Sunday Wrap-up

• We closed out the 9-week message series, “New Testament Challenge” today with the Challenge of Eternity.
• Chris Day recounted his adventures to make it to church today with a tribute to Phil Collins.
• I was glad to get to church today…glad to get my 3 year old McKenna to church.
• This week, driving down the road, she exclaimed, “I will never steal from the Keys’ Church again.  I will only steal from home.”
• Apparently, she left Kids Life with a toy and had been feeling guilt all week.
• The band sounded great this morning…think we have a wonderful team in worship/arts/production…really proud of these guys and gals.
• I taught out of the following passages:
• Colossians 3:2, Jude 1:21, Genesis 1:27, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Psalm 39:4, John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:1, John 10:28, Mathhew 25:21, Matthew 6:19-20, and 1 Corinthians 9:25.
• Concerning eternity, we should recognize, secure, and invest.  If you want to explore more, check it out.
• Bottom line, in the scope of eternity, are you laying it on the line?  Or, are you enjoying the comfort of a consumeristic, self-centered life?
• The answer for me is too often “self.”  But, my pursuit is a radical focus on the Mission of Jesus in and through me.
• Tonight is going to be good in PK…can’t wait.

PS. Here is the link to the Video of Mark Driscoll, Deepak Chopra, Carlton Pearson, and Annie Lobert debating on ABC’s Nightline.  Check it out and let me know your thoughts.

What Do You Opt For?

• When you are faced with the difficulty of doing something exceptionally well or good enough, what do you opt for?
• When you are tired and want rest but you need to close out a project, do you go to sleep or close the deal?
• When you are faced with a great opportunity which may mean embarrassment should you fail, what do you opt for?
• When you commit to do something and that commitment later becomes inconvenient, what do you opt for?
• When the men are being separated from the boys, which side do you opt for?
• When you feel like you could lay down and die or press on in spite of the pain, which will you opt for?

Increasingly, I’m convinced that we live so far beneath our potential.  Too often we make no ripples, neither offending no one or accomplishing anything of significance  We are postured toward convenience and comfort as opposed to mission and passion.

Every moment, you are given the choice.

What do you opt for?

Sunday Wrap-up

• 1st Sunday back from 3 weeks of non-stop action outside of S. Florida.  It was good…really good.
• Today really wasn’t my first day back though.  Yesterday was when 6 people went public with their faith in Jesus at Bayfront Park in Homestead.
• Kelly has some great pics on Facebook.
• It was great seeing people, seeing new people that have been here for almost a month.
• We showed the video of TSP playing Silas in Knoxville.  Awesome!
• We’ll have that video up soon.
• Also, Phil and Chris have good wrap-ups.  Check them out.
• We sold tons of Anthems for a Broken World albums…hardly any left.
• I’m filtering through a lot…feel like I drank through a fire hose the past three weeks.
• Going into the trip, I was processing through some things that needed to get done.
• Getting some distance from the church helped me to get ready for this week.
• Change is in the air…I’ll be pressing it to our staff this week.  We’ll be sprinting harder than ever.  My goal is to see people sucking wind.
• I gave them this heads up.  And, we had a call in the middle of my trip.  So, it’s on!
• We’ve got a great team.  But, I think that on too many levels we’ve grown comfortable to our routine.
• I feel like God has given us an opportunity to step up to another level.  It’s a big opportunity.
• We won’t make the transition without guts, elbow grease, and heaping piles of passion.
• Today, we talked about Obedience.  Delayed obedience is disobedience.
• We’re putting today’s message in action.
• So, buckle up, get your hands dirty.  Let’s get it on!

Caption This

Caption this picture of Mitch “Nerd Rock” Maloney.

Blog Reviews Wanted for “Anthems for a Broken World”

If you’d like to do a blog review of the “Anthems for a Broken World” album by The Saturn Project, I’ll send you a complimentary copy of the album.  Let me know via email.  I’ll need you to include:

• name
• blog address
• mailing address
• email
• phone

In the meantime, you can check out the free single at www.thesaturnproject.com.

