Hitchhiking to Substance

Justin Lathrop, Peter Haas, & Scott Wilson

We just had a crazy worship night last night.  Wow.  I feel beat up, yet happy!  (I can see why God is gonna give us resurrection bodies to worship him in heaven).  The crazy thing is that we had over 400 people join us live online (isn’t that crazy?)  But, right before I got to hang with a stinkin cool pastor named Scott Wilson from a great church called the Oaks.  Obviously, many of you know that I’m a real nerd when it comes to the science of church health.  I’m constantly writing essays and books on church governance and church systems (In fact, check out my backstage pass if you’ve never seen them… http://www.substancechurch.com/backstage-pass/)  But last night I met another method nerd in Scott Wilson.  His church has been rockin it for some time.  (Of course it helps when you have Shane and Shane along with Bethany Dillon to lead worship).  But, as I’m reading his book, Steering Through Chaos, Scott is no slouch.  In fact, leaders, if you’re looking for a great book on vision, this is the deal!

Steering Through Chaos

Which, speaking of vision, get ready because I’m going to be sharing a critical church update during our Deeper teaching night on Tuesday March 9th!  Of course we’ll record it and live stream it; but, as many of you know:  We’re adding a 5th service to accommodate our crowds!  We’ve been at capacity at our Northwestern campus for several months.  But we’re finally ready to add another service.  But, this is only one of the exciting changes.  We have some inspiring plans for our small groups and discipleship processes.  So make sure your ears are open this coming month!

In the meantime, I love you guys!  Keep serving and seeking the Lord with all your hearts!

Marriage and Dating advice that will make you laugh - Substance style

Every month I ask my staff:  What are people dealing with the most?  What are the issues that are obstructing our church member’s abilities to experience and know God.  Of course, this is a tough question for me to ask… after all, if the sermons were up to me (& not God), I’d have all sorts of pet-topics that I’d love to preach on.  For those of you who really know me, I secretly obsess over systematic theology.  For years, I diligently studied Greek and Hebrew.  I also love the doctrines of the Holy Spirit (hence, I wrote a book on tongues and prophecy); yet, I have enough fear of the Lord to ask:  God, what do you want me to preach on?

Of course, every month I hope the staff tells me what I want to hear:  ”The church desperately needs to know more about particularist atonement theology.”  ”Pastor! please!  We need to know more about charismatic prophecy in light of pre-millenial eschatology.”  After all, I love geeking out on this kind of stuff.  (& believe it or not, I used to preach these types of messages… before I understood God’s heart for lost people).

But unfortunately, the staff tells me:  ”Pastor, I had a dozen people come up to me this Sunday who are about to foreclose on their house because they have so much credit card debt.”  And another staff tells me:  ”Pastor, I had 8 people tell me that they’re separating from their spouses… and they’re totally overwhelmed with parenting their young kids.”

You see, I’ve realized over the years:  It’s the basic practical things that pull most people away from Christ… not a lack of deep theological or experiential knowledge.  Of course, if you ask most people in Evangelical or Charismatic circles whose marriages are failing, “What do you want to hear?”  they’d rather beg for more theology or worship experiences (rather than get a budget and a date night).  

So, after giving a big sigh… I say:  ”O.K. God… I’ll preach on marriage!”  And that’s exactly what we’re doing in this new series called:  ”The Vow.”  

Don’t get me wrong:  I love this topic too.  In fact, after 18 years of being best friends with my wife, I’ve made a few funny mistakes (which I will likely confess to you this coming weekend.)  But, seriously:  One of the most important questions you need to be able to answer in your Christian life is:  ”Who is the mate God has chosen for you?”  (Or, How do I stay married to the one God has chosen for me?).  So, get ready to laugh.  This is going to be a really fun series.

Every week we’re going to share some Biblical insights that are sure to relieve some of the tension you’ve felt in regards to this topic.  So, if you’re marriage or dating relationship is a roller-coaster:  Hold On!  God is an ever-present help in times of trouble.

So, this February, come on out to any one of our three campuses.  God’s Word is sure to lift your burdens!

Families search for their loved ones among the deceased

Hey there faithful men and women of Substance.  As most of you already know Haiti has been undergoing one of the worst humanitarian crisis the world has seen in a while.  On Jan.12th, a 7.0 earthquake rocked the capitol of Haiti resulting in at least 140,000 casualties.  As many of you already know, Haiti was already a poverty stricken situation; thus, the circumstances and plight of these people is downright terrible.

