We are an up and coming breed, we men who are married to this particular type of woman.  You’ll recognize us by the following characteristics:

• We, and especially our children, are constantly being followed by a camera-toting wife
• “Scenarios” are constantly being arranged for photo opportunities.  We wonder if this is really candid living or carefully orchestrated dramatization.
• We’re known to say things like “Can we live the moment instead of trying to capture it?”
• We’ve got silly, cryptic names, as if people can’t figure out who we are…  in my case, it’s “Minister Man”
• We’re caught on camera doing some of the dumbest and revealing things.  It’s hard to decide if the posts are an invasion of privacy or an insight into our uniqueness.
• Our backsides are photo-centric
• We’re constantly ducking out of photo opportunities while our children have not yet learned that defense mechanism – this leads to lots of pictures of our hands and the sides of our heads
• Our meals have to be photographed before they’re prepared or eaten.  This is true of home-cooking and of restaurant meals.  Don’t you ladies know that we’re hungry?!?!
• On the upside, all this recipe sharing leads to some pretty yummy meals and snacks
• The story of our lives, while likely average or mundane, are highly dramatic sounding when written out in our wives’ photoblogs.  It’s almost as if we’re living on a reality TV show.

I’d love to hear if there any more of you out there in the blogosphere.  You know who you are!  Let’s hear from you, and perhaps we can add to this list.

I get so many questions about where we’re at with our journey to seminary, moving, academics, ministry, and so on, that I guess it’s time to write a bit about what’s been going on in our lives lately.  I guess I’ll upload some of the thoughts that occupy my mind lately.

• First, our house is now officially for sale.  We’re completing a few finishing touches on the house and the yard to prepare for an open house next weekend.  This is our greatest area of need for prayer.  We trust that God will finish his work of preparing us for a move to Charlotte.

• I’ve received a wonderful scholarship from the EPC that will effectively pay for a large chunk of our personal financial responsibility for seminary.  This is such a huge blessing, but we can only utilize it by being a full-time student in Charlotte (which requires a course load of 12 credit hours per semester).

• My church has graciously decided to show more financial support for seminary students in the future, which will also greatly assist in being able to afford seminary and supporting my family in the process.  Praise God for showing us how he plans to support us through this journey!

• I’ve signed up for my next seminary class, an online lecture class called Systematic Theology I.  The course requirements include two exams and a response paper.  I’ll have four months to complete the course, although I plan to work much faster than that this time.

• Ideally, our house will sell in time to move to Charlotte in late July or early August.  If that happens, I’ll be able to take Greek I for three weeks beginning August 2nd.  If our home hasn’t sold yet, we’re going to have to consider some contingency plans.

• If we don’t move by late August, we’ll have to consider what to do about my son and his education.  He’ll be in the first grade this upcoming school year, and our options are public school, private school (where he went for kindergarten), or homeschool (the current #1 contender).

• We’re on the hunt for churches in Charlotte.  Ideally, we’ll find a place where we can worship as a family and I can serve as a paid intern.

Your prayers would be appreciated for the above topics, and anything more that I ought to be considering.  May the Lord bless you and he’s blessed us!

For the past year or so, I’ve been really seeking a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit.  Intellectually, I’m sure I could accurately describe the person of the Holy Spirit from a biblical perspective.  I am also quite aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life.  There can be no other explanation for the transforming work that the Lord has done and continues to do in my life.  I am a changed person because of the presence of the Holy Spirit.  I also know that I cannot possibly understand the true meaning of the scriptures without assistance from the Holy Spirit.  What I’m looking for, I suppose, is more of an experience of the power of the Holy Spirit.  I want more of a relationship with the person of God that has chosen to dwell within me.

As I embark on this voyage into ministry, I realize that I am going to have to rely solely on the power of the Holy Spirit to do anything effectively.  I am only beginning to understand the gravity of that realization, though.  It means that everything I’m good at, all of the “gifts” that the Lord has given me, they’re nothing compared to the power that’s necessary for successful ministry.  Look at the apostles… they were fumbling fools at the feet of Jesus, and yet when they were filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, they went on to perform “greater works” (John 14:12).

I want the kind of power that the apostles were given to do ministry.  I can imagine that only by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit will I be able to truly be the hands and feet of Christ on earth.  I’m aware that I’ve jumped into murky waters here.  I know that the “cessationist” versus “continuationist” debate rages on, and that both sides claim biblical support for their positions. I’ve learned that the biblical debate centers on 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 and Ephesians 2:20, and with my limited understanding of exegesis, I tend towards the continuationist side.  I’m quite aware that I’m heading to a school that’s quite firmly entrenched in the strong cessationist perspective.  I’ll also be facing opposition for my belief on the ordination of women, though that’s a whole other topic for discussion.  I think that the bottom line is that I’m a bit more open minded on the intentions and methods that the Lord uses.  While I agree with the bulk of Reformed theology in general, and I subscribe to the principle of Sola Scriptura, I feel that this understanding must also accompany an experiential relationship with the Lord that has captured my heart.

