GLENN'S PODCASTS!

SUMMER HEAT

Home with Wendi, family and JPUSA family at last! A LOT of touring going on (as usual this time of year) and today I flew in from a Biker's Rally in Kansas. In a few days I'm pleased to share some acoustic blues and a bit of rap at Karitos (a very cool and annual arts/worship conference in the greater Chicago area) and will be glad to just be home for our JPUSA Sunday services after quite a bit of travel.

Had a blast this weekend with some great people and in particular, William Seagraves (Georgia bluesman buddy of mine) including kind folks who are perhaps considering GKB for the 2008 Sturgis, S.D. Biker's gathering. We'll see, but it would be quite cool in that it's never quite worked out for GKB to be there... though we do more and more biker's rallies.

Soon we'll see the dog days of August, and I'll get a little break with Wendi and my grandkids... a little play and rest is good when one travels so much.

The Project 12 staff is ramping up to our mid-September trimester startup as well. I'm really excited about that.

Roy Montroy has written a boatload of cool tunes, I've written a few as well so... at some point we'll begin checking them out and picking songs for the next GKB studio release. As posted hear earlier, we suspect we'll record in the winter and release that one in early Spring next year.

Hope to see you on the road- and MANY thanks for the kind emails, prayers and encouragements! For now, I'm here to say there truly is NO place like home!

With His Love, -Glenn

GLENNKAISER.COM DOWN!

Yep, we knew about it, thanks for the emails!

I'm in Denmark about to fly home to Chicago tomorrow after a very good GKB summer tour of festivals and other shows in Sweden, Norway and here in Denmark. In short, it was busy but very cool to see, interact and pray with so many old and new friends. GKB had a blast the entire journey and we thank you for your kind receptions and prayers.

So, our server had issues and it seems our techs figured it out, for now at least. Cool!

Stop back as I'll add more content the beginning of next week. God BLESS! -Glenn

SICK CHURCH?

In case you find yourself wondering- this post wasn't inspired by any one individual but by many I have known- and I expect to know many more like 'em!

Before I begin, let me say that if you don't have the following hurting people in your fellowship, you aren't where any serious church should be. If you don't attract hurting people in your church you're church isn't as healthy as it seems in the first place- or God apparently doesn't trust you with those in deep need...

Mk. 2.17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

The sad fact is that loads of people have come from very dysfunctional families. The modern term "dysfunction" is of course just a newer word for "sin" and all of us have sinned. There isn't a family on earth that hasn't sinned against one another and therefore shared the pain and other affects sin brings.

There is a profile that is just too common to not offer here, and though the details and some of the manifestations in people's lives who bring such "baggage" differ, the key points are shared.

1. rotten relationship with one or both parents, often raised by "adult children" who are themselves addicted to alcohol, drugs, lust and/or power
2. hurt, sometimes regularly, other times in a few major episodes where people in authority (teachers, police, pastors, military leaders) were just not correct in their assessment of what the individual did or did not do, or was or was not capable of, or simply bullied the individual or in some way brought wrongful "shame" into the individuals life
3. due to all these, the person feels and in many cases truly was/is abandoned
4. being abandoned and deeply afraid- though anger and not fear are often manifested by the person... the individual decides the only way to be truly safe is to be in total control at all times
5. being in control means being hyper-sensitive to anyone or any circumstance where the individual does not "win", get their way, because of course due to all of the above, the real problem could only rarely be them... in the perspective of the hurting, rebellious person, the only problem is that one isn't in complete control and that means a deep stubbornness and demanding of one's own way- or leaving the relationship, group or job- is the only way to be safe and perhaps find happiness and peace in a world where one cannot trust anyone but one's self

I've known countless people in this exact scenario from years of work at Jesus People in Chicago, but I also have seen these sorts of people and situations all over the world in every sort of church and ministry setting. There are few surprises when individuals who carry such a past into their future finally explode... or internally combust.

It would be far too simplistic to say prayer, healing, a couple close friends to walk alongside the person are large part of the solution and bring opportunity for change and spiritual, emotional and relational health. But these are steps one must take voluntarily- and that's the difficult part. No leader, health-care provider, family member or Christian counsellor can "fix" anybody- and it's literally impossible to help a person who chooses for whatever reasons, to -not- allow you access to their hurts.

This is very much like asking someone to go for surgery who hates hospitals, doctors and perhaps was once mis-diagnosed or even taken into deep misery by a well-meaning physician who made bad moves with the scalpel. Soul-care isn't simple, easy or even always fruitful. Consider that even Jesus had Judas... who apparently wasn't very well nor did he learn from all those years walking with Jesus.

