Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Great Emergence
We were handed a bunch of things taught as fact that dont fit the world we live in. At least not completely. Some not even for the most part. The Great Emergence is about moving forward and figuring out what it looks like to live out Jesus's message in our time. Doubters are welcome. Grace is in abundance and no one is not good enough.
its all about journeying together and facing the tough questions, not simply "trying harder" "believing more" or "having more faith"
and sometimes, usually, at the end, we dont have all the answers
but we have people around us and a God that are going through the shit right along with us
and that gives us hope
its all about journeying together and facing the tough questions, not simply "trying harder" "believing more" or "having more faith"
and sometimes, usually, at the end, we dont have all the answers
but we have people around us and a God that are going through the shit right along with us
and that gives us hope
Monday, November 16, 2009
I am far more interested in jumping that I am in arguing about whose trampoline is better.
"When we jump, we begin to see the need for springs. The springs help make sense of these deeper realities that drive how we live every day. The springs aren't God. The springs aren't Jesus. The springs are statements and beliefs about our faith that help give words to the depth that we are experiencing in our jumping. I would call these the doctrines of the Christian faith.
They aren't the point.
They help us understand the point, but they are a means and not an end. We take them seriously, and at the same time we keep them in proper perspective. . .
It hit me while I was watching that for him (a man giving a lecture on the six-day literal creation) faith isn't a trampoline; it's a wall of bricks. Each of the core doctrines for him is like an individual brick that stacks on top of the others. If you pull one out, the whole wall starts to crumble. It appears quite strong and rigid, but if you begin to rethink or discuss even one brick, the whole thing is in danger . . .
One of the thing that happens in brickworld: you spend a lot of time talking about how right you are. Which of course leads to how wrong everybody else is. Which then leads to defending the wall. It struck me . . .is that you rarely defend a trampoline. You invite people to jump on it with you.
I am far more interested in jumping that I am in arguing about whose trampoline is better. You rarely defend the things you love. You enjoy them and tell others about them and invite others to enjoy them with you.
Jesus invites everybody to jump..
And saying yes to the invitation doesn't mean we have to have it all figure out. This is an important thing to remember: I can jump and still have questions and doubts. I often meet people who are waiting to follow God until they have all their questions answered. They will be waiting for a long time, because if we knew everything, we'd be . . . God. So in the invitation to jump is an invitation to follow Jesus with all of our doubts and questions right there with us. "
rob bell, velvet elvis, pgs. 22-28
Take that "statement of faith"
They aren't the point.
They help us understand the point, but they are a means and not an end. We take them seriously, and at the same time we keep them in proper perspective. . .
It hit me while I was watching that for him (a man giving a lecture on the six-day literal creation) faith isn't a trampoline; it's a wall of bricks. Each of the core doctrines for him is like an individual brick that stacks on top of the others. If you pull one out, the whole wall starts to crumble. It appears quite strong and rigid, but if you begin to rethink or discuss even one brick, the whole thing is in danger . . .
One of the thing that happens in brickworld: you spend a lot of time talking about how right you are. Which of course leads to how wrong everybody else is. Which then leads to defending the wall. It struck me . . .is that you rarely defend a trampoline. You invite people to jump on it with you.
I am far more interested in jumping that I am in arguing about whose trampoline is better. You rarely defend the things you love. You enjoy them and tell others about them and invite others to enjoy them with you.
Jesus invites everybody to jump..
And saying yes to the invitation doesn't mean we have to have it all figure out. This is an important thing to remember: I can jump and still have questions and doubts. I often meet people who are waiting to follow God until they have all their questions answered. They will be waiting for a long time, because if we knew everything, we'd be . . . God. So in the invitation to jump is an invitation to follow Jesus with all of our doubts and questions right there with us. "
rob bell, velvet elvis, pgs. 22-28
Take that "statement of faith"
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Google Voice, Skype, Gizmo, and getting something useful for (almost) free
I am currently trying to figure out how to take advantage of this whole google voice/VOIP/SIP revolution. Here is what i've come up with thus far, let me know if there's a better way. (cause there probably is)
(Outgoing)
I have a $3 a month skype plan that allows me to make unlimited (fair use =10,000 minutes/6hrs a day.) outgoing calls to landlines and cell phones in the US via skype application on my laptop or iPod touch within a wifi hotspot. The number shows up as "unknown caller" or something to that effect, to get caller ID, and a number that people can call me on, would cost $30/year.
(incoming)
(this is where is gets messy)
If someone calls my Google Voice number, it is set up to forward to my cell phone only during the free anytime minutes (7pm-7am), if it's not a free calling time, the call gets routed to my Gizmo number that is set up within Google Voice, from there, the call is routed to my Skype Account, so that I can receive the call on my laptop or iPod Touch via Skype (if the iPod is on and I'm in the skype app) and if I am in a Wi-Fi zone. EDIT: ok this sucks because when this happens, (through Gizmo5/OpenSky service, you only get 3 minutes of call; alternatively you can pay $20 a year with garbage limitations.
