Tag: Jesus (Page 10 of 60)

Olympics My Two Cents

August 2, 2024 / Derrick Hurst / 1 Comment

Pretty sure just about everyone in the world has seen something about the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympics. It’s been quite the hot bed of controversy. But why is it such a big deal? Should we even care? And if so, what is the best way to handle it?

Before we dive into the deep end of the pool, we need to set the table appropriately. Yeah there was a bit of a pun intended, sorry…not sorry.

The main image of the ceremony that has really received tons of air time is what many have seen as an open mockery of the Last Supper by DaVinci. Others have explained it away as a visual representation of a festival to a Greek god of wine and pleasure.

No one, except the planning team, really knows the full intent of the imagery. So to say it is for sure one thing or another is a bit of a stretch. However, we can do some quick research to find out which is most likely. I’ll leave that one to you.

We’re going to play a bit of a what if kind of game with this one and just assume it was intended to be an open mockery of the Last Supper. Again, I’m not making accusations just for argument sake going to one extreme here. If it was intended to mock a bedrock sacred piece of the Christian faith, then what does that mean and how are Christians to react?

I’ve seen a few different reactions. There are the silent ones who are just letting the battle ensue without throwing gas on the fire. Admirable to an extent but not sure this is the best option. Sometimes silence speaks to agreement.

Then there are the extremes of the people who call themselves Christians. On one side we hear things like Jesus would have invited these very people to come sit with him at the table so what’s the big deal. While on the other side, there is vitriol and chastisement running rampant.

Let’s look a little more closely at the opposing extremes for a response from someone who calls themselves a follower of Jesus. We’ll start with the condemnatory side that’s slinging some pretty harsh rhetoric across the table.

While I do believe it is the obligation of the follower of Jesus to defend the faith system which they claim, I do not believe name calling, vitriol or slinging damning words is the way of Jesus. If we’re going to call out a wrong in someone else, we very much better make sure we don’t use a wrong to call out a wrong! This is at best a distortion of the way of Jesus.

Jesus didn’t run around condemning the unbelieving world. As a matter of fact the people he spent effort levying judgment against were the self proclaimed righteous believers who didn’t live out what they taught. That’s the whole Pharisee white washed tombs exchange my grandpa liked to reference. This side of the argument is spending a lot of time sitting on some man made throne exhorting a message that was about grace and mercy and using it as a tool to bludgeon others.

We are to call wrong…wrong. No question there. And when a fellow believer errs we are to call that out. But are we really thinking that people who don’t believe in Jesus are going to live lifestyles that mirror his teachings?

Then there’s the other side of the table where there sits a group of hopefully well meaning people who also call themselves followers of Jesus. Unfortunately this group is also very much distorting the words and actions of Jesus. Here’s an excerpt from a social media post by someone who claims to be a pastor.

But what I can say is that every single person at that table would have been invited to Jesus’ table. Jesus not only spent His time on earth with sinners, He invited them to the very table everyone assumes the Olympic table represents. Matthew was a tax collector. Peter was about to deny Him. Thomas was about to doubt His resurrection. Judas was about to betray Him. Jesus ate with them anyway. Jesus was with “sinners” all of the time. In fact, it’s one of the reasons the church people hated Him and wanted Him dead.

At face value this statement seems to have some pretty deep truth to it. It punches the judgmental church folk in the face and tells them we should be more forgiving and welcome people to the table. And to an extent that’s exactly what Jesus did. But this writer stops woefully short of the way of Jesus.

If Jesus just invited tax collectors and sinners to the table for dinner and sent them home that would be one thing, but that’s not what he did. When Jesus saw Zacchaeus, the famous little tax collector known for anything but little fraud, he called him out of his lofty tree and went to his place for dinner. So far it sounds like Jesus shared table with people the believing world didn’t want to embrace. This is where it gets interesting though. Jesus didn’t just hang out with a steak dinner and some wine at Zach’s house!

We don’t have the fullness of the conversation but what follows gives us a pretty good indication that Jesus didn’t come to Zach’s house for dinner and tell him to keep on cheating people out of their money and living a lifestyle that was totally contrary to everything Jesus taught. Zach left this dinner a changed man. When you encounter the way of Jesus you don’t get up from the table the same way.