You can also find out why The Saturn Project is the “richest poor band around.”  Here are some interesting facts about the band:

• At their first performance after releasing the album, they sold 4,413 albums.
• And, while that will amount to $44,130, they won’t get a penny of it.  Their giving it away to alleviate poverty and advance the Good News.
• The band played 6 times in 7 days across Cambodia the week before their album release.
• Two members of the band ate a balut, a cricket, and a beetle on the Cambodia tour.

The Saturn Project @ Knoxville Winterfest

Slideshow – Flickr Set

Winterfest and The Saturn Project CD Release

The evening, we presented the Anthems For a Broken World album and the Cambodia project to a room full of youth leaders behind the stage at Winterfest tonight.  That went very well.  Within 30 minutes, we distributed thousands of CDs.  I won’t tell you exactly how many just yet.  But, it blew me away, completely exceeding expectations.  This project started with:

• songs written by Jesse and performed by the band,
• a challenging idea between him and me,
• a massive challenge to the people at Life Pointe Church,
• a God ordained partnership with Fred Garmon and People for Care and Learning,
• donated studio time from Murray Arts Center, and
• a gracious partnership with Tom Madden and YWEA.

The band hasn’t even played here at Winterfest and it looks like we are on our way to completely selling out of the entire first run of CDs here in Knoxville!  Amazing!  Check out some of the pictures from tonight as 18,000 students came together for an amazing night at Winterfest at the University of Tennessee’s Thompson-Boling Arena.

Darius Walden takes on the first box of CDs with Fred Garmon and Travis Johnson.

The arena empty at sound check.

The Saturn Project checking out the stage pre-service.

Alex posing with a fresh of the presses copy of “Anthems for a Broken World.”

Jesse and Matt watching on as Israel Houghton and New Breed lead worship.

Reina at the People for Care and Learning/Anthems for a Broken World booth.

Jentezen Franklin speaking to 18,000 students at Winterfest.

Me with the 16 foot Python named, “Tiny” that Jentzen Franklin used in his message.

Watch Winterfest Live Online tomorrow night beginning at 6 PM.  The Fest was rockin’ tonight.  The best part?  God working in the lives of the students….amazing stuff to be a part of.

Follow the Winterfest Twitter feed at #mywinterfest or on Twitter Search.

If You’re Struggling with Your New Testament Reading

If you’re struggling with your New Testament reading scheduled, you’ve got to check out what Mark Similey wrote.  Seriously good stuff.

Day 39 of 63: New Testament Challenge

For more information and resources on the New Testament Challenge, including the New Testament on mp3, click here.

Today, I finished the Book of Revelation.  In the New Testament Challenge, I only have the Books of Luke and John left to read.

I finished the Book of Revelation sitting on a river dock in Seveirville, TN.  Jesse, Matt, Alex, and I crashed here after our trip to Cambodia.  My sleep schedule is right on mark.  I feel unbelievably rested and ready to go.

As I was reading this morning in Revelation 19, I sensed the Holy Spirit so powerfully.  Jesus is truly the rider, Faithful and True.  He is a fair judge.  He wages a righteous war.  His eyes are like flaming fire.  He is crowned with many crowns.  He wears a robe dipped in blood.  His title is the Word of God.  On His robe and thigh is written the title: King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords.

We serve a God that completely triumphs over all injustice over all sin.  Hitler, Pol Pot, and every other genocidal mad man is nothing for our God.  Jesus will judge them and me.  And, I will live in the City of God forgiven by His grace, worshiping Him forever.

The Word of God is transforming me.  I want to know Him…not just know about Him.

Sunrise in Seoul

I’m on a layover back to the states.  This was almost worth the stop.

See you later Siem Reap, Cambodia

After a really productive week here in Cambodia, it’s time to go back to the states.  I’m looking forward to seeing Kelly more than I can tell you.  When I get back, I’ll be sure to post up pictures from the week in a flickr album and share them here.

Thanks to Fred Garmon and the amazing friends at People for Care and Learning for a wonderful trip.

For a recap of the week from Fred Garmon check it out here.

Cambodia: Crazy Schedule & Missing My Family

I can’t keep up with our schedule…what’s going on next, the days, etc…  It’s been good and busy.

