3.31.2008

New Music from Brandon Grissom

If you are into original worship music, check out Brandon Grissom's new EP! It should be dropping into a record store near you (if you happen to live in Chicago)... or itunes... today.

Brandon is coming to lead worship at our May 6th End of the Year Worship NIGHT! It is going to be so awesome!

Learn more about it here:

World Wide ME: A new series at Nexus!

Are you World Wide?

This is the key question we will be exploring in our next series which kicks off tomorrow night at Nexus!

During this series we are going to be exploring that multiple personalities that we each have... we may not realize it, but so often we adjust who we are to fit into our surroundings...

When we are at church...we act like those at church...

When we are home... we act like a part of our family (not always a good part :)

When we are at school we act like our friends...

and when we engage in our culture through media, web, and music... we start to take on the traits of those we idolize...

So here is the question... which one of those personalities is really you?

Peeps: The Roasting of Chicklett (4 of 5)


Chicklet has already had a bad week, but it gets much worse when rumors about her get spread through the school. Even her good friends are drawn into the attack on her character as she is roasted over the open fire of teenaged cruelty and gossip

Peeps: Myspace is not always safe... (5 of 5)


Tired of all the disappointment that real friendships offer, Chicklett turns to myspace to make some new virtual friends. She soon finds out that not everyone tells the truth in these virtual worlds... and sometimes the truth bytes...

3.27.2008

Rethinking what missions trips are all about.

This is really not a rethinking for us... we talk about this on our mexico trip all the time...

We think that we go on trips to:

Listen to their stories...

Serve needs...

and Tell their Story...


All of this is based on building true relationships with those we visit...

3.25.2008

3.22.2008

More than meets the eye...

Have you ever thought about how we know so little about other peoples lives?

Often we judge peoples actions without really thinking about what they may be living through. I think about this almost every tuesday, because while everyone seems happy, many students have real struggles in their lives.

This video highlights what it would be like to have a parent with a major health problem... Check it out and let me know what it makes you think about?


"My Name is Lisa" is a short film about the Alzheimer's Disease, which is one of many serious and scary diseases still without a cure. Alzheimer's causes gradual memory loss. For more info, go to: www.alz.org

3.20.2008

Prayer Station: requests for you and others...


Here are some things people asked for prayer for... I have modified them slightly to protect the people who posted them... but feel free to pray for them, because God knows who your prayers are for!

For my mom who inspite of having serious back and neck pain every day, Keeps on being an incredible mom and person.

I pray for my cousins who are in the war. I pray that you would keep them safe.

To help my relative get off the drugs. It is the second time she’s been addicted, after getting out of Rehab. God please help! I love you.

(that) my mom’s cancer won’t come back.

I want to fully give my life to you. I want You to control my life. Please, Father, take control.

Lord, a friend of mine is in trouble. She isn’t married and is pregnant. I pray that she feels you grace in this time of trouble.

Please pray for my friends sister who is 17 and is pregnant. She Is due in 1 month.

My best friend’s parents are getting a divorce. Its really hard on my friend and her brothers. Please help them to get through it ok.

I want to pray for my mom. She doesn’t believe in God, won’t come to church and needs to feel God’s presence and love in her life.

I want to pray for a girl at my school. Everyone is so mean to her and I admit I am sometimes too. I hope she keeps her faith strong.

I pray for the people in other countries risking their lives to share the gospel.

Please help my fiends to realize that being bolemic is so bad for them and that I would fight the temptation also.

I want to pray for my friends that they will come to church. They think Church is dumb and I just wish they would believe in you.

Please help my father to find the Right path. Help him to pay his debts off so he can live his life once again.

My aunt has given up on Christ. It makes our whole family sad because we can’t help her.

I pray that I would be able to hold myself back with boys because I want to go further than I should

I pray that I would stop hurting myself & Pray 4 the other people on the wall! Please let it me no go too far w/boys

For my uncle that he would stop drinking and doing drugs

I pray for my friend…and his drinking problem

Pray for me that I will be able to stand firm in my walk with Christ. Pray for my friend, he just accepted Christ today. May he stay firm in his commitment.

The Cross: Confession and Struggles

Here are some highlights of what other students wrote as the interacted with the Cross station.

Lord, I feel my relationship with you is slipping away because I never focus on u but on the little gods, and because of my sin. Please help me to focus on u more. Please help our relationship to grow.

