Becoming Greek

Michael Sessions

Tonight I shared at Carlise's youth group tonight. I shared a story about a young man named Michael Sessions who ran for mayor. He took his summer income and spent all $700 on his campaign. He went door to door, and talked with people in his community about voting for him. Since he was under the age of 17 at the time of the ballet, he needed to have all of the votes written in. He ended up winning the election by 2 votes. The 51 year old incumbent did not see him coming.

Michael ended up going to school his Sr year, and working in the mayors office each afternoon. What a life!!!! I love to hear stories like this!

cupcake

We have a inside family joke in the Sebastian clan about cupcakes. I have a brother "who will remain nameless", who had a somewhat funny moment. On a family car ride over Christmas several years ago we were playing an innocent game of 20 questions. However, one of my brothers came up with a real stumper. We came to several final questions that have become folklore in our family. Is it fun? and Can you wear it? The stumper to both of these questions was YES. As we ran out of questions, the family submitted to the mercy of this Sebastian brother. We were waiting for a stroke of genius, and our jaws dropped as we heard the answer "cupcake".

A riot almost happened in the seven passenger vehicle packed with eight Sebastian's. For years we gave this brother a hard time about the infamous cupcake. It is fun, and you can wear it.....

However, tonight I had to humble myself to the thinking. Mac proved you can wear a cupcake. He also proved you can have fun with a cupcake. A picture is worth a thousand words, and I think the only catch with the logic is that you have to be under the age of two. Only a 15 month old can wear and have fun with a food article.

Please note that this blog in no way will let this "so called brother" off the hook. I am sure it will be a running joke until the day I die.... So here's shout out to you "cupcake"....

My friend Fred

I have a friend from my old church that is an inspiration to me. He felt called to go to the mission field in the most awkward stage of life. He has four kids, a steady job, and a home. He did not have any Bible College credits, or any formal training. Yet, God tapped him on the shoulder and said, "I want you to go". He was in his backyard one day mowing and the Lord put it all in motion by saying, "sell you home". Fred was obedient, and has thrusted himself into a don't look back mentality. He is taking Berean classes, working full-time, fathering full-time, and husbanding full time. He is an inspiration to me. If anyone could make an excuses not to go, it would be Fred. However, he hopes to go and plans to go. Fred's family will be on the mission field one of these days. And when he gets to heaven he will hear the words "well done good and faithful servant". If anyone could justify a reason to give up it would be Fred, but he is running forward. I am proud of him.

Over a couple of slices of Nikolis pizza he shared a word picture I won't forget. Fred works on his Berean in the basement with four kids running wild. Fred sits calmly at the computer with a pair of gun range ear muffs on. He works, the kids play, and the dream of God is happening in their lives. We need more Fred's in the world, and most people could learn a few things from Fred. When life is to noisy to follow the plan of God, you just need to buy a good pair of noise canceling ear muffs.... I hear the camouflage work the best.

Tree Man

This is a story from Indonesia that my sister in law wanted me to check out the other day. It is a perfect example of how sin works in our life. It starts with a small cut, and eventually will try to control your life. My heart goes out to this man, and I hope he can get the medical treatment he needs. A very interesting news tidbit....

Seven Project Boys

I had the opportunity today to help with the Seven Project
in Fairfield, PA. I had a flexible schedule today and it was nice to get out and poke a stick at the devil. I had the chance to work with two of my favorite speakers Seth Franco and Zach Wienrich. These guys are such good communicators, and men of God. It was great to be in the mix with these guys today.

It was a tremendous assembly, and the at night rally tomorrow should be awesome!!!

Sadhu Sundar Singh

I have been sharing in a few services about a great story in how we can understand the context of presenting the gospel. I heard the story from my brother who is a missionary in India. The story was about an evangelist in India named Sadhu Sundar Singh. He was speaking to several "western" missionaries who were having a difficult time reaching those in a "eastern' culture. He shared a story to those missionaries decades ago that can speak to us today. Sadhu Sundar Singh told these men of a time when he was traveling on a train. It was a scorching hot day going across the plaines of India. On this train was a Brahmin who was a part of the highest class system. This Brahmin was getting ready to pass out of heat exhaustion, and a man on the train noticed his struggle. It was 120 degrees and the cars were not air conditioned. With the Brahmin's health was in danger a man told a young boy to get some water for the Brahmin. The young boy ran to a faucet and filled it with water in his cup. The young boy handed the cup back to the Brahmin and the Brahmin did not even acknowledge that the cup was in front of him.

An older wiser man on the train told the young boy to grab the Brahmin's cup and fill it with water. The young boy went to the same faucet and filled the cup with the same water. He handed it to the Brahmin and the man immediately grabbed it. He looked back at the boy and said, "thanks I needed that".

Then Sadhu Sundar Singh told the "western" missionaries this principle. Its not that you have something that they don't want, or a message that they don't need. The problem is that you are giving it to them in the wrong cup.

It is a story we can all relate to in our culture. Use the right cup. That is why we are using cups of coffee in Greece.

Non-political, political blog

In the day that PA votes for the presidential nominees, I thought I would throw out an observation. I have travelled all over PA in the past few months and one could get confused. If you drove for a living and had no access to tv or radio, you would be confused when voting today. You would think the clear cut winner of the election would be Ron Paul. You would think a landslide victory was about to happen. I have to tip my hat to the Ron Paul followers.... I have seen hundreds of roadside signs all over the state. I am not sure what his main platform is, but I hope environmental concerns are not at the top.... After all those hundreds of signs will end up somewhere.

Blogside

I am really excited that my good friend Andrew McCourt is beginning to blog. He is one of the worlds greatest leaders, and he loves Dairy Queen. The blogside is a play of an area in the city called the bogside. Keep your eyes out for some great posts on this site!!!

Refreshing

I travel to new places all the time, and meet new people and faces every week. Some times it is so refreshing to see a familiar face. Ron Bradley was one of my favorite Bible College professors, and he is now a pastor in Cleveland, OH. This past Sunday we had the opportunity to minister in his church. He is one of the most refreshing poeple on the planet to be around. He chooses his words so carefully, and speaks with such clarity into your life at every possible moment. The concern he has while you talk about life is so reassuring. Brother Bradley spoke so many encouraging words into my life at CBC, and it was so wonderful to reconnect.

Seeing him speak to his congregation made me miss those chapel experiences when he would share from a "pastors heart". I also forgot how much I missed those simple worship coruses at the begining of his classes. It was a flood of great freshening moments on Sunday. He has one lucky church!!

I am finishing up the Spring PennDel tour with services Sunday night, last night, tonight, and Wednesday. Jamie is also speaking in a service on Wednesday night as well in a seperate church. I am fairly local the next two weeks. I am speaking in Harrisburg 1st, Celebration, and Carlisle. I am looking forward to having small drives.