tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-116620172024-03-13T03:37:00.963-07:00MAGNIFICENT MONOTONYMax Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.comBlogger172125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-20763732114364624902011-01-28T19:24:00.000-08:002011-01-29T18:43:04.455-08:00FLIX: THE KING'S SPEECH<img src="http://www.flicksandbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/the-kings-speech-poster-2.jpg" /><div><br /></div><div> Today, Monica and I had the chance to see <i>The King's Speech. </i>The story centers around the real life relationship between King George VI of Britain, who came to be the King shortly before the outbreak of World War II, and suffered from a speech impediment. To deal with it, his wife insists on him going to see a speech therapist named Lionel Logue, who helps him to see that his impediment is just a symptom - a symptom of his own fears, fears that he must overcome if he is going to speak to and for the people in a time of great uncertainty.</div><div><br /></div><div> The movie culminates in the king delivering a speech to the nation as they entered into war with Germany, and what really struck me was the camera cutting to all kinds of people all over listening in - factory workers, royalty, soldiers, the "average joes," and everyone in between. The movie is about a man facing his fears and finding his voice, and as a follower of Jesus entrusted with a message to be proclaimed, the movie stirred up several thoughts in me about learning to speak well. Here's my gleanings:</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>TO SPEAK WELL, WE MUST KNOW THAT THE SPEAKER'S POWER IS NOT IN HIMSELF, BUT IN HIS MESSAGE</b>. As a king in the 20th century, he didn't have to power to form a government or levy a tax, but the people looked to him for hope in dark times, for comfort in chaos and truth in the midst of propaganda. <i>He his power was not in himself, but in his message. </i>As ambassadors bearing the message of reconciliation, power does not rest in our ability, but in the message we proclaim. If we are going to bring true hope, peace, and truth to hurting people in dark times, we must realize this truth as well.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>TO SPEAK WELL, WE NEED TO KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE SPEAKING TO</b>. Over the course of his friendship with Lionel, the king confesses that he has no relationship at all with the "common man" whom he supposedly represents. If we are to speak well, we cannot be in love more with being heard, being recognized than loving those who are hearing us! Divorced from this relationship, our words become about bringing attention to us, and not bringing hope to others. Do I really love the people that I'm speaking to? What are their needs? How can my love, expressed through words of truth, be used by God to meet those needs? These are the questions we need to ask.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>TO SPEAK WELL, WE NEED TO OVERCOME OUR FEAR.</b> This is the real obstacle that Lionel helps the king to see in his own life - he is terrified of being the king, of being inadequate, of being someone charged with speaking for the people that can't say a thing! It is only when he sees that he has nothing to be afraid of that he finds his voice. In the final scene of the movie, as the king is preparing to give his speech, he is locked away in the sound booth with Lionel - it is just the king, Lionel, and the microphone. And just before the broadcast goes live, after everything else has been said, Lionel says, "say it as if you're saying it just to me." As ambassadors of the Gospel, these words are what we need to chase away our fear - the fear of what other people will think, the fear of being inadeqaute, the fear of failure. The God of the universe says to you and to me, "Say it as if you're saying it just to me." It is for His sake that we open our mouths at all, so it should be for an audience of One that we proclaim faithfully, with boldness, winsomeness, courage, and clarity, the message which He has entrusted to us.</div><div><br /></div><div> See you soon!</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">Moses said to the LORD, 'Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.'</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "> The LORD said to him, 'Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.'" (Exodus 4:10-12)</span></i></div>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-28008932028501971412011-01-24T21:10:00.000-08:002011-01-24T21:37:19.418-08:00BRILLIANT BUT WORTHLESS.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> This last quarter, I had the privilege of earning a Certificate in Youth Ministry from Fuller Seminary. I have loved books since I was a kid - I can't count how many nights I fell asleep with my bedside light on, a book of some kind in my hands. (Actually, the light was on because I was afraid of the dark until I was in junior high school, but that's a different blog post.) But since I've come to more deeply surrender and yield all of my life to the lordship of Jesus, my love for learning and knowledge has been fueled for the sake of being of greater usefulness to the Kingdom of God.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> But seminary so far hasn't been a cakewalk - one of my favorite teachers of all time, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2200712338&ref=ts">Professor Hurst</a>, used to refer to seminary as "cemetary - for the faith of many is buried there." One of the most subtle and difficult things that I have to struggle against in my own life is making seminary into a purely academic pursuit - learning for the sake of learning, albeit about things of God. It's easy for learning and acheivement to become an end in itself, which is a dangerous place to be.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> To that end, I came across the talk that Francis Chan gave at the Desiring God National Conference this past year, and he really hit on the heart of the balance that we need in pursuing knowledge and wisdom </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">while </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">growing in love and into the likeness of Jesus. Paraphrasing 1 Corinthians 13, where it says that if we can fathom all wisdom and knowledge but have not love, we are nothing, he said, "some people in this room can be brilliant and worthless." If our knowledge of God is not knowledge the equips and mobilizes us to love others, it is not a "treasure stored up in heaven," but a treasure stored in places where it can and will be snatched away when our minds fail us - a sobering thought!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> If you're in seminary or thinking about, I recommend carving out some space to listen to Francis, and I'd love to hear what you think. I don't want to be brilliant and worthless, and I know you don't want to be either. See you soon!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/conference-messages/think-hard-stay-humble-the-life-of-the-mind-and-the-peril-of-pride"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">FRANCIS CHAN - "THINK HARD, STAY HUMBLE"</span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><i>"Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><i>Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><i>But whoever loves God is known by God." (1 Corinthians 8:1-3)</i></span></div>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-71847329060052922282011-01-24T12:37:00.000-08:002011-01-24T12:49:38.584-08:00MUSIC MONDAY: DEAS VAIL.