House Update: Closing this Friday

We are closing on the sale of our house this Friday at 11:00am. Keep us in your prayers as we seek a place to live. We have one easy option, but it is not as ideal as we would like for our situation. Thanks.

House Update: Final Inspection Passed

Well, we had our final inspection yesterday. We passed with flying colors. So, it’s on to closing. Keep us in your prayers as we seek to find a rental place to move into soon.

The Gospel According to Anne Rice

Wow, was I shocked when I found this out! One of my favorite authors of all time has become a follower of Jesus Christ and will be writing a couple books about his life.

When I was in high school I couldn’t put down the novels I knew she had written:

- Interview with a Vampire
- The Vampire Lestat
- The Queen of the Damned
- The Mummy

Of course, those novels were not exactly your 1950’s version of the topics covered. Anne explored what it meant to be a Vampire in our age and in the 1800’s, and the Mummy was just flat out outstanding. However, I would caution you from reading them as they are filled with much that is not appropriate for consumption (x-rated scenes, much gore and violence, etc…come on, they are Vampires and Mummy’s for cryin out loud). Just because I read them in high school and thought (think) they were masterfully written doesn’t mean I would pick them up now…

But, according to several news sources, Anne has returned to her Catholic roots and will be publishing her next novel, “Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt”. I will be reading it. Right now I am listening to an excerpt read online right now.

The book is written about the story of Christ from the Gospel naratives, and a seven year old Christ is narrating! It seems she will be taking from the apocrapha, and from extra-canon books. I know all the things you are thinking, and I am thinking a lot of them too, but I do plan on investigating this, and reading the book.

This coming Sunday night I will be leading our ch…

This coming Sunday night I will be leading our church through a Bible study on giving. We have been going through Acts 2:42-47 over the last two months, taking each little thing they did as a church and disecting it. This Sunday we are on verses 44-45.

Basically what I want to do is take all the major verses in the New Testament on giving (as they relate to the church) and show that in almost every case they all talk about giving to people not to God.

Acts 2:44-45 – They sold their possessions and gave them to all who had need.

Acts 2:32-37 – They had all things common and nobody lacked anything because those who had houses and lands sold them and gave the money to the apostles and the apostles distributed it to those in need.

Acts 20:33-35 – Paul teaches the Ephesians’s elders to work to support the weak, and says he did this because Jesus said (it’s only recorded here), “It is better to give and to receive”.

Acts 11:27-30 – Paul’s first journey as an apostle is not to plant churches but to act as security guard in the delivery of the money to help the poor in Jerusalem!

1 Corinthians 16:2 – A verse commonly used to prove why we place a plate in front of people on Sunday (first day of the week), although Paul says to do this so he can collect the money and give it to poor people.

2 Corinthians 8 – A chapter (along with chapter 9) commonly used to teach about “faith promise giving” and or giving to the church in general teaches no such thing, because it is all about sacrficing for the sake of those who have nothing. Amazingly the word “grace” is used 5 or 6 times in the chapter in reference to this giving (for more on this look at Acts 4:33 – they needed “great grace” to give how they did in Acts 4:32-37 – and evidently they did here as well – we all do!)

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 – Verses used on how giving should be done in the church are actually verses to teach the Corinthians (rebuke?) how to give to those who don’t have what they do (build off of equality in 8:14-15). Paul calls this kind of giving “ministering to the saints” (v.1) and says that those who give this way will “remain forever” (quoting a Psalm). Is our giving tied to eternal life? Jesus seemed to think so (“sell what you have and give to the poor and follow me and you’ll have eternal life” “those who will sit at my right hand are those who feed the hungry, clothed the clothless, housed the house less, etc”). Paul seems to think so too, stating that this kind of giving show their “professed subjection to the gospel of Christ” (v.13).

Wow.I am literally blown away by all of this! I mean it. What kind of ramifications does this have? How should we structure our giving in light of this? Our budgests? Our spending?

Who has houses and lands?

Well (this may get me in big trouble when I mention this as a suggestion) but, our church has property and a building…why not sell it? It has been appraised for over 120,000$ How many people would that feed? Home? Clothe? For what we spend in utilities and insurance we could rent a place and be able to give away 120,000 to help those in need. Shoot, we could give away that money too, and meet in homes and do so according to distance so people could save gas money and give what they save in gas money away too!

“But…” “Well, I don’t know…” “That’s…” “I don’t think…”

See. Me. I’d do this in a heart beat. I have no ties to anything that hinders us from better “professing our subjection into the gospel fo Christ”. I’m going to plant this seed, Sunday.

Ickle me…Tickle me…Google me, too?

