the question to God, and God begs the question to us:

"To be Wounded or not to be Wounded"

Which would you choose?

I choose to be wounded... No actually the Scriptures have been teaching me, "God has chosen to wound me; to wound us."

"Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us;

he has injured us..." (Hosea 6:1a)

Why would God do this to us?

"... but he will bind up our wounds." (Hosea 6:1b)

If God's wounds on us are successful, we will end our lives stripped of everything but God, totally naked and helpless, utterly dependent on Him. When Christ prayed in the garden, "Father, let this cup pass from me, but none the less Father not my will but Yours be done", was he asking God to spare the wounds? Does that mean that we can ask God to spare the wounds? Does God always spare us His wounds? Aren't you glad God didn't spare his own Son the wounds? I don't want God to spare me either.

So this is my prayer:

So take me to the alter Lord, past the gates of pride,

Into the Father's secret place of woundedness supply,

And as you lay Your Wounded hands on this frail foe of flesh,

Take into consideration thy loving grace and give me what is best.

Leave me not to myself, lest I forget thee,

and when I pray for the wounds to stop do not listen to me.

For your will be done, just as Your Son's wounds have made me clean

So take your servants every desire and beat me all for thee

In Jesus Name,

Amen

p.s. If you are looking for more on this subject, check out Shane and Shane's new Cd "Pages" and look for the song called WOUNDED.

Let's be STRAIGHT UP!

Well, I just got back from Chicago where I attended a Pastor's Conference entitled "STRAIGHT UP". It was unreal. Ravi Zacharius, Joe Stowell, James Macdonald, and Albert Mohler where among the faculty of speakers. All of them were amazing, not just because of their passionate, theologically ignited sermons, but the presupossitions that carry them.

What do I mean?

Well, if your not familiar at all with ministry, there are many ways of doing ministry. Some people believe that culturally relevant ministry means, big screens, loud music, saying words like cool, freakin, and whatever....

Other people in minstry believe that people at the end of the day, dont really need another "Office spoof skit" or the latest secular song being paraded in our worship services, lights, or a sweet video clip. All of these things are cool, and if giving careful attention, done on purpose can be effective. But what people really need is for us to be STRAIGHT UP with them. (This is where the conference gets its name).

People need the word of God preached by unapologetical preachers.

"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel" Paul said...

Why Paul?

"For it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes" Rom. 1:16

Some preachers I feel, are almost smuggling in the Gospel along with all their supposed "Culturally Relevant" strategies. Is it because we are ashamed of the simple Gospel message itself? Or does the Gospel sound too foolish" Paul would tell you... "It is foolish." It's only foolish though to those who are perishing. So then why is that so many churches are designing their ministry strategies for the foolish and perishing? The church is for the Church ultimatly, and primarily.

We as Ministers should be more concerend about being faithful to the Gospel then we are faithful to staying up on the neverending fads of our culture. Should we be culturally "unrelevant?" No... and dont write me because this is not what I am saying. "I become all things to all men, that I might win some". daaaaaaa Of couse we study the means and we choose the best possible means to bring about the message. But my whole deal, is that I feel like some churches have sacrificed the message on the alter of the means. People can't see Jesus because of all the "culturally relevant, Jesus is my homeboy, and he is so cool" type crap we give em. Jesus isn't cool. Jesus is God and should be reverenced as such.

More and more Pastor's conferences are focused on teaching pastors how to be more crafty, more strategic, more hip, and culturally relevant. All of this sometimes takes preeminece over the expository preaching of God's word. People need the Word. I honestly believe that with all my heart. I have this presupposition that says, "The Word of God is powerful, like a two edged sword that is able to pierce through all the culturally relevant fads of our day to hit the heart of an 8 year old, and the athiest all at the same time." Why? Because the Word of God trancends culture, ages, race, income, gender, and even the preachers boring sermon. The Word of God is timeless, making it the most relevant thing we got to give our people in our churches. Lets not forget what true RELEVANCY really is. How bout your a sinner, in need of a savior, we have the savior, would you like to know him today? How's that for relevancy? They don't need us, our cool videos, our sweet guitar riffs... at the end of the day they need to be convicted of their sin, shown the cross, and called to bow and worship. How do we get people to do this?

Answer: The WORD.

Don't get me wrong, I love videos, and I love the Office... but Jesus, and the preaching of His Word take on a whole other world for me. Combining elements like this in a worship service for me... make Jesus almost seem Juvenile. Don't you think it is interesting (or maybe STRATEGIC on God's part) that He has chosen the primary way to reveal himself through the written Word (2 Tim 2:4). Why didn't he wait for videos, and podcasts? There is something mysterious when a man of God labors all week over the Word, comes to the pulpit with proper respect, to deliever a message from the Lord filled with passion and tears. IF anything is relevant... it's this.

Be this man.

"The Word of God is authoritative even to those who do not believe in its authority" -James MacDonald

So Pastors who read my blog for the sake of Christ, and His church....

"Let the lion out of the cage and it will do the rest of the work."

In love,
Jonathan