Ramblin' Man

Just an FYI that the official URL's have not yet been re-directed, but Jack Rambles is moving...

Check-out the new look @:  http://www.jackrambles.tumblr.com

The new site will permit a much more strategic approach to blogging -- hopefully -- but it may also take a few days to work out the details.

Inside North Point

I was absolutely blown away by this website... (Link also available at the end of this post.)

One of the biggest set-backs to modern megachurches over the last 25 years has been the lack of transparency. At North Point Church in Atlanta, GA they have went beyond transparency and completely stripped themselves -- one layer at a time -- for all the world to observe and evaluate. It is one of the most refreshing things I have ever observed.

North Point goes into detail about how services are planned all the way to who they strategically partner with and why!

Check it out and be blessed by this unique online guide to the inner workings of one of America's healthiest churches:

Inside North Point : Church Administration | NPM General Organization

The Anti-Gossip Pact

Take a moment and check out this blog. I have read Wesley's comments in the past, but had not thought of them recently. Keith Craft found them and brought them out of the hidden pages of history to inspire a new generation. Incredibly powerful stuff... Keith Craft Blog on Leadership

Can't.....

My first grade teacher frequently used a saying, "Can't never did do anything!"

It was her pre-conceived response to youngsters who felt they could never master math or even the alphabet.  She knew we could -- we just didn't want to!

With God "all things are possible" -- meaning that there is no such thing as "can't" with God. Is it possible then that we the children of God should completely remove the term from our vocabularies?

The deeper point at hand is that if we CAN DO ALL THINGS through Christ, then there is never a moment when we CAN'T.  But there may be many moments when we -- like first-graders -- don't want to!

I have come to think that often when we use the term it is more out of dishonesty than anything else.  We use "can't" as excuse to cover up moments when we don't want to, but don't have the courage to speak truthfully.

Here's a reflective thought:  Is a lack of honesty, more often than not, at the foundation of the word CAN'T???

Global Share the Bible Day

Very unique idea from Life Church in Oklahoma City, OK. This Christmas Day they will be sponsoring and helping to promote a massive "Share the Bible Day". Check it out & get involved!

For more info visit this link: December 25: Global Share the Bible Day - LifeChurch.tv

Modesty...

Our culture seems to be moving toward the embrace of sexiness at increasingly early ages. Amazingly to me, many parents seem to not only ignore this reality, but in some instances condone or even push their children to be immodest. The result is that modesty appears to be a thing of the past in many arenas of our culture and the lack thereof is increasingly visible in the wardrobes of today's children.

In my humble opinion, America is desperate for parents everywhere to arise and begin to take responsibility for the lifestyle choices of their children and provide Godly guidance in the critical stages of life development. Nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of modesty.

I believe immodesty promotes a lack of purity, which leads to an increasingly perverse society. If this nation is to be redeemed it will start with a return to core values such as modesty.

MSN ARTICLE: Does little-girl fashion shoot cross the line?

Chris Tomlin's FQ Worship

Here is a great site from Chris Tomlin & his team to help worship leaders and musicians. The tutorial videos are very in-depth and specifically geared to help lead musicians find the right sound.

It does require a monthly membership for unlimited usage, but you can get a good feel for the site with a free trial membership.

FQ & Chris Tomlin | Worship Leaders, Musicians, Planners, Organizers

Current Reading List

I'm an avid reader. So much so, that I struggle to finance the habit! A new book rarely last me more than 48 hours, so I've turned to reading a lot of blogs as of late, which tends to be a much less expensive habit.  However, I do have a few books presently laying in front of me that I have either read in the last few weeks or that I'm getting ready to finish by the end of the week.

• The Fred Factor 
• Sun Stand Still
• Radical
• The Christian Atheist
• Only You Can Be You
• The Beauty of a Spiritual Language
• 30 Days to Live
• Paradise Series (Ted Dekker) 
• GodChasers (re-read for about the 15th time)
• Freakonomics

Its a fairly diverse spectrum of reading, but that is intentional.  My favorite out of this list is GodChasers, but I've read it so many times that perhaps that isn't fair to the list.  That being said, second would definitely be Radical, because the author David Platt clearly articulated several things that God has been dealing with me about on a very personal level.  

North vs. South

There is probably more at stake in the political drama presently unfolding between North & South Korea than any of us realize at first glance.

Behind the scenes, big players are involved: Russia, China, the United States and more... As for North and South Korea, themselves, it is almost like an arm-wrestling match that is gridlocked -- one waiting for the other to go over the top.

Here is one thing that is always overlooked in the modern day news coverage of the Korean tension: South Korea is home to both the largest and second-largest churches in the world! It is not a coincidence. Not in any way, shape, form or fashion that South Korea is involved in a nuclear stand-off.

In the hour in which we live, there is rarely a passing day which does not bring to pass events that should motivate our hearts to pray.  I have no desire to sound like a doomsday prophet, but whether it comes in five hours, five months, or five-hundred years this earth is on-course for a nuclear holocaust.  Nowhere is that oft ignored path more visible than in two disgruntled Asian countries. They are divided pointedly on a map by simple geographical distinctions and yet held apart from unity by overwhelmingly complex political undertones...

Koreans from both north and south of the border need the prayer support of Christians all across the world. Specifically, the millions of Christians whom need God's protection from any harm that could be brought to their lives by the enemies of Christ's Kingdom. 

