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20 Suggestions for Flawless Academic Writing (APA Version)

Andy Wood — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:36:33 +0000

Tucked away in dozens of archived folders on my computer are literally thousands of works of art or horror stories – all in the form of academic papers. I have been blessed to teach some of the most extraordinary researchers and writers on the planet. I have also had that fingernails-on-the-chalkboard experience of reading some really bad stuff. I thought I would go off the reservation a little today to share with you what I have learned from the best of the best and the worst of the worst.

Regardless of whether you are just starting to college or about to graduate with an advanced degree, you will not succeed in online education (or classroom either, for that matter) beyond your ability to write effectively. Moreover, there is a massive difference between speaking English and writing it in a formal setting. If a professor ever tells you that you write like you talk, they aren’t giving you a compliment. Academic writing is a formal setting. (This post is not.) I make my living doing both. If I spoke the same way I write in formal settings, I’d be stuffy and boring. If I wrote the same way I talk conversationally or when I preach, I would butcher the King’s English and my paper would be filled with colloquialisms, contractions, sweeping statements that had little or no support, and at times poor grammar.

Here are some specific suggestions for writing success with any academic writing that uses the APA style manual (no, “APA” does not stand for “American Psycho Association,” though sometimes you may wonder). You may need to adjust this for different formats (or different teachers with different hot buttons).

1. Write to a general audience. Don’t assume that I, the reader, know the assignment or that it IS an assignment. Do NOT refer to “this assignment.” Explain the purpose of your paper so that anybody could pick it up and read it without feeling like they’d been left out of a part of the conversation.

2. Write an interesting introduction that tells me why you are writing this and where you are taking me. Use “boring” phrases like “the purpose of this paper is…” and “this paper will explain…”

3. Take the reader where you are going seamlessly. Sentences and paragraphs should flow from one to the next. In formal writing, there should be little-to-no surprises in the body of your work. For every paragraph in the body of your paper, I should already be aware from your introduction that you were going to somehow cover that topic. Save the surprises for the tabloids and magazines.

4. Write a compelling conclusion that summarizes what you have said and answers the question, “Where do we go from here?” Leave me, the reader, with the confidence that you know what you are talking about and are committed to making it happen.

5. Use appropriate capitalization and punctuation. Different style manuals use different capitalization rules for titles. Know yours and use them. Some common issues in Christian College settings: Capitalize “Bible.” Do not capitalize “scripture,” “scriptural,” “godly,” or “biblical.” If you choose to capitalize pronouns for deity (“He”, etc.), BE CONSISTENT and do it throughout the paper. Same goes for if you do not capitalize pronouns. Either is acceptable.

6. Learn the difference, please, between commas and semicolons. Commas, used frequently in all levels of writing, separate clauses; semicolons separate at least two complete thoughts (as in this sentence).

7. Read the APA rules for listing items in a series. APA is very specific about this. NEVER use bullet points. If you are listing items in a series, keep them in-paragraph and use lettering. This shows that (a) you read the manual, (b) you are following the directions, and (c) you have the potential to be an outstanding academic writer. If you are using longer blocks of texts, but are listing them in a sequence, use numbers and start a new paragraph for each. (See APA).

8. Passive voice should be avoided. (Okay, be honest: how many of you caught that?) It is much more powerful to say, “Avoid passive voice.”

9. Learn the appropriate way to punctuate citations. APA utilizes the following format: “Quotation” (Author, date, page number if directly quoted). The period always comes after the citation.

10. Avoid contractions. They work well for speaking, but not formal writing – unless, of course, they are used in direct quotations.

11. Document, document, document! Avoid sweeping generalizations. If I wanted to read opinions, I’d read the op-ed page of the newspaper. In an academic setting, you must back up your assertions, or you will not be taken seriously. Remember, too, that you don’t have to be quoting someone verbatim to cite a reference. If someone else’s ideas have contributed to what you are saying, cite them.

12. Write in third person or first person singular. Never refer to yourself as “we,” as in “In this paper we will describe…” Say “I” or “the writer/researcher” if you are referring to yourself. Above all, avoid second-person.

13. At the risk of sounding sounding repetitive repetitive, NEVER use the word “You” in a formal paper. Never? Never.

14. Write in complete sentences, with a subject and a verb. It’s cool to write conversationally in informal writing. I do it all the time. But not in formal writing.

15. Learn to format citations and a reference page. If you have never written an APA paper, then whatever you think a reference page is, you are wrong. Learn the format.

16. Always, only double-space. Never insert extra lines for any reason. I know it looks pretty. Don’t do it. And never single space. I know you’re used to it, especially for bibliographies. Don’t do it. Ever? Ever.

17. Microsoft Word is sort of like the devil. I don’t hate it – it’s just business. But it is not your friend. All the cute shortcuts and gadgets, left untended, will cost you points.

It has the wrong default font. Only use Times New Roman or Arial.
It may have the wrong default size. Only use 12-point.
It has the wrong default margins. Always use one-inch page margins.
It has the wrong typesetting for its automatic citation or reference page settings. Again, only use Times NR or Arial, consistent with your body text.
In a cruel twist of evil trickery, it adds extra space whenever you hit a return. This is wicked and wrong, and I’m quite sure somebody’s gonna pay for that one, if you catch my drift. Always, only double space. This means always set “before” and “after” spacing to zero. This will improve your grade and keep me from going into convulsions.

