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Introduction To The House of Carr
Introduction To The House of Carr

I Am Jesus

No, I'm not José Luis De Jesús Miranda, but there was this one time I was Jesus. Yesterday the Enquirer posted an article about men who play Jesus in local Passion plays. They also published an article about the training that goes into such a role. It brought back memories of four years ago when I was Jesus in Christ's Church at Mason's Easter play. I sorta fell into the role. They were already a month into rehearsals when the guy playing Jesus dropped out. Dave, the music minister, knew I could act a little and asked if I could fill in. I figured I might as well give it a shot. I mean, what would Jesus do?

But it took a lot more work than I bargained for. I took over the role at the end of January, leaving me about twelve weeks to get ready. First, I started to grow a beard. I had never grown a full beard before, nor will I likely do it ever again; it was annoyingly itchy. Grizzly Adams I am not. I then proceeded to get in shape. I wasn't in horrible shape, but I didn't want people to see Jesus on the cross and ask, "is our Lord a tad pudgy this year?" So I had to tone up.

I hate working out, so my routine consisted of running and playing sports. I also altered my diet to help out the process. In addition to abandoning all sweets, I decided I'd try to keep a kosher diet [again, it's what Jesus would've done]. The "no crustacean" part wasn't a bother since I never eat it anyway, but cutting out pig from my diet was rough. For some reason it felt like everywhere we went during that time had bacon cooking. One time I ordered a salad for lunch and it was covered with bacon pieces; I picked all of them off. It was a sad, but I stuck with it throughout the duration. All I can remember is that after that last show, we headed to the local steak place where I ordered a huge plate of cheese fries. I asked for extra bacon.

Also, they insisted that I had darker skin. I wasn't about to go to a tanning salon, so I had to use that fake tan stuff. It absolutely sucked. It had a certain stench to it. And it got all over my clothes. Plus, you can never get a consistent coat with that stuff so I had to romp around town with a streaky orange hue. What really peeved me off is that for the performances they caked make-up on me to make me even darker. Still not sure why I had to fake, fake bake it.

Obviously, getting into character was difficult, but the most strenuous part was the cross scene. The elevated stage left me some 25 feet above ground level. I was tied to the cross and held on to nails that fit around my hands; there was an angled foot stand that allowed me to support my weight. There was a moment, when the soldiers lowered the cross into the hole, that the cross leaned forward, giving the sensation that you would fall forward. It took numerous rehearsals in order for me to get used to it.

And then there was the strain on my arms. For the cross scene I was up there almost 25 minutes. Even though my arms weren't holding me up, it was painful to hold them up. Every night was an ordeal. But that part of the experience is the most memorable to me. It really helped me appreciate what Jesus really went through on the cross. I was in pain just acting like I was crucified. The act of crucifixion was meant to be excruciating as well as humiliating. And Jesus endured it for us. It's unbelievable. My Jesus experience challenged me to reevaluate the way I sometimes flippantly thought about and spoke of His sacrifice on the cross.

I wasn't worthy. But none of us are. And that's the lesson I took away from that role. That's why Jesus is the most amazing figure in world history. And hat's why my life is consumed with following Him and teaching others to do the same.

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Invisible Children Screening

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In 2003 three guys at a Christian college in California went on a trip to Uganda, an African nation in the midst of a civil war. They took along some video equipment looking to record their trip. While there, they discovered that Ugandan children were being abducted in the middle of the night and forced to fight in the resistance army. The only way the kids could stay safe was to walk over two miles every night in order to sleep in a safe village. The guys were convicted enough that they wanted to expose the plight of these kids to the American public. The result was an independent documentary called Invisible Children.

I became exposed to this film a couple of years ago when a young lady in our college ministry exposed us to it; she actually went to Biola University with these guys. Since then, Invisible Children has spread virally and has made a huge impact in Uganda. While much has been done, there's much more to do.

Echo is hosting a team from the Invisible Children organization this Thursday night at 7pm at the Walnut Hills Christian Church to screen the film and explain their ministry. You could help us out by 1) attending or 2) encouraging anyone you know that would be interested to come. There is no charge for the event. Just come and see how you can make a difference from across the globe.

For more information check out the Echo website as well as the Invisible Children site.

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Was That Your Auntie?

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Killed a bug tonight. Killed it real good.

Normally I wouldn't boast about killing a bug. It is one of my assigned family responsibilities. We had a slew of bugs at our previous house so, whenever Kelly spotted one, I knew I needed to transition to Terminator mode.

We haven't had too many bugs here but about three weeks ago a cricket started to chirp in the basement. At first, I think we thought it was cute: a little bit of a country feel in the big city. We were out of town last week, so we were sorta hoping that he'd die or get laryngitis or something (I said "he" because only male crickets can chirp). But when we returned home, that bugger was still chirping for love in all the wrong places. And the tiled floor downstairs made it all the louder. It wasn't so cute anymore.