<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51EpxNhj4JL._SS500_.jpg" /><div><br /></div><div> I stumbled upon these guys earlier this month - they sound like Mae or Copeland, and it's disc that I've been playing a lot lately. I love this lyric from the second track on their album, <i>Birds and Cages, </i>called <i>Growing Pains:</i></div><div><i></i></div><blockquote><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 19px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span">What is life kept to ourselves / Careful words composed<br />It’s a book upon the shelf / its story never told</span></span></i></div></blockquote><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span></i></div> The other sweet deal is that their album is on sale for $5 on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002T07IXQ/ref=docs-os-doi_0">Amazon</a> right now - it's worth it! See you soon.<div><br /></div><div>ON YOUTUBE: <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvCatzMax24">Excuses</a></i></div>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-39209562952537200712011-01-23T22:14:00.000-08:002011-01-23T22:31:37.358-08:00DULL PREACHERS ARE OXYMORONS.Part of life in ministry is preaching, and ever since I was 14 years old and sitting in a room full of high school students listening to <a href="http://briancberry.blogspot.com/">this guy</a>, I have been enthralled with and captivated by the incredible responsibility and task of proclaiming God's Word. This is a subject that is much on my mind, and I've had the privilege of learning of the art and call of preaching under some amazing people - two of the most significant to me recently which are dead! The first is Charles Spurgeon, whose book <i>Lectures to My Students</i> has been an amazing guide for my spiritual life in ministry. The other is D. Martin Lloyd-Jones, whose book called <i>Preaching and Preachers</i> I have been reading through over the past two months. As I have been reading, this quote jumped out at me:<div><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><blockquote>“I would say that a ‘dull preacher’ is a contradiction in terms; if he is dull he is not a preacher. He may stand in a pulpit and talk, but he is certainly not a preacher. With the grand theme and message of the Bible dullness is impossible. This is the most interesting, the most thrilling, the most absorbing subject in the universe; and the idea that this can be presented in a dull manner makes me seriously doubt whether the men who are guilty of this dullness have ever really understood the doctrine they claim to believe, and which they advocate. We often betray ourselves by our manner.” </blockquote></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"> Man - how many times that I have been guilty of preaching that isn't really preaching at all! What a disservice we do when we take what is the "most absorbing subject in the universe" and make it something that many people, if they were being honest, often just suffer long enough to be polite and then bolt. In contrast to this, Lloyd-Jones offers this definition of true preaching:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><blockquote>“Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire. A true understanding and experience of the Truth must lead to this. I say again that a man who can speak about these things dispassionately has not right whatsoever to be in a pulpit; and should never be allowed to enter one.” </blockquote></span></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><i> </i>When we encounter the Truth, we cannot help but be set ablaze with passion and purpose, with urgency and compassion, to convey the message which we feel God has for our hearers. Lord, search me and know my heart<i> - </i>may I be set afire by the most absorbing subject in the universe, and betray my subject by my manner. Don't let me be an oxymoron! See you soon.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">"</span>For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" (Paul, 1 Corinthians 9:16)</i></span></div>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-58516416333326770162010-11-01T21:05:00.000-07:002010-11-01T22:01:57.709-07:00TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.I am surrounded by Giants fans. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1487760579&ref=ts">Serious Giants fans</a>. In the interest of full disclosure, I am not a rabid baseball fan - in as much as I like sports, football is what stirs my excitement. But with all of me that enjoys baseball, my team is the Giants. And for the past month, the excitement has been building. First, it was whether or not the Giants were going to make the playoffs <span style="font-style: italic;">at <span style="font-style: italic;">all</span></span>. Then, it was beating the Braves, then the Phillies. Finally, the Rangers, who most people said were the favorites. All along, through what my Giants fan-friends coined "torture," they kept believing, kept hoping, that against all odds it wasn't just possible that the Giants would win, but that <span style="font-style: italic;">they were going to win</span>. Tonight, as I listened to a scratchy AM broadcast on KGO 680 as Brian Wilson threw a final strike to make the Giants World Series champs, I stood to my feet and pumped my fists in the air. Hope had been realized.<br /><br /> But for a lot of people, they refused to believe that the Giants could or would do it, doubting whether or not the Giants could put together enough offense to go with the pitching. If I've learned anything about sports in the 5-6 years that I've cared about them, it's that there's always something to complain about, always something to doubt.<br /><br /> In my bible reading today, I began the Book of Luke. And in reading through chapter 1, I found this same pattern in the responses of Zechariah and Mary in how we respond when God tells us something hard to believe. Zechariah, when he is sent into the temple to offer incense, when he is confronted by God's messenger, Gabriel:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. </span><sup style="font-style: italic;" class="versenum" id="en-NIV-24908">14</sup><span style="font-style: italic;"> He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, </span><sup style="font-style: italic;" class="versenum" id="en-NIV-24909">15</sup><span style="font-style: italic;"> for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. </span><sup style="font-style: italic;" class="versenum" id="en-NIV-24910">16</sup><span style="font-style: italic;"> He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. </span><sup style="font-style: italic;" class="versenum" id="en-NIV-24911">17</sup> <span style="font-style: italic;"> And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.</span> <sup style="font-style: italic;" class="versenum" id="en-NIV-24912">18</sup><span style="font-style: italic;"> Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”" (Luke 1:13-18)</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"> Zechariah had every reason to be incredulous - every sign that he could see pointed in the opposite direction! He and his wife both were senior citizens, well past the age </span>of bearing children. But nevertheless, Gabriel tells, Zechariah, what he has said will come to pass - but Zechariah is struck mute because he thought what Gabriel was telling him was too good to be true. How often do I respond with the same incredulity! When God tells me that I am his beloved Child, and that I can call him "Abba, Father," I shrink back, thinking that surely I cannot come so boldly before so amazing a King. Or when Jesus promises tells us to trust Him to provide for our needs, and to "<span class="woj" style="">Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matt. 6:26), I shrink back, half-heartedly believing, but at the same time making sure that I'm making my own "safety net" in case God doesn't come through. What grace that God loves us through our hesitations!