Because I don’t currently possess any of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, it might be easy for me to believe that those gifts did indeed pass away at the end of the apostolic age.  After all, when I was baptized as a believer a few years ago, I also then received the Holy Spirit.  I do believe that I received some specific spiritual gifts right then, notably faith and teaching (and maybe others).  I don’t seem to have received any of the gifts of supernatural power, though.  So, should I conclude that because of my personal experience, I ought to dismiss the possibility of the continuation of the gifts of power entirely?

The implications of such a stance would be huge for me.  First and foremost, I would have to believe that some of my trusted friends who claim to possess some of the miraculous gifts, most notably speaking in tongues, are either delusional or deceptive.  I’d have a hard time making that conclusion, especially when those friends have devoted their lives to spreading the gospel and the ministry of the church.  They work in Jesus’ name.  They also seem to be the folks that earnestly rely most heavily on prayer and seek the Lord’s guidance in their daily walks.  Am I to conclude that some of the biggest prayer warriors I know are frauds?  I cannot.

Thus, my search for the power of the Holy Spirit continues.  I’m curious to learn what some trusted scholars have discovered, particularly Sam Storms, Wayne Grudem, and Jack Deere.  I plan to seek the counsel of some of those trusted friends and well as doing my due diligence academically.  I will continue to pray for the Lord to reveal to me His true intentions for the work of the Holy Spirit in my life and how he wishes for me to utilize the gifts he’s given me.  Finally, I thank the Lord for what appears to be answers to some of the prayers that I’ve been praying on this matter.  He’s led me to some wise counsel and he’s opened my eyes to some real opportunities for growth.  Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness.

I often pray a very specific prayer for my children.  I was already certain that the Lord hears my prayers, and that he answers them.  It’s just that this particular prayer is more of a long-term prayer of eternal consequence, a prayer for their salvation.  Ultimately, I hope that they get to know the Lord Jesus the way that I know him, or better.

The glimpses of seeing the Lord at work in the lives of my kids are seemingly few and far between, but tonight I had perhaps the most satisfying moment as a father.  Oddly enough, the moment came tonight after a questionable decision to watch the movie “Avatar” with my six-year-old son over the past two evenings before bed.  He seemed to enjoy the the first half of the movie so I agreed to let him watch the second half with me tonight despite my knowing that there would be violence.

*Spoiler alert* Please skip to the next paragraph if you haven’t seen Avatar and you intend to!  During the final battle scene, when the Na’vi had finally turned the tides and the forest creatures joined in, my son was thrilled to see the “bad guys” get destroyed.  He gleefully shrieked when a pack of giant hammer-headed beasts crushed the mechanized warriors that had decimated the good guys just minutes before.  He absolutely loved seeing the “dragons” fling the flying warships into the cliffs.  He really had a great sense of who to root for, particularly against the evil forces.  In the past, my son had often rooted for the bad guys in various movies and shows, but not this time.  Amazingly, this is not the end of my story.

When the movie finished, it was time to head off to bed (an hour late because of the movie).  We laid down on his bed and talked a bit about the movie.  I was interested to hear his favorite parts as well as finding out if any of the violence had scared him or impacted him.  He told me his favorite part, which involved the “dragon”, and he said that he wasn’t scared or sad or anything, and then he got quiet for a minute.  I was about to ask him what the scariest part was when he said “Daddy, I don’t think they worshiped the same God we do.”  He meant the “good guys”, that they didn’t worship our God.  I was floored, so I probed a little deeper.  I said “You’re right, buddy (my heart is full at this point)… there was something/someone missing from the story, wasn’t there?”  He said “Yeah, they didn’t know Jesus.”  WOW!  He continued “They were worshiping, but they were worshiping the wrong thing.  I mean, they prayed and stuff, but they prayed to a tree or something.”  Then, as if I wasn’t already fully blown away, he concluded with this nugget of spiritual wisdom.  Mind you, this is ALL unprompted…  he said “How can a created (the tree) be THE Creator.  It just doesn’t make sense.”

I about fell off the bed.  I told him how right he was, how proud I was, and we immediately prayed, among other things, that the people that made the movie would meet the Jesus that we know and love.  I really think that he was praying with me in his heart and not just listening to his bedtime prayer before zonking out.  Even now, as I write this an hour later, I am still full of thankfulness to the Lord that captured my heart.  I am thankful that he is answering my prayers for my kids.  I trust that my kids will both be believers, and true warriors for the Kingdom of God.

