WEiRD Trades

Have you ever noticed that we live in a world that is ridicules scattered? Normal is living in a world where it is possible to live scattered all the time. Because of text messages, cell phones, voice mail, Twitter, Facebook and email, we live in a world where it is normal to be scattered. These things are totally neutral but the way they influence our life can either enhance us or totally distract us. Try to have a conversation with someone while they are staring at their iPhone checking their Facebook status. My family and I were eating out when I noticed another minister from another church in my town and his family at the table near us. When our food came as our family custom, we bowed for a quick prayer and began to eat. I noticed the other pastors family were still bowed. I told my family were are not praying long enough, come on, we got to up our game. Their food arrived, they were still bowed. I'm feeling like such the slacker at this point. Then I noticed they were not praying at all, they were all staring and touching their iPhones underneath  the table. Throughout their entire meal they did not speak to each other one word, but maybe they were texting each other.
Normal life has forced us to live in a way where no one or no one thing has our undivided attention. Normal call’s us to multitask, do three things at once, and run from place to place, activity to activity. Today a normal life is a life that is scattered not focused. Leading a scattered life leads to a life of mediocrity. When we are spread too thin nothing or no one gets the best of us. Is it possible that if we run on the hamster wheel of a normal life, that our spouse, our loved ones, our children, our friends don’t get the best of us. They don’t get our undivided attention.

Jesus offers a challenge to us in the gospel of Mark 8:34-27. Jesus asks a question that challenges our normal way of life. He asks “What if we live our whole life living normal and at the end of our life we realize we have nothing?” He says, “Or what can anyone give in a trade for their soul?” Jesus is implying that each and every day we life our life there is a trade involved. Each and every day, every minute and hour of each day there is a weird trade going on. Whenever we are doing something or not doing something we are making a trade. We are trading our life for something. It is possible that we can spend all our time and energy going after the newest, fastest, most expensive, latest, most popular, shiniest, and best but at the end of the day once we get it we realize we are no more happiness than when we began. That’s perfectly normal but normal isn’t working.
God is challenging us in order to find what we really desire in life is to make some weird trades. We if truly desire happiness, peace, and joy in our life we must be willing to make some weird trades. We must be willing to makes some weird trades. We must trade scattered for focused, trade instant gratification for peace, and trade our shame for freedom. If we have the courage to make these trades at the end of the day, we may not be normal but we may have found what we were looking for. To see how to put these weird trades into practice, join us for Part V of our WEiRD sermon series. WEiRD Trades.
Live a Weird life and take care of yourself and one another,
Peace, Love and Happiness,
Tommy

“Just One WEiRD Church”

Press Release: "I SERVE a WEIRD church.” Yes, in case you haven’t realized it by now, the church I currently pastor, First Christian Church is a weird church. We are far from normal. It’s fine because normal will lead us down the path to a destination where we don’t want to be. It will lead us to normal. We are a WEiRD church and something weird is going on. We are not weird just for different sake but in a God Weird kind of way. God is moving. There is not a week that goes by that someone doesn’t email or text me to tell me about what God is doing in their life.God is touching people. If you are brand new or been around FCC forever, you will agree that this ain’t normal. God is touching people, God is doing something unique as He is pouring out his Spirit upon us and it keeps on getting weirder by the minute and we really wouldn’t want it any other way.

Why don’t we want to be a normal church? Because Jesus calls us, desires for us, and instructs us to be a weird church. Normal church is worrying about numbers in worship each week. While Jesus was not bothered by large crowds, he wasn’t impressed by them either. Weird church says the only number we are concerned about it one. We understand, like Jesus, in the midst of a crowd is the one; the one marriage, the one single mom, the one widow, the one hurting, the one teenager, the one lost. Normal says build up your attendance numbers. Jesus kind of weird says focus on the one. Normal says spend the churches money on sound systems, lighting, and video stuff as it will help you draw a crowd. Jesus’ weird says spend it on Centralia Group Workcamp; as we host 450 young people from around the world, to repair 65 homes free of charge for those struggling in our community, and bring a true sense of hope and love to real people in need. Normal says you have to have one distinct worship style that focuses on entertaining. Weird church says offer Fusion Worship that connects all generations together in praise and worship, enhances the traditions of the faith, and is life changing. We provide just one service that doesn’t separate but offers relevant and Spirit-felt time to be in the Holy presence of God. Normal says you have to have a good looking charismatic preacher who is famous in his own community. Weird is FCC got a middle aged, washed up musician from Memphis, Tennessee who rides a Harley and has no concept of fashion. Normal is leading a Bible Study; weird is spending individual quiet time with God daily in SOAP. Normal says invite people like your self to church. Weird is not just sitting at the feet of Jesus but helping carry the heavy load of the lost, broken, and normal people unlike you. Normal says when times are financially hard preserve the money you have. Weird says we are giving more money away to help others than ever before. Normal says it’s all about us. Weird says it’s all about them. Jesus taught us to be a WEiRD church. Normal is about going with the crowd, doing what everyone else is doing, moving from place to place, and building up the numbers. But remember that while Jesus was necessarily bothered by the crowds. He wasn’t impressed by them either. Why? Because normal isn’t working. So get Weird; join us this Sunday for Fusion Worship, as we look at how God is calling us to be a very WEiRD church.
See ya in Fusion worship, but until then take care of yourself and one another.
Tommy

