New Pictures of the Boys!

Hey everybody. Sorry it has taken me so long to get new pictures of the boys out to you. Our digital camera is broken and I'm too cheap to replace it! The boys are growing up way too fast, but we're enjoying every second with them. Kids are such a gift (even when they wake you up in the middle of the night). Cooper and Connor are both doing great and I hope that we get to see all of you in person very soon. Until then, enjoy these pics. You can see some additional pics at: http://www.myspace.com/adavidwillis

Heaven and Hell on Earth

I was watching Angelina Jolie speak about the plight of refugees around the world last night on CNN, and I was awestruck not only by the unimagineable conditions that millions around the world endure, but also by the fact that this movie star has used her influence to selflessly bring millions of marginalized people from the shadows into the spotlight. We live in a world where children are being raped, enslaved, tortured, orphaned, and getting their limbs hacked off by evil people (see above picture). All the while, the Church has been largely silent in answering their cries. Here is one woman whom many in the church condemn for having children out of wedlock or being "weird" while her life is doing more to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth than most entire churches are doing.

While too many Christians spend their time and energy arguing over minor doctrinal or cultural issues, children are dying and innocence is being shattered. I'm not trying to preach at anybody, because I know that there is much more that I could be doing, but I do believe that we will all have to give an account for all we didn't do with our one and only life here on this earth. Sure Angelina needs Jesus. Sure she should get married, I mean, I would even marry Brad Pitt (note: I'm completely straight). Of course she's weird (we all are), but I think that the Church has as much to learn from her as she has to learn from the Church. She's giving her wealth, influence and time to the poorest of the poor. She's doing the work of Jesus even though she might not know Him at all. How much more should we be doing as Christ Followers?

I know that we all have limitations and we say things like, "...well if I had millions of dollars, I'd help all kinds of people too, but I'm just one person. What difference could I make?" It's been said that to the world, you might be just one person, but to just one person, you might be the world. I think that might be a country song. The point is, all of us can help someone. Ashley and I are proud sponsors of a little girl through Compassion International. For $32 per month, she is provided food, education, medical help and she is told that God loves her and has a plan for her life. This organization is one of the most reputable non-profit organizations in the world, and if you're interested in making a real, life-changing impact for one child, log onto www.compassion.com and make it happen!

The Cost of Freedom

I have a friend named Adam Bellinger who just shipped off to Iraq last week. He's leaving behind a beautfiul little girl named Natalie who is Cooper's age. I was having lunch with both of them just days before he was shipping out and I was so humbled by the sacrafice he was preparing to make to ensure Freedom for little Natalie and for the rest of us as well. Living in a military town for the first time in my life, I feel like I'm on the set of the show "Heroes", because modern-day, real-life heroes who are prepared to give their lives to protect our way of life surround me. Thanks to you all!

This picture is of a young man named Christian Golzinski who is accepting the flag at his father's funeral. His father (Staff Sergeant Golzinski) had volunteered for a second tour of duty and was killed only two weeks before he was to come home. In a recent letter to his family he wrote, "sometimes we have to fight, and even die, so that our families won't have to". This picture moved me so deeply as I studied the flurry of mixed emotions on this young man's face when he was handed the flag and the load of carrying on his father's legacy here on earth.

We as Christ-followers are handed a very similar responsibility to that of young "Christian". Jesus died so that we could live in freedom, and as He empowers us through His Spirit, we are to carry out that legacy of freedom and grace here on earth. We all feel unworthy and incapable to do this, but He gives us the grace and strength to do it one day at a time.

Did Jesus turn the water to Wine or was it juice?

Wedding season is upon us which always seem to bring up the issue (in some churches) of the nature of Jesus' first miracle since it took place at a wedding. For some reason, this issue of whether or not Jesus made "real" wine has been one of great contention within the American church. Many Christians will spend more time and energy arguing this than nearly any other cultural issue, so as a pastor, I feel it is my obligation to humbly post my personal commentary (See John 2:1-11 to decide for yourself)...