I need to confess that I sinned on the computer and that you would forgive me.

help me with my self-image. I really need your help, Lord. Please help me to make good decisions and to like myself more.

Forgive me for expecting SO little from You.

I am struggling in my grades and very much falling behind. I am really struggling with my brother who... needs help.

Dear God, I need guidance, I feel like everythings spinning out of control I’m worried about my dad's surgery, my bros smoking and other things – help

I confess: lying to my parents so much and telling them im not going to do something and then going and doing it.
. Wanting to go farther with guys then I should.
. Started thinking of going bolemic at some points.

Forgive me Lord for not turning to you during my struggles and hardships.

I am struggling with my parents divorce. It has been really tough since they got divorced... I hope you can help me get through this.

Lord, help me to keep serving you. I want to make the right decisions. Satan has no power over me.

The Throne: Praise and Thanks Highlights!

One of our stations on tuesday was the Throne. At this station we reflected on God's awesome power and control of the universe. Here is what some of our students had to say:

Thank you for your endless mercy. You are amazing and I’ve been to distracted to realize that.

Awesome God full off wonders, I worship you today and thank you for letting me be here tonight thank you for being my stronghold and refuge

Dear God, Thanks for being there for me when I need you the most and helping me get through times when I feel like there isn’t any one left that cares about me, you remind me that I’m never alone and that you love me an dthat my parents do. Thank you for that & just calming me when I feel the lowest you help me up. Just like in All in All, you fill my cup and worthy is your name. You are truly amazing I see it every day and you help remind me of whats really important, Thanks alot.

Jesus I cant thank you enough for all you have done for me. Dying on the cross was so amazing for you to do for me, I don’t know very many people who would die for everyone in the world! I love you so much and I want to show my love, I want to become closer to you. I love you SO much, and I can’t wait until I can go to heaven and throw my arms around you. I really want to become closer to you, and I hope that will happen. I want to thank you for Brandon, because without him I would not be writing this, I’ve learned and grown spirtally because of him. I bless him, thanks for my life and for everything you do. Thanks!

Thank you so much For Loving me.

Lord, Thank you for a wonderful family that will bring me to Nexus every week. They have helped me to become a spiritual 12-year-old that loves God (you). I hope to be a pastor in the upcoming years. Your Daughter,

Dear God, Thank you for all you have done for me in the past four weeks. I never thought I could read the bible everyday! I feel like a missionary lately, I’ve been teaching my musslum friend about you and I been taking by Chinese friend to church. I never relized I’d been such a brat, until I read Colosians, that chanched my life.

Dear God, I love these worship nights. They really help me to reflect on my life in a welcoming environment. I want to thank you for Nexus and Brandon. Thank you that we can come to learn about you, and thanks that we have a great pastor to teach us. You’ve helped me through everything, Lord. I’m now definitely less scared to do certain things than I was before because I know that you’re with me. I just thank you for always being there for me and helping me get through though times.

3.19.2008

Colossians Worship Night

This week at Nexus we had an awesome worship night!

As we were reflecting on all that we learned about Colossians, we had three stations that people could go to to help them reflect.

1. The Throne... One of our main passages in this series was Colossians 1:16

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

This helps us to see that all things were created by Jesus... and all things exist for Him... He is seated on the throne of the universe and is the most amazing being there is...

At the throne station students were encouraged to reflect God's greatness and to praise of thank him.


2. The Cross. God is so Great and yet he chose to die for us... The Cross is about the furtherest point in the whole universe from the throne of God....

Whereas the throne represents God's control and power, the cross represents powerlessness. Jesus because powerless to overpower the sin and guilt in our lives.

Colossians 1:21-22 says,
"Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation"


Jesus time on the cross is what has allowed us to once again have access to his love!

At this station we reflected on what things that we needed to bring to the cross... our sins... our struggles... our shame...

All of this Jesus overcame on the cross...


3. Prayer... Colossians 4:2 says,

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.


This is so important as Christians. When we pray, we stop worrying and entrust all of the struggles in our life to God. He is big enough and loves us deep enough to carry all of them.



I would love to hear about your experiences with the different elements of worship if you came!

3.18.2008

Cool Optical Illusions...



Check this out... if you stare at the middle of the image if stands still... but if you move your eyes or look somewhere else then the image appears to move!

AWESOME!


