Curt Seaburg.com

In the UN ... Literally

Believe it or not, I am sitting in the office of a UN official!  I made friends with him and he is super nice!  Thanks george!  On Thursday, we got to River gee by traveling 16 hours by land rover from Monrovia to the county of River Gee.  It was the bumpiest, craziest, my body feels like scrambles eggs, but we made it. 

On Friday, we started clearing the land of the brush for the Victory Base Camp.  We (CHAP) hired a number of the locals to clear the land along side us all.  We paid them a generous $3 per day.  Which is a lot of money for this community.  We then walked a portion of the property line of the 156 acres that we purchased.  The evening was a absolute joy as we sat around the table and shared WHY we came to Liberia, africa for this missions trip.  God is so good, what a team.

Today, on Saturday, we cleared the rest of the land.  These guys do not use chain saws, they use machetes.  Very impressive!  It was nothing for these men to fall 10 inch trees.  At one point, all the guys on the hillside broke out in song for over one hour.  we sang many gospel songs that they know ... what a beautiful, unforgettable experience.  52 hours away from my home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I am celebrating the community of the Body of Christ with other Christ Followers.

After we worked this morning, I had the opportunity to visit the church my Aunt Mildred built years and years ago in River Gee.  Wow, another great experience.

Tomorrow, we will go to church.  We have been told to bring our water bottles and a towel ... now THAT will be church!!!!

Much love to my beautiful wife and our four GREAT kids!!!!!!

Taboo Topics, Sacred Cows and Church Untouchables Part 1

We have a ton of young adults and young marrieds that are coming to Victory.  I think that's great, but what I am discovering when I speak to them is, they want clear direction.  They are not going to do something just because some guy behind a pulpit says, "This is what you gotta do."  They are a deeply spiritual group that have great questions, but the church is afraid to tackle them.  No wonder church is non-relevant to that age group. I grew up in a culture where most things were left untouched.  There were certain things that "you just don't talk about."  Welcome to the facbook and twitter age.  People want to know, they want to understand God's Word.  So, we're gonna tackle a couple of those TABOO TOPICS.  Tattoos, Drinking Alcohol, Lying and Halloween. 

We're tackling some tough areas that are often glossed over, or totally ignored by Christian-dom.  We can't be afraid of culture and their questions.  Do you remember when the DaVinci Code movie came out?  The church was FREAKING OUT!  Why?  I think it was because so churches and church leadership were ill-equipped to answer the tough questions that culture was asking.  We're in a post-Christian time.  People are tired of our empty words and cheesy programs.  We spend so much time trying to answer questions that nobody is askinganymore.  We're cower in our churches and close our office doors until 5PM and then we go home.  We're afraid of "Jesus in the real World."  Bottom line is, Jesus still came, still died, still rose from the dead and is STILL on the throne. 

That being said, get your books out, read blogs, study theologians and don't be afraid to tackle the tough stuff.  In future SACRED COW TIPPING series, we'll tackle things like: cremation, hex signs and horoscopes, suicide, cremation,hookup culture, etc.

I like Steve Furtick.  He pastors a church in Charlotte, NC called Elevation.  He talked about the "Churches Untouchables" in a series that you can watch. 

Bottom Line

News From Our Kids From Guetemala

I just got the latest update from our youth missions team.

Carissa Shaw, who works at the Penn-Del District Youth Office, said:

1. The travel went very well. Everyone arrived on time and the check in was surprisingly smooth.
2. The whole team is doing great! The missionaries have commented on how well they’re working together and have said they really love out team J
3. The hotel they’re staying at is very nice and Doug said the view is amazing!
4. They’re very busy doing school assemblies and have been well received. Over 1,000 children have come to Christ already!!! Praise God!

 Then, last night we got this update from their blog:

• We just left our final school for the day and what a moveof God.  The evangelist told us he has never seen so many teenagers come to Jesus in one place.   We have been ministering to mostly children, but this afternoon we had a lot of teens.  God touched many of their lives.   Many made a first time decision for Jesus today.   What a great joy we have.   We are so blessed to see what God is doing.  The team is doing very well and anticipating their last amazing dinner at the Vision Azul Hotel in Panahachal.   After two schools tomorrow, we're back to Guatemala City.  We are anxious to share our experiences and testimonies with loved ones and friends.