He was well hidden, maneuvering between our laundry room and under the refrigerator. I've spent a couple of minutes the past few nights searching him out to no avail. But after watching 24 tonight and seeing how nice guy Rick[y] Schroeder went into hardcore interrogation mode, I knew I had to catch the cricket.

Usually getting close to the cricket causes him to shut-up, but tonight he kept at it. I discovered that he was hiding underneath the drywall between the laundry room and kitchen. Clever boy, but not clever enough. I won't go any further into the details, suffice to say, the bug is no more. Victory is mine.

He was a worthy adversary.

Bob And Me

So this past week I was at a camp in southeastern Indiana for a minsters retreat. It was a little more than a camp, as it was the Country Lake Retreat Center- a first class facility. And it was a little more than a ministers retreat as it featured some exclusive mentoring time with Bob Russell. Bob recently retired as minister at the Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, a congregation with a weekly attendance of almost 20,000 people. More impressive than that staggering number is the way that Bob led the church towards such extraordinary growth. While many churches today are able to grow large with flashy multimedia or various programming, Southeast grew because of solid Biblical preaching. They're still rather traditional in their methodology, but God definitely blessed their efforts. I believe it was due to the humility and holy approach that Bob brought into that pulpit.

Their were only eight of us there this week, all of us church planters. This gave us incredible opportunities for personal interaction with Bob, a chance to see sides of him that few get to witness. The staff assisting with the retreat were amazing; first class in every aspect. And everything was paid for- food, housing, and recreation- because of the generosity of a man in California. We talked about leadership and had the opportunity to take behind the scenes tours Churchill Downs and the Louisville Slugger factory [at the bat museum, we were guided by the CEO and grandson of LS's founder, Jack Hillerich]. One night we ate at one of the swankiest restaurants in Louisville. Best steak I've ever eaten.

One of the surprising blessings of the retreat was the camaraderie that developed between us ministers. I had the chance to meet some guys from all over the country in all kinds of situations. Despite the differences in our backgrounds we had a great time of interacting, both joking around and encouraging each other. I know I'll keep in touch with these guys, looking forward to how God will work in their ministries.

I certainly had a great week of introspection. More than ever, I feel confident that Echo was what God needed from us. I'm actually reenergized and ready to get back to the work of our church.

It was very, very good.

Predictive Prophecy

I've pretty much decided that this week was shot so I'm settling in to watch some March Madness. So far, the brackets are in tact. But to tip my cards, I have Xavier beating the Buckeyes tomorrow night. I think OSU is suspect. Anyway, I glanced up at the TV to watch a commercial for the Major League Baseball 2K7 video game. It shows these in-game pictures of players like Derek Jeter and Dontrell Willis. I guess it's pretty cool; this is why I don't play video games.

But something else caught my eye.

The unstoppable power of my DVR allowed me to rewind and study the end of the commercial in slow motion. They were showing a team winning either the pennant or the World Series. And who was that team? The Cincinnati Reds.

Not sure if this is a good sign or the Madden jinx.

Back To Reality

The silence is broken. I'm back. I was out of town this week and have quite a few stories to tell. Perhaps one or two of you was curious as to why there were no posts this week. I'm just not one of those people who like to blog about their upcoming trips. Posting that kind of info on the web seems a little foolish. If I had written that Kelly and I would be out of town for a few days, what's to keep one of you from breaking into our house? You can't be trusted.

So we're back and I'll soon fill you in on our whereabouts.

And I have a gun so stay away from my house, robbers.

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Where Are You From?

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Cincinnati. And I mean it. I spent a portion of my days in the suburbs north of 275 along I-75. For years it was nothing but farmland, but now its pure suburbia.

Saw some interesting things. Drove past a plot of land destined to be the sight of a Bible church bordered by a Sikh temple and a Kingdom Hall on either side. Also saw a deer stand in the middle of a brand new subdivision.

Anyway, as this area continues to grow there's continued speculation that Cincinnati/Dayton will become a huge mega-region like Dallas/Fort Worth. This would make it the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country. But ask the people in the area where they live and you get a pretty consistent answer: Cincinnati.

I continually find this interesting in the midst of continual Cincy bashing. Everyone wants the benefits that accompany an urban metropolis but they don't want to acknowledge why it even exists. Take away the city of Cincinnati and suburbs like West Chester, Mason, and Florence don't exist.

All I'm asking is that if you're going to drink the cow's milk, at least feed it some grass.

Or some rural proverb like that.

Maybe it has to be your bull.