Or take a look at the woman who was caught in adultery. The crowd of self righteous people was there to throw stones at her for her lifestyle choice. But Jesus halts the stoning and looks at the woman not with condemnation in his eyes but also not with eyes condoning this kind of lifestyle. He didn’t look at her and say oh you’re so beautiful keep cheating on your husband and sleep with every man you meet. That’s ludicrous! He called her to change her life – go and sin no more was the phrase he used.

Look…Jesus calls people to repentance. He calls the believing and the unbelieving world to the same act of repentance. None of us are better than the other. All of us need God’s grace.

So please if you’re claiming to be a follower of Jesus, then let’s do some soul searching before mouth spewing. I’m pretty sure the way of Jesus wasn’t to yell at people and belittle them because they didn’t believe in him. But he also didn’t excuse lifestyles that were contrary to what he taught. He loved people where they were but genuinely loved them too much to leave them where they were.

Would they have been welcomed to the table? There’s a very good chance yes. But if they had encountered the real way of Jesus, they would have left that table different people.

Two Key Questions

July 30, 2024 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

There are two key questions that we all need to consider. We love to answer one but often fail to even consider the other. Now I could string this along and really agitate you but that wouldn’t be nice, so here are the two questions. Then we’ll talk about them.

Are we going to believe Jesus? And are we going to obey Jesus?

The first one seems to be the easy one. We don’t really have a problem with this question. We’ll read our bible and go to church. We’ll say we love him and value how much he loves us. We’ll teach the stories in the Bible to our children and read them to our grandchildren.

Believing in Jesus isn’t really a hard thing, especially for those who call themselves Christians. After all it’s kind of what being a Christian is about right?

I’m going to push back on that a little as we look at the second question. I don’t think believing Jesus is the crux of being a Christian. I think there are people who believe Jesus and yet don’t really get it. Believing is part of the equation but it’s not the point.

One of my favorite bible verses is from Matthew 28. It’s been called the Great Commission by church goers for centuries. It’s the passage where Jesus commissions the disciples and the church to make disciples. We split hairs over which words in the great commission are command style words, imperatives for all you grammar people. Is it supposed to be go and make disciples or while you are going make disciples? That’s a really good question but I don’t think that’s the point either.

One command in that verse is to make disciples. The rest of the verse is really about where and how we go about doing it. This is where we move to our second question – are we going to obey Jesus?

Believing Jesus is one thing, but obeying is a totally different ball game! Remember that great commission thing? Going into the world, make disciples of all nations…yeah read on just a few more words. Jesus goes on to say how we do this.

Not only is there this whole baptism thing, which we won’t spend time on here, but then there’s the next phrase. Teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. It’s right there – obey. It’s not teaching them to know all that I have commanded. He didn’t tell us to memorize large chunks of the Bible, although that isn’t a bad thing at all. It’s just not the point. The point is to teach them how to obey what the Bible says.

Obedience to the message of Jesus is what the life of the Christian should be all about. And our lack of obedience to the message of Jesus is often what gets the church in some hot water in the world. Another way to say this is that people rarely have a problem with Jesus. It’s Jesus’ people who are the problem.

I have plenty of friends on Facebook who are pretty open about their stance against Christians. What I think is so sad is the things they’re upset about are things Jesus would likely be upset about too. So often the way we live out our belief is a turn off for those who don’t really know the heart of Jesus.

The question about belief is important. For sure you need to believe the things of Jesus! But if you’re going to say you believe it, then you had better start acting like it has made a difference in your life.

You can’t half way the Christian life. It doesn’t work that way. Jesus says in the book of Revelation that either be hot for him or cold against but lukewarm (aka halfway) is vomit worthy. Yup Jesus is NOT ok with the lukewarm Christian because they aren’t really his followers!

One place where I see this belief but lack of obedience on full display is when we judge the world around us while we have our own baggage that needs addressing. Jesus talks about that too.

He says that we should take care of the boulder in our own eye before trying to nit pick at the speck in our brothers eye. Look there are problems in the world all around us. There’s no questions about that at all! But if we spend time working on the way we obey the message of the gospel and the teachings of Jesus, then we won’t need to worry as much about what words we have to say when talking about our faith. They’ll just see it right there in full frontal form.

So the two questions we all need to address – Do we believe in Jesus? And equally important are we going to obey the teachings of Jesus? This is a really great place for the follower of Jesus to start.

Musings On Life

July 25, 2024 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

This week I had the chance to sit shoulder to shoulder with some pretty amazing people from a variety of walks of life. Men and women from around the world who are doing the one thing they are most passionate about. And what made these few days super great was that we share the same passion!