WEiRD is Better..

Like most Jr. High school young boys, I thought I was “Maverick” from Top Gun. In my mind, (cue the Top Gun theme song music) I was the Mack Daddy of the East End Skating rink. My confidence was high, my self esteem primed, and my ego inflated, I thought I had the world all figured out. Up until I asked the prettiest girl there to couples skate. Then I got the most crushing blow of my life. “No way!” she exclaimed, “You’re too weird.” I could have recovered from anything but weird. It was devastating for a Jr. High school boy because what I had avoided all my life was being weird, being different. I could have handled fat, ugly, or even gross but not weird because I had worked hard my entire thirteen years of existence trying not to be weird. I even wore a Members Only jacket. Anything but weird as her words made my life take a drastic turn. From that moment on, life was about being normal, valuing what others thought of me, and trying hard to please other people. I had to be normal.


No matter our age many of us still cringe at the thought of others people thinking we are weird, not normal. In reality it is OK to be different because in today’s culture normal is overwhelmed, normal is broken relationships, and normal is living a life full of fear and anxiety. Most of us desire something different in life but might not know where to turn. When we venture off the normal path and begin to live a God kind of weird life, normal begins to pressure us to conform. There is that inward pressure we have of wanting people to like us, to blend in, to avoid being called different. We witness it the same at thirteen as we do at fifty. It can be exhausting. If the crowd is doing it, we feel drawn to do it also. If it’s happening down the street, we must do it too, because we don’t want to be the weird couple, the weird family, or the weird church. We want to be like everyone and feel pressure to conform to normal even when normal is miserable and misery loves company.

How do we break the pressure of normal? What does God say about being different? Do we live a life that is trying to please normal or please God? Is being WEiRD truly better? If you feel the pressure of being normal join us for Part III: WEiRD is Better as we discover God’s instruction on living a weird life. Weird is a life of joy, peace, purpose, and happiness. Maybe the place to find what you are looking for in life can be found in a weird place, the body of Christ known as the church. Together we can explore how being WEiRD is better because we can’t wear our Member’s Only jacket or thinking we’re Maverick, (cue Top Gun theme song music) forever. That’s too normal and normal isn’t working.
Peace, Love and Happiness,
The WEiRD Minister
Tommy

WEiRD Thoughts On Money

WEiRD: Because NORMAL still isn’t working.

Over the past two weeks two very sensitive topics have dominated everyone’s conversations in our community. From the Centralia High School, Body Shoppe, Beauty Shop, Schnucks, and even our local churches, everyone is talking about the quick high rising prices of gas and the possible closing of the Murray Center. Both topics have a huge, devastating economic impact on our community. Faced with uncertainty, we all face the fear, anxiety, frustration, and stress not knowing the outcome. We can begin to feel hopeless. As the church we must be willing to respond. I encourage everyone to get active and sign the petition to save the Murray Center, voice your concern, and do whatever you can. We need to keep in mind and prayer the residence and employees of the center and their families. Whatever the outcome our community will need our church more than ever. It makes our vision of connecting people to the love of Jesus Christ more important than ever. So it’s time to get WEiRD.

