Free Child Slaves and Win a TV

Aja is helping to free kids who are in slavery in Ghana, Africa. (Aja and I served together one summer at Impact Church of Christ in the inner city of Houston) Aja and her husband are giving away a Sony LCD HDTV to raise awareness for the Mercy Project. You can enter by reading her blog and following the instructions. This is all about freeing slaves, winning a TV draws attention to the Mercy Project so others will get involved.

Here’s the bad news: Right now, in Ghana, West Africa, there are an estimated 7,000 children in slavery. Some of these children have been sold for as little as $20. Many of them are as young as 5 or 6 years old. The kids often work as many as 100 hours a week as fishermen.  They fish, mend nets, and scoop water out of leaking boats.  They rarely smile or laugh.  Their childhoods have been stolen.

Here’s the good news: We can do something about it.  Yes, you and I.  It doesn’t matter if you are not rich or famous.  In fact, the Mercy Project was started by a guy who is far from rich and certainly not famous, and I started the project for people just like me.  People who want to make a difference in the world but don’t know where to start. People who wish there was something they could do to help but feel overwhelmed. People who want to help make the world a better place.

Book Giveaway: The Hole in Our Gospel

Really? There is not a hole in our gospel. I mean look around in any city throughout the US and you will see churches, non-profits, rescue missions, and social services provided by the state helping and serving the poor and downcast. Surely there is not a hole in my gospel. Richard Stearns has written a great book that exposes the hole not only in my gospel, but most US churches.

We live in extreme wealth, comfort, and contentment, which has led us to our own idolatry of money. When there is an idol there is also a firm grip on the idol. In the book Richard tells about his personal resistance in his life to leave the corporate world as CEO and take a job with World Vision. He writes with humility, honesty, and transparency about his struggle to leave the "finer" things of his extravagant life and serve alongside an organization that reaches out to the downtrodden of the world.

My journey of the poor and outcast started when I was in the 3rd grade. My parents took me to Impact Church to be exposed to the orphans, widows, and those that society has cast out as "the least of these." I remember my first encounter walking under a bridge in downtown Houston and experiencing tent cities and shelters that mark all of our urban centers across the world. Years later I spent a summer at Impact working with the children in the inner city and reaching out to their families through various ministries. Not sure that my parents really grasped the full extension of the experiences they gave me as we visited different churches who truly reached out and ministered to the whole person. Today my life is not the same because of my life experiences and now "The Hole in Our Gospel" is a part of that overarching story of my life.

You cannot read this book and not be moved closer to Christ and those stricken by AIDS, hunger, malnutrition, disease and lack of educational opportunities.

Read Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25; if that does not move you and shake you then please give this book a chance. There actually my be a chance that your heart is hard like Eph 4 talks about. If that is the case then cry out to God to break your heart from your ego, pride, and idol of self.

Now for the book giveaway:

You have a really good chance to win this book; my analytic count is not high and I do not have many people subscribed via my RSS. Therefore, there may only be 3 comments and that would leave you with a 1 in 3 chance of winning.

Four ways to enter:

1. Tweet about the book giveaway and be sure to use @lantzhoward in the tweet so I can keep up with you.
2. Leave a comment below.
3. Post on Facebook about the book giveaway.
4. Write on your blog your first experience with the poor and downtrodden and link to this giveaway in your blog post.

You can do one or all four. Be sure to leave a comment for each one that you participate in. Next Wednesday I will use a number generator and try to figure out who won. Please keep in mind this is my first giveaway and there my be a few glitches, but I will contact the winner and send the book to you via the mail after you win.

Giveaway ends Wednesday March 17th at 12pm pacific time.

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Book provided by Book Sneeze and Thomas Nelson.

Must Watch Monologue...No Really

May your Kingdom be established in our presence!





May your Kingdom be established in our presence!

King of Pop or King of Kings

I have been preparing for two upcoming camps and the respective classes that I am teaching at both camps. In the midst of preparing for classes I ask God to pour out His Spirit so I will listen to His guidance that I may seek His word and apply the teachings to teens in a meaningful and relevant way.

One way I will be using culture and the Bible is through the movie Transformers which I have not seen, but possibly can find time to see.

The second point and relevant way to teach class and the reason for this brief post is through the death of Michael Jackson. I am sick and tired of hearing about Michael Jackson.

I was born in 1980, right in the midst of Michael's prime time. I listened to MJ. His music is great and still speaks today.

