Nash Tribe

Rob Bell - Catalyst 2009

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:33:00 +0000

Catalyst 2009- Rob Bell from Andrew Abramson on Vimeo.

Francis Chan - Catalyst 2009

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:32:00 +0000

Catalyst 2009 - Francis Chan from Andrew Abramson on Vimeo.

Primal Elements

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Compassion

Wonder

Curiosity

Power

These four elements are the lamp posts that Mark Batterson, author of Primal: Returning to the Dangerous Heart of Christianity, helps us see about Jesus' simple command...

Love your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.

I could not put this book down. I literally read it in a day and there is so much of it that disturbed me in a good way. It was incredibly convicting as a kick in the pants and yet felt like a hug all at the same time.

Author Mark Batterson, (his other books are Wild Goose Chase and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day) began the book talking about how most followers of Christ settle for simplicity on the near side of complexity. In other words, they want simple faith with no pain or conflict or doubts. He challenged the reader to strive for simplicity on the far side of complexity. This is brilliant thinking because we are swimming in a culture that wants an easy way out of everything. The church today, at least in the west, has settled for a safe and comfortable faith rather than wild and dangerous pursuit of Jesus.

One of the most powerful lines in the book is this: "When you see with your soul, everything becomes a reflection of the glory of God." (page 65)

Another amazing concept that Mark Batterson spends a chapter on in PRIMAL, and honestly could have written more on because it was great wisdom, was the idea that one God idea is worth more than a thousand good ideas. So many times as we follow Jesus we have good ideas that we think will make God like us more than he did yesterday. This is not what God desires, God desires us to seek his face and let him reveal where he wants our time, energy and resources to go. I have learned that so much this year.

I am constantly trying to do more to please others and please God and I was reminded through PRIMAL that that is wasted energy. God wants us to approach him boldly and with confidence in Him to work and we need to anticipate what he is going to do through us.
I was talking with my friend Annie about this and she was sharing with me that we often make our prayers weaker by saying our request and then adding, "but if it's not your will."
Mark touches on this when he talks about the strength of the christian life...

"Pray like it depends on God and work like it depends on you. Prayer is the first half of the equation. But you can't just pray about it. At some point you need to stop praying and start sweating." (page 137)

He called it sweat equity and he challenges his readers to pursue God with such primal passion and action that our heart begins to break for the things that break God's heart.

It was impossible for my heart not to break when I was in Malawi in 2006. I saw such a great need for orphan care and helping people make sustainable change that my wife and I have adopted one girl from China and are going to be adopting hopefully two other boys from Rwanda. We want our kids to know that God has a heart for the broken hearted and we must as well. I did a lot of praying in Malawi and a lot of sweating.

When was the last time you can remember breaking a sweat for the kingdom of God?

I highly, highly recommend PRIMAL: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity.

This is not a touchy-feely book at all. It is a punch in the mouth, raw and real look at following Jesus with everything within us. Mark has written from a place of authenticity and humility. He is wrestling with the things he writes about. This is what makes PRIMAL something you need to have in your hands as soon as possible!

Peace to you

Matt

The World of Guinness

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:51:00 +0000

There are some books you read for information and others for inspiration, but rarely does a book come along that provides both and really makes you wish that you lived in a different time and place. This book, The Search For God and Guinness, by Stephen Mansfield is one of them.

I am a book reviewer for Thomas Nelson and when this book was made available I jumped at the chance to read it because not only did the title grab my attention but I was curious about the relationship of the two subjects.

I was surprised to see how this book made me re-think how I put things in categories of sacred and secular though. What Stephen Mansfield is doing in this book is helping people see that all of life is spiritual and when a person decides to use their gifts to help others and provide for others, hope wins!

When I read this book I was overwhelmed to learn about the life of Arthur Guinness and all that he did not only for his employees but for the larger world. Stephen Mansfield’s other books, The Faith of George W. Bush and The Faith of Barack Obama seemed to be more stiff than this one was for me. I really enjoyed learning not only the history of the company, but how Arthur Guinness took so much of his time and resources to help the poor and marginilized in this world. This book really held my attention as I put myself in the story and time and place of a factory worker.