During our 21-day fast, I was recently reading Isaiah 58:6,7… God says,  “this is the kind of fasting I want: …Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless.  Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.” Immediately, when I heard about Haiti, God brought this to mind.

In fact, right now, there are hundreds of thousands of homeless people sleeping on the streets tonight.  There are tens of thousands of children who lost both parents… who lost limbs… whose entire world is flipped upside down.

As a church, we need to act.  So this Sunday, not only are we going to pray; but, out of our tithes, we’re sending a large donation as an immediate response; yet, this is merely pittance compared to what I’d like to do.

Also we’re going to spend time in prayer for Haiti this Tuesday at our Deeper Experience (Operation Center, 7pm).  Last Tuesday we had a totally packed house for our first deeper experience.  But, I hope that this Tuesday repeats that passion as we seek the Lord on behalf of this tragedy.

Lastly, we’re going to put a few links to some reputable websites that we know are already bringing amazing relief to these desperate people.  We’re going to give out of our tithes and offerings; but, in the meantime, the following relief organizations are already doing an amazing thing.  Let’s get behind them as they are already on the front lines:

Samaritans Purse is doing an amazing work:    http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

One Hope:  http://www.onehope.net/pages/page.asp?page_id=96451

Lastly, see:  Hand of Hope:   http://www.joycemeyer.org/OurMinistries/HandofHope/default.htm

Thank you men and women of Substance.  This is what true Christianity is all about.

   I cry when I watch NFL films.  I know it’s a strange confession… especially for an artsy alternative boy like myself.  Both in high-school and college I was the “extreme-sports-only” guy.  But, NFL films make everything so climactic.  And, let’s be honest, NFL films aren’t necessarily about football.  They’re about normal people with huge aspirations. 

Any discerning viewer knows that these films are about under-dogs, about overcoming pain, and about defying the odds.  And they’re not merely about “players” but about highly scrutinized leaders who choose to do battle every Sunday.  (Can you see why I relate to them?)  Come Monday morning, there are no two professions on earth that are more similar.  Pastors and players alike feel the joy and pain, the botched plays and big gains, the triumphant headlines and scathing pushback.  Of course, if you haven’t already made fun of me for crying over NFL films, then you probably agree. 

And, perhaps it’s just because I’m exhausted from preaching right now.  Our church has been growing so fast.  And lately, I’ve been making so many tough decisions for the church that are bound to get people both inspired and mad.  To add to my pressure, I regularly get indirect feedback from local pastors who love or loathe us.  And, to boot, I recently shared a really vulnerable sermon. 

I mean, Mondays are filled with insecurity, adrenaline, and hesitant feelings of victory… a lifestyle that’s tiring; but, man… this is also addictive.  I may not be winning highly publicized games; but, Substance is filling up with totally unchurched people.  And, after watching dozens of cynical 20-somethings give their lives to Christ last weekend, my heart is full.

Recently, I was watching a well-known quarterback do a press-conference after a big win one Sunday.  But despite the great win, it seemed like everyone had scathing opinions about the quarterback’s lightning fast decisions.  And people were trying to render the win as meaningless just because they were angry that the coach and quarterback didn’t win the game the way they wanted.  I was amazed over how many “non-players” sat around spewing idealisms about what another person should do.  And suddenly, in that moment, the Lord spoke to me about churches in general.

The body of Christ is full of “arm-chair quarterback-Christians” .  A church could be leading people to Christ every weekend; yet, if they don’t have a specific type of worship or a certain style of sermon, these armchair quarterbacks will painfully let you know.  I.e., They judge a tree by its “format” not it’s overall “fruitfulness.”  Even worse, they talk about everyone else’s decisions and authority, rather than earning an authority of their own.  (And if you have strong opinions about the church, then listen up!)  

Quite often, arm-chair quarterback Christians look at other growing churches and scowl:  “They’re probably an inch deep and mile wide” (or mutter some other “spiritualized” form of immaturity).  We cloak our sin as “concern for the church.”  Yet, if we were anything like the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians chapter 1, we’d be “rejoicing” in any win (even the messy ones).  Sure!  Every church has weaknesses.  This should be a surprise to no one.  Even more, every church has a slightly different strategy… a slightly different formula… a slightly different game plan.  And narrow Christians elevate their formula to an idolatrous level.  Yet, Paul’s one criteria was simple:  “Christ is preached therefore I rejoice.”

