| quote of note |
| “The nature of a paradigm is such that it cannot change unless it is replaced" - Sarah Sumner |
| nehemiah project |
|
| from my library |
| |
| online biblical study resources |
|
| worthy endeavors |
|
|
| Tuesday, September 22, 2009 |
| The Need for the Church to Change |
I saw this interesting article written by a business professor in the Wall Street Journal about the need for churches to change to grow. He delivered this message to the Summit Leadership Group at Willow Creek Church. It is a pretty interesting and eye opening point of view from an outsider looking at the church as an organization. Read the article by clicking HereLabels: change, church, growth |
posted by Unknown @ 11:26 AM   |
|
|
|
| Tuesday, March 03, 2009 |
| The Common Thread |
 At the beginning of Saint Paul’s letter to his beloved friend and colleague Titus, Paul greets Titus this way, “To Titus, my true son in our common faith.” This reminds me of one of the amazing characteristics of the Church of Jesus Christ; we are so diverse, yet we all have something in common.
As I reflect on the universal church I am lead to visions of Christians of all types of people, cultures, nations, and languages, all unique in their own way, yet all a part of one body that transcends boundaries, oceans, and governments. You see, the church is a beautifully diverse group, reaching from one end of the globe to the next. From Catholics to Pentecostals, from Wesleyans to Baptists, we all have our differences, yet we all have something in common.
Even within each of our local churches there are differences. In fact, outwardly one might wonder what we as a body of people have in common; being made up of so many different people, with different vocations, and different hobbies. Yet there is something in common that draws us together.
Outwardly it would seem that Paul and Titus, two close friends and fellow workers, had little in common. Paul was Jewish, growing up within strict Jewish customs, and a Roman citizen. Although we don’t know too much about Titus, we do know that he was a gentile, and that he was Greek. What would a Jewish Roman Citizen have to do with a gentile Greek? An odd traveling pair, wouldn’t you say. Not if you look at the common thread that held them together. This thread is what Paul mentions in his greeting, Faith. A faith that celebrated their differences while holding them together around what was important, Jesus Christ.
This is our common thread, our faith in Jesus Christ. It is what brings us together to worship; what drives us to care for each other, and what should lead us to care for and share life with those who don’t have this faith yet. In reality, it is the common thread of all humanity, although some have not found it yet, or don’t accept it. It is the common thread of all creation, that “God so loved the world, He sent his son…”.
Because we are people of habit and comfort we sometimes get too caught up in the contrast of styles, personalities, and people, and don’t recognize the common thread that holds us together, and is the very reason we are here.
As we celebrate and sometimes struggle with diversity, never forget that there is one common story to all of history; one common thread, God’s redeeming love, and one common purpose, to spread it to all we know.
The Picture ("needle and thread") was used with permission from the artist, Kathy Keler.Labels: Christianity, church, common faith, diversity, unity |
| posted by Unknown @ 12:58 AM |
|
|
|
| Monday, May 05, 2008 |
| Thoughts on Worship from Marva Dawn |
Marva is one of my favorite authors. I thought I would post a few quotes from a book I am reading called "Is it a Lost Cause? Having the Heart of God for the Church's Children." You can get it here. Anyways, here are the excerpts. They are all found on page 77.
"...so many churches throughout the country...have confused worship and evangelism, and in doing so have prevented the community from equipping its off-spring to have the heart of God and, therefore, to be missional - that is, participating in God's mission - in the world."
"I grieve that many congregations have turned their worship services into "happiness" celebrations and thus foster the selfish consumerism that their members have already learned from the world, instead of nurturing in them the authentic Christian discipleship that brings genuine Joy and service to the world."
"The church always needs both old and new music, continuity as well as reformation, a sense of the heritage of faith going all the way back to Abraham and a conciousness of the need to put the faith in accessible forms and new wineskins."Labels: children, church, evangelism., missional, music, worship |
| posted by Unknown @ 8:25 AM |
|
|
|
| Wednesday, January 16, 2008 |
| The Practice of Looking Back |
I am not good at reflecting. I officiated a memorial service today in a nursing home. The point of the service was to look back at the lives of the residents who died and how they influenced us. That got me thinking about "looking back" in general. I am no t good at it. I am much more of a daydreamer about possible things to come. I can sit and imagine great plans and visions of future endeavors, but rarely do I sit and reflect on what has just happened.
What happens when I don't reflect is that I don't remember correctly who I am. I remember coming across a book about three years ago called "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat", by Oliver Sacks. He is a neuroligist and the same person played by Robin Williams in the movie "Awakenings". I read a few chapters of this book which described some of Sacks' experiences as a neurologist over the years. The one story that I remember is when he described a patient he treated who suffered from Korsakov's disease. This disease is one that impedes the short term memory and one is always having to reorient themselves to who they are, their context, and their situation.
Situations, whether good or bad, can make me forget as well. If I am faced with hardship, I forget the blessings in my life, and that God has continued to take care of me. I don't reflect on the big picture and am too focused on the small view of what is right in my face. Setting a pattern of reflection in one's life guards against this. I have been trying to journal in my Moleskine lately. Journaling, blogging, talking, thinking, all ways of reflecting that I am trying to increase.
Isn't part of the church's role to reflect? Maybe reflect isn't the right word. Maybe remember. I don't know if that is the right word either. Dwell in the story of who God is and who we are. Isn't this one of the key elements of corporate worship? When we get together to sing songs of God's goodness, his future, his present; when we read the scripture that tells us the story of his acts; when we say the creeds to each other; we are reflecting, placing ourselves in the context of who we are and who God is.Labels: church, Korsakov's disease, reflections, remembering, worship |
| posted by Unknown @ 1:00 PM |
|
|
|
| Thursday, March 01, 2007 |
| Why We Worship. |
Will Willimon is beginning a series of posts on worship. I enjoy reading what he has to say about most anything. Take a read here. Here is a quote to wet your appetite.
"The most serious, most delightful business of Christians, when you get down to it is “to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” In other words, to worship. Whether we are glorifying and enjoying God in church in our music, sermons, baptisms, and prayers our outside of church in our social concern, witnessing, and charity, it is all for one purpose: to glorify God and to enjoy him forever."
Labels: church, willimon, worship |
| posted by Unknown @ 3:59 PM |
|
|
|
|
| ben thomas |
|
| previous thoughts |
|
| links |
|
| blogs I read | |
|
| archives |
|
|
| stuff |
|
|
|