The best parts of the trip is seeing what PCL is doing (it’s a lot) and The Saturn Project concerts.  In the few days we were here, we participated in the dedication of two buildings (the PCL offices in Siem Reap and the PCL Learning Center in Phnom Penh) plus we’ve seen a lot of really great ministry going on.

ANYU’S VILLAGE

There is a lot of story to tell here.  To make it quick, I’ll just tell you that we were in the remote village of a miracle.  I learned a little bit of Khmer so I could introduce myself to Anyu and others…I think I mostly botched it.  But, I tried.

SOUNDS AT THE GROUNDS

Tonight at Common Grounds Cafe, The Saturn Project literally shut down the street.  They played on the front sidewalk and really rocked.  The closing song was over the top.  The crowd was responding like nothing I’ve ever seen….way cool.  I’ll share pictures and more detail later.

MISSING MY KIDS

Tonight, I was on a Skype call with Kelly and the kids.  I asked Blake for a kiss and he put his head up to the screen.  Since, he was eating Cheetos, I figured I’d ask for a bite.  You can see the top picture to find out how that turned out…really funny.  It’s amazing how small the world has gotten.  Still, I miss my kids and Kelly like crazy.  Kelly said the weather has been really nice and that her and all the kids sat outside this morning and sipped coffee.  Sounds nice.

HANGING OUT WITH MY PASTOR

Another thing about this trip that has really blessed me is that I’ve gotten the opportunity to spend some really good time with my pastor, Mitch Maloney.  I started in full-time ministry under him.  I was a volunteer at his church for four years and on staff for four more years.  I couldn’t have asked for a better pastor to watch as a mentor.  He loves Jesus, his family, and seeing the Gospel advance.  On top of that, he’s a pretty sarcastic guy…who’ll get you if you aren’t quick on your feet.  Jesse started calling him Coach Ditka on this trip…that was funny until Jesse started calling me Bif…not cool.

TOMORROW

Tomorrow morning, Pastor Maloney speaks at Common Grounds.  After Common Grounds, the band is playing at the Orphanage.  Then, at 4 pm, I speak at International Church.

Cambodia Day 3 (part 2): The Saturn Project Concert

Check out Jesse’s and Fred’s blog entries from yesterday.  They’ve got some good pictures and thoughts.

AT EMMANUEL VILLAGE

Last night was really incredible as The Saturn Project played at Emmanuel Village in Phnom Penh.  They played and a Cambodian band opened for them.  If you’ve never heard someone rap in Khmer, you haven’t lived. 

DANCING WITH THE KIDS

Prior to the concert starting, we played with the kids.  Alex was hilarious.  He’s just really crazy, dancing around acting like a lovable lunatic.  All the kids were dancing with him.  Eventually, I think he was overpowered by the swarm of children wanting to be like the youngest Santoyo brother.

I brought a satchel of candy and a couple stuffed animals from Kourtney and McKenna, which I gave away.  That was a lot of fun.  The piglet I gave was one of McKenna’s favorite toy.  Without getting into a long story, giving piglet away was an extravagant gift from my 3 year old.  Watching the little boy with piglet was beautiful.  I think the pictures of the little boy with piglet will be something that helps to shape my daughters character.  I know it already exposed a lot of what’s in her heart.  I’m going to frame that an put it in her bedroom.

THE SATURN PROJECT

The Saturn Project took to the stage and seriously rocked.  I was standing next to Mitch Maloney.  Brent, his son is in the band.  He’s heard the band.  He’s been in the studio with them.  He’s on the team that brainstormed a lot of this stuff.  He knows how good they are.  He leaned over to me and said, “They’re really good.” They are.  There’s something there beyond the music.  I think God is really working in these guys…so very proud of them.  I’m so blessed to be in this moment.  What Fred Garmon is facilitating here is special.  I’m very proud of my friendship with him and God’s grace on my life as a result of that relationship.

Phnom Penh Day 3 part 1: the orphanage

Breakfast hit at about 8 am.  I woke after staying up super late to talk to Kelly on iChat…completely worth it.  Seeing the kids here makes me just want to pull Kelly, Kourtney, McKenna, and Blake super close.