Unfortunately, immature spiritual leaders rant about how other people should use their resources and authority.  I recently heard an itinerant minister and professor spew idealisms about church methodology; yet, neither of them had the guts to actually become a pastor (forcing them to deal with their own limitations and false assumptions).

Over the years, I’ve found that these types of people are a dime a dozen.  Many of them are probably well intentioned people inside of your church; but, good players and quarterbacks focus on their own game.  Perhaps that’s why God gave real players the first string position in the first place and why others don’t have the same authority (Rom 13:1).

For example, some Christians think they need to rant and worry about the Joel Osteens, Mark Driscolls and Bill Hybels of the world.  I, too, have many hesitancies; but unfortunately, by this very focus, we reveal that we are nothing more than pathetic sideline commentators.  And quite often, we critique, not because we care about these leaders as much as it’s easier to focus on other people’s faults than work on bearing more fruit ourselves. 

You see, a real player would silence their competition by winning more.  And even once they’ve earned the authority to critique their foes, they instead use their insight to coach them.  Do you notice a difference in approaches?

Besides, the Bible says there’s only one true commentator and coach (a.k.a., judge), Jesus Christ.   So wherever you’re at:  Join a team and follow a leader that actually plays the game…a leader that’s so overwhelmed by the greater mission that they don’t have time to bicker about other leaders…especially from their pulpits.

Because here’s my spin:  Right now the devil is winning the battle for the U.S.  With less than 1% of people under 34yrs old attending any church of any kind, the U.S. church, as we know it, has failed our generation.  And when only 9.1% of all Americans go to any Evangelical church with consistency, it drives me crazy when Christians spend most of their time blustering about other Christians.  It’s like we’re on a sinking ship debating about its color when we should be busy plugging the hundreds of holes.  And, I’m certain this drives the Lord crazy as well.

And that’s where football comes back into the picture.  The best players are those who know how to focus on their own games and pound the hell out of the football. Heaven will replay it’s own type of “films” of the ultimate heroes.  And they will be people who actually fulfilled God’s call on their lives rather than the imposed callings of the cynical spectators around them. 

Certainly, be open to the advice of true coaches.  But we’ve got to be careful to discern the difference between critics and coaches… godly pastors vs. cynical idealists.  Every pastor will lead as uniquely as the gifts God has placed inside of them.  So, don’t let any commentator take your bloody knuckles off the turf just because you didn’t win the game the way they wanted.

“Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord.  Because you know that your labor in the Lord will not be in vain“  1 Cor. 15:58

So Leaders:  Let the cynics rant.  But, you, Be a champion.

My wife in Riquewihr France

    I’m in Switzerland right now, hanging out at a hotel in Zurich.  What a beautiful city this is.  In case you’re wondering why I’m here, I was lucky enough to be invited to help out with two different John Maxwell Equip conferences.  In addition, I got to preach at a delightful church and lecture on Free Market Cells at a happening Bible School.  But truth be told, I really just wanted to hang out with an amazing pastor friend, Layne Schranz, whose an associate to Chris Hodges of Church of the Highlands (one of the fastest growing churches in the U.S.).  And boy, I gleaned all sorts of amazing ideas off of him!!!!  Substance:  Get ready to rock!  (Or, as my 3 yr old son would say:  “Get weddy to wock!”)

 But wow!   What a beautiful country!  I’ve never seen mountains more beautiful than the Swiss Alps.  Believe it or not, I actually saw my first real avalanche.  The villages are straight out of a fairy tale.  And the clothes shopping is mind-blowing… both in excessive cost and coolness (so we had to exercise great discipline).  But a small Starbucks coffee drink is over $10!!!!!!!  So, I knew I could never live there.  (j/k!)  However, I was amazed over how many people knew about Brett Favre!