Here is an article from the Associated Press describing South Korea's plans to construct island fortresses: SKorea to make islands near NKorea fortresses

The One that Brung Ya!

12 Now King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 13When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORDwith all his might, 15while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.16As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.
(2 Samuel 6:12-16)

David looked at his wife, whom did not understand his style of worship, and basically said as plainly as possible, "I can be even more undignified than this!"  In other words, God brought me this far and I fully intend to make sure that I do not lose HIS partnership as I move into my future -- whether the people around me understand my uninhibited praise or not.

David was dancing through the streets on one of the most significant days of his life.  He made a decision to glorify God for all the good things that had happened to him.  David made sure to even remove his outer garments, which symbolized his position in society, so that even his wardrobe reflected his desire to be first and foremost a worshiper. 

It is God who has brought each of us this far in our lives.  Let us not be so foolish as to change dancing partners now.  He is the one who brought us, now may we continue to honor him with yielded hearts of worship -- day in and day out, without fail! HE IS WORTHY! 

...And greater things are STILL yet to come!

The Christian Imitation

If ever a blog caused me to shout, "Amen!", then it is the one to be found via this link:  http://tinyurl.com/2apswrn


The blog is around five years old, but it captures my heartbeat.  I long, almost with desperation (if you can be "almost" desperate), for originality in the Church.  I myself have fallen prey to ripping off catch-phrases in our culture.  And honestly, I think ON OCCASION it can be a good thing.  


My concern with many of us modern church leaders is that we have taken the easy way out and fallen prey to piggy-backing society's successful marketing tactics -- whether God told us to or not! The result is an undeniable absence originality in the Church when compared with the level of creativity culture is currently producing.  This ought not be when the Creator of the Universe lives within us.  Surely, creativity does not have to be stale, when we have access to such unlimited creative power. 


May God raise up culture-shakers! Image-breakers. Jesus followers.  Men and women with faith like John the Baptist, who are so different that the world responds to them although the Church rejects them--then have the courage to stand there and risk their head in spite of not being given a plaque by their local ministerial fellowship or denominational hierarchy!


The result will be an empowered, original approach to worship & preaching that will reach the Harvest in a way that the world's curiosity can not resist!

The Next Christians

What if there were a new group of Christians already on the scene but not yet identified in culture as being different from their predecessors?

Gabe Lyons describes this group as The Next Christians and he is of the opinion that they  possess six characteristics that distinguish them from the hard-headed stubbornness found in many older Christians of our time. 


The Next Christians are:

• Provoked, not offended.
• Creators, not critics.
• Called, not employed.
• Grounded, not distracted.
• In community, not alone.
• Counter-cultural, not relevant.

I whole-heartedly agree!

For further review follow this link: The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons

Carmel on Fire

I'm not trying to be super-spiritual or overly prophetic, but I have to admit that when reviewing the news this morning I saw something that gave me cold chills. The area of Israel surrounding historic Mt. Carmel is ablaze with fire.  Thousands of acres burning beyond control...

Imagine the area where God once brought fire from heaven to earth, once more being engulfed with flames. Mt Carmel, the place of God's Old Testament outpouring, suddenly burning bright with a fire that man seems to be unable to stop!

Admittedly, this fire was started by men in the name of arson. However, knowing this fire is not supernatural in its nature does not change the spine-tingling feeling that comes over my soul when I compare the horrific images of today's fire with my mental pictures of Scripture's 1 Kings 18 account.

Here is the article detailing Israel's battle against the blaze. After you read it, please pray for rain and also for divine wisdom to be imparted to the undermanned firefighters:  Massive Fire in Carmel - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

One Year to Live

Here is an awesome, inspiring blog posted by a couple who made a decision to walk into a setting that required great faith.

Read their story and envision a couple who has made a decision to become modern day Ezekiel's... One Year to Live - Bruce and Heather Moore

Shallow Leadership

I read a blog by Ron Edmonson today that provoked me to evaluate my approach to leadership.

Is it possible to be a deep theological thinker and at the same time be a shallow spiritual leader? I believe it is...

Here are seven examples of how a shallow leader will think:  7 Examples of Shallow Leadership by Ron Edmondson 

Better Together

10 years ago @ 7pm in the quaint Begley Chapel, situated on a rolling hill of the Lindsey Wilson College campus, Amanda Leann Gossage agreed to spend the rest of her life with me. Since that time my original opinion, that we are BETTER TOGETHER, has become an undeniable fact...

There is no combination of words I could put on the postcard

And no song that I could sing, but I can try because this is your heart and this is our dreams and they are made out of real things. Love is the answer at least for most of the questions in my heart, like
Why are we here? And where do we go? And how come it's so hard?
It's not always easy and sometimes life can be deceiving
I'll tell you one thing, it's so much better when we're together

(I long for more moments...)
With only two, just me and you, not so many things we got to do or places we got to be, And there is no combination of words I could say
But I will still tell you one thing 
We're better together, We so much better when we're together...

(lyrics of Jack Johnson's Better Together slightly modified...)

YouTube - Jack Johnson's Better Together

The Gift -- December Wednesday Night Series

Tonight 3trees Church will dive into a brand-new Wednesday night series, The Gift.  The next four Wednesday nights will provide a setting where we will take an in-depth, revelatory look at what the Bible has to say about one of Heaven's most special gifts to Earth...

Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And receive THE GIFT of the Holy Spirit.  (Acts 2:38)