My Friend MarkO found this on neatorama, where they explain:

Neatorama reader Walt Anthony shares with us his blog, geared to educate kids about optical illusions. Walt did a good job in explaining the illusions in the post:

Anomalous Motion Optical Illusion aka Peripheral Drift Optical Illusion is characterized by anomalous motion that can be observed in peripheral vision. […]

Keep in mind that this is a static image. It is not animated in any way. but as your vision moves back and forth the center area seems to be moving toward the center (contracting) and the outer edges seem to be moving away (expanding) from the center. Also worth noting is that if you fixate on a point in the center and don’t move your eyes this anomalous motion will stop.

Happy Valentines Day Gift ideas

I love despair.com. It is one of my favorite websites and has been since I was in college. While normally I stick to their demotivator lineup, these seemed to be the perfect gift idea for our Squeaky Clean and Paparazzi lessons...

maybe next year!

Bittersweets®

For most, there is no crueler day of the calendar year than that of Valentine's Day. While a tiny fraction of the population can look forward to a holiday of wine and roses, poetry and song, the vast majority of us can anticipate a day of nausea and grimacing, trauma and grief. A day in which minutes seem like hours, and hours like days, as we reflect sorrowfully on yesteryear's romantic indignities, today's loneliness, and the unknowable but certain heartbreak that will be visited upon us repeatedly in the years to come.

When cruelty and holidays collide, the weak-willed find solace in self-pity and comfort foods. And now, Despair Inc. is pleased to announce that we've combined BOTH into a radical new offering.

Introducing Bittersweets® - The Valentine's Candy for the Rest of Us.

Like the ubiquitous candy conversation hearts, Bittersweets® are made of flavored, chalky-tasting sugar and sport a message on their face. But unlike other candy hearts, ours are stamped with bitter musings and mockeries perfectly suited to the dejected spirits of those who will spend the holiday alone, or wishing they were.

Messages recalling an almost forgotten, unbearably painful memory of being dumped. Or perhaps of a dysfunctional, psychotic ex-girlfriend or boyfriend. Or of that cruel-hearted girl (or boy) in elementary school who rejected your valentine solicitations, informing you that Jake (or Holly) was "so totally way hotter."

Now available in THREE unique collections- "Dejected", "Dysfunctional", and "Dumped"- with each featuring up to 37 unique sayings each!

3.16.2008

Jesus Shirts?


As I was reading through Colossians, I was struck by 3:12.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, CLOTHE yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

This got me thinking about what it means to "clothe" oneself in Jesus... or in Jesus Characteristics...

Things such as:
compassion,
kindness,
humility,
gentleness,
patience.

I think that it means that I have to make a concerted effort to put them on, like clothing, because they are not natural to me...

I am not good at compassion, kindness or humility... but if I follow Jesus and let him work in me, then I can grow in these areas and "put them on" like a t-shirt.

What other attributes do you think Christians should wear? What do you think we should take off?

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

3.15.2008

A new Name...

A lot of people don't realize that when they become a Christian they are given a new name.

Now in life we all have lots of names... my formal name is Brandon... but I also have had people use these other names to describe me in my life:
white, male, smart, stupid, shaggy dog, baldy, BJ, chunky, clever, jerk , *$(#&#, american, rich, student, cool, dork, nerd, strong, jock, loser, artistic, creative, messy, annoying, the squirrel, trouble maker, pastor, evangelist, sinner, hypocrit.

All of these titles have been used about me... I am sure there are more as well...

But here is the deal... when I became a Christian... all of those titles, even Brandon, became less important that my new title, "IN CHRIST." Jesus is the new title that means so much more than the rest...

"IN CHRIST" my sins are paid for, and I am restored to a right relationship with God

"IN CHRIST" I can live a new life

"IN CHRIST" I have access to God

"IN CHRIST" I have a restored meaning an purpose

"IN CHRIST" I am fully accepted and fully loved..

and

"IN CHRIST" I am not longer characterized by the good or bad labels about me...

Colossians says it this way,
3:11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."


I love that verse because it means that we are no longer a bunch of different groups, but one new group... the "IN CHRIST" group.... which welcomes everyone!

In Galatians, Paul goes even further:
Gal 3:26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.


So here is the point... you have been given a new name.... it is more important than any other label you wear... even the name your parents gave you...

Why? Because this new name "in Christ" is the name that means you are God's special beloved child!

Worship Nite: GET READY!!!