18. Using MS Word, please learn how to start at the top of a new page. This is necessary to start an Abstract (if you use one), the first page of the paper, and the reference page. Even here, you should never, EVER hit the “enter/return” key more than once. To start at the top of a new page, the easy way is to type Enter, where you hold the Control button down and hit enter/return. However, if you MUST use a mouse, click on “Insert,” then “Page Break.”

19. (I’m about to show my age here…) Whatever happened to the Tab key? I have lost count of the number of papers I received when people spaced five times to indent a paragraph. Don’t do it, friends. Lift that left pinky and assert yourself. Use half-inch tabbed indentations to start each paragraph.

20. You can have a perfectly formatted, beautifully written paper and completely fail the assignment. Happens all the time. (The preceding sentence is not allowable in formal writing as it is not a complete sentence. Jus’ sayin’.) How can a perfectly-written paper fail? Because it does not have the required content. Content usually accounts for 70-80% of your paper. When all else fails, read the instructions. Then read them again. Then (most important), read the grading rubric. That’s what I or any other teacher will have in front of me when it comes time to evaluate your paper and give feedback.

There is more I’ll grouse about (um, I mean offer suggestions about) later. Such as the seven words you can never use in an academic paper (or at least you shouldn’t). Or how to use scripture effectively as an academic source (hint: randomly tossing a Bible verse into a paper doesn’t guarantee its authority). I’m even thinking about starting a new blog called “I Hate APA.” And yes, I’ll create a Turabian version of this sometime.

But until then, I hope this is helpful for those of you who are in school. And for those of you who have vowed your best view of school was in the rearview mirror – you’ll probably be needing this in a couple of years.

Ask me how I know. You can even use second person if you want.

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Satisfaction, Surprises, and Celebrations in 2011

Andy Wood — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 07:24:13 +0000

A year ago at this time I found myself reading and hearing a lot of people emotionally drop-kicking 2010 to the curb. “Good riddance!” they all said. “What a sorry year! Here’s hoping 2011 will be better.”

I haven’t checked yet this year. Who knows? Maybe that’s what you’re supposed to say so that the first of January feels even more exciting and hopeful. I just found myself really surprised by all that for some reason.

Don’t get me wrong. I saw plenty of reasons to howl at the moon about how awful things were. But I also plenty of other reasons to look back with gratitude and – dare I say it? – satisfaction.

I decided to be more proactive this year. Believing that 2012 is going to be an extraordinary year, I spent a little time looking back at the past 12 months and sharing a few lists of things that helped shape my heart and my world.

But first, let me tell you a very quick story that captures the essence of this year for me. A few months ago I was out driving in the middle of nowhere on a fall West Texas day. It was about 4:30 in the afternoon. Just off the highway, to the right, I saw three does feeding. I was surprised to see them out this early, but enjoyed the scene.

A couple of miles ahead, this time on the left, a saw a deer’s backside pointed at me as it was grazing beside the road. “Oh,” I thought, “another doe.” Raising its head, this is what I saw:

In nearly 12,000 pictures taken, this is my favorite. This magnificent animal became the definition of “serendipity” for me. And this year, like every year, was full of them.

Okay, here are some favorites from 2011. The temptation is to comment on every one of them, but I don’t have the time and you don’t have the patience. Check them out.

My 12 Favorite LifeVesting Posts

Listed in order…

1. Still Loving, Still Here

2. Dear Shepherd

3. Dear Jackson

4. Parakaleo

5. I Choose the Offering

6. A Heart Made Glad

7. The Lovely Moment

8. How God Comforts a Grieving Heart

9. Discouragement Never Sits Still

10. Eugene Has a Vision from God

11. How Growed Up Are You?

12. A Love that Watches

My 5 Favorite Photo-Related Posts

1. First Snow

2. When Evening Shadows and Stars Appear

3. I Kissed a Deer

4. Hands and Feet and Little Seats

5. Firstborn

Blogs/Sites I started Reading/following in 2011

My Favorite Blog Posts by Others

The Trade We All Forget to Make (Stuff Christians Like) – A fresh angle on the Prodigal Son.

Credibility: It Still Matters (Jim Kouzes) – Credibility is measured by how the leader makes constituents feel.

One Day – (Steven Furtick) - The two most deadly words to any dream.

My Years in the Wilderness (Stephen Pressfield) – Passionate call to perseverance.

Dry Bones or an Army: What’s Your Vision as a Leader? (Margaret Feinberg) – Great take on a leader’s perspective.

Yelling and Whispering (Seth Godin) – Mrs. Mays would have loved this.

After You’ve Done Your Best (Seth Godin) – There is still more you can do.

National Geographic Photo Contest (The Big Picture) - If you fancy yourself as a photographer, this may cure you.

A Running List (Carrie Wiley) – Check out all of Carrie’s “list” articles- they’re hilarious.

To Whom It Most Concerns (Joel Wood) – Joel’s beautiful piece just before Jack was born.

10 Books I Read that You May Want to Check Out, Too

Your Secret Name by Kary Oberbrunner

Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Haley Barton

In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

The Servant by James Hunter

Invitation to a Journey: A Roadmap for Spiritual Formation by Robert Mulholland

David: Man of Passion and Destiny by Charles Swindoll

Do the Work by Steven Pressfield

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney

Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy

10 Songs Worth a Listen (or a Dollar Download)

Some may not be new to you, but they lit me up for the first time this year. Links are to Youtube Videos.