My favorite line from the book is, “...it must also be true that a company should be measured by the culture it creates. Culture. It means "what is encouraged to grow," the "behavior and ways of thinking that are inspired." (page 121-122)

The culture that has been created by Guinness is that of opportunity and generosity.

May we be people that seek to use the opportunities that God gives us to be generous with those around us!

I highly recommend this book. Not only will you learn about this company and what they have done, you will be inspired to get off the couch and help others!

Matt

Thanksgiving Love

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:17:00 +0000

There are moments in my life that I think...

THERE IS NO PLACE I WOULD RATHER BE THAN RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!

The couple of hours that we spent taking pictures together as a family is one of these moments. We were in a random field in upstate New York just outside of Rochester but it might as well have been heaven because my two favorite people in the world were with me and we were talking, laughing and trying to avoid stepping in goose poop that Emma loved to yell "stinky poop" everytime we saw it on the ground.

My sister-in-law Tressa is a photographer and so is Jeana so the wisdom and creativity of two photographers was in play and the pictures turned out amazing. We had such a great vacation with them and Emma got to spend 4 days playing with her cousins Jade & Sidney and it was a constant riot of fun!

I am thankful for many things this year.

Jeana

Emma

Jack (my future son from Rwanda)

my family and friends

students in my youth group

my church community

my coworkers in student ministry

and much, much more!

Thanksgiving Love

It doesn't get better than this, does it?

The Megaphone of God

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:40:00 +0000

"God whispers to us in our pleasures,

speaks in our conscience,

but shouts in our pains:

it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world" - Clive Staples Lewis

Fourty six years ago today, November 22, 1963, there were two men of great renoun that passed away. C.S. Lewis, British Author and Fellow of Oxford and John F. Kennedy the President of the United States. Both men were affectionately called 'Jack' by their friends and family. They were both men who changed the world through their life. This is my prayer for our son and daughter.

We are adopting a boy from Rwanda and his name will be Jack, after C.S. Lewis. Sunday night I watched the movie Shadowlands with Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger about the life of C.S. Lewis and his relationship and marriage to Joy Davidman who became Joy Lewis in 1956. The wedding took place at her bedside in December of that year at Wingfield Hospital in London.

Lewis penned the words that begin this post before he met Joy and when she died Lewis grieved deeply but knew at his core that God is always good, despite our pain.

Since we have officially began to start the process to adopt Jack from Rwanda I find myself starting to dream what my relationship will be with my son and how there are so many lessons I want to teach him about God, life, others. The lesson that I want to teach him also is about how pain and suffering is God's way of getting our attention and joining us to him more deeply than we can imagine. These are things that Jeana and I will instill in Emma and Jack and we will pray that when they are at a right age, they both will surrender their heart and life to Jesus.

Perhaps someday my son Jack and I will sit down and talk about C.S. Lewis and read his books together. We will look forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb where everything will be set right and pain will be a thing of the past.

May you hear the voice of God through the pain in your life. May you also know that while pain lasts for a time, peace and joy are eternal.

Matt

Compassion

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:21:00 +0000

Catalyst 2009 Compassion Moment from Catalyst on Vimeo.

If you can watch this video and not cry, I am sorry for you. God gave me the blessing of being there live for this story and I was one of 13,000 people in the arena that was silenced by love.

Please watch and then committ to sponsor a child in the world.

Matt

Revolutionary Good

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:34:00 +0000

I wanted to take a minute and bring a little attention to a person that is doing a lot of revolutionary good in this world for Jesus. Her name is Anne Jackson and she lives in Nashville. She is a writer and speaker and her first book, Mad Church Disease, breathed new life into me for ministry. I have worked at a lot of churches and experienced ministry burnout firsthand and this book is written from a place of honesty and truth to help people find rest in God and be refreshed to continue their journey in ministry.

Just yesterday she spoke to a group of college students in Knoxville and this picture is 30,000 post it notes in the image of an African child. Every day there are 30,000 children in Africa that die because of poverty, lack of clean water, HIV/AIDS, and malnutrition.

I have listed a few great organizations that you can partner with to change the world.

My friend Anne Jackson is changing the world

You can too!

Blood Water Mission

KIVA - Micro Finance Loans

Hope International

Y-Malawi - Connecting U.S. Churches with Malawi Ministry

You cannot do everything

But do not let that stop you from doing something!