(what then?)
If any one of those things fails, (not in skype app, not in wifi, dont have lappy out etc) the caller can leave me a GV voicemail. Which is then transcribed to and sent to my cell phone via text message. (all for free with unlimited texting plan). At this point I can choose to respond to the caller with my cell phone, call my GV account from my cell and listen to the voicemail, (uses cell phone minutes), OR I can get to WiFi and listen to the voicemail and return the call via skype.
This is messy. But it works. Now here is my question. (EDIT: ok this sucks because when this happens, (through Gizmo5/OpenSky service, you only get 3 minutes of call; alternatively you can pay $20 a year with garbage limitations. )
Can this setup be made better in any obvious way? Am I paying the $3 a month skypeout fee for nothing? I am too involved in this to be able to see the whole thing all together. I need a fresh set of eyes to look at this.
Feedback appreciated.
(Outgoing)
I have a $3 a month skype plan that allows me to make unlimited (fair use =10,000 minutes/6hrs a day.) outgoing calls to landlines and cell phones in the US via skype application on my laptop or iPod touch within a wifi hotspot. The number shows up as "unknown caller" or something to that effect, to get caller ID, and a number that people can call me on, would cost $30/year.
(incoming)
(this is where is gets messy)
If someone calls my Google Voice number, it is set up to forward to my cell phone only during the free anytime minutes (7pm-7am), if it's not a free calling time, the call gets routed to my Gizmo number that is set up within Google Voice, from there, the call is routed to my Skype Account, so that I can receive the call on my laptop or iPod Touch via Skype (if the iPod is on and I'm in the skype app) and if I am in a Wi-Fi zone. EDIT: ok this sucks because when this happens, (through Gizmo5/OpenSky service, you only get 3 minutes of call; alternatively you can pay $20 a year with garbage limitations.
(what then?)
If any one of those things fails, (not in skype app, not in wifi, dont have lappy out etc) the caller can leave me a GV voicemail. Which is then transcribed to and sent to my cell phone via text message. (all for free with unlimited texting plan). At this point I can choose to respond to the caller with my cell phone, call my GV account from my cell and listen to the voicemail, (uses cell phone minutes), OR I can get to WiFi and listen to the voicemail and return the call via skype.
This is messy. But it works. Now here is my question. (EDIT: ok this sucks because when this happens, (through Gizmo5/OpenSky service, you only get 3 minutes of call; alternatively you can pay $20 a year with garbage limitations. )
Can this setup be made better in any obvious way? Am I paying the $3 a month skypeout fee for nothing? I am too involved in this to be able to see the whole thing all together. I need a fresh set of eyes to look at this.
Feedback appreciated.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Frank Schaeffer, Obama, and the "Religious Right"
frank schaeffer wrote an article in support of Barack Obama back when he was fighting Hillary Clinton for the Presidential slot. That article is found originally here and reblogged below. (all emphasis added).
I suggest you read the article before you watch the video, it will help you to get a better idea of where the guy is coming from, and what he stands for.
"I am an Obama supporter. I am also pro-life. In fact, without my family's involvement in the pro-life movement it would not exist as we know it. Evangelicals weren't politicized until after my late father and evangelical leader Francis Schaeffer, Dr. Koop (Reagan's soon-to-be Surgeon General) and I stirred them up over the issue of abortion in the mid-1970s. Our Whatever Happened to the Human Race? book, movie series and seminars brought the evangelicals into the pro-life movement.
So exactly how dangerous is it, having an entire subculture that includes people who view science and reason as "the enemy"? People who don't care about the environment because: "it's all going to burn anyway." A group that invites war as the primary response to every single country that mouths off/has resources valuable to the "God blessed" United States of America? Afghanistan, Iraq, (by the way, Iraq had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11, regardless of public opinion, and still no WMD's have been found.). From the sounds of things, these people are very close to suggesting military action with Iran, or North Korea. And these people are supposedly mainly comprised of Christians. Does this scare anyone else? That the Jesus this world is seeing put forth is these people? I want to just scream at the top of my lungs "Wait! Stop! Don't write the Jesus story off yet! This isn't really it!" There was a time when Christians had nothing to do with the government or the military. I think I'll look into that next.
This is off the new Muse album:
"And these wars, they can't be won
Does anyone know or care how they begun?
They just promise to go on
And on and on"
seems timely.
Can anyone empathize?
I suggest you read the article before you watch the video, it will help you to get a better idea of where the guy is coming from, and what he stands for.
