Here are some things to come...

- Are new churches needed? (will they really do any good)
- Holy people (which I am not)
- Am I capable...do even have more knowledge now?
- What really hurts

Awkard Moments

I have always thought compliments... the real ones... not just the thank you but the semi-true ones that people give you are just hard to take. We are always saying be humble but take the compliment.... its just hard... one of these days I am just going to say "yes, you're right!"


Ethical Dillema #1
Tonight I was in conversation with a random group of parents and the shots they took at our church (including pastors) just continue to become more and more awkward. I don't believe they meant them with evil intent but I am not sure how to take it. Especially when I agree with them. Lieing and representing the church is one option. Just nodding my head is another, looking a bit confused and just throwing in the occasional "mmm.... yeah" with a contemplative sigh is another I have seen folks do, or I could just bring the blunt honest "yes you are right." But does this last remark on my part turn the back on the church and the pastors. Awkard moments represent something huge in our lives... not just funny moments but something that is profoundly true and profoundly raw within us.

By the way I should be studying for Ords and not writing this

Inner Conflict

Is it a bad attitude or is it really setting boundaries?

It really is amazing to think how quickly we can set ourselves up to be better then others and then actually try to justify it.

Satan

So I spoke at FCA this morning.... my how I am not a good FCA speaker. I don't know if I am just not funny, have I ran out of stories, do I try to do to much scripture study ( i spoke out of Leviticus- that probably didn't help), or maybe it's just not me. Regardless, when I am asked to speak I still say yes. Don't get me wrong I enjoy it but I just feel defeated afterwards.

Defeated. A word that should not even be in the Christian vocabulary. However, satan has continued to draw this language out of me. I don't really talk much about satan so I am having to learn the power of evil in the world and against my life. I guess I avoid the heaven-hell talk but I am learning to recognize that this attack is real. Satan is against anything that isn't of this world and as i live in it and not of it I must realize that this attack is at me just as much of the whole of the Christian community.

I don't think I will start preaching satan anytime soon but I am going to work on battling against the evil works of satan. I was not made perfect and nor are my talks but I represent God who is. Any attack against me is an attack against God.

Lord, help me to be strong for you and not allow any evil to grip your kingdom through my life. I trust you to do more with my efforts then what i could ever do. Help me to stepdown to allow the fire of the Lord bring joy and worship (Lev 9).

Time

It's been a bit interesting as of late of the amount of stuff that I have read that has a addressed our understanding and use of time. Now I will admit some of these readings are a bit heavy and even lofty ideas meant to appease the deep thinkers of the world that miss out on the present time as they try to understand the times. However, their thoughts are useful especially in learning that we are created, molded, and compared to as time (limited and too often finite). So what is all this leading to. What are we doing with our time?
We have such grand ideas and goals each day on what we are going to do with our time but often they fall short. Side tracked by a new focus or conquered by the need to rest are time is redistributed. At the same time, there are days and weeks that dedicate our time to certain activities.
What's my point..
Well, even with the surface word like dedicate it seems to be that we become what we do with our time. For example it is not rare to hear folks say "I dedicate my life to my wife (or husband)" or "I dedicate my life to Christ." Thus, if in a given day (or week) we dedicate ourselves to time... what then are we becoming.
I am taking time to spend with my computer or for many recently they have set aside to not miss their TV shows. Esther 4 says something interesting "For Such a TIME is this..." Ecclesiastes jumps around to suggest there are various forms of time (ex: a time to laugh a time to cry... a time to mourn a time to rest).

hmmm... too deep... nothing new here... I'll keeping moving on

The Church

First let me say in all Christian kindness love to Jim who has more spare time that he knows what to do with... keep your mouth shut. I am glad you found it but please don't mark this as a link. I have no problem with folks reading or commenting but I don't want this to be viewed as Keith's sounding board for what is right as much of what I say are unfinished thoughts not conclusions.

Which brings me to my latest question... what is the church? Spending the last 4 years in preperation for the next 40 years in the church I am still trying to define this term. I must admit that all this comes into thought in response to rather scathing letter from a parent. Not only are is the way in which the parent approach me degrading but unbiblical. How then does the church discipline? Is discipline a role of the church or do we pass this off to God and ignore and appease others?

We hear all the cliche sayings that the church is not a place and is created by the people and is the bride of Christ that lives in the community and culture today. However, my latest question (which I will humbly talk on Sunday) is... if the church is raptured from the community today would the community care? Thinking about that... should this be a question of concern for the church?

Rob Bell

I have tried to be careful with my passion for the ministry of Mars Hill Bible Church and the teachings of Rob Bell. Thus, I am generally known to take nuggest of these ministries and adapt them for my own ministry. So I must admit my bit of excitement over the Peacemakers Series Part III sermon as for the first time I heard something that I had already teached on being repeated by Rob Bell. Now, I must be clear Walter Wink was the originator of this research and thoughts but at the very least I found it first. Thanks to my brother for the resource.

Representations of...

Two things I read recently....
is Abraham an actual person or a representation of a tribe or group of people

is the Woman at the Well in John 4 a representation of the church then and now

Explanation

Just in case some of you stumble upon this blog I want to try and define the parameters and purpose of this blog. First, there are no parameters to what may be said. Some may be my reflective are frustrated thoughts or it could simply be tidbit reminders or questions for me to ponder later on. Selfishly, I am not writing with you (the other reader) in mind. Second, the purpose.... well I write a blog not to catch on to the trend but to simply make it public. At lease public in my eye to what is going on in my life. Good luck to you who chose to read as I may get lost in my thoughts and words but feel free to comment as it may only further my own clarity.