Matt

Jesus Loves Me by Emma Rain Nash

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:03:00 +0000

My daughter Emma singing like she does every day.
I know I am biased as her dad but she melts my heart every time!

On Your Mark - Catalyst 2009

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Picture 001 - Francis Chan bringing the thunder on the first night of Catalyst

Picture 002 - My friend Anne Jackson (author of Mad Church Disease) at a break

Picture 003 - Tony Dungy just after he spoke about his faith and the importance of being a godly Father

Picture 004 - The Limo that picked us up and dropped us off curbside on the morning of the first day

Picture 005 - Our entourage - me, wally, rob and rick with some other Catalyst peeps

How can you describe something that is indiscribable? How can you put words to life transformation?

This is honestly how I feel after my third Catalyst Conference. Not only was the speaker lineup phenominal (Andy Stanley, Malcolm Gladwell, Rob Bell, Francis Chan, Matt Chandler, Dave Ramsey, Tony Dungy, Chuck Swindoll, Louie Giglio, Priscilla Shirer, Josh Hamilton, Shane Hipps) but the time with my three fellow travellers was awesome. It was great to be able to process what we were hearing with them and hear how God was speaking to them. Here are just a few of the statements that really made an impact on me...

"Tradition is the living faith of the dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living" - Chuck Swindoll

"The gospel is something to be gardened not something to be guarded." - Shane Hipps

"When you obey God, you won't want anybody elses life." - Rob Bell (His session was the best by far)

"Immaturity is revealed when God beckons us to deeper waters and we lie and debate why we can't go" - Matt Chandler

"We try and box God with arms that never reach." - Priscilla Shirer

"When you release the burdens of your future, you let God to move in powerful ways." - Louie Giglio

"Trusting is risky, refusing to trust is riskier." - Andy Stanley.

If you are a leader in ministry, business, church - you need to be at Catalyst 2010 in Atlanta. I will be there!

Matt

China turns 60!

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:58:00 +0000

After 6 years of marriage I know that my wife has incredible wisdom and perspective on life and rather than reading my thoughts on China celebrating their 60th anniversary as a country, I have posted my wife's words that appear on her blog China to Rwanda. Enjoy!

"Today is the 60th anniversary of the communist take over of China. Mao Zedong proclaimed China The People's Republic of China 60 years ago today in Tienanmen Square. I feel very torn this morning as I always do when thinking about Mao. It makes me so angry to think about all the horrible and inhumane things that he did and allowed to happen to his own people...forced sterilizations and abortions, public humiliation, destruction of temples, books, etc., "re-education in labor camps", torture of millions of Christians. The list goes on and on. Over the last 3 years I have read things about communist China and pre-communist China that just make my stomach turn. While standing in Tienanmen Square last summer I couldn't help but think of the students crushed by tanks for simply stating their opinion...something we take for granted here in America.

The thing that tears me apart is that if it were not for Mao and those who followed him, I wouldn't have Emma as my daughter. The string of events that occurred over the last 60 years is what led to tens of thousands of children being adopted out of China. If Mao had not encouraged the people to multiply to build a stronger China, there would not have been the need to enforce the One Child Policy years later. This is why it is so hard for me to really think about China. Everything inside of me not only as a Christian but as a human being can't stand the policies and practices of China's government. But at the same time, everything inside of me LOVES Emma and can't remember what life was like without her. I will always be grateful to China for allowing me to adopt Emma. But it is hard to respect them. I want Emma to appreciate her heritage but I also want her to understand the hardship that exists there.

So, Happy Birthday to The People's Republic of China. I hope that you grow wiser with old age." (written by Jeana Nash)

Please pray for China and her people.

Peace to you

Matt

Fresh Start is Fresh!

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:36:00 +0000

If you have ever started something and failed (which is everyone) this book is for you.

Doug Fields, a pastor at Saddleback Church in California, author of Purpose Driven Youth Ministry, wrote this new book called

FRESH START.

This is a brilliant work that looks at issues of pride, success, hurt, rejection, anger, fear, joy and other things in this book and he does such a great job of telling stories from the Scriptures and his own life to illustrate how powerful a Fresh Start can be for a person.

