Chris Alford Update

As of early Tuesday morning, Chris Alford has been moved from ICU to a regular hospital room as his blood pressure has returned to normal levels.  He is in stable condition and is expected to be out of the hospital in a couple of days!!!  The doctors are still running tests but are still not sure what caused the elevated blood pressure.  Some of his major organs, including his heart, were damaged but should heal over time.  The Alford family is requesting prayer for the swift recovery of Chris and wisdom for the doctors who are treating him.  

Teens and Sexting

Have you heard of the latest teen fad called sexting (click on the title above to link to a news story of the latest episode)? I am just wondering, what is it in our culture and our society that drives teenage girls to send nude pictures of themselves to boys? I am not just trying to be edgy here, I am trying to understand this. Young ladies and men practicing exhibitionist behavior is not a new thing, but it used to be reserved for only a very small element of society. Now, however, this perverted practice is becoming commonplace in our local high schools and I am just trying to get in the head of a teenage girl who sends nude pics of herself to her boyfriend and others. I understand the technology side of it, that it is much easier to take a nude picture of yourself and send it to someone as opposed to 'getting naked' in front of them, just as it is easier for me to handle confrontation via email as opposed to handling it face to face (which is always a bad choice, by the way). But I still can't connect all of the dots . . . there has to be a major esteem issue involved in all of this. I realize that sexting definitely generates all kinds of attention from a bunch of hormone laced guys, but all of this attention is purely sex-based and totally degrading. So are these teens so starved for genuine affection that even degrading attention feels good?

As the father of 3 daughters, I try to keep my fingers on the pulse of society and how it is relating to girls in particular. In that pursuit, I recently read a book entitled Prude - How the Sex-Obsessed Culture Damages Girls (and America, Too!). It is written by an Ivy League attorney and columnist, Carol Platt Liebau. In this book she very shrewdly dissects our current culture and the incredible sexual pressure it puts on one of our most vulnerable possessions, our teenage girls. The book jacket says it all when it states, Over the last decade, a new female imperative - that sexiness trumps intelligence and character at even the highest levels of influence and power - has emerged, undermining girls' sense of worth in their formative years and glorifying behavior that is destructive to their future health, happiness and self-respect. Can you say Sarah Palin??? How much did we hear about how sexy she was versus what her policies were, even though she is a sitting governor??

My favorite quote from Liebau's book was the following: "So called sexual freedom is really just proclaiming oneself available for free, and therefore without value. To 'choose' such freedom is tantamount to saying that one is worth nothing." Which brings us back to our teenage girls who are sexting their boyfriends. They have bought into this lie, but haven't dealt with the logical conclusion that their behavior communicates to others that they are worth nothing . . . or maybe they believe about themselves on the front end anyway and that is why they do it? I don't know . . . but I would like to understand because the church has to counter attack this malicious frontal assault on our teenagers. Ideas anyone . . .
Todd Carnes

Prayer for the Alfords

Chris Alford, a Radius church planter, has been unexpectedly hospitalized with extremely high blood pressure.  While there have been no visible complications, the doctors are working to figure out the cause of his condition.  Kristina, Chris's wife, is requesting prayer for Chris and wisdom for the doctors that are treating him. Also, pray for strength for Kristina and sons Connor and Cayden. 

In early 2007, the Alfords were sent to the Tennessee to plant a Radius church.  Prior to that, Chris served on staff with Radius Columbia.  

Who cares what you are not?

I have run into this time and time again, churches seeking to define themselves more by what they are not than by what they are. It makes them guilty of the very thing they are running away from, Christians who talk more about what they don't do than what they do. Craig Groeshel addressed this in his blog today and he hit the nail on the head, so I have pasted his blog below for you. Follow the link below (the link is embedded into the title below) and subscribe to his blog. It is one of only 2 that I subscribe to and it is always on target.
Todd Carnes

Who Cares What You’re Not? Posted: 06 Jan 2009 04:36 AM CST While traveling, I listened to podcasts from three of the most well respected pastors in the U.S. All three started by explaining what their church was not. I’ll paraphrase what they said. Pastor One: “We never water down our message. We don’t preach a seeker sensitive message.” Pastor Two: “How many of you have been to boring, dead, traditional churches? Churches like that shouldn’t even exist! I’ve got some news for you! We’re not your grandma’s church!” Pastor Three: “We don’t preach topical-feel-good, entertainment sermons at this church. Most churches are into tickling ears and making people feel good about themselves, but that’s not us!” My Rant: I’m thrilled you are passionate about your style of teaching and church! It is very likely a true reflection of your gifts and calling. I pray God blesses your church in every way. But don’t build your church on what you’re not! If you do, you’re training the people at your church to believe your way is best and everyone else’s is inferior. Who cares what you’re not?! Be who you are without making others look like they are less.