You may not share the same passion as me and that’s perfectly fine. But I wanted to share some thoughts on living out your passion. A few things really jumped out at me this week as these men and women shared their stories. The one overarching thing that really hit me was that when we live out our passion we become passionate and it’s obvious!

Passions excite us. They get us up in the morning. They let us press through some pretty crappy days. They allow us to deal with some harsh comments from critics. When our passion is in the driver seat, there’s very little that will stop us.

I’m going to share my passion with you and then three things I learned from this gathering. Your passion is likely different and again that’s cool! But think about your passion and you can apply these same principles to your life as well.

Know Your Passion

If you don’t know your passion then that is where you have to start. What lights a fire inside you that just can’t be stopped? For me it’s church planting. I am a church planter in my heart. I think about it a lot. It excites me to see people get to understand matters of faith and grow in their relationship with Jesus. What’s your passion?

This week I had a bit of an epiphany. I realized that I kind of lost sight of my passion. I think I took my eyes off of it for a while and being around these men and women, literally from around the world, reignited that fire in my soul.

I want to see the world know Jesus. And I believe that to reach new people you often have to start new things…churches included. Coming out of this conference I regained some clarity on the power of passion. Do you know your passion?

The Stronger The Why The Weaker The Excuse

Know anyone who seems to have an excuse for everything? Yep super annoying! But there are times in our lives when we tend to make up excuses for things we aren’t super committed to pulling off. Not enough time. It’s too hard. I don’t have all the knowledge I need. I need more resources before starting. And the list goes on.

Here’s something I’ve learned. The stronger your reason why, the less power your excuses become. We’ll use a simple image that many have dealt with in life: living a healthier lifestyle. When I was in my 20s I wasn’t the most healthy individual. I tried the occasional diet but it never really stuck. I didn’t workout really at all even though I had a simple weight bench in my basement. I just didn’t have the motivation. I had a million excuses on why I just couldn’t workout today.

Then one day I had some blood work and found out that my cholesterol was more than twice what it should be. Sure my heredity was against me but so was my horrific eating habits. Yeah I was the two pop tarts for breakfast and a 2 liter of pop kind of guy in those days. Needless to say when the doctor told me how bad the cholesterol situation was, my why was elevated to a whole new level. I changed my eating, started walking and ended up dropping my cholesterol to a healthy level and losing 45lbs in the process.

When our why is strong enough, no excuse stands a chance! In my church planter heart, it’s not my desire to start a church that drives me but my understanding that Jesus is the only way. And I don’t want to see anyone not know how much Jesus loves them. No excuse holds water with that why.

Maturity Is Found In Replication

Ok so this one is a bit more specific to my church scenario, but there was a quote from this week that really hit me between the eyes. A church isn’t mature until it plants another church. That means there are a ton of immature churches out there! The one I pastor is among them.

Some might push back a little because they don’t have the same why or passion that I have. That’s ok. But here’s what I can tell you for certain! My why is big enough that even if you don’t agree, it won’t hurt my feelings and you’re not going to change my mind. It doesn’t mean you have to agree.

So there it is passion, know your why, and replication are three key musings going on in this old man’s noggin today. What are you passionate about? And do you know your why? If so let’s move!

The Call to Radical Generosity

July 10, 2024 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

Generosity. It’s a word that gets tossed around like confetti, but how many of us actually live it out in a way that shakes the foundations of our comfortable lives? You probably want to hold onto something because we’re about to take a hard look at why generosity isn’t just a nice idea —it’s a radical, non-negotiable command straight from the mouth of Jesus.

Love in Action

First off, let’s get something straight: generosity isn’t about dropping a few coins in the offering plate and patting ourselves on the back. True generosity is rooted in love—the kind of love that Jesus demonstrated when He gave up everything for us. We’ve heard of John 3:16. The whole gospel in a nutshell passage. In it we read, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…” Did you see it? God gave. Generosity is love in action, and for Christians, love is the core of our faith. If we’re not living generously, are we truly living out our faith?

The Gospel is Giving

The Gospel is all about giving. Jesus didn’t come to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45). He didn’t cling to His divine privileges but emptied Himself for our sake (Philippians 2:6-7). As Christians, we’re called to mirror this selfless generosity. It’s not optional either. It’s the very heartbeat of the Gospel.

When we live generously, we reflect Christ’s character to a world that desperately needs to see it. We become walking, talking billboards for the transformative power of the Gospel. It’s about time we started living up to that calling, don’t you think?