WAT PHNOM After breakfast, we went to Wat Phnom, a Temple in the center of the city.  This place is huge.  We went into the temple.  There were literally hundreds of Bhuddas. All around the temple, there were beggars, children selling water, and monkeys.  The monkeys would get incredibly close. All around the temple, you could purchase caged sparrows so that you could release them at the top of the temple.  By freeing them, you had done a significant spiritual act by freeing them from their captivity.  Religion is the same…wherever you go, when Jesus is driving out the money changers 2,000 years ago or today in Wat Phnom.  There’s always someone with a bad ripoff of the real deal relationship that God offers us.

ORPHANAGE From Wat Phnom, we visited an orphanage run by a young man named Kim.  It’s loosely associated with PCL.  The kids here were beautiful.  I made friends with about 4 of the little boys…ages probably 3,4,14, and 15.  These kids were learning English.  Denal, the 15 year old boy said he wanted to be an immigration officer when he grew up.  The little 4 year old little guy just wanted me to hold him.  I didn’t want to put him down.  All the kids sang songs about Jesus to us.  And, I just held this little guy…couldn’t help but cry. One of the really cool things about this orphange is that Kim, the young man who directs the orphanage was an orphan himself.  He came to know Christ in the orphanage.  When he grew up, he started the orphanage and takes care of about 37 children. This facility is a four-story building just around the corner from the Russian market.  The monthly rent on this space is about $400…amazing. I was the last on the bus here…could have stayed the rest of the day.  The most bizzare moments of the trip was when one of the boys asked if we could trade email addresses.  How small has the world gotten?!

RUSSIAN MARKET

After leaving the orphanage, we went around the corner to the Russian Market.  You could buy anything from moped parts to handbags to shirts, shoes, and jewelry.  We were here for about 45 minutes.  I picked up some little outfits for the girls and some goodies for Kelly.  This was fun.  I think every business undergrad should have to start out negotiating in an environment like this.  I had a little help from Kristen Pace negotiating for the clothes.  I wasn’t exactly sure what the right sizes were.  So, that was helpful and an experience.  I left them as soon as I got the clothes and headed off by myself to experience the market.  Every couple hundred feet I’d bump into someone from our team.

KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN

We left the Russian Market and grabbed lunch at Kentucky Fried Chicken.  KFC in Cambodia.   What a cultural experience.  I had a good time hanging out with Julie the director of Common Grounds Cafe, Fred, Pastor Maloney, and Pastor Bien.  I was worn out at this point…ready to get back to the room. We’ve got a big night planned with The Saturn Project concert at Emmanuel Village.  So, we’re here resting…getting ready to head out in a few minutes.

Phnom Penh: a few pictures

Phnom Penh, Cambodia Day 2

I’ll have good new pictures for you soon.  The pictures below of Emmanuel Village are not pictures of the new facility.  But, these are the handsome kids in the Primary School at Emmanuel Village.  The new education facility will include a program for the equivalent of a high school GED, which will enable young adults who had to drop out of school to work to go on to college.

BREAKFAST

This morning started out with a good breakfast. Matt “Izzy” and I enjoyed a bowl of noodles, fruit, and sushi (I’m thinking the sushi is a result of the number of Japanese business and tourism).  I’m totally rested…couldn’t have asked for a better arrival time.  I’ve not felt jet lagged at all.

The one thing I do have going against me is swollen feet, ankles, and legs.  I’ve never experienced that before…probably wasn’t properly hydrated for the trip and didn’t move around enough on the flights.  It isn’t uncomfortable…just looks and feels strange to me.  Mitch Maloney said I’m getting old.  I’m the one that uses that card on him to get him to meet me for a late night dinner while passing through Cleveland, TN.  It seems like it sufficiently appeals to his sense of macho.  So, turnabout is fair play.

