I am home... I did a women's retreat this weekend for Cibolo Creek, and it was so fun. What a fun group of women! I love that they are so down-to-earth and real. It makes for an easy time for me as the worship leader. And, as always, the speaker, Debbie Dittrich, was amazing. I love her and love being able to work with her. This is our third retreat together, and I hope we get to do many more. She is so inspiring.
I am currently reading (among the 14 others) a book called "Calvinism in the Las Vegas Airport." I am -- have always been -- fascinated and attracted to Reformation theology, and yet parts of Calvinism seem so harsh (on the surface, mainly). But I tend to snatch up any books I can find on the subject, and this one just came in a couple of weeks ago. It's sort of like "Mere Christianity" for Calvinists. Mouw, the author, explores how Calvinism can be relevant in today's society -- say, in the Las Vegas airport in a conversation with a stranger -- when most of its tenets were written out centuries ago. I'm only a couple chapters in, so I'll post my thoughts as I progress.
I am so ADD when it comes to books. My problem is that there are too many I want to read. I am voracious with them, and I came home from Dallas with a list of "must-reads" that I also have waiting for me.
It's raining. It's cold! Happy times. Fall is here. I heard it may freeze this weekend (!).... what is that about?
Tomorrow is election day. I wil not obsess. I will trust in God. He is in control.
:)
Monday, November 01, 2004
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
A Short History of St. Caffeine, the Father of Modern Youth Ministry by Steve Case
Youth ministry has always been around. Some believe Jesus himself was a youth minister working with a group of teen disciples. Paul worked with a young man named Timothy. As long as there’ve been churches, there’ve been people who’ve been assigned to work with the young people.
Modern youth ministry as we know it began back in the late 1400s (modern youth ministry being defined as meeting with teens on Wednesdays and Sundays and showing up for early 15th century soccer games). The earliest known records indicate that a man called Matthias was the first to implement many of the practices we now call youth ministry.
Born in 1412 in Constantinople, Matthias discovered at an early age the joys of coffee. His father owned a fishing business, and the two would often spend long nights together out on the boat. Matthias would consume generous amounts of coffee and tell stories to keep his father and the other fishermen awake. (This began the long-held practice of youth talks for people who aren’t really listening and always seem on the verge of falling asleep.)
It was in his 18th year that Matthias had his heavenly vision. God told Matthias to go and preach the gospel but to preach it really fast. Armed with a change of socks, a septem/ undecim travel mug and a large bag of coffee beans, Matthias set out and was soon able to preach sermons in four minutes flat. Noticing that his sermons tended to attract a younger crowd, he began to work teen slang into his sermons—ceterum concitare, puer (Latin for “what up, dude”).
In seminary Matthias was excused from many of the normal studies after his teachers learned of his desire to work with youth. Knowing that Matthias wasn’t destined for “real” ministry, his teachers assigned him to “individual studies” (i.e. working to keeping “those kids” out of the sacramental wine).
Matthias began many of what we now consider to be common youth ministry practices—such as taking teens to other towns without permission parchments, use of unapproved language while driving the fifteen-passenger horse and cart, and spilling coffee on the Fassbinder memorial dirt floor.
It was during a winter retreat in 1434 that Matthias left the coffee too close to the fire and burned his tongue. Matthias attempted to cool the drink down with fresh cream and snow. Since Matthias was unable to speak clearly because of his burned tongue, his students could only call the drink what they thought they’d heard their leader call it. “ Frapp-a- Cino”—which at the time was Latin for “Wow, this coffee is hot.” Upon sharing this drink with the youth, his group was able to accomplish ten times as much work on the summer mission project and thus was considered to have performed his first miracle.
A second miracle that was reported but never documented stated that Matthias once took some dough, tomatoes, and goat cheese and fed more than 100 teenagers. This miracle wasn’t considered during the canonization process, not because his faith was questioned, but because of the sheer amount that teenagers eat, the miracle was deemed improbable.