One more thought before I wrap this up.  I’ve talked to lots of people about Avatar, even though I hadn’t seen it until yesterday.  I had heard from a source or two that there were bits of bad theology mixed into the movie, mainly pantheism.  So, I was prepared for it when I saw it, and I wasn’t surprised at all.  Most people I talked to about Avatar, though, made no notice of the theology and just enjoyed the movie.  Mind you, I enjoyed the movie, too.  Anyway, leave it to my six-year-old, as if he were a mature Christian, to solemnly point out that they weren’t worshiping the right God.  I find that highly ironic and totally amazing.

Nights like tonight are so gratifying, comforting, fulfilling, and all kinds of other words ending in ING.  I am just so happy that the Lord is taking hold of my kids’ hearts and that the time I spend telling them everything I know about the Creator of the universe is actually sinking in.  Wow… just wow!

Dear friends,

We’re in desperate need of some help! As most of you know, my family and I are planning a move to Charlotte, North Carolina this summer so that I may continue my seminary adventure. In order for that to happen, we need to sell our house in Seven Hills ASAP. In order for THAT to happen, we need to knock out a list of repairs so that the house is fully marketable. This is where we need your help.

As you may know, I am woefully inept when it comes to “handiness”. Mostly, I lack the tools and experience to do anything effectively. That’s why I’m asking for your help. The following is a list of needs for our house. If you have any time and expertise available for any of these tasks, or if you have a capable friend/spouse that’d be willing to help, please let me know if we can arrange a time in the near future to cross it off the list. Here’s the honey-do list…

• Repair front doorway woodwork
• Refinish/replace wood trim leading down the stairs to the basement
• Install threshold plate from the hallway to the master bedroom
• Power clean and refinish the deck
• Tighten/adjust the some of the loose/crooked wooden pieces on the deck
• Install light fixture in kitchen hallway and downstairs bathroom
• Replace the banister at the bottom of our staircase. It’s missing a spoke or rung or whatever it’s called and it looks old in general.
• Fasten the wooden threshold plates to the floor that lead from the living room to the kitchen
• Patch a small hole in the wall in the upstairs bathroom
• Replace a small piece of rotten molding in the upstairs bathroom
• Replace the water pipes in the garage that burst a year and a half ago because we forgot to cut off the water pressure to that faucet
• Reseat upstairs bathroom toilet with a new wax ring and reattach with new screws
• Repair/replace bathtub water faucet in upstairs bathroom
• Install light cover in upstairs shower
• Paint/wallpaper upstairs bathroom
• Paint ceiling in master bedroom

If you feel that you could help or provide guidance for any of these projects, please let me know. We’d love to have you over to get a better idea of what we’re talking about here. Some of this stuff I could possibly do myself with a little time and direction (and tools). If you’re unable to help us right now, that’s alright. We ask that you might join us in prayer for the sale of our home and for God to be glorified in the process.

Time is of the essence. Thanks in advance!

Blessings, Jason

PS: If any of you have any experience with real estate transactions, we could use your advice. Here are our listings on Zillow and Craig’s List. We’re considering retaining the services of a realtor or using a service like NextHome. Your thoughts are certainly welcome.

This is it!  We are finally placing our home on the market after nearly a year of anticipation.  Here are the essentials in case some miracle sends a potential buyer to this site…

Our beautiful red brick home is for sale!  This home is a unique bungalow design with a large attached garage, a full second story, central air, and a huge yard.  The upstairs features two large bedrooms (15×15), one small bedroom/nursery, lots of closet and attic space, and a full bathroom with shower and tub.  The main floor features a large eat-in kitchen with updated stainless steel appliances and a tile floor, a large living room (20×12) with hardwood floor and wood burning fireplace, a carpeted den/playroom (12×12), and a half-bath.  The basement is finished with tile floor and wood burning fireplace on one side and a utility/laundry area on the other side.  The house has modern paint and light fixtures throughout.  The outside features a deck (20×12), a number of trees, and lots of area for gardening.

• Address: 4195 E. Pleasant Valley Rd.
• City: Seven Hills, OH 44131
• Style: Brick Bungalow, Built: 1946
• 3 Bedrooms, 1.5 Baths, ~1617 square feet
• Large 0.76 acre property
• Schools: Green Valley Elementary, Hillside Middle School, Normandy High School
• See it on Zillow, Craigslist
• Price: $167,500

I read a good little book recently that helped me put some things into perspective.  It didn’t particularly tell me anything that I didn’t already know.   Rather, it sort of reinforced what I had already been thinking on the matter.  I appreciate the advice I had gotten to read the book (thanks Dave for letting me borrow it).

So what’s this about?  It’s certainly a provocative title, but it can’t imply that I intend to cheat on something, right?  Well, the way the book puts it, something or someone is always going to get cheated in our busy lives, and it’s just a matter of who or what.  For me, the issue is time management.  I have a lot on my plate and not enough time to handle it all.  That means that I have to prioritize and cut things short or cut them out entirely.