Hey friends... this tuesday we will be responding to what God has done in our lives through the book of Colossians...

Take a look at the preparation guide in this post and come tuesday, ready to share with our nexus community what God is doing in your life!

Expelled... the movie... Check it out!

3.13.2008

NAME brand clothes... (Jesus and the little Gods #4)

God's name and his reputation go hand in hand.

When you hear a persons name, it immediately brings to mind that persons reputation if you know them. For example if I say Mother Teresa and Britney Spears, both names would bring to mind a strong impression based on the life that each lived.

In the same way God's name is deeply tied with his reputation.

The ancient Israelites thought his Name and reputation were so amazing, that instead of actually saying his name, they would say the word "Name"

NAME sounds like SHEM in Hebrew.

If an ancient Israelite was reading the bible, they would replace the different names for God with the word shem while they read along...

IT was so important to them that God's name be treated with the respect it deserved.

Today things are different.

We are no longer afraid to say God's name, and we often do not think about how we are saying it, or what it means.

It is important that we realize that this is not good.

Paul taught in Colossians 3 that:
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

As Christians we no longer live to create a name for ourselves, but to spread the reputation and name of God. We are his name bearers to the world. Almost like we are wearing a Jesus shirt... or NAME brand clothes

Here is the problem: Whatever people see us do while we are Christians, they assume that must be how God is too.

Our actions get attributed to him...

so when I sin, or lie, or steal, or am just mean... people think that God must be like that too. So be careful how you wear the name!

Has your life helped people to better understand who Jesus is?

3.11.2008

are you more in love with the blessings or the BLESSER?

My friend Nick posted this on his blog. And I wanted to share because it really made me pause and think...

What do you think about it?

3.09.2008

Half: Full or Empty? Of What!??

Half full or Half Empty really is the wrong question...

The right question is this... partially full or what?

If it is part full of Garbage... then it is bad... it doesn't matter if the glass is half full or half empty... what matters is that half of the glass has garbage in it...

In the same way, if the glass has poison in it... partially full or empty is not nearly as important as the substance present in the glass.

No on the other hand, if it is the right thing however... then the amount does matter.

If I am dying of thirst and there is some clean water in the glass... I want it to be fully full. Even half full would be better than nothing.

In the same way, our lives often get a bunch of stuff dumped in them... some good... some bad...

What is amazing is the Jesus wants to fill us up completely... not half full... or half empty... he wants to make us Fully Full. Plus he wants to fill us fully full with him. HIS LOVE, and Power, and Grace, and Acceptance.... GOD WANTS TO FILL US FULLY FULL with the best "stuff" in the entire universe.... himself!

Jesus desire is that the very infinite completeness that is in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, would be in us.

In Jesus all the fullness of Deity Dwells... in in Jesus we can have this fullness too if we let God fill us up so much that all the garbage gets washed out.

3.08.2008

The Evolution of Brandon Brown? (and so what?)

I think that we often do not think enough about the universe... and particularly how incredible it is.

People often say that they believe in evolution because the science of it is incontrovertible. ... I am not sure what they mean by this.

According to science anything that cannot be proven by observation and extensive experimentation, is not a scientific absolute... it is merely a possibility.

We call these scientifically plausible possibilities Theories...

I am just not sure what it means to "believe" in a theory... That sounds sorta like faith to me. I mean if it was a proven fact, it would not be a theory and then no faith would be necessary...

SO... when I hear people talking about believing in the THEORY of evolution I am often confused... but I already said that....

What confuses me even more is when they say, usually trying to sound very intelligent, that they do not believe in God because they believe in evolution... and they are far to scientifically minded to believe in an unprovable myth such as God...

They further argue... that a bunch of philosophers or theologians created God because they are trying to explain all the things in the universe that they cannot understand... so because these religious people are too "weak" to deal with the reality of a Cold Evolving universe... they have chosen to believe in a Creator God instead...

SO now my head is spinning... When the scientists guess what must have happened an indeterminable number of millions of years ago and then baptize this unproven non-scientifically verifiable theory as the only logical choice for an educated person... that just sounds life faith to me...

it sounds like religion...

They must want to believe its true because are too "weak" to deal with the reality of a universe that they cannot understand scientifically because it is simply to large for science alone to grasp.

Maybe they make fun of everybody else because they are trying to convince themselves they are right.

I think that God created the universe. That is my FAITH assumption or Theory. I have been testing this my whole life... and the series of experiments that are my life keep verifying that my theory is right.