"I am an Obama supporter. I am also pro-life. In fact, without my family's involvement in the pro-life movement it would not exist as we know it. Evangelicals weren't politicized until after my late father and evangelical leader Francis Schaeffer, Dr. Koop (Reagan's soon-to-be Surgeon General) and I stirred them up over the issue of abortion in the mid-1970s. Our Whatever Happened to the Human Race? book, movie series and seminars brought the evangelicals into the pro-life movement.
(Dad's political influence persists. Last week one of my father's followers -- Mike Huckabee -- was interviewed by Katie Couric, along with all the other presidential candidates. Couric asked the candidates if they were to be sent to a desert island and could only take one book besides the Bible, what would that that book be? Huckabee answered that he'd take my father's book Whatever Happened To The Human Race?)
Fast forward...
In 2000, we elected a president who claimed he believed God created the earth and who, as president, put car manufacturers and oil company's interests ahead of caring for that creation. We elected a pro-life Republican Congress that did nothing to actually care for pregnant women and babies. And they took their sincere evangelical followers for granted, and played them for suckers.
The so-called evangelical leadership -- Dobson, Robertson et al. also played the pro-life community for suckers. While thousands of men and women in the crisis pregnancy movement gave of themselves to help women and babies, their evangelical "leaders" did little more than cash in on fundraising opportunities and represent themselves as power-brokers to the craven politicians willing to kowtow to them.
Fast forward...
Today when I listen to Obama speak (and to his remarkable wife, Michelle) what I hear is a world view that actually nurtures life. Obama is trying to lead this country to a place where the intrinsic worth of each individual is celebrated. A leader who believes in hope, the future, trying to save our planet and providing a just and good life for everyone is someone who is actually pro-life.
Conversely the "pro-life" ethic of George W. Bush manifested itself in a series of squandered opportunities to call us to our better natures. After 9/11, Bush told most Americans to go shopping while saddling the few who volunteered for military service with endless tours of duty (something I know a little about since my son was a Marine and deployed several times). The Bush doctrine of life was expressed by starting an unnecessary war in Iraq that has killed thousands of Americans and wounded tens of thousands more.
The society that Obama is calling us to sacrifice for is a place wherein life would be valued not just talked about. As he said in his speech delivered on February 6 in New Orleans, "Too often, we lose our sense of common destiny; that understanding that we are all tied together; that when a woman has less than nothing in this country, that makes us all poorer." Obama was talking about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, but his words also apply to our overall view of ourselves.
Regardless of the official position of the Supreme Court on abortion, a country in which all Americans are offered some sort of dignity and hopeful future would be a place conducive to the kind of optimism each of us must hold in our hearts if we are to welcome children into this world. But if our highest aspiration is to be a consumer with no thought or care for our neighbor, we will remain a culture in which abortion is not only inevitable but logical.
What we need in America is a spiritual rebirth, a turning away from the false value of consumerism and utilitarianism that have trumped every aspect of human life. To implement this vision we need leaders that inspire but to do so they have to be what they say they are. It's not about policy it's about character.
Obama's rivals for the nomination -- the Clintons -- do not inspire. When the Clintons were in the White House they talked about humane values while Bill Clinton betrayed every single person who voted for him by carrying on an unseemly sexual dalliance in the Oval Office with a young woman barely out of her teens. Since that time the Clintons have enriched themselves through their connections to a point where they're able to make a $5 million personal loan to their campaign.
For someone who says she has spent "the last 35 years of my life as an advocate for children" and/or "fighting for healthcare" that's a lot of money to have collected through doing good works. Presidential Mother Teresa wannabes shouldn't be doing deals with uranium mining outfits in Kazakhstan while schmoozing with the likes of President Nursultan Nazarbayev and wealthy mining magnates -- not if they want the moral authority to lead.
Similarly the Republicans have also been hypocrites while talking big, for instance about their pro-life ethic. But what have they achieved? First, through their puritanical war on sex education they've hindered our country from actually preventing unwanted pregnancy. Second, through the Republican Party's marriage to the greediest and most polluting earth-destroying corporations they've created a climate (both moral and physical) that has scorched the earth for-profit, with no regard to future generations whatsoever. The Republicans are to the pro-life movement what the Clintons are to selfless public service.
The real solution to abortion is to change the heart of America, not the law. We need to stop seeing ourselves as consumers. We need to stop seeing ourselves as me and begin to think of we. Our country needs someone to show us a better way, a president who is what he seems, someone with actual moral authority that our diverse population can believe in who has the qualities that make us want to follow him. Obama is that person."
Frank Schaeffer is a writer and author of "CRAZY FOR GOD -- How I Grew Up As One Of The Elect, Helped Found The Religious Right, And Lived To Take All (Or Almost All) Of It Back"
God created the earth and said it was good. Implementing a "scorched Earth policy" doesn't seem to jive with that. ("A theology of ecology" coming soon) Putting the wishes of Big Business and oil companies above the the common man is wrong. Health care should be a basic human right, what could be easier for Christians to get behind than that? Sadly, Universal Healthcare is seen as a "bleeding heart liberal" idea. ok rant over.