My favorite line from the book is from page 57 where he says, "God wants to take your checkered past and guide you to a genuine conversion...Don't miss out on a genuine conversion because of your past." This is not a book that will give you seven steps to a new you. This is a life changing book that gives very practical applications for the daily pressures we face. In the last chapter, "What You Value Most" he creates a journal page right in the book where he asks three questions to help you examine your life and make steps to move to a fresh start. The book also has a study guide in the back for individuals and groups. I would highly recommend this book for small groups - especially church youth groups - because often times in small groups we don't encourage a fresh start.

This book is not about just putting makeup on problems, it is about life transformation. Buy it today from Thomas Nelson Publishing!

Matt Nash

Thomas Nelson Book Reviewer

The Future Needs a Big Kiss

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:07:00 +0000

picture 001

BONO

THE EDGE

ADAM CLAYTON

LARRY MULLEN

picture 002

VIEW FROM OUR INCREDIBLE

SEATS AT THE SNOW PATROL AND U2 CONCERT!

picture 003

BONO DOING WHAT ONLY

BONO CAN DO AND THAT IS SWEET ROCK!

I know that it has been too long (9 days) since the U2 Concert but life has not slowed down at all and I am just now getting to my thoughts about the show.

We first arrived in Chicago at our friends Doug & Mara's house where we met up with our new friends Won and Angie who also had tickets to the concert. We went to an amazing mexican food place called Uncle Julios and Jeana and I split the beef and chicken fajitas. My friend Doug let me try one of his shrimp and it was not just ANY shrimp.

This shrimp was wrapped in bacon with a jalepeno and covered in butter.

I normally avoid jalepenos like a good movie goer avoids a hannah montana film - but I went for it and it was AWESOME!

After dinner we went to Soldier Field and took our seats for the most amazing night of live music any of us has ever experienced (no I am not overstating it). Snow Patrol went on first and Gordon Lightfoot their Scottish lead singer has such a captivating voice and it that stadium it sounded so great. They did 9 songs from a couple of their albums and then after a break U2 came out.

Words really fail me at this point to describe how I felt during U2's performance. There were reflective songs that really made me think, there were fun "jump like a crazy person" rock songs and then there were moments where 70,000 people were worshipping, perhaps without even knowing it.

On U2's latest album, No Line On The Horizon, there is a song called "Magnificent," here are the lyrics for you to see...

Magnificent
Magnificent  

I was born
I was born to be with you
 In this space and time
 After that and ever after I haven't had a clue
 Only to break rhyme
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue

  Only love, only love can leave such a mark 
But only love, only love can heal such a scar 

I was born
I was born to sing for you
 I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise ...

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
 But only love, only love can heal such a scar 

Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
 The Magnificent
 Magnificent 

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
 But only love, only love unites our hearts  

Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent 
Magnificent
 Magnificent 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the show we all walked away changed because we saw 4 guys use their gifts and

talents that God has given them to bring praise to his name.

In these songs - Magnificent, White as Snow, "40" (which is Psalm 40) they captured how

our response to a loving God should be and it was just great to be a part of it.

People say that at live concerts, especially the great ones, you walk away with

a sense that you know the band more, that you are friends. I felt like I was

watching 4 friends that night with my wife and 4 friends.

Matt

Fearless

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Fearless is a book that is bold in its wisdom of facing our fears with a faith in a loving God no matter what the circumstances. Max Lucado presents a clear perspective of what a life of fear does to a person and how ultimately we must hope in Christ and trust him and fear less. This book has so many real live examples of what fear looks like and what trust looks like for every person. Once again, Max Lucado has knocked it out of the park with his latest book, Fearless. Usually Lucado writes a christian living book every year but he has spent the last two years writing this one because the subject is so important. Whether a person is a follower of Jesus or not, fear is something that is universal and so with a host of inspirational stories about athletes, fighter pilots, politicians, musicians and even from his own life and family - Lucado paints a work of art with his words. He does a great job of weaving stories of Jesus in the gospels with the fears that we face today. You cannot help but put yourself in the shoes of the disciples as they are on the boat when the storm hits, or standing before a hungry multitude with nothing more than a sack lunch.