<br /><br /> But juxtaposed with Zechariah's response is Mary's response - who, when confronted by the angel Gabriel and told that she will give birth to the descendant of David, the eternal King of Israel, replies this way: "</span>“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled”" (Luke 1:38). In her response is a confidence - not in herself, but in the God who has spoken. This doesn't mean that she wasn't afraid, or that she knew even the full significance of what was conveyed to her that day in Nazareth. But she <span style="font-style: italic;">knew</span> the one who was speaking, and believed, even though everything in her pointed in the opposite direction, that the God who spoke to her had the power to bring to fruition what He said he would do.<br /><br /> How do we respond when God tells us something too good to be true? I pray that by grace we may, when addressed by the God "who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not" (Romans 4:17), respond as Mary did: "I am the Lord's servant... May your word be to me as you have said." See you soon.<br /><br /><span class="woj" style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span><span class="woj" style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-23342">25</sup> The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock."</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > (Matthew 7:24-25)</span>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-26611935805179914172010-09-27T22:36:00.000-07:002010-09-27T22:43:58.766-07:00DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK... YETWell, the last time I wrote in this blog, it was 2008 - it's crazy how one thing after another clutters up our lives, until the seemingly copious amounts of free time that we thought we had evaporates into thin air. But over the past months, as I've evaluated my life, my time, and the way I spend both, I look back to my practice of "blogging" regularly as an avenue for me to intentionally reflect on my life.<br /><br /> "Intention" has been a buzzword in my life lately. If I want a healthy marriage, I need to be intentional about not simply being in the proximity of my wife, but WITH her. If I want to be the man of God I'm called to be, I need to not just be around God, but choose to be WITH God. If I want to "live not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, I need to be intentional about the way that I spend my time, about what I say NO to and what I say YES to. Maybe blogging will be a part of that as I seek to leave a legacy of someone who pursued a life of being busy loving Jesus. Maybe not. But today, I choose to "run in such a way as to get the prize." See you on the track!<br /><br />for His glory,<br />max<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)</span></span>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-61247100804450488612008-11-05T17:42:00.001-08:002008-11-05T17:52:42.626-08:00I DID IT.For the first time in my adult life, I voted. (<span style="font-style: italic;">And<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span>I got my free tall cup of coffee at Starbucks - money!) I know, I know - shame on me for holding out for so long! I was one of those first-time voters who came out in droves to make their voice heard and participate in one of the most historic elections in our time.<br /><br /> I have to confess that I've always been wary, or even afraid of expressing myself politically. My parents never voiced their political views to me growing up, and accepting Christ at 16 turned everything I knew upside-down, and I haven't settled yet on how me as part of the church and the state are supposed to interact. So after 5 five years of being scared into inaction, I took the plunge. I pored over both sides of the issues, listened to others older and wiser. I prayed for guidance and discernment, and for the heart of Jesus to be my heart as I formed my own opinions and decided my positions. And then I walked down the street to my polling place, asked a bunch dumb questions about how actually <span style="font-style: italic;">to</span> vote, and then put my pen to the paper.<br /><br /> We as the church can't hide our light, and I couldn't hide behind my excuses and insecurities anymore - now is the time to be bold, to be responsible, to have our voice heard and our presence felt as servants of the King. I did it. See you soon.Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-2126400956373013452008-10-27T19:37:00.000-07:002008-10-27T19:52:47.828-07:00HAIR-B-GONE.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ft1laQIM56uCl2aunBudrcX_-gtksxhfjKSB15BhCKk-wSzpakHhe0yeh7L2HtfniXMp3n-E7iiRElhSDiHHYuJBALd39MZDGyx83AiI7Wm_G_wP68Yamno0sdPxa8x4g4FE/s1600-h/Photo+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ft1laQIM56uCl2aunBudrcX_-gtksxhfjKSB15BhCKk-wSzpakHhe0yeh7L2HtfniXMp3n-E7iiRElhSDiHHYuJBALd39MZDGyx83AiI7Wm_G_wP68Yamno0sdPxa8x4g4FE/s320/Photo+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262028521794885474" border="0" /></a>For those of you who don't see me on a regular basis, the 6+ month experiment is over - I am shorn. When I came to church next week, people literally did not recognize me. One guy asked if I was feeling week, but I said that no, my strength is not connected to the length of my hair a la Samson. I refuse to spend any more than one minute on my hair on basic principle, and the price was right - my senior pastor's wife cut it for free!<br /><br />I'm sorry if you liked the longer do, but it was weighing me down - literally! Jennifer said it was probably about a pound of hair that she cut off. It would've been awesome to grow it out <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span><span> long and donated to Locks of Love, but that was not happening. Back to the magnificent monotony - haircuts, washing dishes, paying bills, and doing "all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17) See you soon.<br /></span>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-13431775116813526732008-10-14T22:02:00.002-07:002008-10-14T22:18:10.443-07:00BACK FROM NYWC.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrC376s5eC6nhr5hq8luG7qah9cRYNqaldxzQQZEqNpgOtj_HMCGwKlmIHutSOjGT9Izi_utSmY0_89ymky8jLnbDnDC8HGiF4vSk_v2EZGiVi5yMmLp2Qo0TlbLBOncNRdJ4L/s1600-h/image4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrC376s5eC6nhr5hq8luG7qah9cRYNqaldxzQQZEqNpgOtj_HMCGwKlmIHutSOjGT9Izi_utSmY0_89ymky8jLnbDnDC8HGiF4vSk_v2EZGiVi5yMmLp2Qo0TlbLBOncNRdJ4L/s320/image4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257245405284879922" /></a><br /> This past weekend, Monica and I headed up to Sacto for the National Youth Worker's Convention. This is always an awesome time of hanging with old friends, being challenged, stretched, and equipped in new and exciting ways, and to worship without abandon our Lord. It was off the chains! This is the second one that Monica and I have been to as a married couple, and it continues to be an awesome time.<br /><br /> Not only did I attend the conference this year, but I started a Certificate in Youth Ministry program through Fuller Seminary, which meant that from Thursday afternoon until Monday morning, I was filling my brain and heart with the stuff of the call of youth ministry. The result: a weekend of good memories, a wealth of information and insight that it is going to take me a whole day to process, and a 3 1/2 hour nap to cap it off on Monday afternoon. Life and ministry are crazy, but they are good. See you soon.Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-69827338523276633542008-09-29T20:51:00.001-07:002008-09-29T21:23:03.166-07:00FLIX: BELLA.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://thecia.com.au/reviews/b/images/bella-poster-0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://thecia.com.au/reviews/b/images/bella-poster-0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> This last week, Monica and I rented "Bella." I'd heard quite a bit about the movie, it having been out for almost two years now. I greatly enjoyed it - it wasn't fast-paced or melodramatic, but it drew me in to the relationship that develops between the two main characters over the course of the film. The pace reminded me of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805564/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Lars and the Real Girl</span></a>, another slowly developing but strangely heartwarming movie that Monica and I watched a few months ago. The flashbacks and flash-forwards are a bit jarring at first, but by the time the final scene rolls, it all comes together in a beautiful and moving celebration of the endless beauty and joy of life. (I <span style="font-style: italic;">love</span> kids.)