I cannot prove this with science... but science has never, disproven it... because it can't. Personally I think evolution would actually make me believe in God even more.

Who else but God would be able to create such an intricate system of planets and stars and life but God.

Who else would be smart enough to set a course of action in place that would take millions of years to reach its fulfillment.

The theory of evolution demands an Intellectual God capable of keeping track of the advancement of all things.


Maybe God Spoke and the there was a big Bang as he created all things....

that sounds almost like what the Bible says...

Colossians 1:16 For in [Jesus Christ] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,... all things have been created through him and for him.


So here is my thought... if you are going to set the course of your life on religious faith: GOD or Evolution... why not choose the one who made everything.... after all...
Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,

3.07.2008

What are idols?

Everyone worships something. In the Ancient days people used to make idols out of wood and stone and metal. They would select a tree and then cut it into pieces. From the pieces they would burn some to heat their house and make their food, and then use the rest to carve into an idol. Isaiah was a prophet of God who lived around this time. God sent him to tell people to stop making idols. He said,

Isaiah 44:16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
over it he prepares his meal,
he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
"Ah! I am warm; I see the fire."
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.
He prays to it and says,
"Save me! You are my god!"


Isaiah though this was so stupid, and so did God.

19 No one stops to think,
no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,
"Half of it I used for fuel;
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a [idol] from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?"


Because the ancients wanted to be able to control their gods and make the gods do things for them, they made their gods small enough to carry around with them. They wanted to be able to manipulate their gods and make them do the things the people wanted.

Today, we do this as well in a few ways.

One way that we make idols is by creating celebrities that we can worship. You might not call it worship, but what else can it be. People lined up for hours just to see them. Girls and Boys obsessing over them and trying to be just like them. Screaming for them in ways that we would never think to scream for the real God (through maybe we should!). We worship them because they are so glamorous and cool, and we hope that by worshipping them we can maybe touch it in some way. God in Heaven feel to far away, so we created celebrities that are a little lower than the angels, and almost within reach. The problem though is that they are often famous for all the wrong reasons and have nothing truly important to say.

Another way we create idols is by the way we treat God. We grab ahold of a few verse about him, or a few ideas about him and then think we can control him to get what we want. We make him smaller than he really is so we can get a handle on him and control him. We want to make him perform for us in such a way that our lives are blessed in all the ways we want them to be.
So we call our god Jesus, or Father... but sometimes we really are worshipping a glorified reflection of Santa Clause who grants our wishes if we are "not naughty, but nice."

Jesus so much more famous than our little celebrities, and so much bigger than our little Fat bearded Santa-God. Jesus sits above the circle of the earth and knows everything, sees everything, and loves everyone. In the midst of all of this idol worship, Jesus is often seen as a forgotten relic of a dead religion. Though he is and always will be God, we see him as small, powerless, and plastic. We treat him as a good luck charm at best, and imaginary more often. But even in the midst of the lessor gods, Jesus remains both real and awesome. This universe exists for him and was created by him.

So you choose: Who will you worship? A god you made... or the GOD who made everything?

3.06.2008

Cool Video about Life in on our little planet.

Check it out!

The Problem with Being "Mostly Dead"

A lot of Christians are mostly dead.

This is a really big problem because in order to be full in Jesus they have to die the rest of the way first. The old life has to go so they can start their new life... So if they don’t want to die, then they are going to need help, and it is not going to be pretty!


In Jesus all the fullness of Diety dwells in Bodily form, and in Jesus we are given all of this fullness. While those around us try to fill themselves up with everything that the world offers, for the Christ follower we are given ultimate fullness from God himself. This is not a quick fix, or easy, but it is true. When Jesus died, he took our sins with him, and in exchange he offers us his God-ness. It is a rags to riches story for which the world has never seen and equal.


But... to have this fullness we have to die to our old way of life. We cannot add Jesus to whatever we were already doing. To gain Christ, the old dies and we are reborn in a renewed image of him... It cost me everything that I have, in exchange for everything that he is.


Some have tried to have both, but they end up not being satisfied with either. It is a lot like falling on a barbwire fence with one leg on each side... it hurts no matter who you are...

But for the foolish few who choose Jesus, the world will never look the same again. They are now awake to something bigger than themselves, and Christ himself works powerfully within them to remake them into the people they were always supposed to be....