As a parent of a little girl, when Lucado talks about being in Brazil and dedicating his baby girl to God, I could not help but feel a deeper connection with God and his care for me as a father. In Fearless, he does not give simple answers or dismiss pain with clique “christian responses” but wrestles with a loving God intimately connected with a broken world. In this book Max Lucado challenges his readers to look their fears in the face and have courage, not because of who we are but because of who God is.

Each chapter is short enough where you can read the book in one day (like I did) or over a period of time as a devotional. This is the beauty of Lucado is becuase you could begin anywhere and be inspired and encouraged without reading the entire book at once. He speaks about fears and issues that are very relevant for today: job loss, terrorism, global crisis, bailouts, political wars, and speaks hope into all of those situations because of Jesus and the sacrifice he made for us.

My favorite chapter was chapter 12, The Shadow of a Doubt, where Lucado grapples with the fear that God is not real. He references the filmmaker Woody Allen and talks about his fears in life and how sometimes Lucado has doubt as well. When prayers seem like they fall short and when faith is reduced to just behaving properly are the moments that doubt creeps in like a burgler and robs us of joy. Lucado ends this chapter with the telling of C.S. Lewis’ journey from atheism to relationship with Christ which will relate to a lot of readers and inspire people that no one is to be seen as hopeless.

As with most of Lucado’s other books, it includes a discussion guide for individuals or groups to go deeper in their spiritual journey. Thomas Nelson Publishing has also created a DVD curriculum for churches (www.thefearlesschurch.com) as well as small books called “Imagine Your Life Without Fear” that churches can hand out to guests or use as an evangelism tool. These resources are excellent for taking conversations further and helping people see they don’t have to life a life of fear, but of faith, hope and love.

Matt Nash

Thomas Nelson Book Reviewer

*thanks to Thomas Nelson for the advanced copy

Oudin Inspiration

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:22:00 +0000

Of all of the tennis I have watched in the last few years, there have been few athletes that have been so inspirational as this girl - Melanie Oudin. She is a seventeen year old high school student from Marietta, Georgia and in the last 3 months she has beaten 4, top-20 ranked players in the world. At Wimbledon she beat Jankovic that shocked the world and then in the last few weeks at the US Open, she has beaten the 4 seed, 29th seed and today beat the 13 seed Petrova. The 29th seed that she beat Saturday was former champion and former world number one, Maria Sharapova.

It is always great to see a person that inspires people with their performance and with their personality. In all of her interviews this week, Oudin has been humble, gracious and yet confident about her skill as a tennis player. She is capturing the hearts of tennis fans not only here in the States but all over the world. My hope is that she can win her quarterfinal match and make it to the semis or even the finals.

Success is often measured only in victory, but Oudin has already proved that she is successful not because what she has done, but in who she is. She just wants to do her best and leave the results where they fall. How many of us "older" people can say the same. I know I get in the performance trap where my identity as a person gets wrapped up in what I do. My job is not who I am, just as being a tennis player is not who Melanie Oudin is, it is what she does.

We can all learn from this girl who gives her heart for the sport she loves and leaves everything on the court.

Matt

Love Rwanda

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:38:00 +0000

When Jeana and I made the decision to adopt from China we knew deep down that we were not simply going on emotion. It was a decision that had been prayed about and researched. It has been 15 months since we have been home with our sweet girl, Emma. We had decided to wait and see what God was doing in our lives and honestly starting the process again for a second child was not on our radar.

That was before and now everything has changed. After prayer and talking with people that are wiser than we are, we have decided to adopt again. This time we will be going with an agency called America World and adopting from the country of Rwanda. Our close friends the Landino's adopted through America World from China and they returned home with their daughter Ivy about 3 months after we got home.

Rwanda is a country of 10 million people about the size of Maryland. It also has nearly 900,000 children that have been orphaned because of the 1994 genocide, poverty and HIV/AIDS. This is a country that has a troubled past but in the last 15 years has restored peace and hope for the people of Rwanda.

We are just beginning the process which will take about 12-15 months to adopt our son, Jack.