Hey you can now search my blog using the nifty little GOOGLE SEARCH engine located on the middle left of my blog! Search your hearts out…but be careful, because you may not like what you find….*wink*

Disclaimer: The Bible says you are not supposed to trust people who wink. I was not winking in that way, rather I was winking in the “you can trust me” way.

Goodbye Mr. Annoymous

I have changed the settings on Sojourner to not allow anymore “annoymous” comments. If you want to speak your mind, say your name. I love it when people rail me for what I have said while hiding behind the “annoymous” title. Come out, come out whoever you are…

To post comments on this blog all you have to do is have an account with Blogger. It’s free, it’s easy. When you click on “comments” at the bottmow the post, it will take you to a new screen. There you will see the post, and under it will be a link called “add a comment”. Click on it. The new page you clicked onto will show the name of the thread on the left hand side (if you want to see the thread you are commenting on click “show original post”. On the right hand side is a text box for you to post your comment in. Under the text box it will say in black letters “This blog does not allow annoymous comments” then it has a place for you to put your user name and password so you can post what you have written. Below that is a link entitled “No blogger account? Sign up here”. Click that to create your blogger account.

By creating a blogger account you can create a blog yourself, or you can just have the account so you can post comments on other people’s blogs. Use whatever name you want, and create a password that you will remember easily. Now you are ready to comment your heart away!

I would encourage you to use your name. Like when I comment it comes up “Toby”. That’s cause I am honest. But if you want to get all sneaky, at least sign off at the bottom of your post who you are. If you’re a Christian posting a comment you should be honest and forthright.

Thanks for participating, your comments are always welcome and appreciated (even if I disagree, or your a jerk). Oh, and Mr. Annoymous…it was fun while it lasted…

The New NBA Dress Code

The league announced in a memo to teams on Monday that a minimum dress code will go into effect at the start of the regular season on Nov. 1.

Players will be expected to wear business casual attire whenever they participate in team or league activities, including arriving at games, leaving games, conducting interviews and making promotional or other appearances.

“If they’re trying to change the image of the league, that’s cool,” Suns forward Shawn Marion said.

Some teams already have their own dress code in place.

Portland coach Nate McMillian is known for his strict rules, including bans on headbands and on cell phones on the team bus.

“It’s important that the players understand they have to respect the game,” McMillian said in August. “They have to respect the league. And they have to respect the fans. You must be a professional at all times.”

For more on the NBA’s Dress Code click here.

It is this same line of thinking that leads churches to adopt a dress code too. Most churches do not have a dress code in place, but the way everyone dresses dictates one. Phrases like “This is the uniform of a Christian,” said while tugging at one’s suit, dictates a dress code. While some churches say, “come as you are” or “dress like you’re going to the store or to the movies, that’s pretty much how everyone dresses here”.

Personally, it seems logical for the NBA to have a dress code. If you are going to play for thier league they should be able to dictate how you dress. Every business does this. Every learning institution does this.

But should a church?

I have more to say on this…I originally posted my thoughts about how we dress in church, but I decided to erase it (if you already read the pre-erased version, then you are truly blessed…elect!). I will be posting my thoughts more thoroughly on this at a latter date…

A Party of Grace & Love

This story by Tony Campolo took place while he was traveling in Hawaii and was taken from a book called “Living the God Life” by John Ortberg

At three in the morning, I wandered into a diner. The only other customers were a group of prostitutes who had finished for the night, one of whom (Agnes) mentioned that tomorrow was her birthday, and that she had never in her life had a birthday party.

After they left, I found out from Harry, the guy behind the counter, that they come each night to this diner. I asked if I could come back the next night and throw a party. Harry said okay.

At 2:20 the next morning, I was back. I had made a sign that read, “Happy Birthday, Agnes!” By 3:15 every prostitute in Honolulu was in the place. It was wall-to-wall prostitutes…and me!

At 3:30, the door of the diner swung open, in came Agnes, and we all screamed “Happy Birthday!” Never have I seen a person so flabbergasted. When we finished singing, her eyes moistened; when the cake was carried out, she started to cry.

Harry gruffly mumbled, “Cut the cake, Agnes. We all want some cake.”

“Look, Harry, is it OK if I keep the cake a little while?”

“Sure. Take the cake home if you want.”

She carried that cake out the door like it was the Holy Grail. We stood there moitionless, a stunned silence in the place. Not knowing what else to do, I broke the silence by saying, “What do you say we pray?”

Looking back on it now, it seems more than strange for a sociologist to be leading a prayer meeting with a bunch of prostitutes in a diner in Honolulu at 3:30 in the morning. But then it just felt like the right thing to do. I prayed for Agnes: for her salvation, that her life would be changed. That God would be good to her.