About Basketball

I really think this year's NCAA tourney is wide open. After glancing at the brackets, I'm thinking about picking some serious upsets. As of 11:50 on Sunday night, I like Georgetown. For us UC fans, the most disturbing news was Syracuse not making the tournament. With a 10-6 record in the Big East, what more can you ask for? Apparently, only the ACC is capable of getting love from the selection committee. They got the most bids of any conference when this was a weak year from them. The Bearcats got screwed last year because the Big East was too deep. Maybe, in retrospect, the Big East jump wasn't the best idea.

Either way, this will be an awesome tournament. Make your picks.

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Ain't Even Done With The Night

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A story: So tonight my teaching was entitled, "Pocket Change." I taught from Matthew 22, touching on the issue of paying taxes to Caesar and the previous parable about the wedding banquet. While the question was about pocket change, the parable encouraged people to make an full transformation for God, not limiting our discipleship to changing mere pockets of our lives. See, what I did there? I used it as a double-entendre.

Sidenote: I'm so proud of myself for using the the term "double-entendre." Kelly had to help me with the spelling, though.

Anyway, during my introduction, I had people empty their pockets. I wanted to get people thinking about pockets. I then proceeded to talk about the evolution of the pocket, how it was used to hold valuables. Then I made the transition into the sermon. I swear, it was quite witty. You should've been there. We'll have the mp3 up soon on iTunes.

Why do I tell you all this? Well, about 15 minutes into my message the batteries in my wireless headset died. I asked The Dale at the soundboard if we had any more batteries. Inexplicably, we had none. It just so happened that Everett Brewer, a local minister who's known me most of my life, visited church tonight. He asked if the mic took double-A batteries. It does. He just so happened to have two of them with him . . . in his pocket. I swear, it was like we planned it.

All this to say that I had a great night. There are so many things that have happened with Echo that aren't at all planned, but are purely providential. Sure this little battery thing isn't much at all, but I think it's indicative of how things have unfolded throughout this process.

God is to move in our church. He's bringing us people who are continually trying to figure out their faith. We're a community hungry for more. And we're just getting warmed up.

How Sad Is It . . .

. . . that Xavier, Wright State, Miami, Eastern Kentucky, Ohio State, Indiana, and Kentucky will all make the NCAA tournament and UC is looking forward to next year? I'll be leaving town for a few days which means I'll have to push out my brackets Sunday night. Without knowing how things will set up, my Final Four is North Carolina, Wisconsin, UCLA, and Georgetown.

Subject to change, of course . . .

Why I Smiled Today

  • My wife looks great with her new haircut. I never knew how much someone else's hair would affect my life.
  • My daughter is amazingly cute. I think she wakes up every morning convinced to babble incoherent phrases that I find absolutely adorable.
  • I figured out the angle I want to take with my message this Sunday. I usually spend the first part of the week researching the text and pull it all together thematically by the end of the week. I've recently noticed that my best message ideas usually come to me while I'm in the shower [sometime between "rinse" and "repeat"]. Wonder if my laptop is waterproof . . .
  • The sun was shinning. The weather was gorgeous. And the weatherman says next week will be even better. I'm stoked for spring. And for the extra hour with the early time change is most welcome.
  • I had the chance to drive around with Aaron Burgess today. While I can't really repeat anything we talk about, but it can be rather funny. Maybe he'll start a blog again soon.
  • Had lunch with some people who are wanting to plant a church in Over-The-Rhine. The neighborhood could really use a new Bible-believing church.
  • Talked to Jade Kendall with Hope Inner City. They want to start numerous churches in impoverished urban areas here in Cincinnati. Jade and his wife Kim are rehabbing a church in Lower Price Hill, ready for their first child due in April. These people are amazing.

Still smiling.

Ten Years Later

When my dad had his workshop in our basement, I was always enamored with a metal sign he had that simply stated:

Flood Level Jan 26, 1937 79.9 feet

The '37 flood is the biggest flood of the Ohio River on record since, well, I'm guessing Noah built his boat. It's rumored that the flood level was actually higher but the statistic was manipulated because there were insurance companies that would have had to pay out if the level reached eighty feet or higher. Not only was the flood cataclysmic, it took place in the middle of winter and freezing temperatures. Here's what it looked like:

With the advent of dams along the Ohio, I never thought my eyes would witness this kind of disaster. But ten years ago the river flooded again; it was an incredible display of how a little extra precipitation can do a lot of damage.

I was in college and I monitored how news outlets said we were in for some flooding. In early March of 1997 I began to make almost daily trips down to the river to see the waters rise. I had never seen anything like this. It was eerie to walk across the Suspension Bridge and see the river just a few feet underneath. I watched a guy in a kayak maneuvering through the parking lots underneath Riverfront Stadium. The river was almost double its normal width. Here's what it looked like then:

I still think the craziest scene was Dayton and Bellevue, Kentucky. Dayton had built a floodwall while Bellevue didn't. Here was the result:

The river crested at a little over 64 feet, well short of 1937's record, but still devastating. The city of Falmouth in Kentucky was virtually wiped out. I worked for my dad's company throughout college and we ended up working on some houses upriver in New Richmond that were completely flooded. It was a generational flood. Not sure I'll see it like that ever again.