<br /><br />This movie has also gotten a lot of attention and press over it's pro-life message, which is communicated in such a winsome way that it has impacted and influenced many parents to keep their children or give them up for adoption. This story took on new meaning today when Brian informed me via a <a href="http://briancberry.blogspot.com/2008/09/berrytribe-is-going-tribal.html">blog post</a> that his family was working to adopt a pair of 5-year old Ugandan children that they met while there on a missions trip this last summer. How beautiful it is when those created in God's image experience God's love and provision through a pair of loving parents! A big part of the heart of this film has to do with Eduardo Verastegui, one of the main characters and producers of the film who went from singing in a Mexican boy band at the age of 18 to having a resurgence of faith and deciding to do only "films that matter." <a href="http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=24088">Here</a> is a link to an article talking about his personal transformation, and below is a YouTube clip of him on the Today Show. See you soon!<br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y04HMaC5kT0&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y04HMaC5kT0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-29767835584895357582008-09-24T08:32:00.000-07:002008-09-24T08:47:16.468-07:00FANTASY MEETS REALITY.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNTdhyphenhyphenbjXcF_2rZ0Vei9RIQ5oGXfz2Yr4VEsK0oSS72o6MOLnxj73mg4Ur4z8EVrg6WHe4Fetqec-fJnBEDte3tbdJBA69xnB57UGVBCHi1f-ppdryfkigd24gAp49xJ_LmlU/s1600-h/twilight1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNTdhyphenhyphenbjXcF_2rZ0Vei9RIQ5oGXfz2Yr4VEsK0oSS72o6MOLnxj73mg4Ur4z8EVrg6WHe4Fetqec-fJnBEDte3tbdJBA69xnB57UGVBCHi1f-ppdryfkigd24gAp49xJ_LmlU/s320/twilight1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249611619540379650" border="0" /></a> Part of my call as a youth pastor is to to know the world that teens today inhabit. My society's current definition I still <span style="font-style: italic;">am</span> a adolescent, but being removed removed by almost a decade from our incoming freshmen (WOW) means that I don't know a whole lot about today's youth culture. Because of this, I have to intentionally enter into the music they listen to, the books they read, and the TV they watch to have an understanding of what kind of world our kids inhabit. Our teens need to a caring Godly adult more than they need some 20-something who know the lyrics to "I Kissed a Girl" or knows what happened on last week's episode of "The Hills," but I still think it's a valuable part of incarnational ministry. Hence me reading <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span>.<br /><br /> I'm not going to take this space to review the books - I'm only halfway through the series! - but these books have topped the bestseller lists for months, so I figured I would see what all of the hoopla was about. Having finished half of the series, I can see how these books strike a chord with teen girls - so much so, that teen girls have been visiting the actual town where the books take place: a tiny town in northern Washington called Forks. Read the news article <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26811199/">here</a>. Crazy stuff - how badly we long for meaningful relationship, to be loved with a supernatural love. See you soon.412 STUDENT MINISTRIEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428876100019376726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-44888569283228141752008-09-22T21:51:00.001-07:002008-09-22T22:10:13.958-07:00ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY GETAWAY.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgitYH_92DWUlC9N5Vjp-1Dwyccz02aZhTnL_wIkbjvL8nAGanxXQn5fE82HnY3klseV_pnGHLY2JpAKd-jhLWbF5Asv1HkCv9o4y93LgjxOm5cwLZS5WUza_n7nTeRwDeJPu5/s1600-h/IMG_7753.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgitYH_92DWUlC9N5Vjp-1Dwyccz02aZhTnL_wIkbjvL8nAGanxXQn5fE82HnY3klseV_pnGHLY2JpAKd-jhLWbF5Asv1HkCv9o4y93LgjxOm5cwLZS5WUza_n7nTeRwDeJPu5/s320/IMG_7753.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249075247099715970" border="0" /></a> One year ago today, Monica and I tied the knot. Woohoo! To celebrate, we got away for the weekend to Mendocino, about three and a half hours north of us here in Benicia. We actually stayed in Fort Bragg, about 10 minutes north of the town of Mendocino, because Mendocino itself is bank and a half.<br /><br />The weekend included a trip to a place to called Glass Beach (where they dumped a gang of glass bottles in the 1930s that have now been worn town to tons of pieces of worn glass in the sand - really cool), a trip to the tidepools at Mackerricher State Park, a walk through Mendocino Botanical Gardens, and a trip to the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse. Not to mention some delicious coffee, pastries, and good grub. I posted some of the best shots on my <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/mjcritchfield/2008091921ONEYEARANNIVERSARYMENDOCINOTRIP#">Picasa</a> page.<br /><br />It feels like this past year has flown by, and it's hard to remember what life was like before coming home every day to the love of my life. I can't begin to say what a joy being married has been, and how becoming one with Monica has deepened my understanding and <span style="font-style: italic;">experience</span> of the unconditional and forgiving love of our God. Having someone who knows more about me than anyone else, and still <span style="font-style: italic;">loves </span>me, has freed me to be myself in a way that was never possible before, and it is our privilege and joy to paint even an imperfect and broken picture of the love that Jesus has for his church. We've come this far by God's grace and mercy, and we're looking forward to loving one another with the love of Jesus more and more for the rest of our lives. Thanks to all of you guys who have supported and encouraged us to grow closer to God and to one another in our marriage covenant - I wouldn't trade it for the world. See you soon. <span style="font-style: italic;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. (Ephesians 5:25)</span></blockquote>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-41629853785141455822008-09-21T22:34:00.000-07:002008-09-21T23:12:49.541-07:00BREAKING THE SILENCE.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbFUAgW1l75H87n6WPMIU87EzOGkcdJ4vQqr7W_BQxc22d2SVfnBarmOWuu3cdGK5woFD0rVZLZyuAQb9HrbDX6Dd9KTXhzaAosiujKsffGVi9XGABo4H0OK1sAebJ6MVCOls/s1600-h/IMG_7691.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbFUAgW1l75H87n6WPMIU87EzOGkcdJ4vQqr7W_BQxc22d2SVfnBarmOWuu3cdGK5woFD0rVZLZyuAQb9HrbDX6Dd9KTXhzaAosiujKsffGVi9XGABo4H0OK1sAebJ6MVCOls/s200/IMG_7691.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248724258688985490" border="0" /></a><br />Well, if anyone's still reading, you probably know the truth by now: my blog, like the economy, is in a recession. But it's not the end - it's a new beginning.<br /><br />Yesterday, September 20th, marked the end of the third month of my second year in full-time vocational ministry as a youth pastor <a href="http://www.newharborchurch.com/">here</a> in Benicia. In the past couple weeks, I have begun to reflect on just how significant and profound the changes in my life (well, the changes in Monica and I's life - one of the big changes!) have been.