The Power of Worship- podcast

At the intersection of heaven and earth

Friends of "Those People"

If you follow Jesus you end up being where he wants to be. Neighborhoods, public schools...How to be the anti-Jonah

The Church On The Move

The Church is not contained in temples and buildings. It is the people of God on the move being the place where God resides to rescue the world.

What does it mean to fight for what is right?

King David is worshipper and warrior and becomes a leader because God's purposes are ultimate.

When God Seems Distant, It's Not Distance

Pray Listen= Prayer
Hannah is a hero!

American Idols: What Gets in God's Way?

There are good things and not so good things that we value more than God. At least we act that way. What are our "Golden Calves"?

Freedom and New Life For You

Again and again, God is the God of rescue and new life. Out of Egypt with God's people...

Growing in Forgiveness, Growing in Power

The events in the life of Joseph provide insight into how God expands our power to do His work.

On Being All In- podcast

Abraham and Sarah left everything behind and moved forward on a promise. You have the same promise. Are you ready to move?

Are men better than women?- podcast

What do the events of the lives of Adam and Eve tell us about ourselves?
What do they tell us about God?

Death of John the Baptist- podcast

What is the death of John the Baptist really all about?

The Key to Happiness? podcast

Do the Danes really have the answer to happiness?

God rids fear from our lives- podcast

Living without fear is God's design for us.

Jesus and Physics...Really? podcast

The "discovery" of the Higgs boson and confirmation of the Higgs field has interesting connections to Jesus. What are they? Let's find out...

In God's Way, Weak is Strong...Why? podcast

When we are at our weakest in human terms, it is clear to everyone that it is God who shows up in order to do what He wants.

making peace with your father- podcast

A father's day message of hope and grace

the blessings keep coming- podcast

God blesses us from the beginning through the new beginning through...ever

Loving Your Neighbor: Capital Investment- podcast

Third part of our "Loving Your Neighbor" series. "Capital" is what we have to invest in our neighbor. Author, Mike Breen, speaks of 5 capitals. What are they?

Loving Your Neighbor: Person of Peace- podcast

Second in a series on loving our neighbor. This week we consider the way Jesus designed for us to connect with others: The person of peace.

Loving Your Neighbor: Making a Friend- podcast

You choose who your neighbor is going to be. Make a friend...First in the series on "Loving Your Neighbor."

Abide: Living How We are Wired- podcast

From John 15, we see how we are wired to live according tho God's ways, and the Holy Spirit makes it possible.

Faith 5: Prayer- podcast

Listen to Kjell Austad preach on Faith 5: Prayer as part of our Faith 5 series.

Character is Non-Negotiable- Podcast

Looking at the topic of "character." Thanks to the Wayfarer guys for your session in "Elemental" for background.

Faith Five:Blessing- podcast

The last of a series on faith practices. Blessing is how God transforms us to be an influence on the transformation of others.

Faith Five:Read- Easter podcast!

"Faith comes through hearing." Well, "Christ is risen!" sounds pretty good to me.
Blessed Easter!!

Faith Five:Share- podcast

Sharing life together connects us at all levels when we listen...What does God say about this?

The Temptation of Affirmation- podcast

A three week series based on "Live Fast," by Wayfarers ministry. Satan
uses three types of temptation on Jesus. Not any different for us.
This week we look at the final temptation, the desire for "Affirmation."

The Temptation of Ambition- podcast

A three week series based on "Live Fast," by Wayfarers ministry. Satan
uses three types of temptation on Jesus. Not any different for us.
This week we look at the subtle competitions in our lives. "Ambition."

The Temptation of Appetite- podcast

A three week series based on "Live Fast," by Wayfarers ministry. Satan uses three types of temptation on Jesus. Not any different for us. This week we look at the physical, "Appetite."

"Stretch Marks"...podcast

Sermon Jan 29 2012 by Pastor Dana Listen on Posterous

When you follow Jesus and open yourself to His leading, He will certainly stretch you and take you to places you never thought you would go.

Living In Unity Is Possible...podcast

Sermon Jan 22 2012 by Pastor Dana Listen on Posterous

Acts 14:1-4 inspires a message of hope on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

Everyone Has a Story....podcast

Sermon January 15 2012 by Pastor Dana Listen on Posterous

For some, we can't remember when we didn't know Jesus. For others, He 
rescued us out of the middle of our brokenness. The story continues...

Living in Unity is Possible...podcast

Sermon Jan 22 2012 by Pastor Dana Listen on Posterous

Acts 14:1-4 gives a message of hope on this Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

Instead of Changing the Baby, The Baby Changes You!- podcast

The painting, "Saint Joseph and the Infant Christ," by Baciccio, tells a story of transformation available for all.

Sermon January 8 2012 by Pastor Dana Listen on Posterous

Can a Happy New Year Be Happy?- podcast

Sermon January 01 2012 by Pastor Dana Listen on Posterous

A practical New Year sermon on how happiness is biblical and possible!

Christmas is God's Story- podcast

Sermon December 25 2011 - Christmas Day.mp3 Listen on Posterous

Christmas Day sermon

The Greatest Light in The Universe- Christmas Eve podcast

Sermon Dec 24 2011 - Late Service (1).mp3 Listen on Posterous

The light of Jesus shining through you is unstoppable!

A Battle on The Golf Course?

We show up at the first tee, getting ready to spend a great day together. I am playing golf with David and our friend, Kevin. We are walking the course, rather than taking carts, when there we are on the first tee and a guy comes rolling up in a cart. 

For non-golfers, if you don't have four people in your group, they will add more people. You end up playing with strangers quite frequently. It's usually great for an extrovert like myself. Well, it's an older gentleman, we'll call him, "James." He introduces himself to me and then walks up to the boys at the tee.

