Earthquake Reminders?

On March 11, 2011 the largest earthquake in Japan’s history triggered a devastating tsunami. According to the United States Geological Survey [USGS],this most recent Japanese earthquake and subsequent tsunami, while falling into the major category of anticipated seismic activity and breaking Japan’s previous record for largest earthquake in its history, does not break the consistent trend of one major 8.0 [or greater] quake per year the last 100 years [click pic above for more on trend], is not the largest recorded earthquake in magnitude the last 100 years [the earthquake in Chile on May 22, 1960 is still the biggest quake in the world on record with a magnitude of 9.5], and hopefully will not rival the most destructive January 23, 1556 earthquake that killed 830k people in China [click separate green links for more info].

I think it’s important for Christians to know and understand these larger seismic trends and historical facts so we don’t over-exaggerate the signs of the times when proclaiming the surety of Jesus’ Second Coming. Jesus came the first time. Right on God’s time. And regardless of life as we know it, He will come a second time [click Bible pic for more on that]. All earthquakes, whatever their magnitude, whenever they occur, are supposed to remind us of this!!!

Back to Basics?

Rest on the Sabbath. Heed Old Testament dietary codes. And be ready for Jesus to return at any moment. If these practices sound quaint or antiquated, think again. They're hallmarks of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the fastest-growing Christian denomination in North America. G. Jeffrey MacDonald wrote a great piece on my church denomination in a recent USA Today article. My fave line?

"The church has seen some of its strongest gains come in non-religious regions such as the Pacific Northwest. In Washington, for instance, the denomination has established 'Christian cafes,' where people can relax and ask questions without feeling the pressures of church. "You're not necessarily inviting them to church," Bryant said. "You're just sitting around, talking with people, building relationships — and slowly talking to them about Christ." What a concept!!! Click pic to read the entire article.

Crazy Animals?

God loves us like crazy and some of these animals He made are crazy. Enjoy!!!

Reading Revelation?

Previously during Soup for You, we've read books about suffering like The Shack illuminating the way God looks at the battle between good and evil. We've learned that God wants us to live like crazy because we are loved like crazy in The Ragamuffin Gospel. Because Hurt People Hurt People, we better understand the small and large ways we hurt and how God can mend our broken hearts. We still have a few copies of Lee Vendon's book It's All About Him skillfully explaining why Christianity is primarily about Who

you know not what you do. If you didn't get one yet, there's still time to do so and join us!

But starting Wednesday April 13, 2011 @ 6pm during Soup for You, Reading Revelation is the name of the next class we're offering to church members and the community. For years people have been fascinated by the strange symbols and ominous forebodings contained within the pages of the last book of the Bible. But if it's really a book revealing [what "revelation" means] Jesus, don't you think we should be able to learn more about Jesus from it? That has always been my fave teacher Jon Paulien's assertion I heard over and over fifteen years ago as I sat in the New Testament classes he taught while I was in seminary.

Recently, Paulien's new chapter by chapter presentations of Revelation have been printed which we'll be reading as well [Cost $10 while supplies last see www.revelationhope.com for more info]. Won't it be wonderful to know that the victory has already been won and that we have absolutely nothing to fear as long as we cling to Jesus? Join us!

Generation Rain?

God really blessed during Generation Rain. That's the name of the high school Bible retreat I was speaking at last weekend at Mt.Aetna Camp in Hagerstown, MD. Nearly 200 high schoolers, most of whom do not attend Highland View Academy, the Adventist boarding school next door, descended for the weekend. The worship was vibrant led by an entirely student praise team. The prayer and art rooms were full. Four youth were baptized SAT night and another planned to do so in their home church!!!