The video below I originally found here. The video is a little more forward and offensive than the letter. Mr. Schaeffer is more critical and bitter, but I still think he has a lot of valid points.
So exactly how dangerous is it, having an entire subculture that includes people who view science and reason as "the enemy"? People who don't care about the environment because: "it's all going to burn anyway." A group that invites war as the primary response to every single country that mouths off/has resources valuable to the "God blessed" United States of America? Afghanistan, Iraq, (by the way, Iraq had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11, regardless of public opinion, and still no WMD's have been found.). From the sounds of things, these people are very close to suggesting military action with Iran, or North Korea. And these people are supposedly mainly comprised of Christians. Does this scare anyone else? That the Jesus this world is seeing put forth is these people? I want to just scream at the top of my lungs "Wait! Stop! Don't write the Jesus story off yet! This isn't really it!" There was a time when Christians had nothing to do with the government or the military. I think I'll look into that next.
This is off the new Muse album:
"And these wars, they can't be won
Does anyone know or care how they begun?
They just promise to go on
And on and on"
seems timely.
Can anyone empathize?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
"Reforming Ecclesiology in Emerging Churches" by LeRon Shults
Think of it as an article about how we do Church, but it also serves as a great introduction the the term "Emergent".
A blip:"Whatever else Emergent may be, it is a movement committed to encouraging the lively pursuit of God and to inviting others into a delightfully terrifying conversation along the way."
Ok, something new.
I want to get back into thinking. Real thinking, so to help achieve this, I am going to reblog, steal, link, copy and paste, everything I'm sifting through and tag it "resources". This does not mean I love it, hate it, endorse it, condone it, condemn it, or anything in between. I will elaborate more on each one as I have time and as/if interest arises. I encourage you to engage in these with me. I would love to hear your thoughts (respectfully) on anything and everything here.
Thanks
Thanks
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
This post marks a new chapter in my life.
I have a beautiful wife. (more on that later)
I am enjoying a Sabbath.
I am editing my photography.
I am just existing.
I'm not being productive in the traditional sense, but I feel more alive today than I have in recent memory.
I love this.
Anyhow, i hope to be writing here much more often, often joined by my wonderful wife: Ashley Gleason
We are starting our new life together, at the center of which is this desire, to live in touch, in tune, in sync, etc with God and how he intends for us to live. Along with this comes this idea of a Sabbath. Sabbath is a gift, from God to us. A day free from worry and obligation. A day to stop being productive and just be. There is a very good talk on the subject that happened recently at Mars Hill in Grand Rapids, which is in fact made us want to try it so badly. A sermon entitled: "Longing for Rest - by Ruth Haley Barton". Go subscribe to the Mars Hill Podcast on iTunes (or just click here) and give it a listen. Also make sure to listen to "The Importance of Beginning in the Beginning" from the week prior. That message deserves a million blog posts but I will try to do it justice by giving it one very soon. Anyways, Sabbath, a day to enjoy being human. A day to look around at all the gifts God has given each one of us and just be giddy with thankfulness and delight. A day to spend doing the things you love with the people you love. A day to find courage to trust God that everything that needs to get done, will; just not today. For Jews, it's typically Saturday. For Christians, it's supposedly Sunday. For my family, today is the Sabbath, a Wednesday. The only day this week that neither one of us are working. "Floating Sabbaths" may or may not be a good thing, we'll see how that goes.
Hopefully soon I will write about "The Importance of Beginning in the Beginning" the sermon I've been waiting to hear my whole life.
Peace and Grace
I have a beautiful wife. (more on that later)
I am enjoying a Sabbath.
I am editing my photography.
I am just existing.
I'm not being productive in the traditional sense, but I feel more alive today than I have in recent memory.
I love this.
Anyhow, i hope to be writing here much more often, often joined by my wonderful wife: Ashley Gleason
We are starting our new life together, at the center of which is this desire, to live in touch, in tune, in sync, etc with God and how he intends for us to live. Along with this comes this idea of a Sabbath. Sabbath is a gift, from God to us. A day free from worry and obligation. A day to stop being productive and just be. There is a very good talk on the subject that happened recently at Mars Hill in Grand Rapids, which is in fact made us want to try it so badly. A sermon entitled: "Longing for Rest - by Ruth Haley Barton". Go subscribe to the Mars Hill Podcast on iTunes (or just click here) and give it a listen. Also make sure to listen to "The Importance of Beginning in the Beginning" from the week prior. That message deserves a million blog posts but I will try to do it justice by giving it one very soon. Anyways, Sabbath, a day to enjoy being human. A day to look around at all the gifts God has given each one of us and just be giddy with thankfulness and delight. A day to spend doing the things you love with the people you love. A day to find courage to trust God that everything that needs to get done, will; just not today. For Jews, it's typically Saturday. For Christians, it's supposedly Sunday. For my family, today is the Sabbath, a Wednesday. The only day this week that neither one of us are working. "Floating Sabbaths" may or may not be a good thing, we'll see how that goes.