As Long as You’re There (Glee Cast)

Great I Am (New Life Worship)

Just Fishin’ (Trace Adkins)

I Will Not Be Moved (Natalie Grant)

Not Guilty Anymore (Aaron Keyes)

Your Great Name (Natalie Grant)

Beautiful Scandalous Night (Robbie Seay Band)

Day After Day (Kristian Stanfill)

Life for Rent (Dido)

Forever Reign (Hillsong Live)

My Favorite Laura Kate Quotes

I was going to list some of my favorite written or spoken quotations this year when it dawned on me that our oldest grandchild (and only girl) is a quote factory in her own right. So I decided to close this with my favorite Laura Kate quotes for the year. No certain order, although the first is my favorite and the most recent.

(On seeing a picture of her uncle Joel holding Baby Jackson in his lap) – “Oh look, it’s the Muppets!”

(In the car with me on an adventure) – “Papa, are you growed up?”

Me: “Yeah, I’m growed up.”

LK: “Yay, Papa, you did it!”

“I think I left my mind back at Grammy’s house.”

(On the return of her Daddy from a mission trip) – “This is our castle, and our King has come home!”

(Sitting at the dinner table, wanting to put on one of those things you tie around your neck to keep food from spilling on your clothes) – “I want to put on a bra.”

(To a total stranger in Target) – “There is a new baby in Mommy’s tummy and it is a sister and her name is Hannah.”

(When she was disobeying her mother, and was asked what her memory verse was at church that month) – “Children obey Winnie the Pooh in the Lord for this is right. Ephesians 6:1.”

(When her mother walked into her own bedroom and found LK sticking her mother’s jewelry to the footboard of the bed with chapstick) – “Mommy, I think I need to wash my hands. They are sticky.”

(Sitting in the cart at Hobby Lobby while her mother was checking out, to the total stranger behind them) – “I need to go poo poo so hard but the potty is a happy potty and the noises aren’t scary noises but happy noises.”

(When her Grammy told her that the frog was no longer in her throat) – “How did it get out?”

(Lining her babies up on her bed…) – LK: Mommy, are those babies slaves?

Mommy: Where did you hear that word?

LK: From the story of Moses and his people.

Mommy: No, those babies aren’t slaves.

(Bedtime prayer…) – “Thank you God for Daddy’s eyebrowns and his hair that is so cute. And God help Mommy be saved.”

Happy New Year, friends. My prayer is that you find fresh and new ways to invest your life this year for a compelling future and a glorious eternity.

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What Did You Say Was That Baby’s Name?

Andy Wood — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 22:04:00 +0000

Our family came back to the pick-a-name zone recently. And that always comes with a reminder. Despite our best intentions and denials, we here in the West look at names for the most part as that – names. Something to holler to pick your kid out in a crowd. Something of a heritage to carry along to the next generation. Something to give meaning when we want it to.

Otherwise, it’s pretty much just a name.

Not so in the place where Jesus was born. A person’s name was a reflection of his or her character, calling, and destiny. And when their character, calling and destiny changed, so did their name.

That brings me to the first Christmas. When the coming of Jesus was prophesied and announced, God was doing more than sending heavenly birth announcements. He was declaring identity and revealing character. And what Jesus was born to be, He still is.

In twelve different ways before and during the birth of that baby, God was saying to the world, “I love you.” And this Christmas, He’s still declaring it.

What did you say was that Baby’s name?

Immanuel

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”-which means, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

For centuries as God revealed Himself to His people, He was many things. He was God over us. Commanding us. Apart from us. Against us. Calling us. Delivering us. Judging us.

Jesus changed everything. He’s now God with us. He ate with us, taught, healed and hugged us, laughed with us, and loved us with His presence.

He knew our religion would never overcome the divide caused by sin. So He reached out to hang out with the likes of you and me.

He still does. Your loneliness, longing, and feelings of isolation or guilt haven’t changed the fact that He is and always will be Immanuel.

Wonderful Counselor

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor…(Isaiah 9:6).

The phrase literally means “Wonder‑counselor.” “Counselor” speaks of His ability to understand. “Wonderful” speaks of the amazing quality of His understanding.

And Jesus was as-advertised. No one understands the things of God or human nature like He does. He knows you better than you know yourself. No one understands your feelings, or how to guide you like Jesus.

For all the good that kindhearted, wise people can do for you, no one is a wonder-counselor like Him.

Mighty God

The word “mighty” literally means “Hero.” Jesus was “God my hero.” The contrast between this Child and other rulers is that the kings of the world rise to power on the basis of human power, and Jesus overcomes with the power of God.

Jesus overcame the power of the devil (Colossians 2:15). He still does.

Jesus overcame the power of the world (John 16:33). Ditto.

Jesus overcame the power of sin (Romans 8:2). The same is true today.

Whatever Jesus does, He does with limitless power. With us. To us. In us. Through us.

Everlasting Father

As easily as we rattle off the phrase “Heavenly Father,” it’s easy to forget what a radical concept this was when Jesus arrived. He was the one through whom God first revealed His father’s heart.

The primary role of a father is to provide security. The word “everlasting” emphasizes that while many times our earthly fathers may fail us or disappoint us, Jesus never will.

As our Everlasting Father, Jesus provides all the security we need. He gives us the security of our needs being met. The security of feeling special and important. The security of His protection.