We need to be slow with our words in speaking about MJ because many Christians have been to busy casting stones and I am one of them. The day after MJ's death we were in Paris and I was listening to Ben Stein and he quoted the Bible in saying, "He who is without sin let him be the first to cast a stone." We are quick to judge MJ about the child abuse scandal. Which is wrong and sinful, both child abuse and judging. I do not want to throw any stones, because I have fallen short of the glory of God and I am only saved through the power of the Cross and having my sins washed away through the grace of Jesus Christ.

Although I do not want to throw stones in my head and heart I know I have because paying children and their families millions of dollars to be quiet is wrong and the list continues.

Here is the point:

He may be the King of Pop, but he is not the King of Kings.

I did not watch any of the memorial service yesterday, but I briefly heard about what Al Sharpton said and wanted to listen to his words myself.

This is for anyone who has put their trust in Al Sharpton's words and not the words of Jesus Christ.

(The words below, are a reference to Al Sharpton's speech at the memorial service.)

There is only one person who came to feed the hungry. There is only one person who brought Blacks, Whites, Asians, Latinos together. There is only one person who has showed the world love. There is only one person who the world needs to uphold his message.

And it is NOT Micheal Jackson

His name is Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace. The King of Kings.

Life Changing Trip

My first international mission trip experience came in the spring of 2001. I did not know that I was going to the Dominican Republic until the phone call came only a few days prior to leaving on the trip. The trip was paid in full and a person had to drop out. I was the blessed person to be able to fill that spot.

This was God's design from the beginning. I have no doubt God intended for me to go on that trip. This was the first time I saw real poverty, not our tainted view of North America poverty, but real disease ridden poverty.

Have you ever been to a dump (landfill) to feed people? Have you ever seen the face of a child digging through garbage just to find a small piece of bread?

Have you ever mixed cement for hours to build a bathroom? They called it a bathroom, but it was nothing more than a few cinder blocks with a hole in the ground, some call it an outhouse.

When was the last time you walked in the slums of shacks and one room homes for a entire family?

These experiences changed my worldview forever.

God's Glory Through Suffering

Many times in our life we may go through trails that we cannot understand. We begin to ask why me. Possibly even begin to point our finger at God. If you are in a situation you do not understand trust in His presence and cry out to Him to mold and shape your personal trials into His noble purpose.

To gain strength from His word and rest in His promise spend a few minutes reflecting on Romans 9.


Thank you God for being patient with us when we do not understand the bigger picture. Amen

What do you fear about an international mission trip?

Side Note:
Throughout the next several weeks those of you who have either gone on short term mission trips or for those of you who are going I would ask that you add your comments and build a community around the topic of mission trips.

Many of you may be getting ready to go on a summer mission trip, either internationally or domestically. There are many concerns and fears that are natural when one embarks on a new adventure.

This fear keeps many from even signing up for such a trip, but you have overcome the fear by committing time, money, and energy to serve in the Kingdom.

Several times in the book of Jeremiah, God declares to Jacob, "Do not fear" and then God goes on to give a promise of deliverance and security.

What are the fears that you may have as your trip gets closer?

What fears did you have that were overcome on a short term mission trip if you have previously been on a trip?

How do you rest in the promises from God to overcome your fear?

This is YOUR Chance for a Mission Trip

Just got a call from our travel agent who is handling our group flight arrangements to Honduras this summer. She stated, "Lantz, there is actually a few more days if you have anyone else interested in going on the trip."

You see I canceled the tickets that we did not need last week...that was the deadline, but for some reason YOU have an opportunity to join us as we serve at Mission Lazarus this summer.

The dates are August 1th-8th.

Please leave a comment below if you are interested. Or drop me a line on Facebook. Or shoot me an e-mail.

Need to know by this Friday May 1st.




















Please read Isaiah 58 and pray about everyone who is going. Thanks!

Greater things to come in Las Vegas

The Chris Tomlin concert last night was awesome. Catch a glimpse...

For a few minutes pretend you live here in Las Vegas and last night you were in a room filed with over 2000 people listening to this song. WOW! Words cannot describe the atmosphere.

What does contentment look like for teens?

This is not a scientific report about teens and their behavior of spending, but an interesting interactive perspective on how much teens really have.

Tonight for class I had the teens write down everything they had on them from socks and shoes, to underwear and outerwear. Next to each item they wrote down the approximate value of what they or someone else paid for the item. We included cell phones, electronics, and cash.