Hopefully soon I will write about "The Importance of Beginning in the Beginning" the sermon I've been waiting to hear my whole life.
Peace and Grace
Friday, July 31, 2009
God is so Good
Psa. 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
Psa. 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Psa. 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Psa. 34:11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
today is a good day :D
and things are only getting better.
You see there is this girl...
her name is ashley and she is my absolute favorite, I love everything about her and she is sooooo pretty...
we pretty much do life together-
we're finding out how to have God be the center of our lives-
we're becoming the people we want to be-
oh yeah...
and we're getting married-
in less than a month
:]
God has always taken care of me, I know he always will.
but there's something wonderfull when I can just FEEL it.
I love it.
I love life.
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
Psa. 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Psa. 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Psa. 34:11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
today is a good day :D
and things are only getting better.
You see there is this girl...
her name is ashley and she is my absolute favorite, I love everything about her and she is sooooo pretty...
we pretty much do life together-
we're finding out how to have God be the center of our lives-
we're becoming the people we want to be-
oh yeah...
and we're getting married-
in less than a month
:]
God has always taken care of me, I know he always will.
but there's something wonderfull when I can just FEEL it.
I love it.
I love life.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Coming Back
I know i'm eventually going to say this again, and I dont want to, but...
I think i'm finally done being depressed.
trying to get back into the swing of things. Finding (or at least looking) for God. Enjoying life. Not sweating the small stuff.
AND I'm getting married in a month 0_o
I'm very excited :D
very
very
excited.
See you all at the Chuppa. :D
I think i'm finally done being depressed.
trying to get back into the swing of things. Finding (or at least looking) for God. Enjoying life. Not sweating the small stuff.
AND I'm getting married in a month 0_o
I'm very excited :D
very
very
excited.
See you all at the Chuppa. :D
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
I Have Questions for All Your Answers
This was a great movie, highly recommended.
Battle For Seattle
This scene in particular stuck out to me.
I laughed at it the first time, but the more I thought about it, the truer it rang to me. We all think it's wrong that injustices happen it our world, but it's far too easy to not care when it's happening far away.
There's something about a wake up call like this, something about having it thrown (literally in this case) in your face.
The products we buy really do make an impact.
I don't agree that violence is the answer to anything. Jesus taught us that quite plainly. The whole idea of violence is anti-god.
But there's something about this guy's passion, the cracking of his voice, you can almost feel how much he believes in ______ cause "x" (dismantling the WTO in this case)
Think about the Nike Swoosh
and try to plug your ears while it screams "Human Slavery"
But hey, at least you look cool right?
God entrusted you with money and look, you perpetuated the slavery of kids overseas with it
Awesome
We all have a responsibility to each other and to God.
and when we sit at his throne,
Our excuses and justifications won't matter.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, [6] you did it to me.’ (emphasis added)
Is it possible to be follow Jesus and not know it?
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (emphasis added)
Is it possible to think you're following Jesus and not be?
Is following Jesus a system of beliefs or a way of life?
A way of life that is self emptying towards God and towards others?
Maybe following has a lot more to do with action and the inclination of the heart than with rigid dogma, rules, and religious boundaries.
What do you think?
Habakkuk 3:2b "...in wrath remember mercy."
really though, I'm interested to hear what people think about this.
Monday, February 23, 2009
I hope God is like that.
I have more coming I promise, I've been really busy.
In the meantime, this quote is really tearing into my soul.
"Here is the God
I want to believe in: a Father who,
from the beginning of creation,
has stretched out his arms,
in merciful blessing, never
forcing himself on anyone,
but always waiting; never
letting his arms drop down in despair,
but always hoping that his children
will return so that he can
speak words of love to them
and let his tired arms rest on their
shoulders. His only desire is to bless."
~Henri Nouwen~
I hope God is like that.
What do you think?If the man who spoke that quote was gay, does that change what you think of it?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Where did this blog even come from?
So, yeah this blog....
Let me preface this by saying I thought for a very long time before deciding to do this. It wasn't a spur of the moment thing by any means.
The point of this blog is to get my never-ending, never-disscussed, always frustrating thoughts, down, somewhere, anywhere. I'm not quite sure why. It is just something I've decided I can't afford not to do. Hopefully people will comment, and discussion will ensue; but either way, I think it will help me to organize my thoughts.