Previous years focused on calling and equipping young people while this year's theme was all about releasing them to serve and do mission to change the world. I used 1 Samuel 3, Exodus 3, Matthew 26, and Luke 10 to encourage them to get ready [Samuel], listen up [Moses], show up [Jesus], and keep up [disciples] their serving. I reminded them that with 33 million teens in America spending $150billion/year, that if enough of them organized themselves online, they could by themselves pay for wells to be drilled in every remote place on earth for $10billion. I told them that today there are 30 million women and children in slavery and that Toledo is the #1 most trafficked city in America per capita. That God looks at this and is displeased that there is no justice. That He is appalled there is no one to intervene [cf. Isaiah 59:15-16].

For more info on modern day slavery right here in Toledo, see www.thedaughterproject.org And PTL that God promised to rain down his Holy Spirit on the young and the old [cf. Joel 2:28]!!!

Happy Valentines Day?

What Your Sign?

Here's ours. Anyone else think it's ironic we're collecting soup but eating pizza LOL?!! Think people would come for some split pea instead? Join us for all the action on a 25' screen and tons of fun this SUN FEB 6 @ 6:30pm. Admission? Free with canned goods.

Then don't forget, on SAT FEB 12 @ 7pm, we're hosting a piano concert with Mary Grace - a one armed piano player who plays amazing music for Jesus!!! [click here for more info on her]. You and your sweetheart will be amazed and encouraged by her story and music. The concert is free, but 100% of the collected offering will benefit orphans in Haiti's Eden Garden Orphanage. Join us and bring some friends for Christ's sake [as my friend Charles likes to say]!!! Click her for map and directions.

How's Haiti?

Some friends from the New Hope Church in MD went to Haiti last year to find out. Click the vid to see what they found. And make plans to attend the Valentines for Haiti benefit concert SAT FEB 12 @ 7pm [click here for map and directions].

Untitled from New Hope Adventist on Vimeo.

Fear Not?

1 John 4:18 says perfect love casts out fear. But as my friend Bobby accurately points point out, perfect fear also casts out love. Could that be why 16-29 year olds say the Christians they know are "hypocritical", "insensitive", "judgmental", and "unChristian"? This Valentines Day, do something loving and read UnChristian: What a New Generation Thinks About Christianity...And Why It Matters [click pic more info] or click the vid below to get a another snapshot of how perfect love and radical empathy can still cast out fear.

Mission Trip to America?

My friend Dave shared this in church a few weeks ago. It is the most moving and powerful little video I've seen recently. Please watch it and remind yourself that the minute you walk outside your door, you've begun your Mission Trip to America!!!

Love At First Sight?

In August 2010, I told you about a book on CD that has had a tremendous impact in our home entitled Preparing for Adolescence by Dr. James Dobson [click here to read that post].What we're still doing is listening to 15 minute segments of this content before Josh goes to sleep [will do the same thing with Lydia soon!!!] pausing when necessary, to laugh, talk, or wonder about what was just said.

While this content contains some of the most helpful ways to discuss Biblical issues of sexuality, CD#5 also contains a very helpful 10 point quiz on true love between a man and woman. So much so that in 2011 I'm discussing each of them during chapels on Fridays with the kids at school. Would you pass this little True / False quiz? Would your kids? If not, maybe you should click the pic and buy your own copy of this content!!! It might save your kids or grandkids a lifetime of therapy and brokenness!!!

1. Romantic love at first sight occurs between some people.
2. It's easy to distinguish real love from infatuation.
3. People who sincerely love each other will not fight and argue.
4. God selects one particular person for each of us to marry and he will guide us together.
5. If a man and woman genuinely love each other, then hardships and troubles will have very little effect on their relationship.
6. It's better to marry the wrong person than to remain single and lonely throughout life.
7. It's not harmful or sinful to have sexual intercourse before marriage if the couple has a meaningful relationship.
8. If a couple is genuinely in love, that condition is permanent and will last a lifetime.
9. Dating for six months or less before marriage is best.
10. Teenagers are more capable of genuine love than are older people.