Prince of Peace

Most earthly rulers established their greatness on the basis of winning a war. This king is different. He establishes His kingdom on the basis of peace. But because He is eternal, this title means more than just the end of war. He also brings an end to the conflict between God and Man ‑ and the only way to do that is to end human sin.

So why don’t we see more peace on earth?

Because Jesus brings peace only when He becomes the prince. You can’t have the peace without the prince.

The Word

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:1-2, 14)

The idea of “the Word” is that Jesus was God’s revealed logic, wisdom, creativity and truth – all made accessible in a person.

He’s still the one who makes sense out of the senseless. He still is source of all creativity and imagination, beauty and splendor. He still is the source of all wisdom – not through a series of factoids or maxims, but through a relationship. He is still the way, truth, and life who shines in the dark places of your world.

Son of the Most High

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:32).

The phrase “son of” meant more than just a physical descendent in scripture. It also means “likeness of.” To say that Jesus was the “son of” the Most High meant that He was ultimately like the Most High.

Want to know what God is like? Even to this day, look to Jesus. Look at what He stops for, and what spurs Him on. Notice what moves Him to tears or stirs Him to anger. What He teaches and who He reaches out to. All of that and more is still true of Him today as the Son of the Most High.

Son of David

the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David (Luke 1:32).

What’s such a big deal about being a descendent of David?

The fact that He was born to reign. The fact that He was not just the Son of God, but also the “son of man” – and in this case, the image bearer of one described as “a man after God’s own heart.”

The fact that He knew His Father intimately, overcame enemies powerfully, loved others deeply, led his people justly, worshipped his God beautifully. All of this and more, which described David’s life, points most gloriously to the life and reign of Jesus.

Savior

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you… (Luke 2:11).

Christmas means the birth of a Savior. And that has massive implications. Every other baby in history was born to live. Jesus is the only baby born for the express purpose of dying as a substitute for your sin.

You can’t have a cradle without a cross. And you don’t have a Savior without the inconvenient truth that in all our awesomeness, we are completely lost and undone without one.

That is why Christmas is so glorious. It announced the birth of the One we most desperately needed.

Christ

This was not Jesus’ last name. Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew, “Messiah.”

He was the promised Messiah, whom the prophets said be from Abraham’s lineage, of the tribe of Judah, directly through the throne-lineage of King David.

He would be born in Bethlehem, but his first spiritual work would be in Galilee. As he stood silently before His accusers, the Messiah would be ridiculed and mocked, rejected and killed. He would be our intercessor, establishing a new and lasting covenant between God and man.

Every Messianic prophecy in the Old Testament was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. All you need for eternal hope and life is found in Him, and only Him.

Lord

Another name we casually toss around.

“Lord” means absolute, undisputed authority. Master. Boss. Despot.

Not Good-ole’-Boy in the Sky, or a nickname for deity.

Authority.

From the beginning, He was declared to be Lord. And God makes it clear: Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.

You are not your own boss. And you can decide whether that’s a happy discovery or the terror of your life. Either way, Jesus – and only Jesus – is Lord.

That’s why Herod wanted him killed. That’s why religious hypocrites wanted him crucified. That’s why the Romans put to death anyone who wouldn’t confess that Caesar was lord – and why Christians would gladly die proclaiming that Jesus is Lord. His Lordship has become either a cornerstone or a stumbling block for everyone who has ever lived since.

Jesus

“Call His name Jesus,” the angels would say repeatedly to His parents. Why? “For He shall save His people from their sins.

Names meant something. And Jesus – the Greek version of the Hebrew, “Joshua” – means deliverer, or savior. Literally, “Jehovah saves.” Even His very name – the very root identifier of who He was – pointed to His mission and who was behind it.

Mission accomplished.

Message received.

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Lessons from the Rooftop

Andy Wood — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:40:10 +0000

Perspective is important, and it’s very helpful to change it every once in a while. Just remember, a different perspective doesn’t always mean a better one.

People in certain parts of the world have their own built-in (literally) perspective changers – they live in houses with flat roofs. That includes people in the Bible.

I’m just thinking how cool it would have been to hear my mother say, “Go to your roof!” She had her own ways of changing my perspective, though. Whew!

Anyway, you can find a lot of action on the rooftops of certain biblical houses. And some lessons along the way. Here are some quick idea generators for you to learn from the perspective and example of others.

Rahab – Be Visionary

Rahab was the local prostitute in Jericho who hid the two Israeli spies on her rooftop just before the walls came tumbling down. She wasn’t just being neighborly – she was trying to save her family from certain destruction. Here’s her perspective on the whole deal:

“I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you.” (Joshua 2:9)

Through eyes of faith, Rahab saw ahead of time what the Lord – actually a foreign God to her – was doing and brought herself into alignment with that. That’s what faith-based vision does. Rather than cling to tradition or her past, Rahab sold out to a God-sized vision.

So can you.

David – Be Faithful

The most famous rooftop in the Bible is the one over David’s palace, where he first saw Bathsheba. It came on the heels of the first time ever that Israel’s beloved king let somebody else do his fighting for him. David was lonely and bored, and he saw something he was never intended to see.

Just another reminder that not all changes in scenery are good ones.

Don’t you know how many times he relived that day – wishing he had never even been there? Wishing he had never given in to temptation?

Interesting… years later when David awaited news of the battle with his son Absalom, he sat at the gate and let somebody else climb up on the roof.