The name Jack was also not chosen lightly. My favorite author and spiritual mentor, C.S. Lewis went by the name 'Jack' because growing up his brother could not say Clive very well and so he called him 'jacksie' and 'Jack' stuck. All of Lewis' close friends and family called him Jack and so we are naming our son after the man who has deeply influenced my spiritual journey as well as millions of people around the world. I know that our son Jack will make a tremendous impact on this world along with our daughter Emma.

I am very excited to begin this process again with Jeana and Emma and cannot wait to see how God shapes us and leads us forward.

If you would like to follow our adoption journey the link is below.

Love Rwanda

Blessings

Matt Nash

p.s. - I will be making t-shirts with 'LOVE RWANDA' on them in a few different designs. Each shirt will be $10 and all of the proceeds will go to bring Jack home to us. Once I get the designs done and shirts made, there will be a link to purchase them here on my blog. Thanks!

The picture above is a boy from Rwanda in a traditional fishing boat.

Review of Read and Share Toddler Bible

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:21:00 +0000

Let's face it...kids are picky! From everything to what they eat, to what they play with and everything in between. When it comes to books and DVD this is also true. This Bible that is designed for Toddlers to connect with the stories and heart of the Bible is pure excellence. I sat down with my 2 1/2 year old daughter this week and we spent almost 20 minutes reading the stories and looking at pictures from the Read and Share Toddler Bible by Thomas Nelson Publishing. Not only are the stories accurate to Scripture, but they are presented in a way that is attractive and captivating to children. There are 40 Bible stories with great illustrations that are short enough for little ones without sacrificing the story's lesson. It also comes with a 60 minute DVD where 14 of the stories come to life on film for kids. My daughter was watching the DVD and kept turning the pages to follow along. One of her favorite stories was Adam and Eve and the "sneaky snake." She loves snakes and bugs in general so I don't think I have cause for alarm that she will enjoy disobeying quite yet - but the point is that both the book and the DVD were engaging to her. She sat through 8 of the 14 stories on the DVD which was great for us to talk about God and the stories together. I was hoping to have more of the stories on the DVD but an hour length DVD is a good amount of time for toddlers to sit through and the DVD covers the major Old Testament and New Testament stories.

Another great feature of the Read and Share Toddler Bible is that after every story there is a Parent Application for parents to be able to continue the lesson through acting the stories out or talking about it more together. So many times you see books for Toddlers that do not help the parents engage with their children - not with this one, it is great for that! I highly recommend this to any parents of toddlers and too often in today's world, we as parents do not take the time to sit down and read books with our kids. This Read and Share Toddler Bible will not only help you connect with your child, it will help connect your child with God!

Matt Nash

Thomas Nelson Publishing Book Reviewer

Zeitoun

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:31:00 +0000

The date was August 29, 2005 and the city was New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina devastated many cities and towns but the hardest hit was New Orleans. Dave Eggers is a writer that I have just recently become familiar with. After being in New Orleans for a week this summer and seeing firsthand what Katrina did to the city, my perspective was enhanced by reading this work.

In this book the main character, Zeitoun, is a Syrian-American who is a contractor that remains in the city when the Hurricane hits and helps people that are suffering. His family leaves but he stays because he feels like God has told him that there are people that need him. He helps many people before being arrested without cause and for 23 days he is kept in prison.

It is a very well written book with a story line that is so engrossing that I read the book which is nearly 400 pages in 4 days. If you want to borrow it from me, let me know and I will send it to you or you can buy it here. Dave Eggers tells such a powerful story of racial tensions, tragedy, hope, strength and beauty.

Zeitoun

Right now I am reading Dave Eggers previous book to Zeitoun, a book called What is the What. It is the story of a Sudanese war refugee and his journey from running from Sudan and the Peoples Liberation Army as a child soldier and how he ends up here in America struggling to find his place in the world. When I finish it I will do a review on here. Until then, please take time to pick up a book that you can lose yourself in and you will learn so much about yourself.

Matt

The Simple Things

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:31:00 +0000

In just three days from now I will be heading up to the breathtaking Upper Peninsula of the great state of Meeechigan, as Chris Fowler (ESPN) pronounces it. This will be my sixth trip to the part of Michigan that is not shaped like a mitten and I am excited.