DEDICATION OF PCL LEARNING CENTER

From breakfast, we went into Emmanuel Village for the Government Dedication of the People for Care and Learning Center. On the way there, we drove down streets crowded with mopeds.  The only traffic law that I could tell that was really in effect was “don’t get run over.” In the middle of all of the swarm of activity, I saw a little boy walking in the traffic.  He was around McKenna and Kourtney’s ages (3-5 years old).  He was asking people for money as they stopped at the intersection.  My heart really connected with this place at that moment. I’m so cautious about my kids.  This little guy was completely on his own.

In 20 minutes or so, we arrived at Emmanuel Village.  The provincial governor had some really kind things to say about Fred Garmon and the work that People for Care and Learning is doing in Phnom Penh.  The building is a beautiful 4-story facility with offices, computer labs, classrooms, and a covered terrace on the fourth floor, which is beautiful.  The cost of the building was $80,000…not a lot to build a building the size of this place.  Even in a falling housing market in Miami, $80,000 is barely a down payment on a place to live.  Inside Emmanual Village, this building will compliment the primary school that PCL runs.  In the distance behind the building, you can see the dump where the Poverty Relocation Project is focused.  There is abject poverty everywhere you look.

The Government dedication concluded with the provincial governor, Fred Garmon, Mitch Maloney, Mark Schrade, and myself cutting the ribbon to the new building.  As we went in, some of the ladies that are a part of PCL handed us a beautiful arrangement of flowers (mostly Jasmine) that was big enough to fit around our wrists.  It smelled incredible.  It looked like a work of art.  Later, as we were walking to the primary school, the cutest little boy came and jumped on my arm just like Kourtney and McKenna do to me.  I gave him the flowers and he became my friend.  I’m guessing I’ll see him again tomorrow night when the band plays at Emmanuel Village.  For now, my last interaction was giving him “five.”

THE SECOND BUILDING DEDICATION

Anyway, after the dedication was over, we went to the fourth floor.  There we were able to circle up and share some of the things in our hearts about what God was doing with PCL.  Pastor Mark Schrade prayed a prayer of dedication for the building.  I was blessed to be able to lay hands on Pastor Bien, an incredible missionary pastor that has been in Emmanuel Village for 6 years…since it’s beginning as a relocation camp.  I prayed for him and the PCL Learning Center faculty.  Then The Saturn Project came into the center of the circle and everyone prayed for them…that God would prosper them, give them favor, let them share Jesus powerfully, and open up opportunities for them, which will advance the Gospel here.  The fourth floor event was an amazing time…we’ll call it the Upper Room.

KILLING FIELDS

From here, we went to the killing fields of Choeung Ek.  This was a sobering place.  It is one of hundreds of mass graves across Cambodia.  It is the mark of Pol Pot on humanity.  Some 3-4 million Cambodians were slaughtered and dumped in mass graves.  As we walked through this sacred place, you could see clothes, bones, and teeth coming up through the ground.  While large areas of Choeung Ek have been excavated, much of it remains unearthed.  It’s hard to believe this happened only 30 years ago.

What happened is that the Khmer Rouge under the direction of Pol Pot executed anyone that appeared to be an intellectual (if you could read, write, wore glasses, had a college degree), were a member of the former government or another government, Buddhists, Muslims, or Christians, and eventually when suspicions grew and after they began to run out of people to kill, they even began to kill the communists.  Many of the Khmer Rouge were children, killing their own families.  It’s hard to understand how humanity could do this to itself.  But, left to our own devices, this has to be the ultimate outcome…the outcome of sin is death.

One of the pastors at PCL was one of only a handful of people that actually escaped from S21, which was the interrogation center that prepped the Cambodian people for execution at Choeung Ek.  She has a beautiful story.  God is working through her in a significant way.  If I can, I’ll get some pictures and introduce you to her.

DINNER

After these challenging places, we hit the rooms to get ready to take some of the faculty from PCL in Phnom Penh to dinner.  I sat with Jesse, Fred, Pastor Bien and Bill Tolia (who lives in Ft. Lauderdale and has been volunteering with PCL for sometime).  Pastor Bien is infectually optimistic.  Being around him has been really great.  We spent a little bit of time reflecting on what God has done in such a short amount of time in the Anthems for a Broken World project with PCL.  I believe God is in this.  The more I’m around the people, the more convinced I am of this.