Sometimes the lesson from the roof is, Get off the roof.

Nehemiah – Be Mindful

We mostly remember Nehemiah as the governor who helped Israel rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. But he and Ezra did more than restore temples and walls. They also helped restore people to the joy of a walk with God.

Once the wall was rebuilt, Ezra began reading publicly from the law of God, and the people heard about a long-ago commandment that they should celebrate a feast for seven days while living in booths. This had not been practiced for hundreds of years. The idea of the feast was to remember what it was like to be delivered by God from slavery and to travel as pilgrims to the promised land.

So everyone built a booth – a lean-to – on the roof of his house. All for the purpose of remembering and celebrating.

Perspective is precious when you remember the faithfulness of God in the process.

Nebuchadnezzar – Be Humble

The great warrior-king of Babylon, instrument of the judgment of God, once did a really dopey thing, and it cost him. He was walking on the roof of his palace, looking at all the splendor of Babylon, and he said to himself, “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”

Uh oh.

Bad form, your majesty

As a result, ol’ Neb’s on his all-fours, eating grass with the cows and in bad need of a royal manicure. For seven years he was nothing short of nuts. Not a lot of glory and majesty going on there.

The lesson – beware of taking credit for something God did. And give Him the glory due His name.

Daniel – Be Prayerful

Daniel’s rooftop was his retreat for prayer. It was here that he talked with – and listened to – God. Three times a day he went there, where he kept the window of his rooftop chamber opened toward Jerusalem, and called on the name of the Lord.

Daniel’s jealous enemies knew that, and they counted on him to be faithful so they could have him arrested and thrown in the lion’s den. But Daniel understood something from his rooftop encounters with the Lord:

It’s better to be thrown in a lion’s den with God’s protection than to live on a rooftop without it.

Nothing changes perspective more than prayer. And nothing brings the Lord’s protection and power more than faithfulness to pray, even in a hostile environment.

Peter – Be Teachable

No one would ever have accused Peter of being a legalist. But he was a faithful follower of God’s laws, including dietary laws. So when he was on a rooftop praying, he was a little disturbed when three times he had a vision of a sheet with all sorts of animals, birds and reptiles on it. A voice came to him, commanding him to rise, kill and eat.

“No way,” Peter said. I don’t eat unclean or unholy things.

“What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy,” the voice replied (Acts 10:15).

Out of that vision, the gospel was first introduced to Gentiles. That includes me, and I for one am grateful that Peter was teachable.

Sometimes our rooftops are designed to take us to new spiritual territory. Are you, like Peter, willing to go there?

The Four Friends – BeLIEVE!

When is a roof not a roof? When it becomes a tunnel of faith and love for a friend.

You know the story: Jesus is teaching in a house that is filled to the gills with people. Four men bring a lame friend to be healed by Jesus. But because of the crowd they can’t get in through the door. So they climbed up on the roof and tore open the tiles covering it to lower their friend to Jesus.

You can assume that while Jesus healed the lame man, He probably didn’t heal the roof.

These guys didn’t care. For them, the rooftop was a gateway, not a barrier. No expense was too great, no work assignment too tedious, to keep them from getting their friend to Jesus.

Sometimes it takes a trip to the roof to remember that.

You can find a few other rooftop stories in the Bible. But right now I’m concerned about your own “rooftop” experience. When was the last time you had a healthy change of scenery – rooftop or otherwise? When was the last time you were alerted to danger, called to pray, taught new lessons or given new vision?

I’m not your mother, but I’ll be your friend: Go to your roof!

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Let it Go

Andy Wood — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:40:43 +0000

My friend Cindy Hughlett wrote the following song, based on a true story, about a sensitive but timely issue. The folks at Studio 84 Productions here in Lubbock produced the video.

You or someone you know is faced with the issue of bullying or abuse. Please help me pass this important message along.

Meanwhile, I’m including the lyrics below. And if you’d like to see more about Cindy’s latest album “Stories, Hope and Lullabies,” click here. Cindy was the 2010 CGC Choice Award winner for Female Vocal Artist of the Year.

Make sure you watch all the way to the end…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Living a lie, there’s no use denying,

Hurting inside, pain you refuse to show.

Gotta let it go.

Hungry for real love as you seek acceptance,

So you settle for less ‘cause you don’t seem

To know how to let it go.

Let it go, let the healing river flow,

Let it go to the One who loves you so.

Bullied by other when you were much younger.

You find yourself raging, angry, out of control.

Gotta let it go.

You try to fight it, try to do better.

So you bottle it up inside and still feel so alone.

Gotta let it go.

Let it go, let the healing river flow.

Let it go to the One who loves you so.

Let it go, God will take it far as the east is from the west.

Let it go before it claims you time to put this pain to rest.

Know that you’re loved and that you are accepted.

So the days when you fall don’t sit and self criticize.

Get up and let it go.

Good-bye bondage, so long despair.

With Christ as your Savior, now you have someone who cares for you.

So let it go.

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Merry Christmas From the iBand

Andy Wood — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 22:19:41 +0000

Just because…

The North Point Folks have done it again, using just iPads and iPhones. Enjoy and share!

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The Squirrel Who Walked on Water

Andy Wood — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 15:05:41 +0000

The audio is a bit thin, but worth it…

Me: One day Jesus’ disciples got into a big boat. And they began to go across the… water. Can you say “water?”