Counter Cultural Living

We live in a culture that screams, “More! More! More!” It’s all about accumulating wealth, power, and stuff. Consumerism anyone?

But Jesus flips the script. In Matthew 6:19-21, He tells us not to store up treasures on earth, but to store up treasures in heaven. Why? Because where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. Generosity is a powerful weapon against the relentless grip of materialism. It breaks the chains of greed and selfishness that bind us and then frees us to live with open hands and hearts.

Here’s where it gets really interesting. Radical generosity doesn’t just change the lives of those on the receiving end; it transforms the giver, too. Proverbs 11:25 says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” When we give freely and joyfully, we experience a profound sense of fulfillment and purpose. We’re tapping into the very essence of what it means to be human—you know the whole created in the image of a generous God idea.

Let’s Get Practical

Enough with the theory. Let’s get down to brass tacks. Here are four practical steps to start living generously today:

Evaluate Your Priorities: Where are you spending your time, energy, relational capacity and even material goods? If your priorities don’t reflect a generous spirit, it’s time for a change.
Give Regularly and Spontaneously: Set aside a portion of your income to give regularly to your church or favorite charity. But don’t stop there—look for spontaneous opportunities to bless others. Buy a meal for a stranger, donate to a special project at your local church, or simply offer your time to someone in need.
Live Simply: The less you’re attached to material possessions, the more freely you can give. Simplify your life and use the extra resources to make a difference.
Engage Your Community: Get involved in your local community. Volunteer at shelters, join service projects, and be present where there is need. Your presence can be just as valuable as your material assets.

Step Up and Stand Out

Generosity isn’t a feel-good add-on to the Christian life; it’s part of the core of what it means to follow Jesus. It’s time to step up and stand out. Let’s stop blending in with a culture obsessed with getting and start living out the radical generosity that Jesus modeled for us. The world is watching. Let’s give them something worth seeing.

Trust is Built in the Shadow of Fear

June 24, 2024 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

Fear is a natural response to uncertainty, danger, and the unknown. Yet, it is often in the shadow of fear that trust is most profoundly built. This truth is vividly illustrated in two biblical accounts: Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4 and Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14.

In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus and His disciples are crossing the Sea of Galilee when a furious storm arises. The disciples, many of whom were experienced fishermen, are terrified. Waves crash into the boat, and it begins to fill with water. In their panic, they wake Jesus, who is asleep on a cushion. “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” they cry. Jesus rises, rebukes the wind, and commands the waves, “Peace! Be still!” Immediately, the wind dies down, and there is complete calm. Then Jesus asks, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Similarly, in Matthew 14:22-33, the disciples are again on the Sea of Galilee, but this time without Jesus, who has stayed behind to pray. As night falls, a strong wind begins to beat against the boat. Early in the morning, Jesus comes strolling past them, walking on the water. The disciples are terrified, thinking they he is a ghost. But Jesus immediately reassures them, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Peter, boldly yet I’d assume somewhat fearfully, replies, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Jesus invites, and Peter steps out of the boat. As he walks on water, he becomes aware of the wind and waves, and fear overtakes him. Beginning to sink, he cries out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reaches out His hand and catches him. “You of little faith,” He says, “why did you doubt?”

These stories reveal some deep lessons about fear and trust. In both, the disciples face circumstances that are beyond their control, which brings fear and panic. Yet, it is in these moments of fear that their trust in Jesus is formed and even deepened.

The disciples’ fear in the storm and Peter’s fear as he walks on water are met with Jesus’ calm authority and reassurance. Jesus does not abandon them in their fear; instead, He demonstrates His power over the very elements that threaten them. His questions, “Why are you so afraid?” and “Why did you doubt?” challenge them to recognize that fear and faith are interconnected. It is through experiencing fear that they have the opportunity to grow in their trust of Jesus.

Trust is not built in the absence of fear but in the very pressure it presents. When we face our fears, we are given the opportunity to rely on God more fully. Just as the disciples learned to trust Jesus through the storms, we too can learn to trust Him in the trials of our daily lives. Fear can drive us to doubt and despair, or it can be the catalyst for a deeper, more robust faith.

In moments of fear, remember the disciples’ experiences. Jesus is with us in our storms, calling us to trust Him. He may calm the storm or calm us so that we can walk through it, but His presence is our peace. As we look to Jesus in the midst of our fears, we build trust in the One who commands the wind and waves, the One who reaches out His hand to save us. Trust is indeed built in the shadow of fear, for it is in the our fears that we most vividly realize our need for God’s unwavering presence and power.