"Hi, I'm James. I'm 88 years old and this is the first f-ing year I have to take one of these f-ing carts."

I'm thinking, "Whoa, hold on there, gramps, we don't need the "F" bombs dropping because you, somehow, think this is necessary to connect to these young men." 

Instead, I take David aside, and say, "I'll find an opportunity very quickly to nip that talk in the bud." 

Then, David tees off, and doesn't hit it that well. 

"Son, let me tell you something my teacher, Ben Hogan, taught me. Watch the club hit the ball."

Here we go. Now, one of the sacred rules of golf is you don't give advise unless you are asked, in particular if you are a stranger. Then dropping the "Ben Hogan" line, one of the most famous golfers and teachers of the game, ever, well kind of a bragging thing for James to offer right off the bat, but at least intriguing. And James could hit the ball, well. Amazing, really for his age.I think I'm gonna get the chance to at least ask him something about Hogan during the next 4 hours, and maybe ask him for a few pointers.

David and I are walking down the fairway now, and he looks at me with this "who the heck is this guy look" and I say,

"David, think about it. Your 88 years old, you're still a really good golfer, and you show up in the middle of the morning to play alone. This dude must have burnt a lot of bridges over the years. We probably haven't seen anything, yet." 

I didn't realize how quickly that prediction will come true. On the third hole, after we had putted out, James jumps in his cart and says, "O.K. fellows, I 'll see you later," and that was it.

I looked at the guys and said, "Huh?" It's not as if we were playing bad; actually we were playing pretty good.

Then, Kevin tells us why James might have left.

It seems James and Kevin were having their own conversation as they were coming down the fairway. James asked Kevin how old he was. Kevin told him he was 21. Then Kevin tells us, James says this:

"When I was your age I was haivng a good time on Omaha Beach."

Kevin says, " O ya, is it a nice place?"

(Now, let's pause here.  "Omaha Beach" doesn't necessarily register with younger folks, especially if they haven't had a history class for awhile. For me and those older than me, of course, we would instantly know what James meant.)

James says in a huff, "No, it wasn't a nice place. If it hadn't been for guys like me, you wouldn't be here enjoying your freedom right now."

Kevin doesn't know what to say to this. So he replies.

"Look, I'm just here to have fun and play some golf."

After hearing this story from Kevin, David and I goofed on him, for a little while. After all, I know pretty much all there is to know about D-Day and the Normany Invasion. Actually, as a child, it was a little confusing, because I thought "D-Day" was short for "Dana Day." You see, my birthday is, you guessed it, June 6th!

For David the situation is also a "no-brainer." He went through four years of NJROTC, and is actually excellent at military history. But, we weren't too hard on Kevin.

Here is what I know. First of all, James probably set Kevin up with the whole "Omaha Beach" thing. Why did he have to bring this up, out of the blue? Might have been similar to dropping the "Ben Hogan" line. To tell you the truth, many veterans I have known over the years don't want to talk at all about their service. Especially, the battles and bloodshed. If one does speak of this, that's fine, but be gracious enough to cut the kid a little slack.

Come to think of it, Kevin's dad, my good friend, Ray, served in Vietnam, and my hunch is he didn't get the same type of response as Joe did when he came home. I'm just saying...

Kevin handled the situation admirably, as he could have responded in a lot of different ways. So, let me do the same.

James, whoever you are, and wherever you are, I am going to cast this situation in the best of light and assume, you simply were in more of a hurry than us and didn't want to wait for three walkers to play the round with you, as you had a cart. If you jumped ahead of us because you were perturbed, however, well, that has way more to do with you, than anything else. God bless you, my friend. 

 

 

 

Angel Calling- podcast

Sermon Dec 18 2011.mp3 Listen on Posterous

Mary receives a visit and a calling...

Line Cutter

David and I spent the day at the Rose Bowl yesterday. Spur of the moment decision. Figured it's time the boys experienced a Badger game live. Greg had to work, so David and I went by ourselves.

Here's how it works for a Meyers Briggs NP. Decide to go to the game at 1:15. Game starts at 2. Called Kristina at her home in Burbank and asked her to drop us off. No $40 parking. Jumped in the car and drove to Burbank.

"David, you drive while I surf Stubhub." It's 1:45 and two seats on Wisconsin side by the end zone are going for half price. 200 tickets left, so hit buy. Got 'em.

Arrive at Sean and Kris's, 1:50. Hit Pasadena at 2. Jump on shuttle, see on ESPN app- Wisconsin scores!

Make it to the front gate, find StubHub will call, and we are in our seats by 9 minutes in the 1st quarter. Won't say much about the game (we lost), but at least David got to experience his first Badger Rose Bowl (my 3rd Wis. RB live). We got to "jump around" after the 3rd quarter. Badger fans know what I am talking about. Actually, I jumped up and down with my feet firmly planted.

"Dad, don't jump, you'll fall!"

Got to listen to your kid, once in awhile.

Well, games over and we get into line to take the shuttle bus. About 40 minute wait, and then back to Old Town where Kristina picks us up curbside.

A great day with my boy...Not every boy had that experience.

Some people cut into our "cattle line," as we are waiting for the bus. Shouts of "Line cutters!" filled the air. The worst "cutter" is a dad, with two young boys. People are screaming at the guy, he's cussing back, and David and I are the audience of this debacle in fatherhood.

The two sons have their eyes down in shame. One of them, at one point, actually tries to get dad to leave line. Dad's face is beet red, and he's not moving.

David turns to me and says, "There's a man unhappy with his life."

Yep, but not as unhappy as those two boys who have this moral giant guiding them. Hopefully, this will go down as a "not gonna be like my dad in that category" moment for the sons.

One can only hope...