Laura Kate: Water

Me: When all of a sudden, the wind began to blow… whooohhhhhh.

LK: What’s that?

Me: It’s the wind blowing. And the rain began to fall… whishhhhhhhhhhh. And the thunder started to roll… plwwwwwwww. And the boat began to rock! And the disciples were so…

(I’ll let LK take it from here…)

Click here to view the embedded video.

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God Doesn’t Give Snakes When You Ask for Fish

Andy Wood — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:31:45 +0000

“He who is powerless before God is powerless before men” (Watchman Nee).

On September 16, 2001, an amazing phenomenon took place in churches across the United States. Civilians came out of their foxholes in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11.

And they were talking about God.

On that day, in churches everywhere, they came looking for answers.

Within a matter of weeks, however, things had settled down to business as usual. Not long after, The Washington Times had a story that predicted that within a decade Americans would “invent” a religion of their own that met their needs. The article said that when they revisited the places that had once nourished them, they didn’t find what they were looking for.

Ouch.

To be fair, maybe they were looking for a place that let them have a god of their own making. And the fact that people may try to invent a religion of their own doesn’t bother me – we’ve been doing that since Adam and Eve were escorted out of the Garden.

What bothers me was that when they came to our house – the church – looking for answers, evidently something was missing.

What if they came to our house looking for answers, and we were just as confused as they were?

What if they came looking for life, and we were just as dead?

What if they came looking for supernatural power – some evidence that God is still on the throne, still works miracles, and still has the power to change lives – and all they found was platitudes, programs, and politics?

The good news is, some of our greatest teaching opportunities take place when we recognize that something is missing. Remember when the disciples couldn’t cast a demon out of a boy, and they asked Jesus why? That was a teachable moment.

Another one took place after Jesus had sent them out on their first mission excursion. They had come back excited about people saved, healed, and delivered. Yet still, they recognized something was missing. They saw the difference between how Jesus prayed and how they did. They remembered what he said – “The harvest is so great, and the workers are so few. So pray…”

They got it. And they came to him with a simple request: “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). It’s the greatest investment you can make in eternity.

Dependence

The first thing Jesus did in response to their request is to give them an example of what to say. We call it the Model Prayer; it has five parts: praise, submission, petition, confession, and protection. It’s remarkable for its simplicity and directness. Jesus never intended it to be a vain repetition, but a guide for the things to talk to God about.

Approach Him as Father, but a Father whose name is holy.
Approach Him recognizing that His kingdom is where our citizenship is, but that as long as we have breath on this earth, we will live in the tension between his kingdom and the world’s.
Approach Him with needs, big and small.
Approach Him with your guilt and conflicts, humbly releasing both into his hands.
Approach Him with your vulnerability to temptation, and ask for his help.

In each of these things, you are asking God to do what only God can do. You are declaring again your need for, and dependence on, Him. You are reminding yourself that He’s God and you’re not.

You lose power in your walk with God when you make the Christian life a “do it yourself” project. All the power you ever need is available to you – but it isn’t your power!

Persistence

Jesus dropped a startling truth on the guys by telling them a story:

Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You would shout up to him, “A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit and I’ve nothing to give him to eat.” He would call down from his bedroom, “Please don’t ask me to get up. The door is locked for the night and we are all in bed. I just can’t help you this time.” But I’ll tell you this – though he won’t do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you everything you want-just because of your persistence (Luke 11:5-8, LB).

Jesus says that in prayer, persistence is even more powerful than friendship or relationship. With all of the Bible’s emphasis on a relationship with God, this is an amazing statement. God will respond to your persistence in asking, seeking, and knocking even more than He responds to us out of love.

The word translated “persistence” literally means “shameless.” The idea is that we’re not put to shame if God doesn’t respond to our request the first time. We don’t fret about bothering God, we just keep asking. If that doesn’t get a response, we keep on seeking. If that doesn’t get a response, we keep on knocking.

The reason some of us lose spiritual power is that we become discouraged. We ask and don’t get an answer, so we give up. But your Heavenly Father is waiting for some shameless asking, seeking, and knocking!

Perspective

“You fathers – if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him”(Luke 11:11-13, NLT).

Attitude matters! Jesus said we must approach God as one who knows how to give good gifts to his children.

The enemy tries to sell you the lie that God is a Father who gives us snakes when we ask for fish. But God not only responds to our requests as requests ‑ he responds to them by personally getting involved in our lives! The Holy Spirit is God! And He is God’s personal answer to our needs, petitions, requests, and dreams.

Every time you ask in faith for a simple request, God, your Heavenly Father, responds by giving Himself first. And when He gives me the Holy Spirit as the answer, one of three things will happen: (1) You receive the supernatural answer You’re asking for; (2) you receive “exceeding abundantly” more, or (3) you receive something in His presence that makes the original request meaningless.

Every child instinctively knows this. Have you noticed that when they ask a parent to do something, what they really want most often is the parent, not the request?

When my twins were small, it wasn’t the glass of water they wanted after the lights were out. It wasn’t the stories I sometimes told. It was me. They trusted me. They wanted my presence.

One early morning a few years ago, the Lord literally gave me a message in a dream – something that had never happened to me before. Here’s what He said:

“My people are powerless because deep down inside, they think that if they ask for a fish, I’m going to give them a snake.”

