Crave: An Exploration of the Human Spirit (New Resource)

Lifeway just released “Crave: An Exploration of the Human Spirit” a small group experience that includes the book Soul Cravings, the Crave DVDs along with Discussion Guides written by Erwin McManus and Jason Jaggard.

Description:  We can spend our whole lives trying to satisfy the one insatiable part of our being, our soul craving. Our capacity for spiritual experience both proves our need for something greater than ourselves and leaves us wanting when we fill it with anything but God.

Soul Cravings is a powerful, down-to-earth exposition that interprets our need for intimacy, meaning, and destiny as common sense apologetics pointing to the existence of and our need for God. The book will deeply stir the reader to consider and chase after the spiritual implications of their soul’s deepest longings.

You can get a  free sample chapter online here.

“How to Eat Like Jesus” & “We Need Jerks” by Jason Jaggard

I have enjoyed reading thoughts from Jason Jaggard who has been leading and serving so effectively on college campuses here in L.A. through Mosaic. Below are “How to Eat Like Jesus” and “We Need Jerks.”

“How to Eat Like Jesus”

“The food I love to eat is doing the will of the One who sent me.” John 4:34

This verse doesn’t make sense. I mean, feeding is passive, isn’t it? It’s receiving something. When I eat, I sit at a table and consume.

But for Jesus, the idea of eating is active.

And this confuses me.

I was taught that feeding was when we studied the Bible. I was taught that getting fed was to be nourished by listening to sermons, reading books and doing small group devotionals.

So if Jesus would have said, “This is how I get fed: by reading the Torah and letters that haven’t been written yet and teaching it to my 12 friends, 3 of whom will write these letters later,” then that would have made sense.

But that’s not what He said. He said that getting fed for Him is to do the will of the One.

Could it be that Jesus is redefining what it means to be nourished? Not in a physical sense but in a spiritual sense?

Could it be that Jesus is redefining what it means to be spiritually mature?

Maybe He’s saying that spiritual maturity is when your favorite way to get is to give. Could that be the Great Secret: that the way you receive nourishment in the depths of your soul isn’t when you consume but when you contribute?

Click here for the rest of the article featured at NeueMinistry.com.

Also, check out Jason’s article called “We Need Jerks.”

“Often times as your rhythms slow down while you fall asleep your body thinks you’re dying, so your brain sends a pulse through your body.

They’re called myoclonic jerks. And they wake us up.

In life there are many moments that can wake us up, and not just when we’re asleep, either….”

Future Me (Thoughts from Jason Jaggard)

One of the guys I follow in the virtual and real worlds is Jason Jaggard, a fantastic friend and catalytic leader at Mosaic. Today he wrote an intriguing post called “Serving the Future You” where he shares some great insights with a friend going through a tough time. He tells his friend:

“You are destined to lead… So although it seems your life is small right now, your influence is going to get bigger. Probably a lot bigger. Which means the mistakes you make are going to get bigger, too. Which is why we’re having this conversation now….

These issues in your life, it’s time to start working through them. The You 20 years from now needs you to. You don’t want to be 40-years-old with these choices to wrestle with. The 40-year-old You will have way bigger problems, way greater challenges to deal with. He’ll have a wife and kids. He’ll have responsibilities that would scare the hell out of you now if you knew it, and he won’t be ready unless you start serving him now….

For the sake of the Future You, and the thousands of people you will be leading, fight this. I believe in you. I know you can do it. I know you want to do it. So do it, and know that you’ve got a friend for the journey.”

Such great advice for all of us!

For a fun follow up, have you heard of www.futureme.org? Go there and send yourself an email which will arrive at the date you choose in the future. I’ve done it, and it is fun getting email from yourself (and a bit creepy). 🙂