Tag Archive - brett trapp

Trappstr 28 – Part 7 (Burt Bacharach, reading and true friendship)

November 28, 2009 in Blogging, Books, Family, GOD, Revolution Church with 2 Comments

My new blog buddy Brett Trapp wrote this post on 28 things he’s learned in his 20’s. Since I am so much older and wiser than Brett (3 whopping months) and since I loved it so much, I thought I’d take each of those things and elaborate on them over the next several days.

15. People who love people are the most powerful people in the world. -Trappstr

Wow! Never thought of it that way…probably because of all the thoughts that cross my mind when I hear the word power.

We live in a time of war, terrorism, immorality, and death; a time where violence, sex, drugs, hate, lust and greed have become normal fanfare. It almost seems like wrong is the new cool at times.

Burt Bacharach that, “what the world needs now, is love, sweet love! Its the only thing there’s just too little of…” Since my sophomore year in high school I’ve always had this deep sense that my life is to be all about people. So I asked God to break my heart for what breaks His…people! I’ll never forget the first time I read Mark 12: 28-31 which says, “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him “Of all the commandments, which is the most important? ‘The most important one,’ Jesus answered, ‘is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’

Dang. Burt Bacharach had a lot of wisdom when he wrote that song. We need a love revolution. We need desperately to be more powerful as the church because of our LOVE.

16. The number 1 thing holding most people back is their dislike for reading. -Trappstr

YES YES YES! Why do kids leave our public schools hating reading so much? Something has to change. As a parent I think much of it is my responsibility.

I will admit that I have to set goals and sometimes MAKE myself read. This year I set a goal to read 40 books. I have actually read 728 books so far this year (yes, I’ve counted.) I won’t lie; 706 of those books have been library books that I read to Couper. We read 2 or 3 per night. Each one takes about 5-10 minutes. I guess those don’t count. :)

Of my 40 book goal, I think I’ll knock out 30 by the end of the year. Not too shabby, but not my goal.

Bottom line is this: I read a lot with my son, Couper because I want him to love to read and I read a lot for myself because I never want to stop growing in my leadership.

17. You only have a hand-full of truly good friends in this life. -Trappstr

Why is this? I think because of two things: trust and forgiveness. Both are essential to true friendship. And both can be incredibly difficult for us to muster up these days.

We all need someone that we can trust and share our lives, thoughts, feelings, and frustrations with. We all need a place to share our deepest secrets and struggles without worrying that those secrets will end up being spewed into the public.

Real friends also forgive one another where there has been an offense. We live in a culture often unwilling to forgive. Its hard for us to forgive someone. The true friends I have are those who I’ve had to forgive (or be forgiven) from the worst offenses in my life.

Want some true friends? Spend lots of time with them, build trust and return grace the grace that Jesus Christ gave us all by forgiving!

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Trappstr 28 – Part 6 (theology, grace & high school sports)

November 25, 2009 in Blogging, Family, GOD, Life Change, Revolution Church with 1 Comment

My new blog buddy Brett Trapp wrote this post on 28 things he’s learned in his 20’s. Since I am so much older and wiser than Brett (3 whopping months) and since I loved it so much, I thought I’d take each of those things and elaborate on them over the next several days.

12. Theology is important. Very important. Theological arguments over non-essential issues are stupid. -Trappstr

This is why we use a list that we call “The Essentials” at Revolution Church. Theology is extremely important. But, there are issues, such as the second coming of Christ, that just aren’t laid out clearly enough in the Bible to make it worth arguing over (that ought to get some people going).

I like to focus on the essentials that unite us rather than divide us. At Revolution, we don’t fight people who claim to be Christians but then turn around and talk bad about other churches.

[If you ever catch me talking bad about another church or even another christian for that matter, smack me.]

Bottom line: we’re called to preach the Gospel. If we preach the Gospel and lives are being changed, then WE. CANNOT. BE. STOPPED!!!

13. Most Christians don’t really understand grace or its implications. -Trappstr

Most of us feel like God says, “Get up! What are you doing, you dummy?” every time we mess up. Romans 8:1 says, “There is no condemnation now for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.”