Maybe it’s disappointment. Maybe it’s fear. Maybe it’s guilt, or maybe it’s anger. But something has led you to question whether you can trust your Father.

God’s answer to you is, yes, you can.

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The Royal Priests of Balkum

Andy Wood — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:57:20 +0000

On a county road in rural Alabama, in the heart of peanut country a long time ago, a unique, once-in-a-lifetime gathering of people took place. It was about this time of year. And I happened to be there.

It was a meeting of the Royal Priests of Balkum. And I had been asked to address them.

Let me hasten to say that there wasn’t much about those in attendance that day that looked particularly royal. Priestly either, for that matter. There were some farmers, a few teachers, lots of retirees, some pastors, some homemakers, a missionary or two.

The program actually said “Henry County Baptist Association.” The sign outside said, “Balkum Baptist Church.” And I had been asked to speak on an assigned subject: the priesthood of the believer.

They didn’t hear me groan. But groan I did. The “doctrinal sermon” they called it. And this year’s doctrinal theme had become a denominational hot potato.

But duty called, and the Baptists of Henry County awaited.

And so did the Lord.

He was waiting on me to learn a priceless lesson.

Redefining Royal Roles

In the days of the Old Testament, a faithful Jew thought in terms of two kinds of God’s people: “the people,” and priests. The people came to the priests as a go-between to God for purposes of praise, thanksgiving, confession, commitment, or requests. Sometimes the priest would return to them with a word from the Lord.

Inside the Tabernacle or the Temple, a veil separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, which symbolized the presence of God. Only the high priest could enter there, and just once a year.

When Jesus was crucified, the veil in the entrance to the Holy of Holies was torn from the top to the bottom. That symbolized the fact that the way had been provided for you and me to come boldly and freely into the presence of God.

Every one of us has become a priest.

The Meaning of the Priesthood

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

Peter wasn’t writing to a class of super-saints. He referred to every believer, regardless of outward appearance, as priests of the Lord God. That’s just as true today. Even the folks at Balkum were royal priests.

Chosen Generation – we are Selected

There is ultimately one reason we have access into the presence of God, and that is because we’re chosen. Jesus Himself said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you” (John 15:16).

I’ll tell you what I told the Royal Priests of Balkum: God has specifically chosen you to bear fruit as an intercessor! Answered prayer isn’t just a luxury for your convenience. You have been chosen by your Father as an intercessor, and that means when you come to Him as a priest, you are heard!

Wouldn’t it be sad if we never came?

Royal Priesthood – we are Servants

“Royal Priesthood” could either mean priests who serve a king, or it could mean “a kingdom of priests.” Either way, at the end of the day, you are called to attend to the King of kings.

What did priests do, anyway? They represented God to the people. And that’s exactly the position you occupy. The Bible refers to you as an ambassador for Christ.

That’s pretty tall cotton… for a peanut farmer.

I used to have one of those stained glass pictures of Jesus hanging in the baptistry behind me when I’d preach in one location. One young mama used to get her little boys to be still by saying, “Look at Jesus!” One day they were together and one of the boys saw me from a distance. “Look Mama,” he said, “there’s Jesus!”

Hoo boy. Talk about your big shoes to fill. But that’s what priests do. They serve the King and represent Him to those who don’t know Him. And legally speaking, someone could say the same about you. “Look! There’s Jesus!”

Holy Nation – we are Separated

Looking out across the Royal Priests of Balkum, most of them didn’t look all that different. But different they were! They were set apart; that’s what “holy” means. Set apart from past sin, and different from the surrounding world.

Leviticus 19 is the first time you see the phrase, “Be holy for I, the Lord, am holy.” In practical terms it means:

That in a world where children rebel against their parents, we teach our kids to honor theirs.
That in a world that uses its free time for pleasure, we set a day aside to worship the Lord God.
That in a world full of fads and idols, we honor God as the most important priority in our lives.
That in a world consumed with profit, we give to meet the needs of others.
That in a world of selfishness and dishonesty, we respect the rights of others.
That in a world that largely ignores the handicapped or those with special needs, we take special care to love them.
That in a world that favors the wealthy and despises the poor, we look beyond the cover, and see the heart.
That in a world full of gossip and slander, we respect the privacy of others.
That in a world full of resentment and revenge, we show what forgiveness is all about.

Live that out and there’s no doubt about it – you’ll be set apart from the rest of the crowd around you.

His Own Special People – we are Secure

The Royal Priests of Balkum were people God referred to a His cherished possession. But I’m not so sure they really believed that. In fact, one of the biggest frustrations I have had in ministry is convincing Christians that they are more than just a bunch of poor, good-for-nothing people doing their best to get to heaven.

The testimony of the New Testament is that those whose lives have been redeemed by God’s love and grace have been bought with a significant, costly price. In fact, it cost God the life of His Son in order to buy you back from sin and death.

Doesn’t that tell you something about God?

Doesn’t that tell you something about you?

Think about it. What do you do with your most cherished possessions? Do you show them off? Insure them? Lock them up for safekeeping? Whatever you do, you don’t carelessly toss them aside.

Neither does God.

The Mission of the Priesthood

Peter said that these citizen-priests, chosen and cherished by God, were on a mission – “that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

The Royal Priests of Balkum were commissioned as advertisers, or broadcasters. They had been commissioned to market the praises of God.

So are you.

Let me show you how that works.