Trust is Built in the Shadow of Fear

June 18, 2024 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

Trust. A seemingly fragile word, often invoked but rarely understood. We live in a world where fear dominates our every move. Fear of failure, fear of betrayal, fear of the unknown. It looms over us like a terrifying darkness, casting a long and ominous shadow across our lives. But do you want to know the kicker? It’s within this very veil of darkness that trust can be forged. It’s in the midst of our fears that the most profound and unshakeable trust is able to emerge.

The Paradox of Fear

Fear is a primal instinct, hardwired into our brains since the fall of humanity. It’s a survival mechanism, designed to keep us safe from the prowling lions of our ancestors’ nightmares. Yet, in the modern world, these predators have morphed into subtler, more insidious threats: the fear of losing our jobs, the fear of being judged, the fear of emotional vulnerability, the fear of making a mistake. Oh the horror!

But fear is not the enemy. It’s a crucible, a test of our true character. It’s easy to trust someone when life is smooth sailing. But when the seas get rough, that’s when real trust is built. In the darkest moments, when fear is at its peak, trust has the ability to shine its brightest.

The Anatomy of Trust

Trust isn’t given though; it’s earned. And it’s earned through actions, not words. In the shadow of fear, promises mean nothing without the backbone of reliability and the spine of consistency. When someone stands by you in your darkest hour, that’s when trust takes root. When someone has your back when the stakes are high, that’s when trust blooms and grows.

It’s about showing up when it matters most. When you’re drowning in self-doubt and the world feels like it’s caving in, those who reach out their hands to pull you from the abyss are the ones you learn to trust implicitly. Their actions speak louder than any platitudes ever could. But you need to be willing to reach for their outstretched hand. Trust requires you to move too. Even if it’s just one small step, trust demands action.

Betrayal: The Ultimate Teacher

Nothing teaches the value of trust quite like betrayal. It cuts deep, leaving scars that never fully heal. Betrayal forces us to confront the reality of human fallibility. It’s a brutal wake-up call that not everyone is worthy of our trust.

But betrayal also teaches us discernment. It sharpens our instincts, making us more attuned to the subtle signals of who deserves our trust. In the shadow of betrayal, we learn to value the rare, precious gems of loyalty and integrity. The pain of betrayal becomes the forge in which our understanding of trust is refined and tempered as long as we don’t let that betrayal bury us in an ever deepening pit of fear and despair.

Fear as a Catalyst for Trust

Fear and trust are inextricably linked. The greater the fear, the more powerful the trust that can emerge from its shadow. It’s a high-stakes game, one that demands courage and vulnerability. But those who dare to play it reap the richest rewards.

When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we open the door to genuine connection. It’s a risk, but it’s one worth taking. It’s one too costly not to take. By confronting our fears head-on, we create the conditions for trust to thrive. It’s about acknowledging our fears, not denying them. It’s about saying, “I am afraid, but I choose to trust anyway.”

The Role of Integrity

If fear is the dark shadow that slows us and trust is the way out, then integrity is the cornerstone of trust. It’s about doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. In a world rife with deception and half-truths, integrity stands out like a beacon. It’s the unwavering commitment to honesty, transparency, and accountability.

People with integrity inspire trust because they live by their principles. They don’t bend to the whims of convenience or expediency. Their word is their bond, and their actions consistently align with their values. In the shadow of fear, integrity is the anvil upon which trust is forged.

Building Trust in a Fearful World

So how do we build trust in a world dominated by fear? It starts with small acts of courage. It starts with showing up, even when it’s uncomfortable. It starts with being honest, even when the truth is painful. It starts with taking small steps in the direction you know you have to move, even when the final destination isn’t completely clear.

It’s about creating a culture of trust, one where people feel safe to be vulnerable. It’s about leading by example, demonstrating through our actions that trust is possible, even in the most fear-filled scenarios.

In the end, trust is not the absence of fear, but the triumph that comes through it. It’s the audacious belief that despite our fears, despite the risks, despite the past hurts and let downs, there is something stronger that binds us. It’s the understanding that true trust is built not in the absence of fear, but in its very shadow.