The approximate average was $416 that had been spent on what they currently had in their possession.

If you are faced with a job loss or having a desire for more think about what you currently have in your possession. Does it really matter? $416 is more than what the average salary is in a third world country.

Reflect on Philippians 4:12-13 and may we come to realize there is greater joy in the Cross of Christ.

Spit it Out

There has been some back stabbing and a lack of understanding that our freedom is only in Christ.

"If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." Galatians 5:15

May we grow up and move on to take hold of the grace God has given us through His son and spit out the mean spirited backstabbing that leads to destruction.

"You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace."
Galatians 5:4

May we realize that righteousness is not found in the rules of men but in the righteousness of the Spirit.

Come to the Table

Philanthropist Earl Stafford is throwing one of the biggest parties this side of heaven. I can only imagine what a million dollar party would look like with the rich and the poor all sitting at the same table for an inaugural ball on Tuesday. This may be one of the purest stories I have heard that reflects a modern day story from Matthew 22 when Jesus invited the poor to come to the table.

21st Time and Must Have CD

I would highly recommend Monk and Neagle's entire album. We have had their debut album for about a year and still cannot get enough of their lyrics and tight melody. The acoustics are awesome.

Eating with Content

Earlier this week there was a rumor out that In N Out would celebrate 60 years by offering .25 cent hamburgers. The rumor spread quick through the internet and text messages.

Are we not content with eating one hamburger for $2?

We easily get swept up in a whirlwind of being goal oriented and future focused, which leads us to not being content in every situation (Phil. 4:11).

One can easily look at his or her eating habits and know the desire of contentment (Pro. 13:25).

Are you content with one hamburger or 8?

Does knowledge equal salvation?

Today I was reading and recording flash card information onto my computer to make an MP3 to help prepare for the Marriage and Family License test I will take sometime in 2009. I have enjoyed gaining knowledge and realize today the lack of knowledge I have that one needs to be an adequate counselor. To often we get enamored with knowing information that we can often forget what really matters. Besides 40% of change in a counseling office happens not because of what a counselor knows, but because of the relationship and rapport the therapist can establish; known in counseling terms as joining.

I desire knowledge that will pierce the heart and transform lives. Through Bible study and reflection tonight God revealed how we tend to lean upon our own understanding and not the truths of God. There are important theological truths we must wrestle, however lives are not changed by possessing the "right" knowledge, but possessing the only knowledge that matters through and in Jesus Christ. Here are a few versus to reflect on in your personal study. Col. 3:10, Col. 2:3, Eph. 2:23, Col. 1:10. This is not a complete reference, but our knowledge is not dependent on getting things together. We have a Savior and Redeemer who came to set things right by dieing on the cross and we are called to reflect the knowledge of Christ who brings salvation and transformation to all men. This is the only knowledge which brings salvation, not a mere earthly knowledge, but heavenly knowledge.

Fort Church

I grew up in rural parts of Texas where passing by old forts was a common occurrence and most people who lived in the area did not think about what the forts once protected. For example Fort Griffin near Albany, TX was one of the particular forts I passed by all the time going home to Throckmorton, TX. Fort Griffin is now a historical site were people can go and visit what is remaining of the old brick and mortar buildings that once protected what was sacred to the people.

Have we done the same thing with our churches? Have we created an environment that we are trying to protect what is sacred on the inside that we have shut out the Kingdom of God to those who are not like us? We have worked hard to protect ourselves from the world that I am afraid when people who are not like us step inside our fort we may be running them off. We often want people to conform to our values and beliefs before they even have a relationship with God. We must be willing to help bring people into a transforming relationship with God before we become a mere historical site that people can visit.

Academic Freedom?

What happened to academic freedom? This post reminds me of how intolerant we can be of other peoples views and opinions. Are institutions, including churches supposed to create an environment for free thinking to occur? Or are institutions supposed to remain lifeless when it comes to thinking outside of the box? What questions have you wanted to ask, but did not because of fear of rejection or condemnation for even asking such a question?

If have not watched Expelled maybe you can rent it when it comes out on DVD. Great movie to encourage everyone to allow academic (institutional) thinking to continue. 

How to Buy a Child in 10 Hours

This experiment takes place starting on a Monday morning in New York and leads an ABC reporter to Haiti to reveal the darkness of child slavery. If you would like more information on how you can help fight global slavery visit the International Justice Mission who is fighting for global injustices everyday. 

"But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-justice, mercy and faithfulness."

Matthew 23:23