As last week we kicked off our sermon series WEiRD: Because Normal Isn’t Working we discovered that many of us are living a life that our society is telling us is normal but it’s leading us to a place in our life full of stress, anxiety, and fear. (If you missed the sermon, we strongly encourage you to watch it on Facebook or YouTube.) The fear we hold now is because we are living in a world that is trying hard to convince us that some things are normal. The normal view of money tells us that who has the most money wins. Those who don’t have a lot of money are losers. Normal says our money is our security. A normal view of money is that our money is disposable. We can do with it whatever we want. Normal tells us that if gas prices continue to rise and the Murray Center closes, along with jobs lost at the Post Office, we are doomed.

But what if there was another way? What if there was a WEiRD way of looking at money? While we may not have control over gas prices or facilities closing, we do have control over our attitude and view on money. What if we can adopt a WEiRD Biblical view on money? What if there was a WEiRD way we could take back control of the financial area of our life? What if we could reposition ourselves financially that we can face whatever awaits us in the future? Normal isn’t working. If you are stressed, confused, or obsessed over money join us as we explore WEiRD thoughts on money. We will uncover relevant Biblical principles that will change your life forever. As we face the uncertainties of tomorrow, we don’t face them alone. It’s time we get WEiRD because normal isn’t working.

Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries." -- Daniel 2:27-28

See ya in church but until then take care of yourself and one another.
Peace. Love & Happiness,
Tommy

NORMAL still isn't working

Normal (adjective) – conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural.


Normal is 48.5% of all American’s receiving some form of government assistances. Normal means it is easier to start a new church than transform an old one. Normal is criticizing instead of mentoring. Normal is judging others by their actions and our selves by our intentions. Normal is being happy because you’re married instead of striving to have a happy marriage. Normal is expecting a different outcome without a different approach or effort. Normal is focusing on our children’s achievements without caring about their character. Normal is more people attend Orphan basketball games than all the churches in our area combined. Normal is blaming others for our problems. Normal is waiting to be asked before stepping forward and leading. Normal is putting our own needs first. Normal is getting revenge for those who have hurt us. Normal is thinking we are not good enough. Normal is avoiding other people not like us. Normal is a church that has good food, decent worship service, and decorates well at Christmas. Normal is praying only when someone is sick or we need help. Normal is more people are more likely to invite a friend, co worker, or family member to a movie than to church. Normal is describing our relationship with Christ as lukewarm. Normal is going through the motions. Normal is consuming more calories than we burn. Normal is the grass is always greener some place else. Normal wants growth without change. Normal is 6 out of 10 churches in the US have an average worship attendance of less than 100 people.

When we look closely at the life and teaching of Jesus we discover that Jesus was not normal. Jesus was weird. Jesus taught us a different, non normal, way to live. We can choose to live our life anyway we wish, we can live a normal life, which cause us extreme anxiety, stress, and deterioration of relationships and health. Jesus shows us a better way. When compared to our society’s way to live, Jesus’ way just seems weird. The Apostle Paul writes to a faith community in Ephesus and says, “And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can't think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go..” Paul reminds us that a normal life can lead us to be unable to find reality. Normal has robbed us the ability to think straight. Maybe it’s time to reclaim our life, take control of things, not be influenced by others but be influenced by God. It’s time to stop being normal. It’s time to be weird. Invite someone to join you on this journey as we examine how be can break from the normal and get weird.
Peace, Love & Happiness
Tommy

it B time 2 get WEiRD because Normal just isn’t working…

Growing up I had always been that kid who accepted anyone. Call it my upbringing, essence of my faith, or my unique journey in life but I wanted to avoid being normal at all cost. I didn’t necessarily strive to be “cool” but I thought I was. (I had lines cut in my hair, two years before Vanilla Ice, Ice Baby!) Looking back, it seems I always had a very diverse group of friends. Deep down, I think I really wanted to stand out. I wanted to stand out not by being in one particular click, but by being in all groups. For better or worse, I never really wanted to be normal. Even today in ministry, I don’t want to be normal. I don’t want to serve a normal church.


What is normal? Normal (adjective) – conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural.