In this harsh, unforgiving world, trust is our most valuable currency. It’s rare, precious, and hard-won. But for those who dare to face their fears, who dare to be vulnerable, the rewards are unparalleled. Trust can then become the light that emerges from the darkest shadows, a beacon of hope in a world filled with uncertainty.

Believing In God Isn’t Enough

June 10, 2024 / Derrick Hurst / 1 Comment

In a world where spirituality is often watered down to a vague and palatable concept of “God,” there’s a bold truth many shy away from: it’s not enough to believe in some ethereal, generic higher power. If you want the real deal, the unfiltered, undiluted truth, you need to believe in Jesus. Not just any god, but Jesus. Because without Him, your faith is like a ship without a rudder—lost, adrift, and destined for nowhere meaningful.

Let’s cut through the noise. Society today loves to embrace the safe, non-controversial notion of a “higher power.” It’s comfortable, it’s inclusive, and it asks nothing of you. But this is spiritual lukewarmness at best. It’s a way to feel good about yourself without the commitment or the challenge. The problem? It’s utterly meaningless. Without Jesus, you’re subscribing to a spiritual placebo that soothes the mind but leaves the soul starving. Not to mention, do you know what Jesus says about lukewarm faith? Check Revelation 3:16 if you dare.

Jesus isn’t just a figurehead or symbol of goodness. He is the cornerstone, the linchpin of a genuine faith. He is the living, breathing, historically verified embodiment of God’s love and justice. The difference between believing in Jesus and just any god is like the difference between a hi-def OLED screen and an old projector that needs to have the bulb replaced. Jesus didn’t just preach love; He lived it, died for it, and rose again to prove it. That’s not something you can find in a generic god. That’s a radical, life-changing truth.

The tendency to favor a nebulous “god” over Jesus is often rooted in a desire to avoid the tough stuff—the conviction, the accountability, and the need for transformation. With a generic god, there are no real demands, no call to repentance, no expectation of a changed life. You get to stay comfortable in your imperfections and untouched by the divine. But with Jesus, there’s no hiding. He sees through the facade and calls you to be better, to live righteously, to embrace a purpose beyond yourself.

Look at it this way: Believing in a generic god is like bowling with the bumpers up. Sure, it’s fun, it’s easy, but it’s ultimately pointless. There’s no direction, no goal, no ultimate victory. Believing in Jesus, however, is like entering a grand adventure, full of challenges, growth, and a prize beyond imagination. It’s a path with a purpose, and it’s one that requires you to step up and be more than just a passive participant.

Don’t get me wrong here. This isn’t about pushing some rigid form of doctrine. It’s about recognizing the profound difference between a life led by vague spirituality and one transformed by the tangible presence of Jesus. The former is a safe bet, the latter is a leap of faith. Jesus doesn’t just offer a feel-good moment; He offers a radical transformation, a new identity, and an eternal promise.

And let’s not forget the historical and factual grounding of Jesus’ existence. He’s not some abstract concept conjured up by human imagination. He walked this earth, performed miracles, challenged the status quo, and left an indelible mark throughout history. His life, death, and resurrection are well-documented events that even the harshest critics find hard to dismiss entirely. This is not blind faith; this faith is rooted in reality.

So, where do you stand? Clinging to the comfort of a nondescript deity, or embracing the wild, exhilarating truth of Jesus as your Savior?

Following Jesus means choosing a path filled with meaning, challenge, and profound joy. It’s a decision that strips away the pretenses and dives straight into the heart of what it means to truly believe. It’s not for the faint of heart, but for those willing to seek the truth, it’s the only path worth walking.

In a world awash with half-measures and convenient spirituality, dare to go beyond. Embrace the full, unadulterated truth of Jesus. Not just any god, but the God who gave everything for you. That’s where real faith begins, and where your true journey can finally start.

I Am Not Nice

May 21, 2024 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

Be nice. It’s what I was always told growing up. We need to be nice to one another. But I don’t know if nice is the best answer in every situation. Admittedly I’m less nice than some, but I will generally try to be kind. Kind and nice are not the same thing.

In a world often drenched in cynicism and snarky remarks, kindness can sometimes feel like a forgotten relic of a bygone era. I don’t think kindness is dead; it’s just undergone a bit of a makeover. Welcome to the era of being kind, but not always nice.

Now, you might be scratching your head, wondering, “What’s the difference?” Well, buckle up, because we’re about to embark on a wild ride through the realm of edgy kindness.

