Sloppy Wet Kiss

So... here's the thing... Isaiah has an encounter with God that was so over the top that he says in vs 5 of chapter 6... "Woe to me for I am ruined!"  We hear that word and I think we say, "well I don't want that to happen to me," right, because who wants to be ruined?  I love the song "How He Loves Us (The Jesus Culture version http://youtu.be/JoC1ec-lYps) because it probably has one of my favorite lines of all time in a song... PERIOD!  "So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss!"  Listen, the Kingdom of God doesn't wrap itself up in a pretty little box and present itself like an engagement ring ("well I do!").  It can get messy, who's with me???  When we sign up for this anomaly called the "Christian life" it's not the easy life, it's the best life.  Understand the difference, embrace the difference, meditate on the difference.

So here's the problem... I just got back from Kenya with 12 other Radicals who sucked the marrow out of the trip with me.  We experienced God in ways we never maybe imagined possible.  We got as close to Him as maybe we ever have.  So the issue is that when you have an encounter with the God that hung the stars, who laid the earth's foundation, who gives orders to the morning and shows the dawn it's place, the very God that told the waves where to cease (Job 38)... listen, it will mess with you.  It will ruin you... if you let it.  I think the temptation is to come home and settle in, come to our senses and live life "as usual."  In essence what we're doing is wiping the heavenly slobber off of ourselves and getting it together so we can look normal (cause who wants to walk around looking like they just mud wrestled with a St. Bernard all day?).

Let me tell you where I am (it begs the assumption that you care, but you are reading this so...).  I don't want to forget how Heaven met earth 10,000 miles away in the remote places of Kenya among the Pokot tribe, in the dump of Nakuru town, among the street boys in the city, at the schools in Tangulbei and the hearts of each member of our team.  Listen closely, it wasn't pretty or clean; it wasn't safe or comfortable.  It was messy and smelly; it was inconvenient and scary... because it's in these places that you find the heart of God.  When you walk in the places where Jesus would undoubtedly be if he were still here in the flesh you have two options.  You can keep it at arms length and deny it's reality (and keep living the dream) or you can fully embrace it, understanding that you may never be the same again.

If going "back to normal" means wipping the Heavenly mess off of myself, I gotta say, you can have normal, because I don't want any part of it.  I told the team and I'll tell you (all 5 of you reading this)... I don't want to "get over it!"  Paul said in Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."  Seriously think about that.  He was saying that, "My life is all about Christ, every fiber of my being given as a burnt offering for Him, and to die... better yet because then I can be with Him!"

May we live our lives embracing the "sloppy wet kiss", fighting the temptation to wipe it off (like we do when our crazy grandmother plants one right on the corner of the lips, not fully on the lips but just the corner and then watches to see what your next move is gonna be).  Position yourself today to have a radical encounter with God.  Listen... you don't have to go half way around the world to have one.  The same God that resides in Kenya has also made the United States His home (although it can be harder to find Him among the clutter).  He's waiting to ruin you... if you let Him.

So many blessings,
Eric

What a day!!

Today was one of those days that was a memorable marked day in the brief history of our church at the Theater Campus.  Still amazed at today and all that God did! 
It was the first Sunday back from the Kenya Missions Team being away for two weeks, and I knew that Pastor Eric - was busting at the seams all week long  - to get to Sunday to share with our tribe!
It was also Baptism Sunday and we had 13 signed up to be baptized and share their stories of God working in and changing their lives...and although 13 signed up, more people than that got baptized!

Although I think it's a fair statement from most all of us from the Kenya Team would say, that we really miss it and could still be there...it was really good to be home and back at Victory Church!
It was such a great vibe early in the morning.  Knew it was going to be an epic day!

When church began at 9a.m. the theater was really full.  More full than normal at the start of the service. (Seems like it usually fills up by 9:09 or so) :-)   I went to Pastor Eric and said "hey, we need seats!  There are still 50-60 people in the lobby!  We need to dismiss the Warehouse kids now to make room."  So for the first time, after the first worship song, Pastor Eric went to the front, welcomed everyone, and we dismissed the 1st-4th graders to continue to worship in the hallway, and 27 seats were freed up.  We were full to capacity!! People were sitting in the aisles, and in the hallways during the service.  We had a record today - OVER 300 people at VCTC!!! 

The worship band was really amazing (as always) - and the worship was awesome today!! We shared a Kenya Team video slide show, and then Pastor Eric preached LIVE today because of the baptism celebration day.  He shared the gospel, illustrated his sermon with a lot of Kenya highlights, and challenged and encouraged people to be bold and take their NEXT STEP. 

It was time for the baptisms outside in the back parking lot after the church service.  We had the scheduled 13 plus the 2 that decided this week to be baptized all lined up and ready.  After those 15 were through, Pastor Eric opened it up for anyone else who wanted to - in the moment - get baptized.  Ryan Gabers, sitting on the curb, ripped off his shoes and socks and quickly hopped up to the tub...and then they followed.  Another one. Another one. Then they were lined up. 26 TOTAL PEOPLE when were were all done.  It was special for me personally, that I got to baptize my daughter, Brooke, and my nephew Blake too!  We ran out of t-shirts and in fact I handed out my dry t-shirt to change into later, so Joyce got baptized in a Men-of-Iron tshirt!  Also the towels ran out so everyone shared wet towels - and they were wet! Some people hopped in with their denim jeans and all!

What an awesome celebration!!

We then did what all good churches do...we ate! Huge shout out and thanks to the Bower & Hurst families for helping with all the food set up and bbq-ing the burgers and dogs!  The weather, although cloudy and overcast, held off , and in fact the sun peeked through and we had an unbelievable day celebrating in big way all that God is doing in our church. 

Record day.  Memorable day.  Epic day.  All glory to where it's deserved - to God be all the glory!!

I LOVE MY CHURCH!!!


Rick Glass