A family near you is in financial bondage. What God is looking for is a priest who can tell them, “My God can meet your needs” (Philippians 4:19).
A family or individual is broken-hearted because of death. God is looking for a priest, who can tell them that “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up all their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).
Not far away, a fellow Christ-follower is ready to give up. God is looking for a priest to point them to “Jesus, author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2)
Today you may cross the path of an alcoholic or some other form of addict. God is looking for a priest, who will praise a Jesus who “preached deliverance to the captives” (Luke 4:18).
Without a doubt, if you see people at all, you will encounter someone who is consumed with guilt and far from God. God is looking for a priest, who will praise the One who said, “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).

What made the Royal Priests of Balkum so extraordinary was the fact that they were so, well, ordinary. Like an elite strike force that has been trained to blend into the crowd, these people were uniquely equipped to execute their mission because they had been empowered to do so.

As you’ve figured out by now, the Royal Priesthood isn’t confined to peanut country. You’ll find royal priests wherever you find someone who has trusted Christ. The Royal Priests of Balkum could just as easily be the Royal Priests of Rochester. Or Dubuque. Or Lawrence. Or Auckland or Madrid or wherever you mix it up.

Jesus said we are royal priests. Let’s live like one.

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Demands and Desires

Andy Wood — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:40:48 +0000

(The Squeeze, Part 2)

In the previous post I introduced the idea of the squeeze – that when life comes calling or the world comes knocking and we get squeezed, whatever is on the inside comes flying out. Specifically, when life or the world squeezes, two things quickly become evident – what’s in your character (your decisions) and what’s in your heart (your desires).

That why Peter addresses this encouragement to a group of Christ followers who were living life in The Squeeze:

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good (1 Peter 2:1-3, NIV).

When Our Flesh Demands Relief

People who are hurting instinctively crave relief.

NOW!

Like Job, the tendency is to move from “Lord I’m trusting you for deliverance” to “Lord stop it now or explain yourself!

When we stubbornly hold onto the demand for God to change things, five kinds of behavior emerge. These are the five issues Peter addresses:

Malice.

Let’s start with the most general. It literally means “all kinds of evil.” In other words, your own unique fingerprint of flesh. We all have flesh patterns, and I’ll bet if you have been following Jesus any length of time, you are well aware of what yours are. Is it lust? Put it aside. Is it materialism? Ditto. Is it a gloomy disposition, or arrogance, or a hot temper? Know what it is, and put it aside.

All deceit.

Not just your bald-faced lies, but any kind of intentional misleading of people. Sometimes the biggest liars are the ones who keep quiet and allow someone to believe a false impression.

Hypocrisy.

Literally, “behind the mask.” When you project an image of yourself around other people that isn’t who you really are – when you change your behavior to create an impression when somebody else comes around – you are doing what the ancient theater performers did. You are wearing a mask, and it’s time to put it down.

Envy.

Ever feel as though when you ask God for something, He answers by giving it to somebody else? When God doesn’t respond to your demand to change things, it’s easy to develop resentment or hatred toward somebody who has what you want. That is true, even if they have it illegitimately. How do you respond to someone who took what you once had? Who has what you can never seem to attain?

Slander.

That’s a legal term in our culture that refers to false statements made to defame another person. The Bible definition is not so narrow. The word literally means “to speak against.” It doesn’t matter whether it’s true or not. Have you ever passed along information or criticism about someone else, knowing it would hurt their standing in someone else’s eyes? That’s slander. And that excuse about “sharing it with people you trust?” See “deceit” above… you’re just deceiving yourself.

Redirect Your Desires

Earlier I mentioned that when we’re squeezed, one of the things that emerge is what you most badly want. I’ll guarantee you, it wouldn’t take me long to visit with you and gently “squeeze” you at the point of your heart’s desires to find out what your deepest craving is. Sometimes it’s legit, sometimes not.

So what’s the solution when you find yourself being squeezed and something undesirable is coming out? In addition to setting aside the undesirable stuff, Peter gives another charge:

“As newborn babies, crave.”

Change what you want.

In any given squeeze, you may choose to focus on two desires – the relief of pain for the moment, or the goodness of God for eternity. It’s your call – temporary satisfaction (and it IS temporary) or eternal reward.

Peter says to crave the word like a newborn baby craves milk. Seen any hungry babies lately? They have a distinctive way of craving milk. They want it now! And nothing else will do. Put some juicy, sizzling fajita meat in front of a newborn, he’ll just cry louder. Nothing else will satisfy him but his craving.

So what is Peter talking about when he says to crave the “milk of the word?” Obviously it’s something that nourishes spiritually and produces growth. But what, exactly, is it? In Evangelical circles, we toss “the word” around as code for the Bible. Is that what Peter means?

Partly. He has already said that “all flesh is grass… and the grass withers… but the word of the Lord stands forever” (1 Peter 1:24-25). I will say this – the one prayer request that the Lord has always answered without fail for me is, “Father, speak to me through Your word.”

But I think there is more to this. The same word that Peter uses here to refer to the “milk of the word” is used in another place:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it…. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 15:1-5, 14).

To crave the “word” is to earnestly desire the Word-made-flesh – full of grace and truth. Yes, I’m talking about establishing a burning desire for Jesus. For the manifestation of His life power, His grace and truth. You grow when that happens, Peter says.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if, the next time we get squeezed, the love, power, grace and truth of the Lord Jesus came flowing out?

It can happen.