Drew Smith and my musings on definitions of "church"

Uh, ok...
First, I make a motion to invite Drew Smith into NAG's R US. Anyone want to advance that motion? He has great "thinking" stuff...

Secondly, I am listening to Classical music streamed online...right now.

Thirdly, a heard a speaker say this the other day... "[they] weren't actively involved in a church". Question: what does that elude too? I need someone to tell me that this doesnt matter...so i can stop thinking about it...or someone to tell me, no, you need to keep wrestling with the usage of how the word "church" is used and consider how we can change our view of what the "church" really is. My preference is to use "church" in the sense of the global community of people that are following Jesus, side by side. Thus the idea of going to church or actively being involved in a church would need to change too -- actively being the church like the church is suppose to be.

I have read bits from the book The Open Church by James H. Rutz - published in 1993. The first chapter is entitled, "The Disastous Success of AD 313: How the Church Managed to Hog-Tie Itself". I would like to read this and chat about it with you all...if you so like. Let me know...

Fourthly, my friend Nathan Shaver said he was sending me a book, that i have yet to see.

Fifthly, Gabe, how is Dadhood?

I read this today on Dawson Trotman, it was encouraging to me so I thought I would share:

"Trotman's conversion experience centered on memorization and meditation on God's Word. He was a discipler of men because he himself was first discipled by God through the Scriptures. His emphasis on memorizing Scriptures, arranged on topical themes, continues to be part of the core curriculum of The Navigators today.
Memorization was not approached in legalistic fashion by Trotman, who understood that God's Spirit must create the desire and will to mine the treasures of His Word.
Regular Scripture memorization and meditation are fundamental to experiencing an abundant Christian life. The psalmist "treasured" God's Word in his heart (Psalm 119:11) and meditated on the Scriptures "day and night." (Psalm 1:2)
As you write God's Word on the tablet of your heart, you will find your mind renewed and ready to face temptations, challenges, and adversity from God's perspective of truth.
It is truth that sets you free; and the more Scripture you store in your heart, the more like Christ you will become.
Graham summed up Trotman's life this way: "Dawson loved the Word of God. I think more than anybody else he taught me to love it. He always carried his Bible around and always had it marked. The Word of God was sweetness to him.""

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Charlie : Candy Mountain

This will change your life...

I want to go to a Spirit-filled body...

Here is what is in the opposite corner of my ring. Is there any difference from what I do - a student minister - to what my dad does, a Mechanical specialist at General Motors. We are all called to make "more disciples", right? We are all called to be the kind of people that usher in the kingdom of God, right? I teach these very principles, yet I find myself as one within the institutional church using words like "calling" as if I needed something different or more to move me on to "another mission" than when my dad made a decision to move to Indy from New Port News, VA 28 years ago.

So, when I think about the possibilities of changing occupations - what is the indicator(s) of knowing when something is a good change...and even a good time to change?

Nathan, no laughing...
:)

PS - I like movies too!

The New Religion

I appreciate Nathan's Fee quote. I agree - I've heard other people say similar things. I heard Joy Dawson say something like, "I can tell what kind of relationship with God a person has by listening to them pray." I've found this to be true in my life - I mean, when I listen to myself pray. I can learn so much by listening to someone pray. For instance, Lou Engle, if you've never heard him pray you really should get your hands on a recording. I have some and there are some on the web I could point you to. Anyway, it's late and since I haven't taken the time to write as much as our friend Nate I thought I should at least post a quote. I heard this on one of the Ravi Zacharias podcasts, The Lecture was given by someone else (I forget) and it was titled, "Media, friend or foe?" This quote definitely made me pause and look at my own life. How often are movies the first thing I want to talk about? The thing I get excited about? The thing I make time for on a weekly basis? I know it's all a matter of perspective and priorities but I need to be careful to be aware of where my heart is.

“As ironic modern worshippers we congregate at the cinematic temple. We pay our votive offerings at the box office. We buy our ritual corn. We hush in reverent anticipation as the lights go down and the celluloid magic begins. Throughout the filmic narrative we identify with the hero, we vilify the anti-hero, we vicariously exult in the victories of the drama and we are spiritually inspired by the moral of the story. All the while believing that we are modern, techno-secular people devoid of religion, yet the depth and intensity of our participation reveal a religious fervor that is not much different from that of religious zealots.
-Jeffery Hill (a non-Christian), Life, the Movie

What do you believe?

“You let me listen to you pray and let me listen you sing, and I’ll write your theology! That’s the place where I discover who you really are, not the language used in sermons. But when you pray and when you sing, cause those are the two key places you are going to reveal your deepest heart with regard to what you truly believe.”

Gordon Fee (On the Holy Spirit)

I heard this today. I thought it was very good.

Can't see the forest for the trees...

Ok, so here is the big concern of my life here in Nashvegas. We (Rachelle and I) have lived here for 7 months now. Church is something that I feel extremely strong about and have a deep desire to live with in her, and grow with her (The church). However, we have not made our decision about which Church we will settle in to grow and serve. We have visited the Mega-Church (Seeker Sensitive), The Emerging Model (Postmodern Artsy Crowd), The Liturgical (Presbyterian, PCA not the Liberals, Its a Reformed RC Sproul would be proud of).

Growing up Pentecostal (which really screwed up some of my thoughts of God and the Spirit, I am working through it though. Thanks to Gordon Fee), then phasing into the Independent Christian Church (Where I became all head, a little heart) I have seemed to have gotten lost in the doctrine/theology/systematic world. My heart is that I really am known as a Disciple of Christ (Not the Weird Christian Church Break off). I know that the Kingdom of God is a reality that is meant to impact the world now and we are called into relationship with God in a intimate way. By the way, the pastor at the church we went to this morning used the word "companionship" not "relationship". interesting verbage!

As a husband, father, disciple, I want to grow in Community but not water down the power of the Word. I want to reach out in love and be a part of the work of God on a International level. Could all of this be done at any one of these churches? I do believe so...yet for some reason I am coming back to the Presbyterian church. Why is this? I don't fully understand yet, except they are extremely missional in teaching and really are doing things on a social level, here and around the world. However, they do have a strong emphasis on Covenental Theology. Do you know what this is?

Any way I say all of this mostly to be heard, do you have anything for me? Man this is kind of like Counseling! i love it.

I am what I am...

lets talk Popeye and the Myth of Redemptive Violence - Walter Wink
Just joking...unless you really want to

testeroo

tasting tasting one two three

It's A Start...

Maybe this will get us all talking in the same place, once in a while!