I was wary at first of the idea of having a blog, as the whole concept seems somewhat arrogant. Having the audacity to think that anyone else cares about what I think. Or being so starved for attention I need to just talk at everyone. Please know that I don't intend any of these things.
The material will mostly center around theology. but could diverge without warning to anything.
Disclaimer:
The views, themes, ideas, etc expressed here are by no means original, please don't mistake them as such. I don't claim to have an original idea; ever. I'm sure every idea that I could ever express has been expressed before, and more than likely with much more eloquence. I will do my best to give credit where credit is due. Also, do not take my words as the final word on anything. There are experts much more qualified than me on anything and everything discussed here. This is merely a platform for discussion and for me to keep my sanity. I think that's a pretty thorough disclaimer.
My influences are going to be apparent as this starts up. If you've ever heard or read Rob Bell; you'll see how he has influenced my sentence structure. They include but aren't limited to:
Being young
Being engaged to my beautiful bride-to-be Ashley Elizabeth Chaplin
My upbringing
the Emergent Church-(not to be confused with the emerging church)
Mars Hill/Rob Bell
Erwin Raphael McManus
Bill Johnson
postmodern thought
being born in a mac using home (Thank God)
This amazing blog I found-http://suzeiteo.blogspot.com/
Many long afternoons of reading about the different ways people think about God at His Bible and Book House where I used to work.
The International House of Prayer
and many many other things I'm sure.
Anyways,
-Theology-
For some reason people either love or hate the word theology
They think it's some aloof, smart people battleground that is somehow connected to Wiki Wars.
Which, I guess, in a way, is somewhat true.
From MarsHill.org
"We believe the Bible to be the voices of many who have come before us, inspired by God to pass along their poems, stories, accounts, and letters of response and relationship with each other and the living God. These words have been used to describe God and his character for thousands of years, and we call this theology. Theology is one of the best ways we can come to know and love God; it is also how we understand who God calls us to be and what he calls us to do. Theology comes from the Greek words "theos" and "logos." Theos means God, and logos means word. Words about God.
That is my definition of theology.
This is a blog dedicated to words about God.
Enjoy.
Let me preface this by saying I thought for a very long time before deciding to do this. It wasn't a spur of the moment thing by any means.
The point of this blog is to get my never-ending, never-disscussed, always frustrating thoughts, down, somewhere, anywhere. I'm not quite sure why. It is just something I've decided I can't afford not to do. Hopefully people will comment, and discussion will ensue; but either way, I think it will help me to organize my thoughts.
I was wary at first of the idea of having a blog, as the whole concept seems somewhat arrogant. Having the audacity to think that anyone else cares about what I think. Or being so starved for attention I need to just talk at everyone. Please know that I don't intend any of these things.
The material will mostly center around theology. but could diverge without warning to anything.
Disclaimer:
The views, themes, ideas, etc expressed here are by no means original, please don't mistake them as such. I don't claim to have an original idea; ever. I'm sure every idea that I could ever express has been expressed before, and more than likely with much more eloquence. I will do my best to give credit where credit is due. Also, do not take my words as the final word on anything. There are experts much more qualified than me on anything and everything discussed here. This is merely a platform for discussion and for me to keep my sanity. I think that's a pretty thorough disclaimer.
My influences are going to be apparent as this starts up. If you've ever heard or read Rob Bell; you'll see how he has influenced my sentence structure. They include but aren't limited to:
Being young
Being engaged to my beautiful bride-to-be Ashley Elizabeth Chaplin
My upbringing
the Emergent Church-(not to be confused with the emerging church)
Mars Hill/Rob Bell
Erwin Raphael McManus
Bill Johnson
postmodern thought
being born in a mac using home (Thank God)
This amazing blog I found-http://suzeiteo.blogspot.com/
Many long afternoons of reading about the different ways people think about God at His Bible and Book House where I used to work.
The International House of Prayer
and many many other things I'm sure.
Anyways,
-Theology-
For some reason people either love or hate the word theology
They think it's some aloof, smart people battleground that is somehow connected to Wiki Wars.
Which, I guess, in a way, is somewhat true.
From MarsHill.org
"We believe the Bible to be the voices of many who have come before us, inspired by God to pass along their poems, stories, accounts, and letters of response and relationship with each other and the living God. These words have been used to describe God and his character for thousands of years, and we call this theology. Theology is one of the best ways we can come to know and love God; it is also how we understand who God calls us to be and what he calls us to do. Theology comes from the Greek words "theos" and "logos." Theos means God, and logos means word. Words about God.
That is my definition of theology.
This is a blog dedicated to words about God.
Enjoy.
Awkward Salesman
So this thing just happened to me. I'm sure its happened to you.
Someone approaches you or someone near you, and their either asking for money or selling something. You know the drill.