 But here’s the truth:  It was really fun to talk with pastors from all over Europe… there are some real movers and shakers like www.ICF.ch.  It was encouraging to hear about their growth.  But I was also a bit surprised by how isolated many other pastors were.  Languages and local pride can be a huge barrier to healthy “ideological diffusion.”  And after being there I walked away with a few revelations:

 I realized that U.S. pastors are a lot more open to risk-taking and methodological innovation (which can be a negative thing as well).  But, having a common primary language enables U.S. churches to dialogue and debate about the pros-&-cons of church methods quicker and easier.   Thus, when “innovation succeeds,” American churches are able to adapt more quickly.  We have more “role-model” churches, and more debate over which “role models” are best… and it naturally makes our churches better. 

 Of course, don’t get me wrong:  We have just as many dying churches in the U.S.  But our ignorance and isolation are more a matter of choice than it is of language isolation.  English speaking churches in the US form a “language group” that is easily 7 times larger than the largest language group in Western Europe (German).  It’s also not surprising that German-speaking churches tend to be ahead of the curve compared to much of Europe.  But overall, God is doing great things in Switzerland.  I’m encouraged to find other churches like Substance that are gaining ground. 

 But I want to encourage all of you at Substance.  The more I travel, the more I see that we have a very rare and unique thing going on.  We have so many brilliant thinkers and innovative leaders.  As I spoke at some of these events, I immediately knew that God has a call on Substance to build churches and leaders all over the globe.  I have a sense that sometime within the next 3 years, God is going to be opening doors for us on a ridiculous level.

 Of course, I also have a sense that there are many of you here at Substance who are sitting on the fence wondering:  “Should I get more involved?”  (Obviously, only you can discern that.)  But, all I know is that, I’m going to be dragging many of you all over the world to teach the nations.  But, I’m only going to be pulling those of you who are already in the inner circles of Substance.  So get on board!  And let’s go to the nations together!

Me and My Lemonheads

I hope that everyone has been enjoying our teaching series:  “When Life Gives You Lemons.”  I think we’ve all had bad things happen to us; so, there’s something so cathartic about talking and laughing about it.

Of course, if you weren’t here for Week Two of the series, we gave away huge boxes of Lemonheads (to remind everyone that God wants to sweeten all of our lives).  As a kid I used to buy boxes and boxes of these and then ration them over the course of the next couple months (that probably says a lot about me).  So, the staff and I thought of having a huge lemonade party outside of church; but, the moment someone mentioned Lemonheads, I was sold.  (Perhaps next Sunday, I’ll have to hand out toothbrushes!)

But, don’t forget, the climax of this teaching series is coming on Sun, November 1^st . We have been working on a powerful documentary called,  Mourning into Dancing.  This is one of the most powerful and tear-jerking documentaries we’ve ever done.  (It’s actually the story of my wife and mom-in-law).  But, we’re integrating it right in the Sunday morning message.  So, this is the perfect opportunity to invite friends.  Besides, after seeing this video, you’ll never see your trials the same.  (In fact, see the trailer on Youtube!!!  Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvMZKYgBqp4

One of the most powerful truths that we can ever learn:  God is near…even when life is difficult.  So come deepen this conviction on Sun. Nov. 1^st!

Every time I walk into our Operation Center in Roseville, I’m compelled to thank God for his grace.  After all, this facility is nothing short of a financial miracle.  A church our size usually has a tithing base that 3 times as large; yet, through thriftiness and the generosity of a small number of families, we’ve been able to build our mid-week auditorium. 

            Of course, since we moved in, we’ve literally quadrupled the number of ministries here.  And one of those ministries has been our worship nights.  For years we’ve wanted to do extended worship and intercession but, we haven’t had a place to make it happen.  And this Thurs (Oct 22^nd) we’re going to be having our 3^rd public “extended worship night.” 

            So far, they have been absolutely crazy-amazing.  We probably over-promoted the first one (as we packed an amazing number of people inside like Sardines… with no seats)  It felt like a sweaty punk-show.  But that was one of the most amazing worship nights I’ve had this year.

            I remember reading about King David in the Old Testament dancing until his clothes started falling off.  A long time ago, I couldn’t relate to this image of worship as I had grown up in a stiff and stoic liturgical church.  Don’t get me wrong:  I’d jump up and down at sporting events.  I’d mosh at a local concert; but, worship equaled sitting still.  I had no idea that the God of scripture was a God who loved to celebrate.

            And if that’s something you can relate to, I’m happy to tell you:  There’s more for you and me!  Worship isn’t always meant to feel like a historical funeral service.  And frankly, when you realize how amazing our God is, I don’t know how anyone can stay sitting down (unless they’re passed-out).

