Matthewness

Last week a few more Butler students joined the blog-world.  Welcome them at: http://deliciousscroll.wordpress.com/

Should be pretty sweet.  Hitchens vs. Wilson.   Love it.

About 20 students from Butler, University of Indianapolis, and Valparaiso went down to Panama City Beach Florida last week.   Along with 1,000 other CCC students around the United States- the vision was to go to the place that is known to be the biggest party area in the United States- that place being Panama City. 

That week we studied the Word together, did evangelism on the beach, and really grew through an intense time of fellowship.  Acts 4 talks about the early church believers being of “one heart and one mind… and having all things in common”.  I’m not sure I’ve ever truly experienced this, before this week.  For the students it was life changing.  And for me, it was life changing. 

Over 300 students prayed to receive Christ in this week.  But 500 more made the decision to re-dedicate their lives to Christ.  Through facebook, school directories, etc… we have connected all these students, who came to PCB to drink and party, to connected Cru movements around the US.   Praise God for an amazing week.   Pray that we continue to share the gospel throughout our normal daily lives and not just make this a one week effort.  And as God keeps moving, pray that we continue to press on to completion.

Burritos are fast food?

I’ve been trying to convince friends that just because it isn’t Mcdonalds or Burger King it doesn’t mean its good food.  In fact, restuarants “make it” because they take cheap food and make it taste good.  So even if you eat at these places, be sure not to get these items!  

QUIZNO’S
Large Prime Rib Cheesesteak Sub
1,770 calories
116 g fat (25 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
2,895 mg sodium
 
Fat Equivalent: Like eating 5 Dunkin Donuts cheese danishes!
 
DAIRY QUEEN
Wild Buffalo Chicken Strip Basket (4 piece)
1,340 calories
96 g fat (18 g saturated)
4,820 mg sodium
 
Sodium Equivalent: Like eating 14 large orders of McDonald’s French fries!
Eat this instead:

PANERA
Italian Combo on Ciabatta sandwich
1,070 calories
50 g fat (19 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
3,010 mg of sodium
 
Fat Equivalent: Like eating 6 slices of Papa John’s cheese pizza!
  
CHIPOTLE
13” Tortilla with steak, black beans, rice, cheese, sour cream and lettuce
1,005 calories
40 g fat (17 g saturated)
1,948 mg sodium
 
Calorie Equivalent: Like eating 40 Hershey’s Kisses!

1. He is the most passionate guy I think I’ve ever met.

Of course, he is first and foremost passionate for the glory of God. But he is pretty much passionate about everything. For example, the first time we had him preach at Mars Hill Church the nuts we had out were unsalted. I learned that he is passionate about salted nuts.

2. He does not seem to really care about his approval ratings.

He does not own a television, and I would bet he spends less time checking what people say about him through Technorati and Google than he does watching television.

3. He has a father’s heart.

Unlike so many older men who are threatened by, competitive with, or critical of young men, I have repeatedly seen Dr. Piper have a father’s heart to encourage, exhort, and empower young men. The few times we’ve been able to sit down together have been incredibly transforming. On a few occasions he has been gracious enough to sit down with the young church planters in our Acts 29 Network with no microphones and very honestly answer the painful questions about life, ministry, and family. In those moments, from his heart and off the cuff comes pure gold that my brothers in Acts 29 still talk about. Especially noteworthy was the question from Jonathan McIntosh at The Journey Church in St. Louis, who asked what he would have to offer as final wisdom to young pastors. Piper buried his face in his hands to think and pray for a few minutes while the rest of us held our breath and waited. He then lifted his head and forcefully encouraged us to gouge out our eyes before looking at a woman lustfully (other than desiring our wives, of course) and chop off our hand before touching a woman other than our wife. Personally, I will never forget the time he told us about holding his stillborn grandchild around Christmastime as tears rolled down his face, describing how he prayed for God to resurrect the baby from death. As I looked around the room I saw dozens of young pastors, myself included, fighting back buckets of tears.

4. By not trying to be cool . . . he’s cool.

I cannot confirm it, but I think Dr. Piper may only have one jacket. I see him preach in it all the time and it’s a tweed coat with more than a few years of faithful service. I also think he may own one belt because I’ve only ever seen one. He drives a simple car, lives a simple life, does not have a tattoo (at least that I’ve seen), does not skateboard, and likes to read stuff by dead guys a lot. But by trying to just be himself rather than being cool, he has curiously become cool because he’s about Christ and that’s always cool.