I have been giving this a lot of thought recently, and I’ve decided on a few particular principles that have become non-negotiable.  First, I need some time for personal devotions.  Simply put, I need to hang out with God.  That means prayer, scripture, time for reflection, and possibly some other edifying books.  Firmly in second place needs to be my family.  Dinner time is essential.  Bed time with the kids super quality time.  Relaxing time with my wife at night is wonderful.  After this, things tend to get foggier.

I thought it’d be fun for me to digitize my current “to do” list, partially to help me sort it out, partially for future reference, and partially for fun.  Here goes, in no particular order…

• Prepare my house to hit the market in a month
• Complete dialogue paper for Apologetics course
• Study for and take final exam for Apologetics course
• Hire a new employee for my company (essentially my replacement – it’s complicated)
• Train said employee
• Grow my business and maintain what we’ve got
• Find a new church home in Charlotte
• Apply for seminary scholarship
• Look for other sources of financial assistance in anticipation of our “seminary adventure”
• Come “under care” of my session and my presbytery
• Continue developing the Men’s Discipleship program at church
• Disciple as many people as possible before we leave, especially the relationships that are already developing
• Have as much quality time as possible with my extended family before we leave
• Write a sermon to be preached hopefully this summer before we leave
• Write research paper for Church History II course
• Study for and take final exam for Church History II course
• Read as much of my book backlog as possible
• Lose some weight and get in shape
• Maintain my low stress level through all of the above

As I examine this list, it strikes me as absurd!  Seriously, how am I going to get all of this done in the next few months?  I think I’m going to have to cheat.  The question is where do I cheat… I expect the Holy Spirit will guide me to the answer, and it’ll be fun to see how He helps me work it out.

Amidst the complexity life as of late, I have been a bit preoccupied with the thought of leaving for seminary next year.  I have a variety of mixed feelings on the matter.  It seems that my heart and mind are both in states of conflict.

Let’s start with the mind.  On one hand, logic tells me that it makes no sense to remove myself from my current ministry involvement, which has seriously ramped up in the past four months.  I’ve gotten heavily involved in some really exciting areas where I see God at work, and I’d like to be doing more of that and not less.  On the other hand, I know that I have a lot to learn to be properly equipped for pastoral ministry.  Since our local churches are not particularly prepared to develop a pastoral candidate, I recognize benefit/need for seminary.  I also know that RTS is a wonderful, renowned, and reformed school, and that there’s really no place I could go to be better equipped.

Now to the heart, which I see as at least equally important to the mind.  My heart aches for leaving my friends and family behind in Cleveland.  I am going to miss them dearly, especially those with whom I have been serving the Lord.  They have taught me so much, and I love them deeply.  My heart aches for my wife because she has to face those very same heartbreaks.  We have already begun grieving, as have our closest friends.  Our hearts are conflicted, though, because we are also extremely excited to discover what the Lord has in store for us in North Carolina and beyond.  We are very excited to move, to get the necessary training, and to live in the state that we’ve loved for over 10 years.

Ultimately, I must simply remind myself to trust in the Lord.  He’s in control.  He knows where we’re headed, both short-term and long-term.  In the moment, it’s hard to see the big picture, but as we step back and try to look at things through God’s eyes, the path seems to get clearer.  I must stay attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and be constant in prayer.  Whatever the destination, the one thing that’s certain is that we’re in for a ride!

I’m not sure what sort of readership I have on this blog, but I thought I’d document this link to an audio recording of my testimony given to a group of twenty-somethings last week in case anyone is interested.  It’s a bit personal, but at this point, I guess I need to get past the need to be private.  Let’s face it… pastor’s lives are lived in the public eye.

Anyway, this is a story of where I’ve seen God at work in my life.  I shared particular areas of sin in my life, my growing understanding of a need for a savior, and the transformation that ensued after I truly met Jesus.

Here’s the link: Generation Talk 12/10/09

With all the busyness of life lately, I really haven’t had much of a chance to update things on the blog.  Clearly, I am never going to be a regular blogger.  At least, not anytime soon.

Right now, life seems to be stuck in fast forward.  So many things tug at my time, and often it’s difficult to discern how to manage my schedule.  I have a full time job with a business that I own (though that makes it highly flexible), I have an internship at my church, I have seminary studies to accomplish, I have a house that needs to be prepared to sell, and I have a family that I dare not neglect.  Thankfully, I have realized along the way that I’m not in control of my life, and that has made a world of difference.

I have so much going on right now, with so many unknowns and so many potential stress burdens, that my mind could easily explode…  that is, if I hadn’t relinquished control of my life to the One that knows infinitely better how to handle it than I do.  I know that this life I’m living is all part of His plan, and I am eternally thankful for that.  I pray that the Lord will continue to bless me with just enough time and wherewithal to get through the day.