            At our last worship night, almost every person was dancing their hearts out like it was 3 a.m.  (Anyone who’s ever thought that Christians were boring hasn’t met this group!!)  For the last song, we started doing this Hillsong United song that sounds like an old-school British punk song.  Everyone was jumping, including our worship band.

            Of course, when Jacob Champlin, (one of our worship leader’s) feet went through the wall, I immediately imagined God smiling down on us thinking:  “Now that’s the kind of worship I’m talking about!”

            So if you’ve got time, come and join us for one of our worship nights.  Of course, I’m not recommending you invite your unchurched neighbor, nor am I suggesting that you should come ready to destroy our drywall.  But, I don’t mind hiring a construction crew to clean up after our worship nights as long as people are filled with the Spirit of Worship.

            One thing is for sure:  If you truly open up your heart to a God whose very name is “Consuming Fire”, you will never be the same.  So try it sometime.  As I once heard from a quirky youth pastor:  “There’s no high like the Most High.”  And although it’s cheezy, it true.

Cover Article - Being Substance!

Who would have thought we could already be launching a magazine!  (Then again, who would have thought we could have become a triple site mega church in just a few years).  But God gets the glory once again!  And we’re excited to announce the inaugural issue of Being Substance Magazine.

As many of you know:  Substance is a “church of churches.”  We have over 100 different small groups, home churches, and fellowship opportunities that focus on every topic imaginable.  We always tell people: “Church is what happens in between church services.”  In fact, we go as far as to say:  ”If you don’t have a friend to whom you could feel comfortable confessing your darkest sins… then for all practical purposes, you’re not a member.”  And it’s not that we “force” people to have this experience; rather, we simply know that it’s liberating to be a part of a family that truly has your back… that knows your darkest thoughts; yet, still loves you.  (In fact, see our cover story on Armin to get inspired!)  You see:  The greatest statistical predictor of spiritual growth is “quantity of intimate Christian friends.”  So, at Substance, we’ve always emphasized the need for small groups.

Of course, Pastor Nick kept coming up to me with a desire to “upgrade” our quarterly sub-group catalog.  And when NCU journalism professor Reuben David started dreaming with us, the idea was birthed:  ”Let’s do a magazine… let’s highlight the amazing testimonies and events going on at Substance!”  Even more ambitious, “Let’s do this entirely with volunteers!”  After all, Substance is a church filled with writers and graphic designers.

Of course, our first printing is a scaled down copy of the online edition.  So, don’t forget to go online & see it! (beingsubstance.com)  If it wasn’t for Paul Stein and Julie Clark, we wouldn’t have succeeded; but, our hope is that we can recruit a whole new army of journalists, historians, and graphic designers to take this to the next level!  So, if this sounds exciting, talk to Pastor Mark Mellen (mark@substancechurch.com).

But here’s the deal:  Substance is busting at the seams.  We just grew by around 400 people this month.  God is clearly blessing our church.  But we need leaders, volunteers, and most of all:  prayer.  Remember, set your cell phone alarms for Friday at 6pm.  Hundreds of our members stop and pray for one another at exactly the same time.  And you can join us too!

So check out our magazine (especially online), and get involved.  Clearly, God is starting a movement here; but, the question is this:  Do YOU want to be at the center of it?  If so, join a small group, join a ministry, & get involved in our “empowerment track”.   Trust me:  You won’t be disappointed.

Campus Launch Team at Northwestern

Today we officially launched a new Substance campus at Northwestern.   And, thanks to God, it was a wild success.  Using viral networking alone, we ended up getting over 400 new visitors at our new campus this Sunday… (And we’re not even going to do our “real promotion” of the new campus for another 4 weeks!!!!)  Wow!

Obviously, we’ve been growing all through out the summer; yet, we had over 400 college students gone for summer.  And we knew that, as soon as our students returned, we’d be out of seats (as Fridley High-school Theater only seats around 1400 in two services).  So, having the ability to launch a new site in Northwestern’s 1300 seat multi-media auditorium was perfect.