<br /><br />I hit the ground running that Sunday in June that I started my first job as a full-time youth pastor - I turned 22 a week later, moved from the college town that I had called my home for the past for years, got married to the woman of my dreams three months later, and threw myself into the vocation that had made such a profound impact on my life. Every week exercising my passion for God's Word in preparing messages, planning camps and events, and connecting with and shepherding leaders and students.<br /><br />But for any of you who have read my blog for any length of time, you probably noticed that although my last post was in April, my <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> posts stopped quite some time before that. As life got crazier and crazier, my blog was one of the things that got the axe. But it wasn't just the blog - it was the time that I took to be still, to reflect, and to explore my heart and my mind as I typed out electronic words. As this last year wore on, I spent the majority of my time either fretting over the past or worrying about the future.<br /><br />This last week, I picked up the novel <span style="font-style: italic;">The Shack</span>. I've heard a lot of to-do about it, from the glowing endorsement from Eugene Peterson on the cover (I've been reading Peterson's book <span style="font-style: italic;">Under the Unpredictable Plant </span>- it has been good for my soul) to getting ripped by some for purporting faulty trinitarian theology. (<span style="font-style: italic;">That's</span> a mouthful!) I wanted to judge for myself, so I picked it up this week. Today, I read a passage consisting of a dialog between the main character and Jesus that really spoke to my heart:<blockquote>"'When I [Jesus] dwell with you, I do so in the present - I live in the present. Not the past, although much can be remembered and learned by looking back, but only for a visit, not an extended stay. And for sure, I do not dwell in the future you visualize or imagine. Mack, do you realize that in your imagination of the future, which is almost always dictated by fear of some kind, rarely, if ever, pictures me there with you?' Again Mack stopped and thought. It was true." (pg. 141-42)<br /></blockquote> This struck me to the heart - I have fallen into the habit of both dwelling on the past <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> worrying about the future, a future without the abiding and loving presence of my Savior, Jesus. And this is where I feel the need to begin again; to forsake dwelling on the past and worrying over a Jesus-less future to focus my mind and my heart here and now, and remember that the Lover of my soul is shaping me, loving me, and transforming me into His glorious likeness. And part of that, for me, is to take the time to slow down, be still, and share with you (if you're still out there!) a glimpse into the life of someone trying to be too busy loving Jesus to be concerned with anything else. See you soon.Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-24370826478173315732008-04-28T20:46:00.001-07:002008-12-13T05:21:24.546-08:00BAPTISM IN THE STRAIT.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfM3nXwWsTX_5vnk4pdfGDq8EmiwlmK3PzGN3XVxx58tN4VEcs_-lEBHzJIWE1K7jFoIaSvOaKzUhH3u6-UYQIQI-3vYpocde5f6wKd8JGnprDLpT28RyE_dFo0oAveJ_h9qY/s1600-h/IMG_5831.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfM3nXwWsTX_5vnk4pdfGDq8EmiwlmK3PzGN3XVxx58tN4VEcs_-lEBHzJIWE1K7jFoIaSvOaKzUhH3u6-UYQIQI-3vYpocde5f6wKd8JGnprDLpT28RyE_dFo0oAveJ_h9qY/s320/IMG_5831.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194508843953662018" border="0" /></a> This last Sunday was a gorgeous day, and we as a church headed on down to the 9th Street Park here in Benicia to do some baptizing. We usually just walk straight out into the water off the beach, but yesterday, that tide was <span style="font-style: italic;">out -</span> like 50 feet out! So we improvised and went off of the boat ramp instead. How exciting it is to hearing stories from people of all ages and backgrounds talking about the faithfulness of Jesus in their lives. It reminded of when I got baptized: it was a bucket of water standing outside a gymnasium in Avery in the middle of winter, with snow falling down. No matter where or how you do it, new life is <span style="font-style: italic;">always </span>worth celebrating. See you soon.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-style: italic;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVHO60GSURc3dBMJL0viMemKxUop5sPaQRBKtEIdjRx0favJ2haQE7NZo1xs7y9r1NNALpA5OZJZw9tAG-Nr9I7U-4NNvik3am5U4J00dO04BQorCnctrum9Pc_EDuOCdtmM9/s1600-h/ME+GETTING+BAPTIZED.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVHO60GSURc3dBMJL0viMemKxUop5sPaQRBKtEIdjRx0favJ2haQE7NZo1xs7y9r1NNALpA5OZJZw9tAG-Nr9I7U-4NNvik3am5U4J00dO04BQorCnctrum9Pc_EDuOCdtmM9/s200/ME+GETTING+BAPTIZED.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194512219797956690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;" id="en-NIV-29086" class="sup"></span><span style="font-style: italic;">I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. </span>(Galatians 2:20)<br /></span>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-91856325250257362112008-04-26T21:00:00.000-07:002008-12-13T05:21:24.699-08:00ON VACATION.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPI5K_RoxU9FE_aw09e8BJgfulVbnmJOyqiPEYgr8cN3cQN2JFI33mxvI66QOOEF58IydA69E1VwXYjSAh86VlaRvBzdOYXtv3X4NY-93qI4ChemBfAU7PZ4p3aOS0lXx8vQL/s1600-h/IMG_5760.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPI5K_RoxU9FE_aw09e8BJgfulVbnmJOyqiPEYgr8cN3cQN2JFI33mxvI66QOOEF58IydA69E1VwXYjSAh86VlaRvBzdOYXtv3X4NY-93qI4ChemBfAU7PZ4p3aOS0lXx8vQL/s320/IMG_5760.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193771655766976562" border="0" /></a> Two weeks ago, Monica and I took our first "adult" vacation - we didn't really know what to do, but it was a good time to "do nothing" and hang out as husband and wife. We stayed with Dan and Krystle in their sweet place in Mira Mesa, and spent our time doing a bunch of stuff. Here are the highlights:<br /><br />1. Riding the wave of rising frozen yogurt popularity<br />2. Dinner with Brian and Shannon at the <a href="http://www.oldtownmexcafe.com/">Old Town Mexican Cafe</a><br />3. Visiting the San Diego Zoo<br />4. Playing xBox Live with Deezy (I enjoyed this)<br />5. Hanging out in the Gaslamp district with the Browns<br />6. Hanging out in La Jolla<br />7. Reading and resting<br />8. Hang time with Buchner, Aisea, and Peter<br /><br /> It was a needed blessing to take off and be renewed in the presence of family, friends, and my beautiful wife. Things are good - see you soon.Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-42969119533474771822008-03-30T13:44:00.001-07:002008-12-13T05:21:25.384-08:00ON THE ROAD AGAIN.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhAIQHR6puOaIQNQ8bNYbbTD2zNrX7NKkehaGilymfPSy6DwIWta1mfVtHoWjyuZN-Ed-Xoy5bjTQ0V6oPptPSByqiXmtSQLm3i8J8WK3CeKDp4588uPXHHg1R4fCiVmttZdy/s1600-h/IMG_2733+-+2008+WEB+SHOT+BW.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhAIQHR6puOaIQNQ8bNYbbTD2zNrX7NKkehaGilymfPSy6DwIWta1mfVtHoWjyuZN-Ed-Xoy5bjTQ0V6oPptPSByqiXmtSQLm3i8J8WK3CeKDp4588uPXHHg1R4fCiVmttZdy/s320/IMG_2733+-+2008+WEB+SHOT+BW.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183638650501701410" border="0" /></a> Well, I'm hitting the road again. Last year, <a href="http://maxcritchfield.blogspot.com/2007/03/paceline.html">I rode 100 miles around Lake Tahoe</a> with Team in Training to celebrate the life of my buddy, Mike, who made a full recovery from Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and I'm gearing up to do it again.<br /><br />I started working at my current church in Benicia full-time in September of last year, and a short time afterwards, one of the long-time members of the congregation, Gary Nuss, passed away after a battle with Leukemia. He is survived by his wife and two teenage daughters, one of which is in our student ministry. My ride this year will be dedicated to a celebration of his life and memory. I'd love your support in prayer, as I need to get whipped into shape and it is a long road ahead. Pray that I would be the hands and feet (and legs) of Jesus to my fellow teammates, and that I would respect the law as well, as cyclists often don't obey things like stop signs and bike lanes. I would greatly appreciate your support financially as well, so please check out the links below to my fundraising website and support letter. See you soon.