Why Did God Create Cockroaches?

I know that God has a purpose and a plan for everything under the sun, but why in the world did He ever create cockroaches?

Seriously, this has been on my mind a lot lately. It probably has a lot to do with every time I walk outside I see the dirty little buggers. And I will be man enough to admit I totally freak out when one is in our apartment. I can remember calling the front office to ask for a bug spray after my first encounter with these disgusting little creatures.

I told the staff member, "Ma'am there was a cockroach scurrying around in my apartment, I need someone to come spray TODAY!"

She just laughed at me and said, "Sir, we do not have cockroaches here in South Carolina."

My response, "Excuse me? I know what a cockroach looks like and this is the biggest one I have ever seen in my life."

"Seriously, we have don't have cockroaches in South Carolina, we have Palmetto Bugs. And there isn't really anything we can do about it." she told me.

"I don't care what you call them, it was a dirty cockroach and it was in my home. I'm from the North lady we don't have cockroaches in our house and I don't want them here."

I HATE these things...really what are their purpose? I can handle spiders, they eat other bugs I don't want in my house...BUT COCKROACHES ARE JUST NASTY!

Be Who God Wants You to Be

Lately I have been encountering some great conversations centered around churches today.

One of my biggest concerns with churches today is that many of them don't really know who they are and who they are reaching. There are thousands of churches across America that are "contemporary," but aren't really reaching this generation. This may come to you as a shocker but I am going to say it anyway. Just because you think you are a contemporary church (meaning you don't necessarily just play hymns with a piano and organ) doesn't mean people want to come to your church.

One factor that is very apparent in churches that are growing spiritually and therefore numerically is the willingness to take risks. The willingness to do whatever it takes, without compromising God's Word, to reach people who don't necessarily have any desire to step foot into a church.

So its time for us as Christians to put away our "churchiness" and develop the mindset that it isn't about me. First and foremost, it's about Jesus. And if it's about Jesus, then it will be about reaching people who don't know Him. And it will involve risk and not necessarily do church how it has always been done in the past, and not necessarily catering to everyone's wants.

Happy Birthday

15 years 7 months ago (I think), my Mom and Dad sat my sister, Mallory, and I down for a little chat. I was probably worried that I've done something, once again, that I wasn't supposed to do. However, the news in which my parents gave us was nothing that I had done.

Mallory and I were told that we would be having a little brother or sister sometime in May of 1993. So at that news I decided I was going to have a brother!! After all God gave me the sister that I wanted 5 years earlier and so it was time for a brother!

May 20, 1993 at 5:29pm my Mom gave birth to Zachary Keith Brown, a healthy baby boy that looked exactly like his brother (I prayed every night specifically for a brother who looked like me...GOD ANSWERS SPECIFIC PRAYERS).
HAPPY 15th BIRTHDAY ZACH!

What's Important?

I am a big fan of knowing whats going on in our world...so therefore I watch the news and I watch it a lot. I try and catch our local news every night but during the day I tend to have CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News on throughout the day just to know whats going on.

As I was watching CNN the other day, a particular story caught my ear and my eye. It had to do with one of my favorite hangouts, Starbucks. The story was talking about how some Christian groups want Christians to boycott Starbucks because of the original Starbucks logo that is currently being cycled back into the stores.

Seriously, do you think boycotting Starbucks is going to lead anyone into the Kingdom? I highly doubt it! Do you think Jesus would have stayed away from Starbucks? Probably not! Why? Because Starbucks draws MILLIONS of people into the stores every day...and last time I checked Jesus wanted to be around people, especially people who were in need of a savior.

Seriously people, let's stop waisting our time with ignorant arguments of which company we are going to boycott because of a logo and be more worried with HOW IN THE WORLD WE ARE GOING TO LOVE AND REACH THEM!!

One Year Down (59 to go)

A year ago yesterday, I joined the married man's club and have absolutely loved & cherished, but mostly enjoyed this past year with my bride, Cyndi!

