Breakin’ All The Rules…

I tend to not like rules. I admit…I can get pretty rebellious, especially if I don’t like the rules.

Reading through the Gospels, I see that Jesus was a bit rebellious as well. At one point, as a kid, he stayed behind at a temple while his family headed home. Another instance is when he was invited to a Pharisee’s home, and didn’t wash his hands before he ate. The Pharisee’s got pretty pissed. Speaking of getting pissed…Jesus walked into a temple and decided to ‘rearrange’ some furniture in there, because of some certain acts that were going on.

I spoke to the kids in Epic Church last night about its what’s on the inside that counts. Its not about following the rules and regulations that makes us Christians. In Luke 11 Jesus is invited to dinner with some Pharisees. Just by reading the Bible…Pharisees seem like some Grade-A d-bags. I wasn’t there…so my assumption isn’t very accurate. But nonetheless, Jesus puts them in their place.

He accepts their invitation…sits down at the table, doesn’t say grace, doesn’t wash his hands. Just eats. Starts doin’ work on all this food. The Pharisees were immediately offended. They probably called him out on it. They probably made a scene. They probably freaked out on him. I mean, I can’t really blame them here. Things were less sanitary then. They didn’t have hand sanitizer, and this guy waltzes in and doesn’t abide by their rules. Maybe if he was asked politely…he would’ve.

I love Jesus a lot…mainly because I’m a sarcastic person…and I can sense his sarcasm when he speaks to these religious leaders.

I assume that Jesus kept his cool in the beginning of this sitchu. He told the Pharisees (and I’m paraphrasing here) that he noticed that they shine their glasses and plates so they can shine in the sun, but their insides are maggoty with greed and secret evil (that was from The Message version). He went on to state that the same one that makes the outside also makes the inside.

We separate our how we look and how we feel. We’re concerned more about impressing God than realizing he’s already impressed with us.

Back to Jesus and the d-bags…I mean Pharisees.

Jesus really lets these guys have it. He calls them frauds. He also calls them stupid, fools, and hopeless (someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed that morning). He then tells them that “They are like unmarked graves: People walk over that nice, grassy surface, never suspecting the rot and corruption that is six feet under.” Um…I don’t think he’s holding back here.

After all this…one of the Pharisees asks, “Teacher, don’t you realize that you’re insulting us?” Jesus says, “Yes, and I can be even more explicit.” Haha…I think his filter has left the building at this point. What he says next is his main point. He says, “You load people down with rules and regulations, nearly breaking their backs, but never even lift a finger to help them.”

Take a second and think about that. Think about the rules, regulations, guidelines, that you’ve been told to follow to be a Christian, to be a follower of Christ. Most new Christians, and most new Christians usually stop ‘being a Christian’ because its too much, its overwhelming. And pastors and family members usually don’t help. These new and young Christians are under the impression that they are expected to change everything that they’re doing that ‘doesn’t please God’ overnight, or right at that very second, for that matter. Change is a process. Life is a process. We have to realize that. I have to realize that. Not only in the people’s lives that I pastor, but I can’t be discouraged, when change isn’t coming in my own life as fast as I want it to.

I, also, have to remember that I can get to God through works…but not mine. CHRIST’S WORK on the cross gave me access to God! I don’t have to work for it! When he said ‘It is finished’ before his death on the cross, that meant that all the work, and following all these religious rules are done! We don’t have to jump through hoops to get to God! Just accept and receive what’s been done for us! We get to be with God because of Christ’s finished work.

No hoop jumping…no more working for God’s approval…just embracing what’s already done.

Pastor…

So…I’m about 1000% sure that my calling is to pastor young people. I was convinced of this in January 2001.

2001…seems like an eternity ago!

Although I have been a pastor for nearly two months, it still doesn’t have the ‘ring’ to it that I had hoped. When I was in Lake Charles, LA, I don’t think anyone really called me, or addressed me as ‘Pastor.’ When I was there, deep down, that’s how I really wanted to be addressed. I introduced myself like that all the time. I felt like I had made the ‘Major Leagues.’ I was 22 years old and power hungry. I went in guns-a-blazin’! Changing things left and right, and not really building relationships with the people I was brought there to pastor.

BIG MISTAKE…

I was told, before I left the LC, that most of the kids didn’t like me at all. I understand that now. It wasn’t until a lot of responsibility was removed that I built the relationships with those students. The pressure was off, in a way. I didn’t have the pressure of planning and preparing for a service, or outreaches, or sermons, or events.

When I left the LC, I had very strong relationships with most of those kids. Some of which are still on my Facebook friends list! I saw a few of them this past weekend at the Coreluv Tour in Houston, TX. It was great to see them! I hadn’t seen most of them in over a year. It was just like old times…joking, talking, enjoying each other’s company.

When I first arrived in the LC, I was convinced that pastors had these superhuman…supernatural…powers. Weird…I know. But, seeing what I saw when I was living in Lafayette, LA, convinced me of that. You know when you tell yourself something long enough, you begin to believe it. I don’t know how intentional it was, but I began to think that way. So, naturally, I thought of myself in that way in the LC.

Hence…the way people felt about me.

I learned a lot about myself when I moved to Houston. Like I’ve said before, I went there to examine myself more than anything else. When I got there, the extent of the ministry I did was really just between me and God. I had to heal. I had to learn from my mistakes. I had to take care of myself. I got a job that wasn’t in the ministry or at Starbucks. An 8-5′er is what I got. Never had one of those before. That was a weird experience to say the least. Kinda hated it. Good money, though…haha.

Anyway, now that I’m here in Forney, TX doing the job I love to do, I have taken a different approach. I have decided to, at least, learn the kids names before I give some vision, or shake things up. I’ve got a second chance to do something great! But, this time I want to do it without the superpowers…and the attitude…and the arrogance. Its been quite the process to learn this. I never thought that I was real stubborn…until a few months ago. I’m an ox….

This time around…I don’t really care how ‘Pastor Brett’ sounds.

Camp…Where My Life Was Changed

Camp time is probably the most intense time of the year for high school and junior high students. I mean, there’s competition, the excitement of meeting new people, and the best part is…God does work in our hearts and in our relationship with him. I love seeing that. I love camp. Students seeking and experiencing God everyday for a week…that’s priceless to him. Camps are the atomic bombs of the spiritual side of life.

The worst part is…they leave that experience in the altars.
some even forget that experience on the way back to the dorms or room.

The thing is…we cannot be the same after an experience with God. It doesn’t matter whether its a camp, an encounter, a Wednesday night service, or a tuesday morning prayer time. We have to refuse to be the same. That’s how I approached this camp. I refused to take shelter and let the bomb hit me straight on. A lot of counselors, or youth pastors for that matter, kinda just coast through these events.

I didn’t want to fall into that group….

As most of you know, God has been doing a lot in me when it comes to my purpose, desires, job opportunities, etc. Am I really called to be a coach? I think yes. But am I really called to coach sports? Not so sure. I think that whichever road I take, it will be a good, tough, emotional, one. God’s favor will be on me. My heart loves the 12-18 year old age bracket. I want to do what I can to help/coach them through their emotional rollercoasters (that’s what life is composed of at times).

I love sports, but I want to be accessible to students from all schools, sports, races, backgrounds, countries, neighborhoods, states, clubs, etc. Its been a confusing few months, but I think I’m seeing some clarity. I’m a pastor, a brother, and a father.

I’m grateful of the work that God did in me at this camp….

…because that’s where my life was changed.

-Brett O’Connor