PS - Dobson says the answers to all these questions are FALSE including the first because love is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs [1 Cor.13:1-5] and you can't know whether another person loves like that at first sight.

Weekday Veg?

Becoming vegetarian in a carnivorous culture is a hard change to make. Especially when your son [like mine] is allergic to many of the things that vegetarians eat like nuts, legumes, eggs, cheese, and dairy. But recently I watched this 4 minute talk by Graham Hill who offers a powerful, pragmatic way to do so: Be a weekday veg!!!

It's one way to lose weight, improve your health, reduce cruelty to animals, become a better steward of God's earth, and live longer so you can tell more and more people that God loves them like crazy!!! Click pics for links to a couple related articles on wellness or the triangular play button below.

Abandon God or Abandon Yourself to God?

Larry Crabb, the wise Christian counselor says, "You can abandon God. Or you can abandon yourself to God." On the cross, even Jesus had to make this choice moving from "Why have you forsaken me?" to "Into your hands I commit my Spirit" [I'm grateful to my pastor friend Samir for pointing this out]. So at the beginning of a new year, it should come as no surprise to us that we too have a choice to make. And the good news is all of us can make either of these choices. No matter how long we've been Christian or even if we've never been!!! We can choose to abandon God. Especially when things go bad or we've been hurt or unfairly treated. Or we can choose to abandon ourselves to God. Who we can choose to believe still loves us like crazy even when everyone in this broken world doesn't.

But how do you abandon yourself to God? Well, that's what we're going to be discussing on Wednesday nights during Soup for You starting Wednesday February 2, 2011 @ 6pm. To do so, we'll be using this thought provoking paperback by Lee Vendon called It's All About Him [click pic more info].

The book costs $12.99, but can be yours for $10!!! A limited number of copies are available at church or on Wednesday nights. Why don't you plan on picking up a copy and reading it for yourself or saving one for your son or daughter? Some day they might be eternally glad you did!!!

Valentines for Haiti?

Mary Grace was born with physical deformities. Her right hand is a stump half past the elbow. And her right foot is 8 inches shorter with only 3 toes. But she never allows her disadvantage to hinder her from fulfilling a desire to produce beautiful music for Jesus. She has played the piano with her left hand and right stump [click vid below to see] in Guam, Germany, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Canada and the USA and has been featured in numerous journals [click here to read one article from the Adventist Review] and television ministries.

But on Saturday, February 12, 2011 she will be our guest as she shares her story of hope, faith, and inner strength to transcend limitations. The free one hour piano concert will start at 7pm and will conclude with a tasty "afterglow". Please pick up the invite cards at church and make plans now to invite your friends and family. 100% of the collected love offering will benefit the Eden Garden Orphanage in Haiti. This ordinary outreach is sponsored by the Toledo First Church of Seventh-day Adventists [click here for map and directions].

Dead Man's Hill?

That was the name of the hill under the power lines only the bravest bigger kids would sled down in my neighborhood growing up. This one is not as scary. But Lydia used to think so!!! Click the top vid to hear her commentary or the bottom one to see Joshua in action. Enjoy!!!

Is Committed Committed?

Some people don't think so because they think Christians shouldn't sing anything but overtly Christian or "sacred" songs. Because, they say, God cannot be praised any other way. But for the 2nd season in row, a group of Adventist guys are proving them wrong!!!

In the first season of NBC's "The Sing Off", an Adventist group called Nota with six graduates from Antillean Adventist University in Puerto Rico won the $100,000 cash prize and a recording contract with Epic Records/Sony Music [click here to read the Adventist Review article about their story]. Now, in its second season, the judges on the reality singing competition has whittled the acappella groups competing down to four and these graduates from Forest Lake Academy [Apopka, Florida] and Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama that comprise Committed are also in the running [click top pic for NBC's bio and middle pic for their Facebook page].

