I have been having some difficulty with this blog, so I am moving it here.

I hope to see you there! 

This week a national publication wrote, “We need to recover the spiritual and moral direction that should describe our country and ourselves.” I completely agree. The next sentence says, “We see this in Obama, and we see the promise he represents to bring factions together, to achieve again the unity that drives great change and faces difficult, and inconvenient, truths and peril.”

Whether you like or dislike Obama, what surprised me the most is the source:Rolling Stone magazine! We must be in deep trouble for Rolling Stone to speak out about our nation’s spiritual and moral needs!

Two recent books have unveiled fascinating discoveries regarding spirituality in the United States. Reveal examines spiritual growth and health. unChristian summarizes the results of extensive research among non-Christians aged 16-29.

In addition to these two books, the Pew Forum survey presents a portrait of the Religious Landscape of the United States.

None of these three studies are terribly encouraging to anyone who is a follower of Jesus. It is clear that the religion of Christianity is in serious decline in the USA.

Is it possible to follow Jesus without embracing the religion of Christianity? I hope so!

I have to admit that I have not seen most of the movies that were nominated for Academy Awards, but I was delighted to see two of my favorite films of 2007 win an Oscar. Both are low budget, raw movies filled with out-of-the-mainstream music. Once won for its music (best song), while Juno won for writing (best original screenplay). While neither could be considered family-friendly, they both touched me deeply. I love to see “indie” art appreciated.

Anyone that knows the story of Frontline knows the vital role that Dieter Zander played in its vision (via a radio broadcast!). He also became a personal mentor during the four years we both lived in Illinois (1994-1998). Suffice it to say, he is a dear friend and one of the most influential people in my life.

Last week Dieter had a severe stroke. Fortunately he is making good progress. Please pray for Dieter and his family. For updates, click here.

Our world is filled with people providing answers that may or not be asked. Products are developed and then thrust upon consumers, often manipulating recipients with messages of fear or pure nonsense designed to create an artificial need for their service or good. How many different types of toothpaste do we really need (there are over 100 to choose from at my local grocery store)?

A popular phrase in the 1970’s was “Jesus is the answer.” What was the question? Were people asking it?

For many years I have collected questions. More often than not I find myself asking the wrong question. The right answer is irrelevant if it is a reply to the wrong question.

One of the most challenging issues for me has been defining “success.” Some have challenged me and said it is the wrong question.

What are your favorite questions?

Welcome back! It’s about time I write SOMETHING. I took my son to see U23D on Friday night at the local IMAX theater. He only knew one or two of their songs so I was concerned that he would be bored. He loved it! Both the audio and video were spectacular. The close-ups were especially enlightening (I was intrigued by Larry’s box of tissue and glass of iced tea next to his drum kit and Edge’s piano pedal on top of the piano rather than on the floor). If you even remotely like U2, the big screen experience (especially IMAX) could never be replicated on a home DVD player. Don’t miss it!

Two books by Peter Scazzero have recently captured my attention. The Emotionally Healthy Church was highly recommended to me, and for good reason. Pete’s story was, in many ways, similar to mine. The sequel, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, is even better and more practical. My wife and I are have challenged, encouraged, and helped by both books.

As Bill Hybels said years ago at a conference, we must all regularly check our gauges. The physical gauge is usually easy to check (e.g. are you staring at the ceiling of an ambulance, finding it difficult to see your toes, or spending more time consuming medicine than food?). The spiritual gauge is fairly simple, too. Relationships usually speak for themselves, and our checkbook balance can usually clue us in to our financial status. The emotional gauge is often overlooked or ignored, masked by busyness, denial, or religion.

Scazzero says that you cannot be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature. Do you

- avoid conflict in the name of Christianity (or any other name!)?
- ignore anger, sadness and fear?
- use God to run from God?
- die to the wrong things?
- live without boundaries?

Check out Pete’s website for more. Let me know what you think.

I am stranded. I am away from my office, far from home, and without transportation. It’s not a tragic situation, nor is it unexpected. I dropped off my vehicle at a mom and pop repair shop to look for small leaks in my air conditioning system. They do not take appointments so I was told to bring it in after 7 AM when they open and before 8 AM when the mechanics arrive.

I am used to waiting for car work since it usually involves an oil change and less than an hour in limbo. I decided not to trouble my wife or friends to pick me up (my mistake!) knowing that I could study in the waiting room of the repair shop until the work is completed. Which could be hours. And they have no waiting room!

Fortunately, a nearby restaurant was within walking distance, providing food, air conditioning (the temperature is rising to 95 degrees today), and that now-necessary-in-order-to-live-and-breathe amenity called WiFi. So here I sit, alone yet surrounded by people, stranded yet comfortable. Then I had a thought (they do occur occasionally). What if I didn’t have a vehicle at all, a modern place in which to pass the time, or even a home.

Such is undoubtedly the life of the exit people. You know, the guys that hold up cardboard signs as you get off of the expressway (or is it just an Ann Arbor thing?). “Will work for food� is usually their message. I have long been troubled by their presence, not bothered by them, but unsure how to help. I look down at my W.W.J.D. bracelet (no, I don’t have one, but work with me here) and wonder what I can do to help “the least of these.� It has been said that Ann Arbor is one of the best places for a homeless person with free meals, a shelter, jobs, and many social services available. Yet there they stand, day after day with their signs (one man last week didn’t even have a sign; he stood there with his hands positioned as if he was holding a sign, but there was nothing in his hands; did he know that?).

Jesus was homeless. He knew what it was to be stranded. What about you?

Last week was among the most exciting in my entire life. On Monday I rode the Maverick and many other roller coasters at Cedar Point. I hosted an open house on Tuesday for the Boardwalk Creative Center, Michigan’s Most Creative Meeting Space. Tuesday night was eighth grade graduation at my daughter’s school (which was more than just a “Hallmark holiday” since the charter school is K-8 and the graduates disperse to numerous high schools). She was honored with the principal’s award for attitude which was truly fitting given the year she endured. Wednesday was spent at The Henry Ford with my family, parents, grandma, and aunt (in town from Missouri). Thursday was a good but uneventful day.

On Friday, I joined eleven other guys for the annual Frontline Whitewater Rafting Adventure in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania. It was a blast, featuring great weather, exciting rapids (including one major immersion when our raft flipped!), good conversation, two nights of tent camping at the Ohiopyle State Park, and our traditional visit to Seven Springs Mountain Resort for an Alpine Slide ride and a fantastic buffet dinner. I slept very well last night, needless to say, grateful for such a memorable week and a safe return home on Father’s Day.