Let’s start with the basics. Kindness, at its core, is about compassion, empathy, and understanding. It’s about lending a helping hand, offering a shoulder to lean on, and spreading love in a world that desperately needs it. It’s about seeking the best for those around you. It’s about caring enough to keep people safe. But here’s where things get interesting: being kind doesn’t always mean being nice.

Being nice often entails things like gentle tone of voice and quiet, calm demeanor. The “nice” thing to do in a given scenario might be to bite your tongue and let the offense slide. But where’s the fun in that? Actually, where’s the good in that?

Enter edgy kindness. Instead of bottling up your frustration, why not speak up? Instead of brushing every little thing under the rug, how about you call a spade a spade. You don’t need to do it in a hostile or confrontational way. Just speak up and feel free to include a dash of wit and charm.

See, being kind doesn’t mean being a doormat. It means standing up for yourself and others, even if it ruffles a few feathers along the way. It’s about setting boundaries, calling out injustice, and refusing to settle for anything less than the respect we all deserve.

But edgy kindness isn’t just about witty comebacks and snarky remarks. It’s also about challenging the status quo and sparking meaningful conversations. Take, for example, those awkward family gatherings where Uncle Bob insists on spewing his outdated opinions like candy at a parade.

Instead of nodding along in silence, why not engage him in a thought-provoking debate? Approach the conversation with an open mind and a sprinkle of humor, and who knows? You might just plant a seed of change in Uncle Bob’s stubborn brain.

Of course, edgy kindness isn’t always easy. It requires courage, resilience, and a willingness to embrace discomfort. But trust me when I say, the rewards are worth it. Not only will you feel the unnecessary weight of internal conflict rise from your shoulders, but you also allow the situation to heal. Often speaking in kindness, with a little edge of not so niceness, is what’s needed to get through to the stubborn employee who doesn’t think they need to do their job. Sometimes this edgy kindness will help an erring friend see their way. Heck edgy kindness might even save someone’s future…you just never know.

So, the next time life throws you a curveball, don’t be afraid to unleash your inner edgy kindness. Speak your truth, stand up for what’s right, and above all, don’t forget to laugh along the way. After all, kindness is the ultimate rebel act in a world that could use a little more heart and a lot less sugarcoating. I know that’s not nice! But sometimes not being nice is the best way to show kindness.

Nine to Five

May 16, 2024 / Derrick Hurst / 3 Comments

I remember the movie from when I was growing up. I’ve probably only seen it once but the premise or maybe just the title is something that I think about off and on. Actually as I write this, I just finished a quick conversation with my wife about the whole 9-5 idea.

Some days I’m jealous of the times I had a regular job. A job that I could arrive at one bell and leave at the other. A job where I swiped my badge and logged my hours and left. A job where the job stayed in the building. A job that didn’t wake me up at night. A job that didn’t make my stomach turn because of how people act. A job where the harder I worked and the more I accomplished the clearer the lines for advancement. A job where hard work counted for something.

Some days I wonder what it would be like to be in a job where people didn’t criticize me for getting a new car. Where people didn’t think I was paid too much all because my family can travel to Disney (even though my wife is a travel advisor and that’s part of her job, not to mention the offsets she’s received as part of her stellar work). I wonder what it’s like to be able to buy a new pair of shoes or sport coat and not have people think I am squandering my wealth.

If I’m being honest some days I kind of wish my life fit that category. But then there are other days.

The days when I get to hold your baby as I sprinkle some water on his forehead and remind him that he’s been marked by Christ the crucified. Or I get to sit by the recliner of your grandma as she struggles for her final breath. I get to hold your head as you throw up because of the horrendous life change that was just forced upon you and you don’t know what to do next. Or I get to watch as you trust me to teach your child about how important faith is to them as they grow and mature.

The past 12 months have been some of the most challenging of my ministry and many people probably have no clue. From losing people for whom I cared deeply to people I thought were friends stop acting like friends to a few other situations that are more private than public. Let’s just say the struggle has been real.

I know some of you are going to read this and get all wigged out. But please don’t do that. Don’t read anything into what’s here. By now you should know that I’m kind of shoot straight kind of guy. Rarely do you have to read between the lines with what I’m saying. So just in case you’re having a hard time here you go.

Over the past couple of years I have definitely thought about what the future looks like. I’ve wondered if it wasn’t time to move back to a 9-5 kind of situation. I’ve contemplated if I’ve outlasted my usefulness in ministry. And just so you know I’m not alone in this, there are some startling stats about how many pastors have struggled with this over the past few years, like over 60% of us have considered leaving the ministry!