In fact, I did a short video diary of the entire day (I.e., I videotaped my thoughts as I travelled and experienced both campuses).  Check it out on youtube!   www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlQhySWKu1k

Of course, our fancy new video technology almost failed us for our first service at Fridley (where I preached live); but, never fear:  It was flawless for the second one (which was the one that counted).  Then I went over to Northwestern to preach at the 10:30 service.  Of course, Northwestern is gorgeous (& the sound & lighting system is equally amazing).

So hat’s off to all of our amazing ministry teams who made this happen.  Believe it or not, we’ve involved almost 300 new people into ministry in the last couple months.  And we not only expanded into Northwestern; but, if you pay close attention to Fridley, we’re upgrading both our video and our sound.  So great job everyone!

Also, I just want to re-clarify our new meeting times:  (So here’s the big picture).  

            Saturday,             5pm – Live Video Recording and cafe

            Sunday,             9 & 11 am – Fridley Highschool Auditorium

            Sunday,             10:30 am – Northwestern College’s Maranatha Hall

I’m actually going to be speaking live at all three locations each weekend.  (The 11am at Fridley will be a mix between creative video and live).  However, both the worship band and I are going to be mixing it up so that no venue feels like a “lesser” venue.

But let me warn you:  The first couple weeks may be a bit chaotic.  Attendance at specific services may fluctuate wildly for about a month.  But, just hold on; after all, by this November, everything will level off!

So, we appreciate your patience with all of our “growth chaos.”  But even more, we appreciate your volunteerism and prayers in the coming weeks.

I believe in my heart that the Twin Cities will never be the same!!!!  So let’s give thanks to God.  Agreed?

Symbolic of my Soul

Yes indeed, Brett Favre is coming to the Minnesota Vikings.  Who would have thought?

Of course, many of you know that I grew up in Central Wisconsin where they literally worship the Packers.  As pastor Lombardi once said… I mean coach Lombardi:  “The three most important things in life are family, religion, and the Green bay Packers.“  And this was really serious.  (Of course, you have to live there to understand it…& part of it is because there’s not much to do there : ) But the vortex of Packer football is almost impossible to resist if you really want any friends.  By the time I left Marshfield, I had experienced 8 solid seasons without missing a single game… (even my wife became a regular fan). 

Even more, I had made numerous pilgrimages to Lambeau… one of which was that Monday night Packer-Viking game where the Pack won in overtime (you know, that game when it was pouring rain & the ball bounced off of Antonio Freeman’s back shoulder then landed in his hands for the touchdown)??  I still tear up when I think about that.  (& if you’re a Viking fan, you probably do too).

So when we decided to plant a church in Minneapolis, the #1 question from our previous church was:  “How are you planning on staying true to the green and gold while living there?”  I mean, people were truly concerned for my NFL salvation.  I even had church members from Wisconsin offering to buy Sunday ticket on Directv so I would never miss a Packer game (it was offered like missionary support).

But I kept telling the people:  Listen church, I cannot antagonize the people of Minneapolis and still minister to them.  I’ve got to be willing to open my heart to Viking fans. Yet, their only solace was when I told them that I would adopt the Vikings like Abraham adopted Ishmael.  I could love both of them as my sons, but only one team came with the Promise… (specifically referring to Favre).  So you could imagine my shock when I heard that Favre was coming!  It felt like God was reconciling my two worlds.  (I’ve actually had dreams that Favre and I became good friends).

Of course, I was pretty angry when the Packers gave Favre the boot.  Sure, he put them in an awkward position; but, for goodness sakes… he’s not only a legend but he brought them to the NFC championship only months earlier.  I actually became a Jets fan for a year just to get over it.

So here’s the cool part.  Rumor has it that his daughter is coming to Mpls for college.  And you all know that Substance and college students are like chocolate and peanut butter.  Of course, Favre’s daughter is not coming to Substance, as far as I know (that was just a gimmick); BUT, I beguiled you with good purpose…  Prayer.

In a week in a half we are launching a new Substance campus at Northwestern!  And Substance, this is our Super-bowl moment; because, we’re estimating that we are going to grow by around 400 people in the coming 2 months!  So we need you to be praying like never before.  We cannot afford to cruise into the fall without being prayed up.

And, I suppose we could pray for Wisconsin too.  After all, Favre coming over here is nothing short of a state-wide church split.  So, Viking fans… I hope that you lend a compassionate hand towards our conflicted Wisconsin brothers.  After all… good things do come from Wisconsin… Right?