In honor of the 2010 World Cup, I’ve created a working logo that FIFA is free to use. In fact, if anyone out there has a contact at FIFA, feel free to pass this along. Also, if anyone needs a graphic designer, I’d be glad to send my resume…

RADICAL from David Platt on Vimeo.

This topic has been on my heart for months…

I’m convinced that no one wants to blog. They want to have blogged. Just like no wants to learn to play an instrument. They want to have learned. Why is this? Well, for sure, no one likes to fail often in front of others. No one wants to be the dude in the corner plunking out chords on an out of tune guitar. No one wants to sound like the wind up monkey on drums. It’s just not that appealing, and won’t add twitter followers.

Think of the times where you have set a goal. Did you get a picture in your mind of what it would look like to finish? Did you see yourself at the beach with your shirt off (guys…) throwing a football, wearing Abercrombie? I’m sure you did. I’m also sure you saw yourself onstage ripping “Johnnie Be Good” like Marty McFly after the whole space time continuum thing was set right again because George punched out Biff and regained his “density.”

The part no one likes to see when setting a goal is the cost. No one likes the upward climb, but they love the mountain view. You can’t have one without the other.

Dog food. Dog Chow. IAMS. Kibble. Natural Choice. You can buy a 50lb bag of dog food for Spot. You can even buy organic dog mush for your refined friend. Shelly, Patrick, and I were getting ready to lead worship at a camp, and of course, the topic of dog food came up. Does your dog really know the difference between doggy mush and the rest of your pork chops?

Then, we really started thinking. Back in the day (like the day, like when they roamed in packs), what did dogs eat? They were no Lowes Foods. OR PETCO. There was this:

That’s right. White fang. Now, I know White Fang was a wolf and not a dog, but I think (deep down) he wanted to be a dog. MAN’S BEST FRIEND. Why is a dog man’s best friend? Friends are loyal. They protect you. They look out for your best interests. Like, say for example, when you’re about to spend $50 on a 50lb bag of dog food. Scruffy is there for you, telling you that dog food is just a marketing scam.

AND we’ve all bought it. Organic dog food? Seriously?

So, here’s to giving man’s best friend what is really good for him…

The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan.  The book was published in the late 1600s. It has been translated into over 200 languages, has never been out of print, and is one of the most widely read books of all time.  The main character, Christian, says of his journey toward the heavenly city, “I must venture: To go back is nothing but death, to go forward is fear of death, and life everlasting beyond it. I will yet go forward” (p. 42).

Christian is asked why he desired so much to go to the heavenly city. He answered, “Why, there I hope to see him alive, that did hang dead on the Cross; and there I hope to be rid of all those things, that to this day are in me, an anoiance to me; there they say there is no death, and there I shall dwell with such Company as I like best. For to tell you truth, I love him, because I was by him eased of my burden, and I am weary of my inward sickness…” (p. 51).

“Let him who cannot be alone beware of community. Let him who is not in community beware of being alone” (p. 78).

“The individual must realize that his hours of aloneness react upon the community…Every act of self-control of the Christian is also a service to the fellowship” (p. 88-89).

“If my sinfulness appears to me to be in any way smaller or less detestable in comparison with the sins of others, I am still not recognizing my sinfulness at all” (p. 96).

“The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So everybody must conceal his sin from himself and from the fellowship. We dare not be sinners. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The fact is that we are sinners!…But it is the grace of the Gospel, which is so hard for the pious to understand, that it confronts us with the truth and says: ‘ You are a sinner, a great, desperate sinner; now come as the sinner that you are, to God who loves you…” (p. 110-111).

Christ-Centered Worship is so helpful for the modern worship leader. The worship liturgy should be telling the gospel story. I’ll give a more detailed summary of this book soon…

The true Christian is one whose religion is in his heart and life. It is felt by himself in his heart. It is seen by others in his conduct and life. He feels his sinfulness, guilt, and badness, and repents. He sees Jesus Christ to be that Divine Savior whom his soul needs, and commits himself to Him. He puts of the old man with his corrupt carnal habits, and puts on the new man. He lives a new and holy life, fighting habitually against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Christ Himself is the cornerstone of his Christianity.

Ask him in what he trusts for the forgiveness of his many sins, and he will tell you, in the death of Christ. Ask him in what righteousness he hopes to stand innocent at the judgement day, and he will tell you it is the righteousness of Christ. Ask him by what pattern he tries to frame his life, and he will tell you that it is the example of Christ.

But, beside all this, there is one thing in a true Christian which is eminently peculiar to him. That thing is love to Christ. Knowledge, faith, hope, reverence, obedience, are all marked features in a true Christian’s character. But his picture would be very imperfect if you omitted his ‘love’ to his divine Master. He not only knows, trusts, and obeys. He goes further than this-he loves.”

-Holiness, by J.C. Ryle, p. 288.

We were only there Wednesday evening through lunch Friday, but I think we squeezed a lot of the town into that time period.  We ate at East Bay Deli (Voted Charleston’s Best Deli), Boulevard Diner, Virginia’s on King (absolutely amazing), and even hit Saffron for dessert & coffee.  We visited the battery, saw some really old cannons and monuments, went in the shops, and visited the Market.

On the ministry side, I got to make some great new friends.  I always love getting to see how God is moving in other cities around the world.  Fourteen kids accepted Christ for the first time and several more were interested in knowing more about what it means to walk with him.

Here are a few more photos from the trip:

I was able to snap this shot just in time. The church was doing baptisms…

The Winter Olympics are in session, which really means one thing: Curling. Yep, the sport (?) that we have all come to love. Curling is somewhere between bowling and darts. And Billiards. And Air Hockey. And Golf. And Hockey. and House Cleaning. To celebrate Canada’s gold medal in curling, I’ve decided to bring back the Haiku Challenge.

But before I light the green light on this challenge, I wanted to just list my favorite things about curling. This list should help you channel your inner Bill Shakespeare…

Uniforms. Everyone knows that without proper gear and uniforms it is “impossible to compete” (Emilio Estevez in The Mighty Ducks). Curling teams are certainly no exception. The Dutch women wore skirts. The men of Team Norway styled it up with the argyle pants. Uniforms help curling get the respect that the sport deserves.

Coaches. If you’re serious about winning, you need a coach. Preferably one with a mustache. (Preferably Ditka) Canada wins gold. Wears uniforms. Coach has a mustache. Need I say more?

Commentators. Because this sport is as big as it is, it’s garnering national, nay, INTERNATIONAL attention. Commentators are a must. And while they are a must, they must use the word “dramatic” as much as possible.

Everyone acts like we actually know what the heck is going on.  I’ve been to WIKI to read all the rules of Curling. TWICE. I still have no clue. But, that still doesn’t stop me from thinking that if I tried it once or twice, I could be an Olympian. Or pull a hammy in a serious way…

So, let the Haiku Challenge begin. Curling. GO.

Vancouver Twenty
Ten. Curl that ROCK and win Gold.
How hard can it be?

I may not be the sharpest hammer in the bag, but there are a few things that just don’t make sense.  I will list them for you.  ONE. I paid $11 to have this product “shipped” to me in 2-8 business days.  Is it acceptable business practice to have that big of a range?  I could drive to Nevada and back in less than 8 business days.  TWO. Maybe, just maybe 2-8 business days and $11 for shipping has something to do with sending my product WEST before it comes EAST?

File this one under “Am I the Only One?”…