I've been to many weddings in my life and I've learned that it's really all about the reception. The silent cultural code of ethics states that I will buy a gift, put on a suit, give you a Saturday of my life and sit through typically dry service all to be able to celebrate with you at the reception. The wedding ceremony itself is for the bride, but the reception is for everybody else. That's why we kind of feel cheated when we go through the whole process and then the reception is a lame collection of bad music, stale finger foods, dry cake and warm punch. A wedding reception should be the biggest party on earth, because it's the closest thing we have in this life of the wedding ceremony for the ages we will experience someday when the Bride of Christ (the church) will be joined with Jesus in a perfect union forever.

Jesus knew the significance of a wedding and He realized that it needed to be an all-out celebration. Now comes the question about the "real" wine. Let me put it this way, of all the wedding receptions I've ever been to, I've NEVER been to one where anybody freaked out because they ran out of juice! Personally, it seems very obvious to me from reading the text and looking at the cultural circumstances to see that it wasn't only real wine, but it was excellent wine! Excellence honors God and I don't think we serve a God who "waters down" His miracles. You could dump a bunch of Kool-Aid mix into a pitcher of water and make instant juice, but the miracle comes when a process that by its very nature takes a long time (fermentation) is done instantly.

The real problem with this issue honestly has little to do with the alcohol content of the miracle, but it has everything to do with the dangers of reading ANY particular agenda into the Biblical text. We should all be open enough to let the Truth of God's word speak for itself instead of trying to squeeze God in a box formed from our own cultural leanings, personal experiences and limited worldviews. God is so much bigger than that and we must fight the temptation to brush any complicated issue in the Bible under the rug just to avoid the tension or debate it might bring up.

Paul wrote in the New Testament that as Christians, "all things are permissable for us but not all things are beneficial." In other words, we have unlimited rights, but we must also be willing to lay down those rights to help us reach others. I see absolutely no moral or Biblical objection to moderate alcohol consumption, but if abstaining from drinking can help to keep weaker Christians from stumbling, then it's worth it not to drink. My frustration is when those "weaker Christians" are the modern-day Pharisees who point a judgmental finger at anybody who interprets God's word in a way that is different from their own interpretations.

I look forward to reading your comments on either side of the issue. Thanks.

Update on the boys

Many of you have asked about how Ashley and the boys are doing and we greatly appreciate your prayers and concerns. Ashley is my hero! She is so good with Cooper and Connor (and me). She's an angel. Cooper is definitely in the "Terrible Twos" which is making for some great sermon material, but he can be a handful at times. Luckily, I can still take him, because he's very small for his age. He just had his two-year checkup and he's in the fifth percentile which means he's shorter than 95% of boys his age. On the growth chart, he's projected to end up somewhere between a Hobbit and a Leprechaun (approx. 1-2 inches shorter than me). I'm hoping that he's taller than that so that he'll be able to see over the steering wheel someday, but God makes us all just how we're supposed to be, so I'll leave that up to Him. Both Cooper and Connor are adorable and I'll try to get some good digital pictures to post to the blog soon so you check them out. Ashley is as hot and sweet as ever. I definitely married up!

If you want something you've never had, you've got to do something you've never done!

I am offically joining the "Blog Nation". The timing is about right, because I tend to lag around ten years behind most of pop culture in terms of fashion and technology (I just got a new portable CD player and it's totally rad!). I'll probably be the lame guy who still has a PC and a dial-up connection when the rest of the world is surfing the web with their Macs, but I'm officially turning over a new leaf! I'm stepping into the 21st century (eight years late) and I'm starting a blog. I hope that this creative exercise will keep me sharp and fresh while also bringing smiles and new insights to my countless readers (thanks to both of you)! Please enjoy my rants, raves and ramblings on faith, fatherhood and free time. I look forward to reading your comments.