The people of the towns were so grateful for Matthias’ chemicallyinduced enthusiasm and brevity that they kept him supplied with enough coffee beans and fresh cream to warrant him staying in each town for about 18 months. This attracted the attention of Pope Starbuck the Fourth who dispatched a group of cardinals to “calm the boy down.” The cardinals met in committee and offered to help Matthias plan out his five-year goals and maintain his office hours, but the young priest refused.
Long respected by young people who eventually became older people, Matthias was eventually canonized Saint Caffeine after his death in 1512, after which he was promptly ignored. He was buried in 1514 when his corpse finally stopped vibrating.
Modern youth ministry as we know it began back in the late 1400s (modern youth ministry being defined as meeting with teens on Wednesdays and Sundays and showing up for early 15th century soccer games). The earliest known records indicate that a man called Matthias was the first to implement many of the practices we now call youth ministry.
Born in 1412 in Constantinople, Matthias discovered at an early age the joys of coffee. His father owned a fishing business, and the two would often spend long nights together out on the boat. Matthias would consume generous amounts of coffee and tell stories to keep his father and the other fishermen awake. (This began the long-held practice of youth talks for people who aren’t really listening and always seem on the verge of falling asleep.)
It was in his 18th year that Matthias had his heavenly vision. God told Matthias to go and preach the gospel but to preach it really fast. Armed with a change of socks, a septem/ undecim travel mug and a large bag of coffee beans, Matthias set out and was soon able to preach sermons in four minutes flat. Noticing that his sermons tended to attract a younger crowd, he began to work teen slang into his sermons—ceterum concitare, puer (Latin for “what up, dude”).
In seminary Matthias was excused from many of the normal studies after his teachers learned of his desire to work with youth. Knowing that Matthias wasn’t destined for “real” ministry, his teachers assigned him to “individual studies” (i.e. working to keeping “those kids” out of the sacramental wine).
Matthias began many of what we now consider to be common youth ministry practices—such as taking teens to other towns without permission parchments, use of unapproved language while driving the fifteen-passenger horse and cart, and spilling coffee on the Fassbinder memorial dirt floor.
It was during a winter retreat in 1434 that Matthias left the coffee too close to the fire and burned his tongue. Matthias attempted to cool the drink down with fresh cream and snow. Since Matthias was unable to speak clearly because of his burned tongue, his students could only call the drink what they thought they’d heard their leader call it. “ Frapp-a- Cino”—which at the time was Latin for “Wow, this coffee is hot.” Upon sharing this drink with the youth, his group was able to accomplish ten times as much work on the summer mission project and thus was considered to have performed his first miracle.
A second miracle that was reported but never documented stated that Matthias once took some dough, tomatoes, and goat cheese and fed more than 100 teenagers. This miracle wasn’t considered during the canonization process, not because his faith was questioned, but because of the sheer amount that teenagers eat, the miracle was deemed improbable.
The people of the towns were so grateful for Matthias’ chemicallyinduced enthusiasm and brevity that they kept him supplied with enough coffee beans and fresh cream to warrant him staying in each town for about 18 months. This attracted the attention of Pope Starbuck the Fourth who dispatched a group of cardinals to “calm the boy down.” The cardinals met in committee and offered to help Matthias plan out his five-year goals and maintain his office hours, but the young priest refused.
Long respected by young people who eventually became older people, Matthias was eventually canonized Saint Caffeine after his death in 1512, after which he was promptly ignored. He was buried in 1514 when his corpse finally stopped vibrating.
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Home
Well, we're home. I'm sad the conference is over, but now we both have the daunting task of decompressing after all this information.
Below are the pictures, but here are the highlights for me:
-- Getting to experience Mike Yaconelli via a video retrospective in the first session. David and I are so new to YS that we really never knew anything about him. Wow. What a powerful message. His wife, Carla, still runs YS and hosted the sessions, and she was great. I love her. Got to talk to her at the end of the conference... she was so gracious. We gave her a LJG CD.
-- Rob Bell, who spoke about owning truth wherever we find it, instead of constantly classifying things "Christian" and "secular." He made the point that if "the earth is the Lord's and EVERYTHING in it," we shouldn't be surprised if we hear a secular humanist speaking what sounds like God's truth. They live in God's world. Sometimes people who don't know God can stumble onto His truth, too, so we need to stop being so dang exclusive and close-minded. It was so good. So good.