The weird part, (for me at least) is that they almost always approach someone other than me first. Leaving me as an innocent bystander, anxiously trying to decide what to say when it's my turn.
Usually, whatever they're offering is of very little interest to me; it's usually some book i'll never read or a coupon book full of places ill never go.
Anyhow, its always a very awkward situation, the battle happens in my mind somewhat like this:
He hasn't made eye contact with me yet...I can still make a break for it....(alas in this case my laptop was completely unpacked, making an escape somewhat unrealistic)
Hope he talks to someone else. (almost always fails)
Then he asks: "Well what about you?"
My heart tears in two at this point.
My upbringing tells me to lock the doors and turn off the lights (metaphorically speaking of course). The lame, cliche adage of WWJD is also contending in my mind.
Today it was an older man, at least in his sixties. Full of smiles, although very awkward, you could tell he didn't exactly feel comfortable asking people for money, he hovered around the table where I sat for about fifteen minutes before he approached us.
If this person is genuinely in need, of course I want to help them. I want to buy them lunch even if I don't have money enough for me to eat. I want to buy them the medicine they need even if it means I go without something because so far in my life, God has always provided for me, I've never gone hungry, I've always had a place to stay etc. I want to pray for and love on this person. I want to hear their story. I want to pass on to them the fact that they are valued as a child of God. I want to help them see their worth in God just for being one of his children.
Back to the money....
I'm in college, so I'm poor, but of course, on this current day, I have cash in my wallet, from selling back camera lenses and for my month's food. I have absolutely no interest in this man's coupon book. He also has some children's wall calendar with drawings of angels on it. Not exactly my style. But then again, maybe this interaction is not about me.
So my logic tells me that if I buy from this man, being genuinely interested in his product, I'm a sucker.
If I just give him a donation a feel like I'm glorifying myself. Showing how great and generous I am.
Bible verse time...
2 Corinthians 9
6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written:
"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever."[a] 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Now I realize this passage is not specifically talking about people selling things to raise money. It's about offering at church. But I think the same principles apply. Especially if church is a way you live, rather than a building.
There's an incentive, (or a threat maybe?) for me to sow generously so that i may reap generously. But I'm not considering giving to this man so that I win the lotto, I don't think that's how giving is really supposed to work, that's not really giving. Giving, like love, is sacrificial.
I'm unsure how the whole "under compulsion" thing works at this point, I couldn't have very well planned for this.
Anyways, the scripture concludes:
"11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."
So my wonderfully intelligent response is: "What's the cause?" (it sounded much more intelligent in my head) He explained to me that he is trying to raise money for a handicapped sports team, Wheelchair basketball essentially. I asked him if I could just make a donation. He said "ok five dollars?" I pulled out my wallet and expecting a fiver only find a ten and a one. The other bills are buried in an envelope which also contains a fifty and twenties. (I never ever have this much cash on me. This has to be a God thing.) I don't want to go into the envelope to get a five, and then make his heart leap when he sees the big bills, only to crush his soul a second later.
what the heck do you do?
So I give him the ten and tell him to keep the change.
He hands me the "Angels Among Us" wall calendar from the United Spinal Association and walks away happily.
I just sit there, in the student center of Baker College Flint Campus, next to a mac nerd I share a table with, who has just told this man "not today"-(as if possibly tomorrow is a better bet?), feeling completely awkward.
My fellow nerd goes into the little store and buys 5 dollars worth of snacks ten minutes later.
My mind continues relentlessly
"What if that guy is just lying and he's going to spend that money on perpetuating his drug addiction?"
"Nerd guy thinks I'm a sucker"
"Nerd guy thinks I'm trying to look better than him"
"Nerd guy thinks I'm rich and is thinking about asking me for money himself"
"11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."
To me, the bottom line is this.
All I want in life is to be moderately happy and to know without and doubt that God is smiling on me. That he loves me and cares for me and I make him happy.
If my generosity can result in thanksgiving to God, that's worth it to me.
I would rather do what I can to make God smile than have cheddar chex mix and a coke.
Maybe the old guy was an angel. Maybe he's going to disappear as soon as he drives away. Sent only to rattle me and test my actions to see if they match the Jesus I claim. Or to finally give me something I can use to start the blog I've been wanting to forever.
Maybe I'm just a sucker and I gave money to help a child molester perpetuate his ring of perversion and torment.
I don't think its my place to be the judge of the world.
Would i give my money away as easily if the person asking had a needle already in his arm?
I don't know.
I don't know what i'd do.
Maybe I honestly got to support marginalized people.
I sure hope so.
More than that I hope God sees my heart and sets everything right.
What would you have done?
Someone approaches you or someone near you, and their either asking for money or selling something. You know the drill.