Every year our high school group at church spends 4 nights camping in the U.P. and exploring rivers, caves, falls, trails and everything risky and fun. I am eager to see how God works in everyones lives while we are up there so that the result will be returning home with a renewed passion for God and compassion for those far from Jesus.

I am also looking forward to spending some good time alone with God and unplugging from technology (except talking with Jeana and Emma).

Have you taken time away this summer to simply enjoy the simple things and get more in touch with your Creator and His creation? If not - it is not too late, pack the family up or yourself and head out for a couple days with nothing but your Bible and some eats.

It could be something that changes your life when you least expect it!

Matt

Poets, Prophets and Preachers

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:28:00 +0000

This week I had the sincere pleasure of listening to three of the freshest and authentic voices on the art of preaching. The conference lasted only 2 1/2 days but it felt like just moments because of how brilliant it was. I learned so many theological and conceptual ideas about what makes a great sermon and also many practical tips and tools to shape the messages and talks I give on a regular basis. Like an artist shapes and creates a painting or a dance, preaching is an art form.

Zach Lind, the drummer from Jimmy Eat World was there as well. He was there for the entire conference just listening. He is a friend of Rob and Shane and shared some insights with us on working with a song the way that we work with messages and sermons. I am a HUGE Jimmy Eat World fan so I was in heaven listening to their song, Dizzy, and the two versions they worked with before they got the song where they wanted to for the album.

Great sermons need time to sit on the shelf and marinade before they can be shared, just like songs from a band or art in a museum.
My friend Wally got up on stage to participate in some improv comedy on Monday night with a friend of Rob's. He had to confess to "Father Tim" and it was hilarious.

Great worship by the music team @ Mars Hill and even better quote from German theologian, Meister Eckhart.

"Whether you like it or not, whether you know it or not, secretly all nature seeks God and works towards him...Covertly, nature seeks, hunts, tries to ferret out the track on which God may be found."

Rob and Shane Hipps. Shane is a pastor from AZ and a brilliant communicator and expert on how technology shapes our faith. You must read his work on this, it is called Flickering Pixels and is available everywhere.

Peter Rollins is another guy who was there and blew my mind!!!

He is a pastor, a prophet and a poet all wrapped up in one Irish package. He is from Belfast in Northern Ireland and his talks on sermons, transformance art (this deserves a whole blog post on its own I will do sometime) and the fact that God is knowable yet unknowable was awesome.

I am going to list the resources you should get after reading this and if you are giving messages, talks, sermons or are a writer at all - you must get this conference when it comes out on DVD in a few months. Check the site, www.robbell.com for a release date.

We finished the conference with a time of reflection and communion and I got a chance to talk with Rob afterwards and give him a hug and pray for him. We talked about our new additions to our families - us with Emma and he and Kristen's new baby girl, Violet.

I am so blessed to be able to do the job that I do and attend conferences like this that really make me thankful to my God and my family.

Grace and Peace to you!

Matt

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Drops Like Stars - Rob Bell (comes out August 1, but we got advanced copies)

How Not to Speak of God - Peter Rollins

The Orthodox Heretic - Peter Rollins

Flickering Pixels - Shane Hipps

Art and Fear - Bayles and Orland

The War of Art - Steven Pressfield

All six of these titles are a must for your library!

Graduation!

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:22:00 +0000

Dr. Daryl Eldridge, President of Rockbridge Seminary and me with my MDiv.

Dr. Sam Simmons, Vice President of Rockbridge Seminary and me

My beautiful wife, Jeana, and daughter, Emma and I at graduation

Last Friday I walked across the stage and received my Masters of Divinity from Rockbridge Seminary. In September of 2005 I began my journey as a seminary student and finished in April of 2009. I cannot really express the growth that I have experienced in my life as a man and a follower of Jesus over the last four years.

Nothing great ever happens alone and the same is true for my time in Seminary. My greatest supporter and friend through all of this has been my amazing wife Jeana. When I told her that I wanted to get my Masters degree she was 110% supportive and she has made many sacrifices over the last 4 years in order for me to go to school while working. She has put me through school in so many ways and she deserves much praise and thanks from me most of all.

I talk to so many people that went to seminary and

they tell me that it did not prepare them for real ministry and my

experience at Rockbridge was the complete opposite. Rockbridge Seminary has

such great programs for people that are currently in ministry, paid or unpaid,

that want to get more training and theological education.