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.active.com/donate/tntgsf/mjcritch">My Fundraising Webpage</a><br /><a href="http://www.newharborchurch.com/youth/supportletter.pdf">My Support Letter</a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:8)</span><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolEh6cJDY9sZ-s-W0ye-uVtl7QyoSt1LhkYZvdcPWCfk2ltuZeSnU73Nr6PvLDA7T5O9g4FbSzZISPYKPB5LBWHQiLZzv-WDhUeBLqz9WRvIjD_g95OMHEVgFwzjoVs4zNNSW/s1600-h/IMG_2785.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolEh6cJDY9sZ-s-W0ye-uVtl7QyoSt1LhkYZvdcPWCfk2ltuZeSnU73Nr6PvLDA7T5O9g4FbSzZISPYKPB5LBWHQiLZzv-WDhUeBLqz9WRvIjD_g95OMHEVgFwzjoVs4zNNSW/s320/IMG_2785.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183638985509150514" border="0" /></a>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-65866303230119120192008-03-27T14:49:00.000-07:002008-12-13T05:21:25.633-08:00MUGGING AND SCHMOBBING.I use a little gadget called <a href="http://sitemeter.com/">Sitemeter</a> to keep track of how many people visit by blog, when, and from what pages. As I was perusing this information, I saw that someone got to my blog by googling my name. Although I've done this myself before, I clicked on the link to see what came up when my name was googled. And there, the third entry from the top, is my contribution to <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/">UrbanDictionary.com</a>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEits4m3vk1Lso7ju4Su5i_p9p1N60MfB4eT5RaWZtcUhpgmtrs9jpQEyY52ZciPBTTJxcPfDNNb2lDVwGBcnWe1xWgKuaYmLiV9lhH9Yo8PSkQkrcmIZrECaeQYQVLVQS5qOKxO/s1600-h/Untitled.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEits4m3vk1Lso7ju4Su5i_p9p1N60MfB4eT5RaWZtcUhpgmtrs9jpQEyY52ZciPBTTJxcPfDNNb2lDVwGBcnWe1xWgKuaYmLiV9lhH9Yo8PSkQkrcmIZrECaeQYQVLVQS5qOKxO/s320/Untitled.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182544533540094098" border="0" /></a><br />To set the record straight: it is true that a few days after I graduated from high school, I made these entries in the Urban Dictionary. I've always employed slang as a regular part of my vocabulary, which is kind of ironic given my propensity to use complicated verbiage. But there it is - if you are a prospective employer, I did clarify the meanings of "mugging" and "schmobbing" for the whole world.<br /><br />This goes to show the power of the internet, that in this digital and interconnected age nothing stays hidden for long. It hurts my heart to see what some people post on the Facebooks and MySpaces, Flickrs and YouTubes, and then live like those things are completely separate from the other, "real" lives. I'm glad that these silly definitions are the worst thing that comes up when you google me. Well, I'm going to go schmob on some work. May I be able to bear all of me, in bits of bytes as well as in Christ, and by His grace not be ashamed. See you soon.<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. <span id="en-NIV-25454" class="sup"></span>There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. <span id="en-NIV-25455" class="sup"></span>What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs." (Luke 12:1-3)<br /></blockquote>412 STUDENT MINISTRIEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428876100019376726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-60143068935315567522008-03-20T14:44:00.000-07:002008-12-13T05:21:25.766-08:00A GIFT OR A LOAN.My friend <a href="http://coolthisaword.blogspot.com/">Bronwyn</a> posted some thoughts on how God is refining her, and she referenced a Calvin and Hobbes comic. I personally have a theory that you can tell a person's personality by the kind of comics they enjoyed as a kid. If you liked Peanuts, you might have a quirky sense of humor that people often don't understand. If you liked Far Side, you might enjoy puns and bizarre situational comedy. I liked the Far Side. The other one I loved was Calvin and Hobbes, because it's witty dialogue and hilarious characters brought me endless joy and laughter as I stayed up clandestinely reading after my bedtime.<br /><br />All of this to say that I taught this last Tuesday on God being our father, one of the implications being that we are dependent on him as our children to provide for all our needs. This brought to mind a Calvin and Hobbes comic I'd seen years ago which, after searching the internet diligently, I finally found:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Eu-eYitMv1wr76gyfpG7AuyX9051Idw745OjjtH5cu4CqsmD7hzHi9y9qTvW3DY8wbsphjHrS013Q6CxCDmM00yqU3-AZFTbG2Z06n64CK4OJThm7esflGTgYm-l5UMJ5oEI/s1600-h/CALVIN+AND+HOBBES+-+COST+OF+RAISING+KID+COMIC.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Eu-eYitMv1wr76gyfpG7AuyX9051Idw745OjjtH5cu4CqsmD7hzHi9y9qTvW3DY8wbsphjHrS013Q6CxCDmM00yqU3-AZFTbG2Z06n64CK4OJThm7esflGTgYm-l5UMJ5oEI/s320/CALVIN+AND+HOBBES+-+COST+OF+RAISING+KID+COMIC.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179944802720727170" border="0" /></a> It's official: Calvin and Hobbes is money in the bank. Here's the online database where I found this, that has every Calvin and Hobbes comic : <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Calvin%20and%20Hobbes%20Archive">Calvin and Hobbes Archive</a>. See you soon.412 STUDENT MINISTRIEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428876100019376726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-6388033357276843302008-03-18T13:46:00.001-07:002008-12-13T05:21:26.039-08:00SPRING BREAK.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1GiJStuTHt5jvynpBpujXu9GAk0rrJZhIjgzkhZEHj_E7ohvXw2dVheP1iemmWDzp23bncaSCzDm_V2n6vmDZOEB2miQbp6LS-WPFIJCVdPrGi-Zc984lSP1G6M29pXloDG3/s1600-h/BLOG+PICTURES.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1GiJStuTHt5jvynpBpujXu9GAk0rrJZhIjgzkhZEHj_E7ohvXw2dVheP1iemmWDzp23bncaSCzDm_V2n6vmDZOEB2miQbp6LS-WPFIJCVdPrGi-Zc984lSP1G6M29pXloDG3/s320/BLOG+PICTURES.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179187993729214114" border="0" /></a> I'm breaking the silence. Tonight, we're talking in our youth ministry about the passage in Matthew 18 where Jesus talks about entering the kingdom of heaven:<br /><blockquote>"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"<span id="en-NIV-23729" class="sup"></span>He called a little child and had him stand among them. <span id="en-NIV-23730" class="sup"></span>And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. <span id="en-NIV-23731" class="sup"></span>Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."</blockquote>We'll be talking about the importance of our humility as needy children before our heavenly Father, but before we get started I'm going to talk about what Jesus <span style="font-style: italic;">doesn't</span> mean when he says "become like little children":<br /><ol><li>Stay immature forever.</li><li>Avoid having any kind of responsibility.</li></ol> I came across an article today called "<a href="Raunch%20is%20rebranded%20as%20%27confidence">Raunch is rebranded as 'confidence</a>'", which talks about the annual phenomenon that is "Spring Break." It had a lot of sad realizations, which definitely resonate with my experience going to a 4-year university. A quote:<br /><blockquote>"What's happening on on spring break beaches isn't just boys and girls being wild. It's young people... deciding that the way to measure their readiness for the adult world is not in terms of education or emotional maturity but sexual desirability... When they talked about what they wanted to do with their lives, they spoke not of jobs or grad school but of looking good, of having the right equipment and experience to ensure a place in the raunch-obsessed pop culture they'd come to see as the real world."