Why One year down and 59 to go?  I don't know its something that Cyndi keeps saying (I'm guessing she thinks I will only live till I am 85, but I'm hoping to celebrate at least 75 awesome years with her).  We left for Savannah, GA after church on Sunday (by the way we were told that we may have possibly driven through a tornado on the way to church...the weather here is weird).  Cyndi and I spent Sunday night and Monday in Savannah and definitely have a new favorite place to hang out!  Seriously, lots of history, lots of beauty, friendly people, and the weather was gorgeous!

Yesterday was also my Dad's bir

thday...What a great man!  Seriously, I think I have learned the most about Jesus and the love of God from his example!  Dad, Happy Birthday and thank you for being a man that Zach and I can look to everyday and want to be like!  I love you.

On another note, God has been doing some pretty amazing things lately.  I am doing a ton of ministry as well as in the process of doing video production and actually getting paid for it! There is also a book in the process of being written...kinda interesting concept but one that is a gut check (be sure to answer the question on the previous post).

Lastly before I sign off, a friend of mine from college recently had a son who is in need of your prayers tonight.  You can read the story here...but please pray for Corban tonight as well as Matt & Mindy.

~'til this GENERATION knows HIM~

What Do You Hate About Christians?

I have recently embarked on a research journey in which I am throwing this question out there...

What do you hate about Christians (or Christianity)?

So what are you thoughts? I would love to hear anything and everything you have...nothing is off limits. If you are a Christ follower, respond. If you aren't, I am desperately pleading for you to respond...you may respond anonymously or with your name.

So how about it? What do you hate about Christians?

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday...


Randis D. Silas

That's right, today is my best friend, travel mate, groomsman, and brother-in-law's (someday) birthday!!!

Happy Birthday Randis!

grrrr baby grrrr!

Orange Conference-pt. 3

Okay, here are my final notes from the last three general sessions at the Orange Conference last week.

General Session #3 - Donald Miller (author of Blue Like Jazz)

• Don's definition of a good leader is a person who gets to know me in such a way that I want to take part of their vision (or the vision they've been given)
• A good leader gets to know people
• A leader invites people to get involved in the vision (they aren't selfish workaholics of the vision)
• A leader creates ownership of the vision and consistently is involving other people in the process
• Great leaders have lists of people they follow, peers, and people they are leading
• A leader has ambition -an ambition that they are actively trying to pursue (sometimes huge and absurd)
• A leader speaks something into the nothings

General Session #4 - Andy Stanly

• Spiritual Development happens the most in small groups!

General Session #5 - Louie Giglio

• We may not be on the brink to take the lead on culture
• What if we decided to be the church of Jesus?
• Jesus came to build HIS church
• We ought to BE something instead of DO something!
• Be relevant to Jesus, because He is who matters
• Many times we are in a bed of cultural infatuation
• How do we link our lives for Jesus?
• BE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT JESUS instead of relevance!

What a great time of learning!! Thank you Jesus for such godly, passionate individuals!!

Orange Conference-pt. 2

General Session #2 - Francis Chan

Another passionate message...here are a few highlights and some of my thoughts:

• With a good TEAM we can grow anything
• Shouldn't there be a major difference from someone without the Holy Spirit from the ones who are a temple of the Holy Spirit?
• You can't make someone fall in love with Jesus
• You can't manipulate the commitment that the Bible and what Jesus calls for.
• What type of God stuff do you want to see in your life? In the lives of others?

"If Jesus had a church in my community, mine would be bigger." - Francis Chan

• Because of the commitment that Jesus calls for, many don't follow.
• Gangs are a better picture of the family of Christ is, than the actual church...(think about that one! Somethings wrong with this picture).
• God's agenda was for PEOPLE to declare His praises together...PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE.
• Unity in the church will change the world!
• If you call yourself a Christian, SET AN EXAMPLE! In all you do be an example! Are you just playing christian or are you really a DISCIPLE?

The biggest thing that stood out to me was this question: Is God calling you to start a movement? We've got to do something to reach this generation, it's going to start with a movement!