Praise God for the great news ... how about that ... 1000 more people in the Kingdom of God!

Stay Connected With Our Teenagers in Guatemala

Our teenagers landed in Guetemala on Saturday, and they're going to be there until next Saturday. Two things you can do:

1. 1 -  Pray for them.  (pray for protection, the favor of God, and they're hearts to swell with love and compassion for lost people.)

2. 2 -  Follow them on their blog by clicking here.  Feel free to make comments on the blog, give them words of encouragement. 

If you've never been on a missions trip (the out of the country kind) you cannot imagine how good it feels to get words of encouragement from people back home.  

My trip to Orlando at the NBA Finals

Couple weeks ago, my best buddy (everybody needs a best buddy) called me and said, "I have two tickets to Game 5 of the NBA Finals, do you want in?"  Are you kidding me??  I was on it like a fat kid on a Twinkie!  After 2nd service, I flew out of the Philly airport and into Orlando.  Got picked up and whisked off to the game.  I love the Magic, but we got crushed!  The Lakers had Dwight Howard all figured out and kept him off his game.  I flew out early Monday morning and got home at around noon on Monday, which game me some time to reflect a little.   

1. Dwight Howard couldn't do anything.  It was like they had his every move figured out and were there to pounce.
2. Dwight did the same moves over and over, come on, I was calling the move from 10 rows up! (not out-loud, mind you)
3. Dwight was lazy, out of his game, kind of looking for other people to step it up.
4. Lakers knew the Magic playbook.  Magic looked lethargic and tired.
5. No fight in the team.  No fight in individual players ... whole team was passive.

Last Sunday, we challenged the tribe that gathers that gathers to read through the New Testament by Labor Day.  This is some of the many reasons WHY we need to do this:

1. We need to shake things up a little in our devotional life.  Read the Bible, look for new insights.
2. If you're reading the Bible daily already, try reading in a different location, buy a commentary program to gain greater understanding, change it up a little.
3. "All that's necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." - BURKE
4. You better know what the Word of God says.  The devil knows.  Try applying what you are learning rather than just reading it!
5. Take responsibility for your own spiritual growth. 

I am wanting every person who commits to do this to email me so I can include your name in my summer list. 

Summer 09 Road Trip

In a couple of weeks, our family is going on a road trip to

Maine

.  This will be the first time our kids have gone to the hometown that their mom was raised.  It’s going to be awesome to be able to go back and share that experience with our kids.  They need to know the history of our heritage.

 

This past Sunday we started a brand new series at Victory called “Route 66”.  It is a summer road trip through the 66 books of the Bible.  I think it is just as important that we become acquainted or in some cases reacquainted with our roots.  It’s easy for the business of life to speed by and one day we awaken to find the years have gone by and we have neglected our heritage, our roots, you know?  I obviously do not want our congregation to forget the Lord’s Word so, this summer, we’re tossing out a challenge.

 

It is the Summer 09 New Testament Challenge.  We are encouraging everyone in our congregation to read through the New Testament by Labor Day Sunday in September.  If you will take me up on the challenge, I want to publicly announce your name!  Here’s what you need to do:

1 - Email me at cseaburg@victorychurch.ws and let me know you are in!

2 – Type me your name and town you live in!

3 – Periodically, sent me WHERE you are at in your readings.

 

I’m going to be blogging about some of the “one-liners” the Lord is teaching me so you can stay up on what’s happening in my devotional life.  Email me your little lessons you are learning as well.  Respond back on my blog, or email me at cseaburg@victorychurch.ws  This is going to be an awesome ROAD TRIP! 

 

Thanks for coming … stay on your side of the car and don’t touch the radio.

PC

Do Life With Wide-Open Eyes

JB is one of my best fiends on the planet.  I love doing life with him and his family.  I was at Dunkin Donuts this morning, getting a little bit of caffeinated inspiration with our Creative Team when I get a phone call from JB.  He shared with me a very cool story that you need to read:  We all need to live our lives this way.