Living in a river town, you always have to respect the river. And this city surely does.

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House Cleaning

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Quick hits:

  • No Tuesday's With Kaelyn video this week [again]. Between all of us being ill the past few weeks, we've wrapped up filming for now. I'm thinking it'll be at least another week before I try again. Fortunately, my new digital camera takes camcorder quality recording, so production quality/diversity should increase throughout the spring and summer
  • If you're interested in what we're doing at Echo, be sure to check out our podcasts. This link takes you to iTunes where you can download the mp3. I find it interesting that, among the people who download our podcast, this is what else they listen to:

-Willow Creek in Chicago: Bill Hybles and me = peas and carrots. -Catalyst Conference: for young, hip Jesus people. -Imago Dei Church in Oregon: Rick McKinley can throw down. -Mars Hill Church in Seattle: Driscoll rocks.

-And finally, people who download Echo messages also download Strong Bad Emails. Who is Strong Bad, you ask? You must find out. Click here.

  • Speaking of Echo, you can check out the slide backgrounds I make for our Powerpoint here.
  • Today Kaelyn and I watched some Sesame Street for the first time. I better watch how addicted she gets to that show. Elmo makes me want to punch a wall.

That's all.

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A Bone To Pick

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After an evening of church, when we return home to decompress, I usually enjoy a lighter viewing fare. So last night we chose to watch The Amazing Race instead of The Discovery Channel's controversial Jesus Tomb. But I did record it. And I carved out some time today to watch it. Sidebar: I must again affirm that DVR is a wonderful thing. I know, it performs the same task as VCR's did for years, but it makes the process ten times easier.

Like I noted last week, I'm not too concerned about this contrived Jesus tomb issue, but I thought I'd at least note a few items that I took away from the television presentation.

1) The Lost Tomb program featured Canadian filmmaker/scholar Simcha Jacobovici. He hosts a show that I like to watch on the History International Channel called The Naked Archaeologist. In case you're wondering, the show is about Israeli archaeology and not Simcha's nakedness. Even though I suspect Jocaobovici is Jewish, he is usually very supportive of the New Testament story. That's why his participation in this documentary surprised me a little. But, then again, he is Canadian, so can he really be trusted?

2) The involvement of James Tabor, author of The Jesus Dynasty, and the dependence upon the Gnostic gospels as proof for the tomb claim should be an obvious warning sign. What the producers of this film did was tie together a bunch of conspiracy theories to see if at least some of the accusations would stick. As it is, no reputable archaeologist or scholar will attach his/her name to the Tomb theory.

3) Of all the authorities noted, there was a little blurb at the beginning of the documentary that I found noteworthy. Noted scholar John Dominic Crossan made the statement that even if the bones of Jesus were discovered, it would not affect his faith. Crossan believes that Christianity isn't dependent on the resurrection of Jesus to be a viable faith.

This is a position that many liberal scholars try to take, yet it is a poor position to stake out. They think that they are doing Christians a favor by reinterpreting what it means to follow Jesus but, in reality, they dilute their faith. The resurrection is indicative of our ability to have life after death. The apostle Paul explained this in 1 Corinthians 15:16-19:

"For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."

Our faith hinges on the resurrection of Jesus. To deny this is to deny Scripture and a few thousand years of church history/tradition. That's why this claimed discovery is a direct affront to the Christian faith. Fortunately, there's not much to the Lost Tomb.

So feel free to go on with your lives now.

Madness

I missed the Duke/UNC game yesterday but apparently the most interesting play occurred with under a minute remaining. When Tar Heel Tyler Hansbrough missed his free throw, he pulled down a rebound and went back up for a shot. Dukie Gerald Henderson decided it was time to deliver the forearm shiver to Hansbrough's nose, leaving it a bloody mess. Even more disturbing than the carnage was the comment by CBS's Billy Packer, known for his astute analysis [sarcasm implied], immediately absolving Henderson from any responsibility. Despite hundreds of replays, a few showing Henderson packing a sawed-off shotgun, Packer insisted the hit wasn't intentional.

If you haven't seen it, check it out here. Was Billy's monitor showing the same game? While Henderson was ejected and will miss at least one ACC tourney game, perhaps CBS should consider having Packer take a break from broadcasting a few games. At the very least, a trip to the optometrist would seam in order.

For more insight, read my neighbor Dustin reaction to the play-by-play.