Monday, June 30, 2008

In not of

What does it mean for a church if it is inward focused? Can that church truly be fulfilling the call that Jesus gave to us to “Go” and “reach” people? How does a church focus on simply keeping their people happy and still paying tithe rather than being out in the community and reaching people that are desperately needing the message of hope, love and forgiveness that only comes with knowing Jesus? How does a church in a struggling community build a $10 million dollar building with marble from overseas while there are people in their community that cannot afford food or health insurance? What does that say about us as a denomination or deeper, what does that say about us as believers?

I don’t claim to know it all or even half of what I need to know. I do know this: Jesus cannot be happy when we are asking ourselves is it worth it to reach out to the lost and dying rather than make our people upset. I know that God wants us to give our best and if that means lying down a service rather than giving it a “warm death” then we should stop having services. We, ministers, stretch ourselves so far simply because of the expectations that people have of us. Instead, we should be doing ministry that matters like spending time with people that need to know that you can live a life for Christ. Having ministries that reflect what Jesus would do were He here rather than just having things or a calendar full of events for the “church folk”. We love being comfortable. That is the goal it seems of most churches. I am heart-broken to hear of a friend who left his church because he was reaching out to too many of the unchurched, “rough” kids and the church kids were afraid. Maybe they need to be afraid. We have tamed our children for generations and told them to be “apart from the world” rather than being “in it and not of it”.

I am shattered by the lack of response there is to reaching out to the community. We must be reaching out or we are failing at being followers of Christ. We have fallen asleep in our pews.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Myrtle Beach, Lost dogs and Sting Rays oh my!

First off, let me say sorry for now. No pics because some nerdork stole our cameras. Anyways let me get to it:


1. Vacation was GREAT! No shoes, no problems, no rain, no worries...plenty of chips and salsa, lemonade and time spent with family (miss them already) and friends.

2. I traveled the furthest out yet, almost to my shoulders, into the ocean. If you know me and my fear of sharks you'd be proud no doubt. My strategy was to have someone in front of me so that "if" a shark/jellyfish/jaws come to bite someone, it will not be me and I can run like a schoolgirl. It worked.

3. Sarah happened to step on a sting ray! I just happened to be standing behind her ( lol see #2) and I had a crisis of faith. I didnt know at the time it was a sting ray and that it wasnt a shark or whatever, so here I was, standing looking at my wife wondering, "should I go help her" or "should I run"? I did neither and just stood there. She was fine...she just touched it with her foot.

4. We discovered a new game called Ingenious. We love it.

5. While down there, we watched "The Happening" and it was not happening. Bad ending. Disappointment reigns down.

6. On our way home, about 3 hours from home, we get a call that our dogs had run off. Helpless and sick we drove home and looked at 2am and then again at 630am and couldn't find them. Thinking that we had lost them, we get a call yesterday morning from the pound. The said that they had 2 Boston Terriers! Dude...crazy days...I never want to have that experience again. EVER!

Blessed be your name today Lord God!

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Everybody is free Music Video (sunscreen)

An ode to my Seniors this year! The rest of us could use the reminders!

God of this City

I love this song because it reminds me that God has a much much bigger plan for His people. Greater things are yet to come...I believe it. Do you?

Road Signs

Just came across this today in my devotional and wanted to share it:

Jeremiah 31:21, "Set up road signs; put up guideposts."

I was thinking, what kind of road signs have I been seeing my life recently? Good ones? Bad ones? Signs that don't have anything on them? Signs help us to know where we are at in that particular moment. Speed limits, rail road crossing, and no passing zones all tell us what we should do or not do in that moment. So my question for you is, what are the signs telling you right now? Who put those signs up? Have people imposed their signs on you? I have had to keep reminding myself lately that "Hurt people, hurt people".

Don't let someone impose their negativity or their opinions on you and make you feel like what they are saying is fact or law. Meet with God and let Him help you set up your own road signs and guideposts that will lead you where HE wants you to go.