 

"This morning while at the gym I was listening to a podcast from Andy Stanley entitled "Defining Moments".  Long story short, at the end of our life we will be judged for what we do or do not do while on earth.  I left for work shortly after 7:00AM because I wanted to get in a little early to get the day started.  I passed a bus stop right up the street from my house and noticed a guy who missed the bus.  He was trying to wave the bus down but the bus never stopped.  I drove right by him justifying it because of the "stuff" I needed to get done for the day.  As I turned at the stop sign I felt a nudge to turn around and offer the guy a ride.  I offered the guy a ride and ended up taking him to the train station in Lancaster.  Right before I dropped him off I asked if he attended church.  He said yes.  I asked him where and he told me Victory church in the Greenfield Industrial Park complex.  He has been attending for 4 months.  I laughed and told him that Victory is the church I attend also.  We laughed, exchanged contact info, shook hands and we went on our separate ways.

 

I'm not sure where God will lead the relationship with Michael, but I know God had a plan and purpose for us crossing paths this morning.  I encourage each of you to look for ways to think of others before yourself and seize opportunities to make someone's day by helping them when they need a helping hand.  The purpose for telling this story is not to brag or pat myself on the back, rather challenge you to move out of your comfort zone and help someone in need as God places people in your life." - JB

 

I hope this story challanges you like it challanged me..  Today, live to make hell regret you were born!  Slow down, take the time to hear God's voice and give your life away.  Watch God rock your world!

 

I Quit Tithing

There, I said it!  I man, do i feel better.  Let me tell you why I quit "tithing".  I can’t believe all the “craziness” when it comes to Christians and money!   Frankly, I don't want to be a part of it.  Bring this topic up and I have flashbacks from the movie Nemo when all the seagulls are looking at the food saying,“mine, mine, mine, mine.”  Good grief!   Here's another thing, one of the most common things I hear is “Tithing is Old Testament, it’s not New Testament living.”   I’m hearing stuff like this from seasoned Christ Followers.  I was always raised to honor God with the “TITHE” – (from the Hebrew word Masear with means “a tenth”).  To be honest, I am sick of all the controversy, so I’ve decided to quit tithing.  Instead, I’ve know determined to be an Intentional Percentage Giver (IPG)

 

Yea, intentional.  I think we need to be more “intentional” with what we have.  In an undisciplined, fast-paced, distraction laced culture, I think we need to learn to be intentional in two areas.  Intentional in our deeds and intentional in our giving.  So, may it now be known, WE ARE NOW INTENTIONAL PERCENTAGE GIVERS!   What that means is that we set a percentage aside to give to our local church.

 

How Being a “Percentage Giver” Benefits Our Family

Here’s my personal testimony, being a faithful IPG keeps me grounded and reminded about “who butters my bread” so to speak.  I believe in the vision of my home church and I trust the leadership to use that money to honor God and help people take their NEXT STEP in Jesus Christ.  Percentage giving helps me in two areas:

1 – Being an IPG, teaches me to put God first.  Deut. 14:23 (Message)

2 – Being an IPG also increases my faith in God. 

 

How Being a “Percentage Giver” Benefits our Church

One other cool thing is that being a faithful IPG, enables our church planning team to know what is coming in and how and where it can be used in the future.  Example, if we want to hire a Kids Pastor, we need to know that there is money coming in that at least points us in that direction.  Luke 14:38.  We want to trust God, but we want to use the brains God gave us too.

 

Here’s your challenge … try out being a Faithful Intentional Percentage Giver.   Hey, don’t take my word for it, TEST GOD in this for yourself … like He told us to do in Malachi 3:10.  On our website, you can test God too!  Click here  and sign-up to “test God” for 90 days.  If He doesn’t “pour out blessings from heaven on you”, we will give you back your money … 100%.  It’s bold, but either we believe this thing or not. 

 

We faithfully commit to being an Intentional Percentage Giving Family

 

 

 

Miss California

YES!!!  Finally!!!  It is so good to hear some one stand up for what they know is right.  Miss California , Carrie Prejean, was asked a question in the Miss USA pagent on April 18th.  She gave an answer.  It wasn't the answer Perz Hilton (one of the judges) wanted to hear.  The celebrity blogger asked Carrie Prejean if she thought every state should follow the recent example of Vermont, which became the fourth in the union to legalise gay marriage. 