If you are interested, please check out their site.

This is not the end of my learning though. We are all called to continue to grow and push ourselves further up and further in, as C.S. Lewis would say. Someday I will pursue a Doctorate but for now I am content to just enjoy each day that God givs me and be a husband for Jeana and a great dad for my princess Emma.

Matt Nash, M. Div

Rockbridge Seminary

Class of 2009

Adoption Day!!!

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:45:00 +0000

Yesterday exactly one year ago was our Adoption Day with Emma. We were united with her on the 25th but it was official on May 26th, 2008. It is hard to believe that it has been a year already because if you would have been with us last May in China, you would be blown away with how far she has come in every possible way now. Sometimes I think that my heart is so full of love for her that it is going to explode but then she does something new and my heart grows even bigger and I am so full of joy to see the world through her eyes.

We had a party last night and our great friends Tim and Annie joined us. Their son Noah is 3 and he and Emma have so much time dancing and playing together that I had to include a picture of their version of the celebration.

When I look back on this moment years from now I hope that I have the perspective that these are really sacred moments of life!

What are the sacred moments of your life? Do you celebrate them?

Take time today and find the divine in the daily and you will see that what John Piper says about life is so true, that God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in him.

Peace to you

Matt

The Bono Factor

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:20:00 +0000

“…I have two instincts. I want to have fun, and I want to change the world.”

Bono

Today I spent the day picturing myself in sunny Orlando, Florida with my friends Wally and Rob at the Exponential Conference but thanks to the power of the world wide web I was able to be there. I got to hear Erwin McManus speak about The Art of Movement and he said that so often our churches are void of art and movement and often we are so focused on small tactical changes instead of the larger strategic mission of the church.

After lunch it was Larry Osborne from North Coast in Vista, CA. He just wrote a book called "10 stupid things Christian's Believe" and 6 months ago a book called "Sticky Church." I will blog another time about his new book but the one thing he said today that really stood out to me was this.

"Years ago, excellence was the key to building a strong culture of growth in churches and today it is different. Today it is two things, authenticity and what I call the Bono factor. People want to know if you are real and they want to get involved with something bigger than themselves. This is what our ministries must be about."

Today was so great and tomorrow it gets even better. Craig Groeschel (LifeChurch TV) and Matt Chandler (The Village) are speaking tomorrow and then Thursday morning is Francis Chan.

I am so thankful to God for allowing me to do what I do and learn from others and inspire others to not only have fun, but also to change the world.

Matt

Thank You

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:38:00 +0000

Thank You God for the love of my life, Jeana

Thank you God, for my princess Emma!

Phone Call Heaven

mattchargerfan@gmail.com (Matt Nash) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:48:00 +0000

This post was supposed to be up on Friday, March 13th so just imagine it is that day as you read...

When I was a little kid, I wanted God to call me on the phone from heaven. It never happened.

It was exactly a year ago today that we received the phone call letting us know that Holt had selected a child from China for us. We were told that she was 13 months old and her name was Yu CaiJuan. She was from Xinyu in the province of Jiangxi.

We got off the phone and instantly began jumping up and down and I was screaming and then crying and jeana was crying and then screaming. Needless to say that it was years and years of pent up emotions and feelings that we had become parents and were just waiting to go get our little girl. We named her Emma Rain Nash. Her middle name, Rain, comes from her Chinese name and that is very important to us to keep her heritage because we are very proud that she is Chinese and we want her to be very proud of being Chinese.

We have been home with her for a little over 10 months now and she is a completely different girl. They told us before we got her that she was quiet and shy. I do not know what girl they were talking about but it wasn't our Emma. She loves animals and being outside. She loves reading books and traveling. She has a little bit of her daddy's ADD and she has her mommy's attention to detail.

I cannot imagine life without her and somedays it feels like she has always been with us.

This past year I have learned so much about the goodness of God and the importance of patience and waiting on Jesus for everything. I hope that I do not quickly forget the lessons from this last year and the daily ones that God teaches me and the lessons that Jeana and Emma remind me off as well. Life is a gift and we are here to show people the love of Jesus and to love unconditionally.

I finally got my phone call from heaven.

Matt