<br /></blockquote> This is the deception that we as a generation, as a culture are buying: that life is defined simply by the value that other people place on what they can see, and that the blessings of material wealth are to be used to entertain ourselves and avoid adult responsibility and maturity for as long as possible. (I clicked through a few links today to the website of the TV show <a href="http://www.tv.com/greek/show/71239/summary.html">Greek</a>, and I watched a few minutes of the pilot - it made me want to barf.) Going from an unmarried college student to a married youth pastor has definitely not been an easy transition, but my heart aches for those of my generation who are squandering their money, time, and energy on deceitful pursuits that leave us feeling only more empty and alone, disconnected from the real world. What will this mean for our children? For the countless means around our globe, starving physically and spiritually? When will our eyes be opened to see the terrible waste?<br /><br /> No easy answers, and I'm not free of guilt either - riches are deceitful indeed. But until then, may God's grace may I be a praying pilgrim, being led by God's grace and grieving over a generation asleep. See you soon.<br /><blockquote></blockquote>412 STUDENT MINISTRIEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428876100019376726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-92148480163091039472008-02-21T13:57:00.000-08:002008-02-21T14:20:07.927-08:00HOSANNA.I have really enjoyed getting better at playing the guitar, and more specifically leading worship, which I recently had some awesome opportunities to do. I enjoy doing it by myself, and singing the songs as prayers to God.<br /><br />One of the songs that I've been listening to and playing over and over (which is also on the God of This City album, which I picked up this week and is amazing) is Hosanna, by Brooke Fraser, who is associated with Hillsong. I love it's scope - when I sing it, I think of it as a prophetic revelation, like what was revealed to the apostle John - a powerful vision of God's desires, and of his Kingdom coming with power. Here are links both to a performance of the song, as well as an interview with Brook Fraser about how the song came to be. See you soon.<br /><object height="355" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3sABWDaRX1E&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3sABWDaRX1E&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="400"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="355" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/M7SMUf6QcyQ&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/M7SMUf6QcyQ&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="400"></embed></object><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> I see the king of glory</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Coming down the clouds with fire</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> I see his love and mercy</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Washing over all our sin</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> The people sing, the people sing</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Hosanna, hosanna</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Hosanna in the highest</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> I see a generation</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Rising up to take the place</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> With selfless faith, with selfless faith</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> I see a new revival</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Staring as we pray and seek</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> We're on our knees, we're on our knees</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Heal my heart and make it clean</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Open up my eyes to the things unseen</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Show me how to love like you have loved me</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Break my heart for what is yours</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Everything I am for your kingdom's cause</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> As I walk from earth into eternity</span><br /></div>412 STUDENT MINISTRIEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428876100019376726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-71947636041905992012008-02-20T15:34:00.000-08:002008-02-20T15:48:44.202-08:00LIAR LIAR.When I was in high school, I lied to my parents like it was going out of style. For years, when I wanted money, I would just go in to my parent's bedroom and take a few bucks out off of my dad's dresser, or out of his wallet. (Don't worry, I found Jesus, and they know.) Not only that, but I had no problem with telling my parents that I was spending the night at a friend's house if I was really going on a camping trip, or that I cut my lip helping a buddy move furniture, when really I had been punched in the face - both true stories!<br /><br /> This afternoon, I read a really interesting article called "Learning to Lie." It talked about how, from a very young age, children (and then teens) use lying as a way to exert power and avoid consequences, and often without a glimmer of remorse. Here's a clip:<br /><blockquote>"The most disturbing reason children lie is that parents teach them to... they see us tell the telemarketer 'I'm a guest here,' They see us boast and lie to smooth social relationships... Encouraged to tell so many white lies and hearing so many others, children gradually get comfortable with being disingenuous. Insincerity becomes, literally, a daily occurrence. They learn that honesty only creates conflict, and dishonesty is an easy way to avoid conflict."<br /></blockquote> Working with students, I have seen a lot of lying, but I need to realize that I need to remove the plank from my own eye to truly call out and remedy the rampant dishonesty that pervades the culture of our youth, and all the more so the culture of us "adults." My we speak the truth in love, and let it set us free, no matter how much it hurts. See you soon.<br /><br />Read the article here: <a href="http://nymag.com/news/features/43893/">Learning to Lie</a><br />[ht <a href="www.yPulse.com">yPulse</a>]<br /><blockquote></blockquote>412 STUDENT MINISTRIEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428876100019376726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-54251982049919908432008-02-13T21:29:00.000-08:002008-12-13T05:21:26.317-08:00MY JOY AND MY CROWN.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXCdpx7b939Ymjex3r4Q3xPeAPkZrabOyc4cD6uM4Sls5qazuPxO1BXSqRgHXj1t58ZLyOJ-59l0cCPCRibnOfzCqzilh2fQlU0Asf43wv3UmUFRnZ1CMA_f9qC_gBMHJ_YRd/s1600-h/IMG_5636.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXCdpx7b939Ymjex3r4Q3xPeAPkZrabOyc4cD6uM4Sls5qazuPxO1BXSqRgHXj1t58ZLyOJ-59l0cCPCRibnOfzCqzilh2fQlU0Asf43wv3UmUFRnZ1CMA_f9qC_gBMHJ_YRd/s320/IMG_5636.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166710352416211634" border="0" /></a><br />Monica and I just got back from out middle school winter camp up in Truckee, in conjunction with <a href="http://www.bridgescc.org/">Bridges</a> and <a href="http://www.antelopespringschurch.org/">Antelope Springs</a>. It was an awesome time, not just for our students who had a blast, but also to be united in ministry alongside a lot of good friends. Working alongside people that you love makes the work so much more joyous and fulfilling, and that was our experience this weekend - not just old friends, but growing closer to those we are working with in ministry now too.