Whatever happens, they've promised to continue being committed to God and each other and to use their notoriety to tell others about Jesus. Click the vid below to hear them explain. And PTL that God is finding creative ways for His followers to WIN the right to be heard!!! Tune in tonight to watch Committed @ 8pm EST and don't forget to vote for them at the end of the show!!!

Truth About Poverty?

When we think of those in poverty, certain questions automatically come to mind. Why don’t they get a job?! Why are they so irresponsible?! Are handouts really all they want or need? What should a church know about serving those in poverty?

These are just some of the questions that will be answered after church potluck on consecutive Sabbath afternoons in January starting January 8 and continuing January 15 and 22 from 1-3pm.

Geared toward churches and organizations who are currently [or who are thinking about] working more intentionally with the poor, these classes teach participants what generational poverty is, the reasons why the poor stay poor, how to really help the poor, and how we can align ourselves with God’s heart for the poor.

Elijah Jones, long time Toledo resident with a wealth of experience serving the poor, will be teaching these classes and facilitating the follow up conversations. Elijah is a friend of Toledo First Church and serves on the Haven of Hope board. If you're at all interested in the next steps Connections takes to a possible storefront location downtown, please make these classes a priority!!!

Your response to these classes will help us determine whether we have the interest or "manpower" we need to proceed with a storefront. The classes are free and open to the public but RSVP @ 419.882.6200 is required.

Merry Christmas Card Quiz 2010?

1.) In January 2010, what was Mike’s fave part of being in Israel?
a. The Sea of Galilee boat ride
b. Floating in the Dead Sea
c. Worship @ Golgatha and Garden Tomb
d. All of the above [click here or pics above and below to see 30 more from Israel]

2.) In January 2010, what was Jackie’s fave part of being in Israel?
a. Seeing places the Bible describes “come alive”
b. Changing planes in Italy without seeing any of it
c. Menachem, our long-winded tour guide
d. Only A

3.) Which happened?
a. Joshua broke his adult front tooth
b. Joshua won the Daytona 500
c. Joshua won 2nd place in the Pinewood Derby
d. Both A and C

4.) What did Mike’s church do this year to show people that God loves them like crazy?
a. Raised money for victims of NW Ohio Tornado
b. Became the “American Family” for 9 International Students at University of Toledo
c. Nothing
d. Both A and B

5.) What else did Mike’s church do this year to show people that God loves them like crazy?
a. Gave away free Panera Bread every Friday morning
b. Went on a Mission Trip to America in McDowell County, West Virginia - America’s poorest county
c. Threw a Valentines for Africa banquet
d. All of the above

6.) What was Joshua and Lydia’s favorite movie?
a. God Grew Tired of Us
b. Waiting for Superman
c. Praying with Lior
d. Tangled

7.) Joshua [age 11] loves:
a. Designing tracks online
b. Feeding his albino constricting corn snake named “Peaches”
c. Cleaning his room
d. Both A and B

8.) Lydia’s [age 8½] loves:
a. Drawing
b. Singing in church
c. Hannah Montana reruns
d. All of the above

9.) Jackie and Mike...

a. Are still dating 20 years later [still happily married for 14]
b. Got no speeding tickets this year
c. Haven’t even started converting all their Hi8mm tapes to DVD or BluRay
d. All of the above

10.) Mike’s favorite books [click any title for more info] read include:
a. Crazy Love by Francis Chan
b. Who’s Afraid of the Old Testament God? by Alden Thompson
c. Who Stole My Church? by Gordon MacDonald
d. All of the above

>7 Fortunate—Cool as the other side of the pillow
>5 Unfortunate—Missing some grain in the silo
>3 A misfortune—Sharp as a marble

Answers: They're all D!!!

Stay connected online [click any link below]
mike4tune.blogspot.com
facebook.com/mike4tune
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mike4tune@gmail.com
jackie4tune@gmail.com

Random Acts of Culture?