When I finished, Harry said; “Hey, you never told me you were a preacher. What kind of church do you belong to?”

I answered, “I belong o a church that throws birthday parties for prostitutes at 3:30 in the morning.”

Harry waited a moment, and answered, “No, you don’t. There’s no church like that. If there was, I’d join it.”

Wouldn’t we all? Wouldn’t we all ove to join a church like that? That’s the kind of church Jesus came to create. I don’t know where we got the other one that’s so prim and proper. But anyone who reads the New Testament knows Jesus loved to lavish grace on the left-out and the used-up and the put-down. The sinners loved him because he partied with them.

Trapped…

Check out Watchman’s latest post over at Transitions…

Pictures: Head Games

Pictures: Wise as Serpents

DIRECTIONS 2.0/

Rob Bell has been taking his church through their core values of what church should be and do. In each message he makes a summary statement. They are recorded on Mars Hill’s site, but I thought I would share them with you.

ROOTS/
We see ourselves in a long line of generations taking part in the endless conversation between God and people. 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. To know where we’re going, we have to know where we’ve been.

JOURNEY/
We started Mars Hill because we believe that every church has to ask the question: “What does it look like for us to be the church here and now?” We are constantly exploring new and creative ways to live out and communicate the teachings of Jesus. Because we see faith as a journey, change is assumed, innovation is expected, and rebirth is welcomed.

WHOLENESS/
We believe that God wants to redeem every part of us, and that Jesus’ message of salvation is holistic in nature. We believe that all of life is spiritual life, and that all of our fears, failures, and broken hearts can be restored and made whole. We value the inner journey, because we want to be fully integrated people—mind, body, and soul, emotions and experiences all offered together to God.

COMMUNITY/
We believe that we were created to live deeply with one another, to carry each other’s burdens and share our possessions, to pray for and confess our sins to each other, to suffer and celebrate together. It’s in these sacred relationships and honest, loving communities that God transforms us. The way of Jesus cannot be lived alone.

SERVING/
Jesus calls His church to be a compelling force for good in the world. God uses people as agents of change, to relieve suffering and fight injustice, living out the transforming message of the resurrected Jesus. At Mars Hill, we believe that the church is at its best when it serves, sacrifices, and loves, caring about the things God cares about. We were created to live for something larger than ourselves.

CELEBRATION/
We believe that the world God created is good, that He creates people in His image, and that no amount of darkness can erase that divine imprint. Because we believe that all of life is sacred, we look for God’s fingerprints everywhere. We celebrate the divine in the daily, pursuing lives of hope, gratitude, and worship. God invites everyone everywhere into this way of life, and we believe it is the best possible way to live.

Movie Review: SERENITY

YOU MUST GO SEE THIS MOVIE! Sci-fi fan or not, it was (is) one of the greatest movies I have ever seen! The character development, interaction, storyline, conflict, plot, etc., etc., were just out of this world! I mean it. You are drawn in from the get go, and you don’t let go until…well, you don’t let go.

Caution:(Some things you might want to know before viewing this movie…) I believe there is some language in the movie. Honestly, it doesn’t hit you like it does in some movies. For those of you who know me know I’m not a big fan or profanity in movies, it tends to ruin it, but in this movie it just…well, I don’t know what to say other than there are a couple of swear words. There is also a sexual comment made, along with an inuendo. There are a good bunch of fighting scenes, of which some are gross, and some of the deranged characters (Reevers)

The philosophies of belief, faith, and sin are clearly brought out in this movie. Christians are in this movie, and they are represented very well, and in the end, the right things are done. It’s not a “Christian” movie, but Christianity is given a good light in the movie, which is rare for hollywood.

Joss Whedon has got to be one of the greatest writers of our time. I’m tellin ya, this movie is just plain awesome – not because of the effects, etc, but the screenplay, and script and plot and story line and character development/interaction are just …wow. I will see anything this guy writes. I will read anything this guy writes. Period. End of story.

On Joss’ site you can hit the link to watch the first 9 minutes of the movie…DO IT! I’ll post the link here as well: http://video.vividas.com/CDN1/3929_Serenity/web/index.html

If you don’t want to take my word for it there are some better reviews on the movie here.

Oh, it’s only playing TC right now (fi you’re reading this and you live by me, if not, you’ll have to find it on your own…), so you’ll have to make the jont over there (if you do, call me…I’ll join you!). If you do go, go on Tuesday’s and bring a HUGE tub from home…it’s 50 cent popcorn night if you bring your own tub! How great is that?