Carre Prejean said: "In my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman.

"No offence to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised and that's how I think it should be - between a man and a woman."  Watch it here.

I'm not saying that Hilton should do what God's Word says, it would be cool if he would, but he doesn't really give a rip what God's Word says, so I can't hold him to the Scriptures.  But, c'mon, have a little class.  Name calling???  Does Perez represent all people of controversial opinion?  When you don't get your way, you rant, rave and call people names like ("Miss Californias lost becasue she is a Dumb B*****!") ... quote by Mr. Hilton.  Maybe the self-proclaimed spokesperson for the gay and lesbians of America should think before he speaks and quit whining like a school girl and call people names when he doesn't get his political way.  Grow up Perez Hilton! 

Tangent here ... but I don't understand people who call themselves "Christ Followers ... Christians" and do not live according to the standard ... God's Word.  If we're gonna call ourselves a "Christ Follower" then LET'S FOLLOW CHRIST!!!  That's exactly what Miss California did!  KUTOS!!  Let me tell you, I'm glad when people stand up for what is right!  I'm proud when people do the right thing.  My chest swells when we DO what God's Word tells us to do.  I'm freakishly crazy when people live their lives according to the Word of God!

Way to go Miss California!!!  You may not of won the competition, but all heaven is cheering for you ... and so are the rest of us!  Thank you for kindly and respectfully standing up for Godly principles!

Read all the latest posts of how people feel here.

Step Up or Sit Down

I know, I haven’t blogged in awhile … it’s tough trying to keep up with all the “techie conversation” gadgets out there.  From blogs, to facebook, to twitter – if I don’t increase my memory, I’ll be dragging like a Windows NT.

 

So, I’m listening to Matt & Meredith (news people) and hearing what they’re reporting on the Today Show.  Then, I see my people (Christ Followers) mindlessly agreeing and nodding their heads with the insanity like Stepford Wives (the Nicole Kideman remake of that 70's movie), I get concerned.  I’m thinking, have we left our brain at the door?  Why are we agreeing with this stuff?  It ticks me off.

 

I’m ticked because my president’s statment regarding stem cell research is, we should “follow science, not ideology.”  Are you kidding me?  That’s like leading a mass of people by only looking down to where you are stepping.  What does that mean?  Doesn’t he not have an ideal he is shooting for?  Doesn’t he have an ideal as to where he wants the country to go?  I know this, if you aim for nothing, you’ll hit it every time.  That kind of thinking and that kind of leading will cause you to be a person that teaches your team to REACT, not LEAD!  What is he basing his decisions on?  His statement shouldn’t surprise you, and I’ll tell you why.

 

Here’s another angle.  A Rev. Susan Brooks Thistlewaite, a United Church of Christ minister and a professor at Chicago Theological Seminary said, “There is an imperative to relive suffering and promote healing.”  WHAT????  do we keep someone around longer that has already lived a life at the expense of murder?  C'mon "Rev."  Where is that thinking coming from?  What is she basing her decisions on?  Her statement shouldn’t surprise you, and I’ll tell you why.

 

Here’s why those statements shouldn’t surprise us.  It is the natural outcome when we lose our true north.  We are losing our moral compass.  We are basing decisions on ethics, rather than basing them on the ethic imperative, the Word of God.  If we don’t wake up and stand up, we’re going to watch our country continue to decline. 

 

Here’s the deal, if we don’t have a foundation that we can go back to, we will make decisions, all day, based out of ‘what’s popular’, ‘what’s in it for me’, what’s most comfortable for me.’  We need to fight for our foundation.   Ethics, to work, need to have a FOUNDATION.  That foundation must be the TRUE FOUNDATION … the only one that ever was or ever will be, that is God’s Word.  Why not quite debating on the latest poll and start having studies to see what God’s Word says.   

 

If this keeps up, I might sail to find a

New World

somewhere.  Someone said there is a rock called

Plymouth

in

Antarctica

.   Anybody game?