Random acts of culture by musical groups singing songs in public places have been popping up everywhere from a recent episode of Modern Family to this latest example Rachel sent me most recently. I think it's my fave because of the way it begins in a food court with the soloists braving the crowds all by themselves at first. Would you ever do something like this?

Retooning the Nativity?

Did you know that neither of the Gospel stories mention Mary traveling by donkey? That the Bible doesn’t mention an inn keeper? Or for that matter an inn? Click triangular play button below to see why.

Christmas Presence?

Last year during the weeks leading up to Christmas, we partnered with Toledo Junior Academy students and families in giving gifts to local families who could not afford to buy presents. We also raised some money for Serentity Farms — a local non-profit organization specializing in counseling services and therapeutic riding through the use of certified therapy dogs and special horses.

This year, as part of our Christmas Presence series of sermons preceding Christmas, we’re going to be partnering with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency [ADRA] using their 2010 Really Useful Gift Catalog to raise money each week in a special offering for goats! Why? Because item #43 says one breeding doe will give an impoverished family overseas additional income and access to milk for their children. And each goat costs only $70!!!

So when you come to church Sabbaths December 4-25, don’t be surprised to see “the poor man’s cow” tied up inside right beside the other Christmas decorations and manger scenes to help us remember how we can help impoverished families grasp the significance of Jesus’ Presence this Christmas. The wise men gave gold. We're giving goats to help families fight their way out of poverty!!!

Godly Guitars?

Duane Calkins is a shop teacher in the public school system in Roseville, CA. A member of the Carmichael Seventh-day Adventist Church, Duane works in a setting where he cannot talk about spiritual things. Yet through his authentic, caring witness, his students know they are loved [like crazy!!!]. Do yourself a favor and set aside 6 minutes to watch this vid. I think you'll be glad you did. WTG Duane!!!

Crafting Hearts from CSS Ministry Resources on Vimeo.

Drop and Shop?

Our church is a mile away from the mall. We're hoping some parents needing to go shopping without the kiddies will drop them off with us while they shop. Everybody does VBS in the summer. We're gonna do it in the winter [click pic for map and diretions]. One thing for sure: These won't be silent nights!!! I bet your church could pull this ordinary outreach off before Christmas too!!!

Enjoying Fall?

The Federal Pretrial and Probation Officers Association recently honored my friend Lewis Simpson Jr. as their Probation Officer of the Year in Supervision by the Great Lakes Regional District. In addition to doing a great job there, he plays bass in our praise team and together with his wife and daughter has adopted some UT international students as one of our fall ordinary outreaches. WTG!!!

Carla snapped this next pic from some fun we had at Gomez and Morticia's house [Emmett and Eniko] one recent Saturday night. We thoroughly enjoyed the mystery dinner. Even though Frankenstein [Randy] was pretty scary.

This one is taken in Joshua's room with his cousins Conner and Jessica and Maegan's friend Ena. Lydia is holding Joshua's new pet - Peaches the albino corn snake. Which is very docile and tame until Fridays when she snaps the thawed out once frozen mouse Joshua dangles from the top of its cage, constricts around it, and then swallows it whole. It's very national geographic.

Jeff archived this last photo for posterity of Joshua and his 2nd place winning Pinewood Derby car and trophy. No, he didn't get into a fight. The road rash on his face came earlier that evening from taking a face plant on the sidewalk outside the church while goofing around with some friends. He was wearing his other pair of glasses [goggles] at the time because he had broken his "nice" pair of glasses at school earlier. So now both are broken and one of his adult front teeth broke off into tiny pieces. It has since been replaced with a plastic tooth. But who knew he could again be singing, All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...

Hope you are your families are well and enjoying the season. God is good. All the time!!!

Whose Works?