The weird part, (for me at least) is that they almost always approach someone other than me first. Leaving me as an innocent bystander, anxiously trying to decide what to say when it's my turn.
Usually, whatever they're offering is of very little interest to me; it's usually some book i'll never read or a coupon book full of places ill never go.
Anyhow, its always a very awkward situation, the battle happens in my mind somewhat like this:
He hasn't made eye contact with me yet...I can still make a break for it....(alas in this case my laptop was completely unpacked, making an escape somewhat unrealistic)
Hope he talks to someone else. (almost always fails)
Then he asks: "Well what about you?"
My heart tears in two at this point.
My upbringing tells me to lock the doors and turn off the lights (metaphorically speaking of course). The lame, cliche adage of WWJD is also contending in my mind.
Today it was an older man, at least in his sixties. Full of smiles, although very awkward, you could tell he didn't exactly feel comfortable asking people for money, he hovered around the table where I sat for about fifteen minutes before he approached us.
If this person is genuinely in need, of course I want to help them. I want to buy them lunch even if I don't have money enough for me to eat. I want to buy them the medicine they need even if it means I go without something because so far in my life, God has always provided for me, I've never gone hungry, I've always had a place to stay etc. I want to pray for and love on this person. I want to hear their story. I want to pass on to them the fact that they are valued as a child of God. I want to help them see their worth in God just for being one of his children.
Back to the money....
I'm in college, so I'm poor, but of course, on this current day, I have cash in my wallet, from selling back camera lenses and for my month's food. I have absolutely no interest in this man's coupon book. He also has some children's wall calendar with drawings of angels on it. Not exactly my style. But then again, maybe this interaction is not about me.
So my logic tells me that if I buy from this man, being genuinely interested in his product, I'm a sucker.
If I just give him a donation a feel like I'm glorifying myself. Showing how great and generous I am.
Bible verse time...
2 Corinthians 9
6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written:
"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever."[a] 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Now I realize this passage is not specifically talking about people selling things to raise money. It's about offering at church. But I think the same principles apply. Especially if church is a way you live, rather than a building.
There's an incentive, (or a threat maybe?) for me to sow generously so that i may reap generously. But I'm not considering giving to this man so that I win the lotto, I don't think that's how giving is really supposed to work, that's not really giving. Giving, like love, is sacrificial.
I'm unsure how the whole "under compulsion" thing works at this point, I couldn't have very well planned for this.
Anyways, the scripture concludes:
"11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."
So my wonderfully intelligent response is: "What's the cause?" (it sounded much more intelligent in my head) He explained to me that he is trying to raise money for a handicapped sports team, Wheelchair basketball essentially. I asked him if I could just make a donation. He said "ok five dollars?" I pulled out my wallet and expecting a fiver only find a ten and a one. The other bills are buried in an envelope which also contains a fifty and twenties. (I never ever have this much cash on me. This has to be a God thing.) I don't want to go into the envelope to get a five, and then make his heart leap when he sees the big bills, only to crush his soul a second later.
what the heck do you do?
So I give him the ten and tell him to keep the change.
He hands me the "Angels Among Us" wall calendar from the United Spinal Association and walks away happily.
I just sit there, in the student center of Baker College Flint Campus, next to a mac nerd I share a table with, who has just told this man "not today"-(as if possibly tomorrow is a better bet?), feeling completely awkward.
My fellow nerd goes into the little store and buys 5 dollars worth of snacks ten minutes later.
My mind continues relentlessly
"What if that guy is just lying and he's going to spend that money on perpetuating his drug addiction?"
"Nerd guy thinks I'm a sucker"
"Nerd guy thinks I'm trying to look better than him"
"Nerd guy thinks I'm rich and is thinking about asking me for money himself"
"11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."
To me, the bottom line is this.
All I want in life is to be moderately happy and to know without and doubt that God is smiling on me. That he loves me and cares for me and I make him happy.
If my generosity can result in thanksgiving to God, that's worth it to me.
I would rather do what I can to make God smile than have cheddar chex mix and a coke.
Maybe the old guy was an angel. Maybe he's going to disappear as soon as he drives away. Sent only to rattle me and test my actions to see if they match the Jesus I claim. Or to finally give me something I can use to start the blog I've been wanting to forever.
Maybe I'm just a sucker and I gave money to help a child molester perpetuate his ring of perversion and torment.
I don't think its my place to be the judge of the world.
Would i give my money away as easily if the person asking had a needle already in his arm?
I don't know.
I don't know what i'd do.
Maybe I honestly got to support marginalized people.
I sure hope so.
More than that I hope God sees my heart and sets everything right.
What would you have done?
Finally, a Blog
I finally took the leap and made this blog.
That's a story in itself and I haven't written it yet.
Will do later.
That's a story in itself and I haven't written it yet.
Will do later.
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