What does that mean? Let’s say I take a card and write every single thing I’ve ever done wrong on it. I know, I know…it would never all fit on one card. Imagine writing really small, like those guys at the mall that will put your name on a piece of rice.

What if I write down all my sins, all my faults, all my mistakes, all the shameful acts, thoughts and temptations – and then I put the card in a book and close it. Can you still see the card?

NOPE! You can only see the book. That’s the way God sees us when Jesus is in our lives. He no longer sees our sin. He just sees Jesus.

When I come to Christ and say, “God, here’s my life. Here is all the failures. I want to put my life in Jesus Christ.” Jesus wraps me with His love, and God looks at Jesus and sees that Jesus is perfect. He doesn’t see my sin.

14. I think playing high school sports is the peak of pure fun. -Trappstr

Wait till you have a son and get to be the bull while he’s the cowboy. Beats high school sports ANY DAY.

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Trappstr 28 – Part 5

November 24, 2009 in Blogging, Rants, Revolution Church with Comments Off

My new blog buddy Brett Trapp wrote this post on 28 things he’s learned in his 20’s. I loved it so much that I thought I’d take each of those things and elaborate on them over the next several days (since I’m about 3 months older and wiser than him.)

9. Most Americans either are clueless or careless to the atrocities and misery that happen in the rest of the world. This is a tragedy. -Trappstr

Its sickening. Literally makes my stomach sick. I pray that my family always keeps this in perspective. We sponsor a young boy named Emmanuel Sikkuku through Compassion for this reason. His letters and stories have changed the way we think, act, budget, and live. If you aren’t involved in something like this, go sponsor a Compassion kiddo now!

If Compassion doesn’t do it for ya, you should check out the Advent Conspiracy, Tom’s shoes, or Rick Warren’s Peace Plan.

10. Capitalism works. It’s not perfect, but it works. -Trappstr

I won’t say a ton on this one because I am a pastor and its just best that I keep certain things to myself.

But I will say this: Any economic or social system is only as good as the leaders leading it. Everything rises and falls on leadership. Capitalism can rise on the backs of great leaders. But it can also completely fail if the leaders are self-serving. I fear that too many leaders today fall into the latter category. Leadership isn’t about how many people can help you. Its about how many people you can help.

11. Turtlenecks were a horrible creation and I’m ashamed I ever wore one. -Trappstr

I remember my mom making me wear one. I’ve never done it on my own. Mom, if you weren’t my mom, I might have to punch you for that turtleneck.

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Trappstr 28 – Part 4

November 23, 2009 in Blogging, Family, GOD, Revolution Church with Comments Off

My new blog buddy Brett Trapp wrote this post on 28 things he’s learned in his 20’s. I loved it so much that I thought I’d take each of those things and elaborate on them over the next several days (since I’m about 3 months older and wiser than him.)

8. Speaking of marriage…it seems to me (from the outside looking in) that without lots of forgiveness and the putting of the other person first, your marriage is doomed. -Trappstr

Its funny how this one simple observation could save so many marriages. Passion in marriage is likely to fizzle unless you actively, intentionally nurture it. One of the easiest ways to continue to nurture passion is to simply put the other person first. Easier said than done of course. This is where lots of forgiveness comes in.

I always think of the story of Jacob and Rachel in the Bible when I think of marriage. Jacob was crazy about Rachel and asked Laban (Rachel’s father) for her hand in marriage. Laban said, “sure…for seven years of labor.” This is where many men would have given up, but Jacob didn’t blink.

Over the course of those seven years, Laban schemed up a plan. His older, less attractive daughter, Leah, was not getting any better looking. On the big day, Jacob comes to claim Rachel and Laban pulls the switch on Jacob by giving away Leah instead of Rachel.

Jacob was hacked. Laban offered Jacob a new deal – Rachel in exchange for seven more years of work! And Jacob went for it. This time though, he made sure that he would get Rachel at the beginning of the seven years.

I don’t know about you but after being tricked by Laban and finally getting Rachel, I would have snuck out that night with my new wife. But in Genesis 29:30 it says that Jacob worked another seven years.

In other words, Jacob continued to work his tail off for Rachel, even after he had her.

WOW! That is what we must all do in marriage. We must continue to work hard at pursuing our spouse, even though they are already ours.

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