Normal people are stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. Many of their relationships are, at best, strained and, in most cases, just surviving. Even though we live in one of the most prosperous places on earth, normal is still just living paycheck to paycheck and never getting ahead. In today’s world, lust, premarital sex, guilt, and shame are far more common than purity, virginity, and healthy married sex life. Normal is 75% of those people in the Centralia area do not attend a faith community on a regular basis, although 97% of them believe that Jesus was God’s son. Normal is parents waking up at 6:00 am in a weekend to drive their children to a sporting event or practice but will not drive them five minutes to church. Normal is individuals are working more hours for no increase in pay, although the cost of living is at its highest. Normal is Internet porn. Normal is the US government’s making the Catholic Church give out birth control but not letting kids pray in public at school events. Normal is being “broke”. Normal is not spending time with your children. Normal is spending more money than you make. Normal is an unbalanced budget. Normal is having to take off our shoes and go through x-ray machines to board an airplane. Normal is youth smoking bath salts and liquid drain cleaner to get high. Normal is growing up in a home that at least one parent is an addict. Normal is taking medication daily like Prozac, Paxil, Xanax, and Zoloft. Normal is cosmetic surgeries. Normal is teenagers having children out of wedlock. Normal is moving from church to church instead of lovingly working out our differences. Normal is communicating through Facebook, text messages, emails and not looking anyone in the eye or giving them a hug. Normal is spending more time with an electronic device than learning an art, skill, or hobby. Normal is eating in a car or on the couch instead of around a table. Normal is waiting for someone else to solve your problems. Normal is “it’s never my fault.” Normal is divorce. Normal is declining donations to non profits organizations and church offerings and increased revenue in gambling and lotteries. Normal is trying to get fame by being on a reality show. Normal is lay-offs, bankruptcies, and foreclosures. Normal is not telling your children daily how much you love them and are proud of who they are not their latest achievement. Normal is chasing true peace and happiness in all the wrong places.

And when it comes to God, the majority believes in him, but the teachings of Scripture rarely make it into their everyday lives. Simple put normal isn’t working anymore. If you do what normal people do, you’ll end up where normal people end up. These days, it’s normal to be stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted but Jesus shows us a better way. We can do better than normal, we deserve better than normal, our lives can be better, we can be weird. I’m ready to be weird like Jesus. I am ready to have a weird relationship with Christ, serve a weird church, have a weird marriage, have a weird relationship with my children, I can't be normal anymore. I’ve ready to learn how to live a weird life by Jesus. Join me on this journey to be WEiRD..
Peace, Love & Happiness,
Tommy

"Not Good Enough"

There is a mean bully that lives deep inside of my conscious. I’m not sure exactly when he arrived, but I know he didn’t come from my parents or family. On most days I can ignore him. He lurks just behind my self esteem and feeds off my insecurities and defeats. He comes alive with that quiet voice inside of my head that says, “You’re not good enough.” Maybe you have experienced him too. Whenever we get the courage to try something new, begin a new project, establish new goals and objectives that bully shows up to say “you can try, but you know you are not good enough.” We hear those words over and over in our minds and before we know we begin to say the same thing to our children, our grandchildren, or even others in the church. We might not say them out loud of course because that would be rude, but we say them with our actions and lack of enthusiasm. There are times we can over come this voice and move forward but most of the time we listen to them and stand still. It freezes us from moving forward. It constantly has us compare ourselves to others.


This bully carries over into our faith as well. When we think about how God’s loves us, how Christ sacrificed himself of our mistakes, how at the end of the day, with all our mess ups, God still forgives us, loves us, and desires a close relationship with us, we hear that voice of “you’re not good enough.” The truth is that we are not good enough to save ourselves. That can only come through the love, grace, and mercy of our Savior Jesus Christ. But we allow the bully’s voice to keep us from moving forward in our faith: “I’m not good enough to get involved in our faith community; I don’t have any gifts to offer.” “I’m not good enough to invite people to church, because my life is not perfect.” “I’m not good enough to lead a new ministry in the church, I don’t have much time.” “I’m not good enough to talk about my faith.” “I’m not good enough to serve God in a public role in the faith community.” We have heard these voices and they have kept us from growing in our faith and relationship with God and others. Through out scripture, Christ’s tells us many times that we are good enough. The gifts that we bring will be sanctified and bring honor and glory to God. But we must be willing to bring them and not horde them or keep them hidden. It is the way we live out our love for Christ. It is recognizing that we are all children of God, valued, accepted, and desired by God to give what we have.
When we are willing to stop listening to the bully in our heads, we begin to grow, mature, and become stronger for the journey ahead. When we step forward with our gifts and take that risk, God blesses us beyond measure. We face life with a confidence that only comes from up above. We might not feel we are good enough, but God has the confidence in us to use us, if we are willing to defeat the bully inside of us.
Peace, Love & Happiness.
Tommy