House Update: Inspection

Today we had out RDL (Rural Development Loan) inspection and appraisal all in one! There are several small things that we can fix without much cost to us, but there is a big requirement that we’re not going to be putting money out to do. Either the buyers will have to pay it, or get a different loan. However, that may not have to take place, since what they are asking us to fix may not be “assessable” to fix. So it could be a moot point.

So, keep our house selling adventure in your prayers, if you would. I’ll keep you posted.

What does it mean to love your neighbor?

Silky Discussions

I have been writing for some time on a fantasy/sci-fi site where you can write with others using fictional characters. On this site there are also places for you to be “you” and talk about “every day stuff”. We have been talking about religion. I have been in the mix. It’s gotten pretty hot and heavy, and I have found myself to be more on the side of the atheists and agnostics who hate Christianity (mainly Evangelical, Right-winged, Conservative Christianity) and only want us to be honest about the Bible and God.

Let’s face it, we aren’t. But, that is a subject for another day.

I believe I might be making a difference, and I am certainly not trying to “convert” any of them. I am just trying to represent the truth and my heart and be their “friend” (as much as possible in a chat room). Anyway, I wanted to share my last post so that you get the jist of what I have been saying.

I am thinking of preaching this next Sunday.

****

Wow. You guys sure do write a lot! To much to respond to…

Um, let’s see. The love thing. Someone quoted “love your neighbor” from Jesus. Jesus said it, but he didn’t originate it.

The Old Testament records it as coming from the mouth of … God. Jesus says, “AND Love your Neighbor as your self, on these two commandments (Love God/Love Others) hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

It all rests on love.

Now, it is not love as we define it. This goes back to what I wrote about how we know what somebody said by what they said. We interpret it by a number of means, all working together, to give us what the originator said.

Jesus does not leave this “love your neighbor” bit up for debate (although he does…), but someone asks him, a “lawyer” (an expert in the Jewish Law in the Old Testament) asks him, “who then is our neighbor?”

Jesus then tells them a story. The story of the Good Samaritan.

In that story who is the neighbor? The beat-up, left for dead Jew? Or the Samaritan who helps him? (I don’t have time to go through the whole story, I’ll take it for granted that a lot of you have heard about it. Google it. Read it in Luke 10:25-37)

The point is in that culture, the Jews marginalized the Samaritans. Considered them dogs. Our neighbor is the one who has been marginalized.

In that culture, no Samaritan would help a Jew. They’d rather leave them for dead. A dead Jew is better than a living on any day to a Samaritan.

Our neighbor is also the one who marginalized.

My neighbor is the homosexual. I am the homosexual’s neighbor.

To take it a step further. The Jews were right (ideally) for considering the Samaritan’s “unclean”. The Samaritans had intermarried with pagan’s contrary to God’s command.

My neighbor are those who live contrary to God’s commands. I am the neighbor of those who live contrary to God’s commands.

Further more…The Jews disliked the Samaritans because the Samaritans believed that their holy mountain was were God would have them worship. The Jews knew that the Temple was God’s worship place.

My neighbor are those who worship differently than the Bible says they are supposed to. I am the neighbor of those who worship differently than the Bible says they are supposed to.

Further more, the Samaritan’s doctrine was different than the Jews. Their view of God was different, even apposing.

My neighbor are those who have differing even opposing views of God than I do. I am the neighbor of those who have differing even opposing views of God than I do.

I love them as I would myself. They are to love me as they would themselves. Now, none of this made the Samaritans right. In fact, in John 4, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman, “you guys don’t worship the right way, the Jews have it right”. The Samaritans were wrong. Flat out wrong.

My neighbor are those who are flat out wrong, those whom Jesus says are flat our wrong. I am the neighbor of those who are flat out wrong, those whom Jesus says are flat out wrong.

WOW! This kind of love would be radical! It would be the kind of love that would change the world! Jesus said when people practice this kind of love then the whole world would know they were his disciples!

No wonder nobody knows who Jesus’ disciples are… Jesus says in John 17 that when the world sees this kind of love they will know that he had been sent by the Father. No wonder nobody knows Jesus has been sent…

Now, here’s the kicker. The resonsibility to do this love, from applying what Jesus says, rests on both parties (The Jews and the Samaritans). However, Jesus is teaching this to Jewsish people.

Who is the one who displays the kind of love Jesus is teaching on?

The Samaritan!

- The one who has been mariginalized.
- The one who lives contrary to God’s commands.
- The one who worship differently than the Bible says they are supposed to.
- The one who has differing even opposing views of God than I do.
- The one who is flat out wrong, those whom Jesus says are flat out wrong.

Man that must have burned those religious leaders up! I know reading the harsh realities on this thread about how “Christians” behave, talk, and love from those who have been on the UNloving side of it really burn me up.

And they convict me.

Thanks for listening.