For years, evangelical leaders proclaimed that Christians shouldn’t read Harry Potter or watch the movies. Lest his superpowers provoke our children to become witches and wizards. (Curiously, the moralists aren’t outraged by the magic in Chronicles of Narnia or the powers of Superman.)

The real issue is a lack of imagination. The ring in Lord of the Rings isn’t really about the ring. The Veggies in VeggieTales isn’t really about the vegetables. The magic in Harry Potter isn’t really about the magic.

It’s art.

Art (and stories) often use symbolism and metaphor to communicate something else. This is what makes the fantasy and superhero genre so popular. People enjoy searching for meaning. And there’s plenty of it in Harry Potter.

That said, I’m not going to say yes or no to Harry Potter. I’m not a moralist. I’m a Christian. I would say go with your conscience.

I do believe God is a big God and that every story, intentional or not, is wrapped up in his story. We just need the eyes to see it.

Besides, the real danger of Mr. Potter doesn’t lie in his magic.

It lies in his influence on culture through fashion:

The dark-rimmed glasses.

Its obvious there’s a grand conspiracy and no one is safe.

Especially the hipsters.

This atrocity must stop.

For the sake of the children.

There’s a great lie floating around our culture.

That some things are secular and other things are sacred. It’s perpetuated by church-going and God-rejecting folks alike. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Psalm 24:1 tells us the earth is the Lord’s along with everything and everyone in it. God’s a big God. He doesn’t look at his creation and see a slice that he doesn’t control. Neither should we. Yet Christians do this all the time. Secular work. Secular music. Secular films. Secular schools. Blah, blah, blah.

And culture lets them. It keeps them out of their hair.

But it’s all a lie. Everything is sacred.

This world is full of sin. Things aren’t as they should be. Yet Jesus stepped right into the mess.

I sin a lot. I am not as I should be. Yet Jesus stepped into my mess too.

Thank God Jesus didn’t act like many Christians. He didn’t see me as secular and avoid me.

He loves me, redeemed me, and is changing me.

What would happen if we started seeing everything as God’s? Whether it was intended for him or not. Culture. Work. Politics. Food. Places.The internets. Everyday things. Everyday people. It’s all his.

Every story is about him. Every song longs for him. Every philosophy is searching for him.

Look for it. hen you learn to see God in all things, even ungodly things, it will rock your world. Because you begin to get a glimpse of the hugeness of God. That he’s bigger, better, and more sovereign than you can imagine. He’s working through things many Christians would not approve of. He even works through the messiest of people.

People like us.

Stop splitting your life into slices. By what you think is God’s and what’s not. The truth is this: If you’re a follower of Jesus, God gets the whole pie of your life. Not just a slice. You are free to be whole. You don’t have to pretend to be any more or less than you really are.

Stop believing the secular/sacred divide lie. Stop living it too.

You’ve got better things to do.

Those crazy dreamers.

Just when things are set to cruise control, those crazy dreamers come along and change the course.

Just when roots are firmly established, those crazy dreamers come along and shake the tree of complacency.

Just when times get to be predictable, those crazy dreamers come along and interrupt the status quo.

Everybody tells you to dream- but not everyone wants (or expects) you to actually follow through with it.  Especially if it rattles their cage.

Dreaming is safe.

Doing is daring.

Ignore the critics and cynics, but listen to wisdom.

And advance that dream you crazy dreamer.

That’s why you’re here.

A couple of years ago, my daughter asked to go for a walk.  We went outside, I reached down my hand to her, and she reached up her hand to mine.  As I glanced down I was struck by this image.  I thought, “What a picture of God and us!”

I pondered this image more and began to see how it was also a beautiful illustration of prayer.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 to pray to Our Father.  His hand is always there reaching down to us and all we need to do is reach our hand up to him…and walk.

I love what Dallas Willard said in his great book, The Divine Conspiracy. “I believe the most adequate description of prayer is simply, Talking to God about what we are doing together. That immediately focuses the activity where are but at the same time drives the egotism out of it. Requests will naturally be made in the sharing with God my concerns about what he too is concerned about in my life. And of course he is concerned about my concerns and, in particular, that my concerns should coincide with his. This is our walk together. Out of it I pray.”

The scriptures say, “pray continuously.”  In the rhythm of our life, as we go, all the time. Taking hold of our Father’s strong, yet loving hand, and walking, talking, asking, confessing, venting, and listening.  A divine conversation so to speak.

Let me encourage you to take hold of your Father’s waiting hand and walk (pray).

It’s the most supernatural act we can partake in.

Last year, I had the opportunity to pray at center ice of a local pro hockey game in front of 4500 people in my hometown.

It was a sweet moment.

As I was waiting by the penalty box listening to the National Anthem, I thought, “Why me?”

With the chill of the ice beneath my feet and the goosebumps on my arms, I was dumbfounded how I got to this point.

How did I go from sitting on the sidelines of life watching others live their dreams to playing in the game and living mine?

Why me?

I’m just an ordinary guy.

Just five years ago I was content to have a good job, take care of my family, go to church, try to be a decent person, and live a comfortable life.

Until God disturbed me.

He filled me with a passion to help people live free.

And I know the only path to true freedom is the gospel.

The gospel was the seed that birthed Project Church.

And somehow, someway God called me to be a part of this.

Why me?

There are certainly better people God could have chosen.

Better pedigree.

Better leaders.

Better communicators.

Better looking.

You name it.

Some people feel the need to point out how unimpressive I am.

Too much this, not enough that.

So and so is better.

I already know.

I’m just a dude.

But I’m a dude who really loves Jesus.

I’m a dude who really wants you to know the Jesus that I know.

To taste the grace that I’ve tasted.

To experience the freedom that I’m experiencing.

To find your life in the Story of God.

Why me?

Perhaps my life will be proof that there is a God.

Because if he can use me, he can use anybody.

That includes you!

So here’s to The Ordinaries like me.

Like Peter and John before us, may anything extraordinary we do be because we had been with Jesus.

May he always be the extra in our ordinary.

May we always remember that.