If apart from Christ, we can do nothing [John 15:5] but with Christ we can do all things [Philippians 4:13], whose works are we really talking about when the Bible writers repeatedly refer to them? [cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 2:6 etc]. Ours? No. Christ's! That's the only way the brightest minds throughout the history of Christianity have made sense of the verses about "our" works in the Bible. It's why Dietrich Bonhoeffer said:

"The law of God is still in force (Romans 3:31), and still demands fulfillment. And the only way to fulfill the law is by doing good works. But ultimately there is only one good work; the work of God in Christ Jesus...all our good works are the works of God" [The Cost of Discipleship, p.296]. That's what this video my friend Phill sent me reminded me of recently. Enjoy!!!

Connections Under Construction?

On September 25, the snacks and beverages were laid out for the last time, the praise team played our all-time favorites, and memories and testimonies brought us back through the years. Although it was Connections last service in our building, the message was loud and clear this is not the end of this ministry. Because the church is leaving the buildilng!!!

We still believe God is calling us to a shared ministry in a downtown storefront similar to the one our church first operated in 1899. And we will proceed if God raises up a core team of committed volunteers willing to contribute their time and talents. If you are interested or willing to serve in such an outreach, please contact me @ 419.882.6200 or Ron Szczechowski @ 419.866.8951. Stay tuned to Fortune Cookies for more information. And click the triangular play button below for a little trip down memory lane. Video courtesty Ryan Warner

Ordinary Outreach Galore?

Fall has provided numerous opportunities for us to show people that God loves them like crazy!!! While local musician Johnny Rodriguez was belting out live 50s and 60s tunes at the 4th annual Kidz Crazy Car Show [click car pics to see more],

I met a guy who invited me to do his wedding the following Saturday night. Which I did and now we're doing post-marital counseling. Another lady who recently relocated to Toledo was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly impressed. And I gave a young family of four looking for a church that lives nearby a tour of the daycare and church. They were thrilled to find a church so close to home they really like and have already asked me to do pre-marital classes with them and their wedding too!!!

Partnering with the University of Toledo International Student Office, six of us were introduced to twelve new friends from the University of Toledo as part of the Toledo International Hospitality Program. We carved pumpkins and played games and since then have enjoyed trips with them to church, our homes for a meal, the art museum, and the bell choir concert. Serving lunch at Cherry Street Mission is also a highlight for the students @ Toledo Junior Academy. Thank you for shouting the Gospel with your lives!!! [to read why ordinary outreach has no hooks or strings attached see Matthew 10:42 and Luke 6:35]

Photos courtesy Shawn Flack and Steve Bills

Why Did Mike Stop Blogging?

Some of you realized I haven't posted anything on Fortune Cookies since the end of August 2010. Thanks for your encouragement and kinds words. It's good to be missed!!! No, I haven't stopped blogging because everyone already knows God loves them like crazy flaws and all. No, I wasn't on vacation. And no, I'm not sick or in the hospital [although my mom has been in twice in two months...she's better now PTL!!!].

Yes, I'm still convinced based on research inside and outside the Adventist church that meaningful Bible study and worship, active ordinary outreach, and grace based churches are three of the most influential factors that help young people and the increasing number of unchurched Americans all around us develop a positive outlook about God and lasting interest in the church [click here to read more].

So why should we continue to spend ourselves for the sake of the Gospel? Because there are plenty of people from Chile to Holy Toledo and the rapidly growing mission field where you live that are far from God!!! So let's exhaust every avenue and media to show them grace and live the love that still astonishes a watching world. That's what the rescue of those 33 trapped miners reminded me of recently. [BTW, I stopped blogging because my PC died. And my temporary replacement lacked the muscle needed to upload pics and vids. But I've got a MBP now so Fortune Cookies is good to go!!! In the meantime, click the triangular play button below to hear Toledo native Crystal Bowersox belt out her hit "Holy Toledo" and see you in two weeks!!!]

Photo courtesy: Hugo Infante / Government of Chile
From the San José mine, Copiapó, Chile

Culturally Aware?

Is it important for churches to be culturally aware?