REFLECTION

Tonight, I’m just kind of strung out with the feeling that I’m a fairly self-indulgant person.  I’m not sure how justified my standard of living is in light of what can be done in the world with the level of affluence God has given me.  I’m not going to stop buying clothes and move into substandard living as punishment for being an American or for being incredibly blessed.  But, I will stop to consider my role in God’s Kingdom being expressed here on earth with more gravity.  God has a plan for me…for us to be more heavily involved in demonstrating His grace to the world around me.  I want to be better at developing the leaders God places within my reach.

By early this morning, I wanted to grab up my family and hug and squeeze them tighter than ever.  God has been incredibly good to me, to us.  I know that when I get back home.  I want to re-double my efforts to bring God’s grace to south Florida…and that we’d position ourselves so that we can bring His revolutionary Son to the world.  I want to give more generously.  I want God to use me…don’t pass me by Lord.  I want to be used by you.

Day 1 in Phnom Phen, Cambodia

Quick bites:

• I left Plantation Key at 3:45 am on Monday (Miami time) to meet up with everyone at Jesse’s house in Homestead.
• Stopped at WalMart to get bags of candies to take with me.
• 5 AM, we’re pulling out of Jesse’s house.  The instruments took up every square of space in the car.
• At Ft. Lauderdale, we get the fast track to check-in.  There were a lot of cancelled flights because of weather.  Fortunately, we weren’t affected.
• In Atlanta, we met up with Brent Maloney.
• Daniel Sylverston, a friend of mine and a pastor from Tennessee dropped out of the trip.  Instead of being at the airport, he was at the hospital.  His blood pressure dropped reall low and he couldn’t make the flight.
• Atlanta to Seoul was a 14+ hour flight.
• It gave me lots of time to read ahead in the New Testament Challenge.  I read 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Collossians,  1 & 2 Thessalonians, and Hebrews.
• I’ll probably finish Luke, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, Jude, and Revelation by the time I’m back to Miami.
• Seoul to Phnom Phen seemed like the longest leg of the trip to me.  I was a little more cramped…just ready to arrive.
• In total, we had 2 hours to Atlanta, 14 hours to Seoul, and 6 hours to Cambodia = 22 hours of flight time.
• We grabbed our Visas on the ground at Phnom Phen, Internaitonal Airport.  The Visa process was an experience.
• From there, we grabbed our bags and were greeted at the airport by Bill, Simon, and Matt Bohlman.  They waited for us for 2 hours…our flight was a little behind.
• I actually went to college with Matt Bohlman.  I knew of him through a friend.  So, it was kind of cool to come to Cambodia and meet someone I went to college with.
• We’re in the hotel now directly across the street from the US Embassy.  We’re going to the dedication of a new People for Care and Learning ministry facility at 9 am (9 pm for you EST people).
• I’m going to try to get some sleep for tomorrow…whatever day that is, I’m not quite sure…I think we skipped Tuesday. Peace.

On My Way to Phnom Phen, Cambodia

Jesse Santoyo, Matt Izzaguirre, Alex Santoyo, and I are in the Ft. Lauderdale airport right now waiting to board our flight.  The Saturn Project will be playing while we over at the Orphanage and we’ll be experiencing what People for Care and Learning is about.

On the trip, we’ll be meeting up with Brent Maloney, Fred Garmon, Mitch Maloney, Mark Schrade, and Daniel Sylverston.  Our flight takes us from Ft. Lauderdale to Atlanta to Seoul, South Korea to Phnom Phen, Cambodia.  In total, it’s 21 hours of flight.

We have been fortunate.  A lot of flights have been cancelled or re-routed because of weather.  We had no problem.  In fact, when we arrived at the airport, we got bumped to the front of the line for a super quick check-in.  I’ll try to keep you updated throughout the week via my blog, Twitter, and Facebook.  Stay tuned and feel free to ask questions about the pictures I post and places we go.

Hopefully, I’ll get to post a picture of the food I eat, including a Balut.  I’m nervous about that.  But, I’d like to experience the culture and check that off my list of things I can say I’ve done.    See you soon.