All of this is totally understandable, don't you think? But what can we do when we see a person walking around in continual hurt, yet who seems to ignore, avoid or perhaps even vehemently oppose all intervention?

PRAYER. I think prayer is HUGE and of course one cannot stop you from praying for God's mercy, touch, guidance and healing for them. They don't even have to know you're praying for them, and some don't want prayer in their behalf... but you can sure do it anyway, apart from their presence.

SILENCE. Loving people -sometimes- means letting them hit the wall, even hitting it rather hard. I repented and fell into the arms of Jesus when I came (like the prodigal son) "to the end of myself". For some, the only way they will ever be open to hearing truth and surrendering to Him, His Word and really risk trust in the church is for them to just chew gravel until they realize it isn't bread. There is a time to be silent. God knows their illness and He also knows exactly what it will take for them to finally be ready to rely on Him and His people rather than self and despair.

CONFRONTATION. Of course, loving people means that there is a time to speak up. One of the most difficult things I witness as a Christian leader are "friends" of a very broken, stubborn addict (and I mean sin addict, someone with a habitually negative or bad attitude, drugs or drink may have nothing to do with it) and who KNOW he or she is carrying garbage in their mind and life... but these "friends" are more concerned with having fun and simply being together than they are about the person's spiritual healing, well-being or growth. They so much want to be accepted and they either expect or know that if they talk about the person getting help that it may cost them the relationship. The individual in question hangs out with them in part, because they never confront him/her in the first place. They are too weak and slack in God's Truth (His Word) and really, in His love, to even discuss the pain and sin getting dealt with. Of course they may even realize they don't have any solid answers to what has caused the sickness, but neither do they want to "betray" their friends to godly believers who might really be able to bring some healing and some life to the person... this is so common and so wrong.

I find it interesting that many younger Christians have issues with trust due to past hurts- but they will gather in cliques and on the surface- and let's be honest, that's where most of it is- they exhibit trust in one another while not really being able to help bring healing and change to one another. They judge the pettiness and shallowness of the church but in reality are just as shallow and surface in their clique.

They accept one another and are kind and gracious (excellent stuff, we need more of this!!!) BUT will allow their "friend" to slowly shrivel and fry in the soup of bitterness, unforgiveness, rebellion and sin. Pity isn't encouragement -or- admonition, and the Word calls believers to encourage as well as admonish (instruct, sometimes strongly, and sometimes correcting by rebuke) "one another"- to do it IN LOVE, but indeed to do it! This is where the church (you and me, not only leaders or counsellors or teachers) have often failed one another royally.

LEADERSHIP. This could be the most difficult issue for many believers, but if you aren't plugged into a solid, Bible-teaching church with good leadership whom you will trust with such people and issues, you're not in the right place yourself! Either speak to leaders and get things going in a biblical direction or leave and find a church with godly leaders you WILL trust and share honestly with. If you think the entire church is such a mess you refuse to link with any sort of regular fellowship of Christ-followers, you're likely the person I've profiled above and need serious help yourself.

Mt. 23.37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!
Mt. 23.38 “See, your house is left to you desolate.
Mt. 23.39 “For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

In the end, we are often sitting in a fire station where people in the corners are burning up... firemen all around the place... and nobody sounds the alarm. It's ridiculous! IF you love the sick person you try to get them the right medicine, or at least get a good doctor or nurse to link with the person, properly diagnose the disease(s) and begin administering healing to them. Talk to and pray with leaders in your church about the matter. I know- the person may hate you for it... but if YOU can't bring healing and they won't hear you, at least give them a chance to get some from somebody else rather that sitting around as so-called "friends" while not having the guts (to be frank) to let someone who knows Jesus and His Word and ways better than you at least offer the individual the help they need.

Sometimes it takes all of these tactics and sometimes not. One real reason God calls the assembly of believers "church" is that when all come together will all their gifts, people can find spiritual awakening, healing and health. In such a place among those who are finally ready to risk it, REAL fellowship, friendship and eternal work can be and is done.

It is a sad fact that many who know these things just will not act upon them. The same people will often judge and harshly criticize the church (and they, as believers are PART of the church and it's problems!) for being shallow, surface and lacking love. My own observations are that many of the church's worst critics fully fit the very profile of brokenness I began this article with- not all by any means, but many. Further, love cannot be silent forever but neither can pain and misery. What is IN us will eventually come out, and others are helped or harmed by it.

What are YOU doing to bring healing to the sick- INSIDE the church? And what are you doing to find healing for yourself so that you'll be in a place of compassionate service to them someday?