<br /><br />One of the things that really struck me this weekend was the current generation of leaders in the ministry I grew up in at Powerhouse - people like Nina, Jake Lobato, and Robby Rodruigez. Robby was in my cabin for summer camp many years ago, and Nina and Jake were both students in the ministry when I was in high school, and to see them now, having taken ownership of their faith and moving into ministry themselves gives a satisfaction that surpasses understanding. I haven't been in full time ministry for long, but I have been in the service of the King for some time, and I have experienced no greater joy than to see the seeds of truth find fertile soil and bear much fruit. To see those in which I have been privileged to have a hand in discipling grow to disciple others - what gift! These precious "click" moments, these moments of encouragement, these reminders that the Word of God is living and active - these are my joy and crown. See you soon.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><br />"</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? </span><span style="font-style: italic;" id="en-NIV-29575" class="sup"></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Indeed, you are our glory and joy." (1 Thess. 2:13, 19-20)</span></span>Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-34928790268267985382008-01-14T22:16:00.000-08:002008-01-14T22:54:41.503-08:00A WEEKEND OF ENTERTAINMENT.Well, I'm back after the awesomeness of Christmas and New Year's, and Monica and I had a great time celebrating with friends old and new, rejoicing at the birth of our Savior, and getting a little breather from our new lives as working adults.<br /><br />This last weekend, we took in quite a bit of really sweet entertainment. On Saturday night, Monica and I headed down to have dinner with my parents in Niles, at the Italian restaurant where we had our rehearsal dinner. The place is only about 3 minutes from my house, and it was definitely some good grubbin'. Afterward, we headed directly across the street to the Essanay Silent Film Museum. You see, Niles is now just a little quirky subsection of Fremont, but back at the turn of the twentieth century it was a hotspot for the filming and production of silent movies. One of the most prolific silent movie studios was a place called Essanay, which in the handful of years that it was open produced and released over 400 movies. So on Saturday evenings, the museum, which is actually one of the original theaters that showed movies in Niles around the turn of the century, shows silent movies. This last Saturday night, the theme was "Comedies from 1926." So we saw these three flicks:<br /><br /><a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0017078/">Long Fliv The King</a><br /><a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0017347/">Saturday Afternoon</a><br />And the feature, <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0017926/">A Gentleman In Paris</a><br /><br />All of us weren't really sure what to expect, but we loved it. <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Afternoon</span> was a little weird and we didn't like the premise, but we thought the other two movies were hilarious. And all of the movies were accompanied by a live pianist, who pseudo-improvised on musical themes to suit the mood of the scenes for the length of every film. I loved the simplicity of the movies, in contrast to cacophony of inane stuff that goes in to a lot of today's films. There was a innocence about, coupled with the good laughs that made me really appreciate their creativity and artistry.<br /><br />Last night, we saw Andy McKee, an acoustic guitarist who was become wildly well-known through his YouTube videos. But he isn't just an internet star - this dude was <span style="font-style: italic;">amazing</span>. I was blown away by his musicality and musicianship, and it was a joy to see him have so much fun playing beautiful music. He's touring with a guy named Don Ross, an amazing guitarist from Canada, and they did a bunch of duets together that were amazing. Below is the duet that they opened with, a cover of a song by <a href="http://www.yellowjackets.com/">The Yellowjackets</a> called "Spirit of the West:"<br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/R62zFqcHjN8&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/R62zFqcHjN8&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />All in all, it was a good weekend. Life is good - see you soon.Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-10834506769785468362007-12-18T21:46:00.001-08:002008-12-13T05:21:26.655-08:00CHRISTMAS SOUNDTRACK.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCrfyF0jpz4UofezJJ3f2E5wKTV5C2zB36fnKy9RIZe7Jfa2vT03B94vDVyo7Bfrdlm-YqRn_yjGnGhWxT5HTSC4pHhmwJdE53sypCfqO71zrDDOWziuj2s8wnV8HtlLg0MZA/s1600-h/IMG_5368.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCrfyF0jpz4UofezJJ3f2E5wKTV5C2zB36fnKy9RIZe7Jfa2vT03B94vDVyo7Bfrdlm-YqRn_yjGnGhWxT5HTSC4pHhmwJdE53sypCfqO71zrDDOWziuj2s8wnV8HtlLg0MZA/s320/IMG_5368.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145556607726326338" border="0" /></a>I thought I would share with you the three discs that I appreciate most during the Christmas season. Here they are:<br /><br /><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Jackson-Christmas-Collection-Century/dp/B0000C23DX/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198043333&sr=8-1">1.</a><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Jackson-Christmas-Collection-Century/dp/B0000C23DX/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198043333&sr=8-1"> The Jackson 5 Christmas Album</a>, Jackson 5. This album was the soundtrack of every Christmas of my childhood. Christmas officially began when we got our tree home, set it up in our living room, and started hanging the plethora of Christmas ornaments from my mom's bountiful collection to the sounds of the Jackson 5 singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." This is actually a really good Christmas album, and the arrangements and vocals are really well done.<br /><br />2.<span style="font-style: italic;"> Acoustic Christmas</span>, <a href="http://www.brian-e.com/">Brian E</a>. This is an album that I happened upon by chance. My buddy Dan was going to a church where one of the guys who plays on this album attended, and they were selling these at the church. This isn't available on iTunes or Amazon or anything like that, but the music is beautiful - the arrangements are rich with violin, acoustic guitar, piano, and vocal textures, and the song "You Became Nothing" has become one of my favorite Christmas songs.<br /><br />3. <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Songs-Jars-Clay/dp/B000VRXNT2?ie=UTF8">Christmas Songs</a><span style="font-style: italic;">,</span> Jars of Clay. I just came upon this disc in the last week (I'm listening to it right now), and I've listened to it over and over again. It is definitely not your "normal" Christmas album. "O Little Town of Bethlehem" is in a minor key, and all of the songs employ some very unique and eclectic instrumentation and production. But I've fallen in love with it. It paints a beautiful picture of the Christmas season in sound that is sublime, humble, and full of wonder and thankfulness.<br /><br />See you soon.Max Critchfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16775357552793878013noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11662017.post-9552148642651749832007-12-17T11:21:00.000-08:002007-12-17T11:31:02.205-08:00WOW - PT. IVI came across a Christianitytoday.com blog <a href="http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2007/12/worst_business.html">posting</a> that noticed in a NY Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/technology/12penthouse.html?_r=1&oref=slogin">article</a> that the Penthouse Media Group just purchased a corporation called Various Incorporated, which runs a variety of social networking sites. One of those sites is bigchurch.com, a Christian dating site that is "bringing people together in love and faith." Wow.<br /><br /> [I'm not saying anything about couples who met on the internet. My wife and I met a really nice couple who met online this last weekend. But this story seems pretty ridonkulous.]412 STUDENT MINISTRIEShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18428876100019376726noreply@blogger.com0