But when things start to go off the rails and my head and heart begin to hemorrhage these feelings of doubt, someone shoots me a text or calls me to offer a word of encouragement. Maybe I get to baptize a child. Or I hear why your son or daughter wants to be confirmed. I get to hold the hand of your dying loved one. I get to reassure you of the power of the resurrection even over your darkest grief. The doubt subsides and the reality peaks back through.

Now here’s where I need you to listen. I’m not saying that my occupation is better or worse than anyone else’s. I don’t write this to try to glorify myself over you or falsely lower myself in a backwards pride moment. I put this here because someday I’m going to need to come back and read it. Some day, when the dust settles I’ll be able to look here and be reminded of just how blessed I am to be surrounded by so many wonderful people.

As I close this post out I’m reminded of a quote that’s been rattling around in my nearly empty noggin. In preparation for a recent message I was reminded that the thing you value most will determine your value. There are times when I let my value be driven by the way others respond, or don’t respond to me.

Let’s make sure today isn’t one of those days.

Stump The Pastor

May 15, 2024 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

Being in ministry can be a fun experience. Some days are easier than others. One thing that often occurs in the church I serve as pastor is that the people play a game of stump the pastor.

Now, I don’t think it’s an intentional game all them time, but I do think there is a little fun had when I don’t have an answer right off hand. This past Sunday seemed to be one of those stump the pastor moments.

We were looking at a reading from Acts 1 where the author quoted a random verse from the Old Testament, seemingly yanking it totally out of context. This is a well known pet peeve of mine, so of course this was the topic of conversation.

Why would Acts pull this single verse out of the Psalms and throw it here? It doesn’t seem to fit…

My standard protocol when I have a question I can’t answer is to see if someone smarter than me is able to answer it. Then I do my own digging when I have time. Today is mining day. Mining through the Bible to see if I can find an answer or at least something that makes some sense.

When I go about this digging process, I look for other places where a similar approach is taken. I read commentaries (books by people far smarter than I)! And then I do some translation work to see if something didn’t get missed in translation from the original language to the English that sits before us.

Well, this one didn’t take very long before I found a bit of a pattern. There are several places where the New Testament authors use this similar approach in their writing. Often these are quotes from the psalms, which are typically poems or songs, that are seemingly out of context and perhaps misapplied?

That’s when a new question starts to rattle around in the noggin. If multiple authors use the same technique, then what do they know that we don’t know? Which means more reading and more studying ensues.

Finally! After digging around in the Bible, commentaries, online studies, bible software, and some Jewish writing style literature I do believe we have an answer. It’s a technique in Jewish writing called REMEZ. This technique basically is to quote a line from a well known song or poem, trusting that you will know its context. Kind of like you or I starting the lyrics to a well known pop song, trusting you will finish singing it in your head.

Then the reader, in this case you and I, are to then take the scenario to which it is originally applied and lay that over the context of the new passage. And ultimately using the new context, we can see some similarities to the original but also some deeper truths unveiled.

Here’s an example that’s a bit easier to see than the one we discussed on Sunday.

In Romans 8:36, Paul is cranking out some pretty convincing things about God and his salvation for us when he throws in this odd verse from Psalm 44 For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. If you read the rest of chapter 8, it really isn’t where Paul is headed. But when you double back and read the context of Psalm 44 where Israel is pursued by enemies who are out to destroy them and overtake them and they are seemingly without hope, then lay that over the context of Romans 8 it starts to make sense.

Paul is making the point that if God is for us, no one against us really matters. Just like Israel in Psalm 44, who was surrounded by many enemies and ultimately God was able to overcome all of them.

The same is true in the Acts 1 and Psalm 69 passages. Something was happening in the lives of Israel and the prayer of the psalmist was that God would handle it. Then in Acts 1 the disciples are saying that they have a pretty significant problem of betrayal from inside and they need God to handle it as well.

When we have a hard time determining what a specific bible verse means or why it’s structured the way it is structured, a great approach is to look around and see how this same approach is taken elsewhere. In this case, we didn’t have time to do that. And I know this wasn’t really designed to be one of those stump the pastor moments, but it ended up being a bit of a Sunday stumper! But now you know.

Tag: Jesus (Page 10 of 60)

Olympics My Two Cents

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Two Key Questions

Are we going to believe Jesus? And are we going to obey Jesus?

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