Valkyrie and The Cost of Discipleship

Anyone seen the film Valkyrie? I plan to see it as soon as I can make space in my schedule. I am intrigued with the film and the historical story behind it. As a pastor, I often reference the evil in our world and Nazism is an easy target for this. But this story reminds us that even in the midst of that horrendous evil in Nazi Germany, there were some men of honor, valor and courage. There were hundreds of men who banded together and felt a real responsibility to the Jews and others they didn't even know. They risked their own lives, and the lives of their wives and children to try and kill Hitler in order to save the lives of a bunch of strangers. I love bumping up against that hard truth because it presses me to ask the question of myself, "Would you step up and do something in that scenario or would you just let those others suffer and console yourself by saying there is nothing you can really do about it anyway?" I think we bypass so much good we could do in life by excusing ourselves under the false premise that it is not our responsibility. But if we are followers of Jesus and His ultimate plan is to redeem this planet from evil, then we must engage in every instance where we are given the opportunity to overcome evil.

I was reminded of all of this today because I became a fan of Dietrich Bonhoeffer on facebook, for whatever that is worth? But if you know anything about this man, you could never deny becoming a fan of his in any fashion. Dietrich was the real deal. As a highly educated theologian and leader of the confessing church in pre-world war II Germany, he had the opportunity to leave Germany and teach at an American University and thus guarantee his freedom and his life. But he CHOSE to return to Germany as anti-semitism and christian persecution was gaining strength. He considered it his duty to go and suffer with his fellow believers, as protecting himself was just not an option. As he returned he did all he could to smuggle jews out of the country and resist the Nazi propoganda. These activities eventually landed him in concentration camps, where he was brutally beaten and eventually hanged with a piano wire just three weeks before the Soviets liberated his concentration camp. This type of violent hanging was given to him because he was linked to operation Valkyrie, the attempt on Hitler's life. This man's life screams out to me that there are some things worth living for and there are some things worth dying for. If you really want to be challenged in your Christian life, read his classic book, The Cost of Discipleship. The opening line simply says, "Cheap grace is the mortal enemy of our church. Our struggle today is for costly grace." Then Bonhoeffer (pictured here) gets more direct . . .

So check it out, both the movie and the life and writings of Bonhoeffer, they will get your mind focused on eternal things . .
Todd

Building Community

There are so many ways to serve. All we need to do is open our eyes and hearts and God will provide.

We recently were given an opportunity to help an elderly couple in West Columbia. Roosevelt Glauston suffered through some strokes in the past few years which has weakened him and made it difficult for him to navigate steps. He has an electric wheelchair he can use once he is out of the house but it has been kept in the shed because there is no way for them to get it up the 4 steps that lead into their home.

We were introduced to the Glauston's and given an opportunity to help them and we ran with it. Pictured here are members of Radius who came to help Willimena (Pictured) and Roosevelt. We built the wheelchair ramp, repaired some siding and fixed their carport (Well done Nick!). (Professional photography and nail gunner was Steve Jewell - Wayne's brother. Thanks Steve!)

It was a blessing to touch their lives by just offering a hand. Keep your eyes and hearts open and help with the next Building Community Project.

Getting Connected

In January of 2009 Radius will be starting a handful of new small groups. There are currently men's, woman's and inter generational groups already meeting but in the new year we will expand these groups in a way that will allow everyone to get involved.

As we work to build community in a world whic operates across miles of landscape on a daily basis these small groups can close that gap. As we long for relationships that go deep below the surface we are called to take risks among men and women we trust and who truly have our backs. As we strive to grow spiritually and overcome the parts of the world that try to master us your small group can help with the accountability you need to keep moving forward.

God did not design us to walk alone. Get connected in 2009.