-- Chap Clark's session on "Six Longings of Today's Kids," Oh my gosh. What an amazing, eye-opening class that was. I understand why youth culture is so different now than it was when I was a kid, and I see my students in a totally different light now. I am so glad that this was my first seminar, and it served as sort of an intro into everything else I heard this week.
-- David Crowder's worship leading for the majority of the week. It was great to see him for an extended period of time. Although I must admit that 3500 people jumping up and down during "Sing Like the Saved" was a little scary... the floor was literally bending so much under the strain that even the chandeliers were swaying! It was awesome. I figured corporate worship is probably the best of all ways to die, so it was all good.
-- Jeff Johnson, Brian Dunning, and John Fitzpatrick. Wow. Beautiful, almost liturgical celtic worship music. Brian and John flew in from Ireland... a piper and a fiddle player. It was gorgeous. I wept.
-- Stephen Iverson, who led us in a Taize-style prayer service. I am intrigued by Taize style prayer. Want to learn more about it. It is very contemplative and involves singing the prayers/scriptures in a short, meditative way (each "song" is 4 lines, max) and then silence. Again, I wept. I used to be really into the quiet, contemplative, meditative prayer, and my life has been such that I have totally forgotten about what that was like. Iverson and Johnson both served as agents to remind me that that has been missing and needs to be restored in my spiritual life. It has been water to my soul this week to just be still before God.
-- Jars of Clay! Omigosh. What a show they put on. I love them for their musicianship as well as for their incredibly deep, un-CCM lyrics.
-- the verse that was the theme of the week, which is expressed so beautifully in The Message version of the Bible: "Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small but you're living them in a small way. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!"
I am refreshed, renewed, and have a whole heck of a lot to process from all the classes we went to. It's good to be home.
Below are the pictures, but here are the highlights for me:
-- Getting to experience Mike Yaconelli via a video retrospective in the first session. David and I are so new to YS that we really never knew anything about him. Wow. What a powerful message. His wife, Carla, still runs YS and hosted the sessions, and she was great. I love her. Got to talk to her at the end of the conference... she was so gracious. We gave her a LJG CD.
-- Rob Bell, who spoke about owning truth wherever we find it, instead of constantly classifying things "Christian" and "secular." He made the point that if "the earth is the Lord's and EVERYTHING in it," we shouldn't be surprised if we hear a secular humanist speaking what sounds like God's truth. They live in God's world. Sometimes people who don't know God can stumble onto His truth, too, so we need to stop being so dang exclusive and close-minded. It was so good. So good.
-- Chap Clark's session on "Six Longings of Today's Kids," Oh my gosh. What an amazing, eye-opening class that was. I understand why youth culture is so different now than it was when I was a kid, and I see my students in a totally different light now. I am so glad that this was my first seminar, and it served as sort of an intro into everything else I heard this week.
-- David Crowder's worship leading for the majority of the week. It was great to see him for an extended period of time. Although I must admit that 3500 people jumping up and down during "Sing Like the Saved" was a little scary... the floor was literally bending so much under the strain that even the chandeliers were swaying! It was awesome. I figured corporate worship is probably the best of all ways to die, so it was all good.
-- Jeff Johnson, Brian Dunning, and John Fitzpatrick. Wow. Beautiful, almost liturgical celtic worship music. Brian and John flew in from Ireland... a piper and a fiddle player. It was gorgeous. I wept.
-- Stephen Iverson, who led us in a Taize-style prayer service. I am intrigued by Taize style prayer. Want to learn more about it. It is very contemplative and involves singing the prayers/scriptures in a short, meditative way (each "song" is 4 lines, max) and then silence. Again, I wept. I used to be really into the quiet, contemplative, meditative prayer, and my life has been such that I have totally forgotten about what that was like. Iverson and Johnson both served as agents to remind me that that has been missing and needs to be restored in my spiritual life. It has been water to my soul this week to just be still before God.
-- Jars of Clay! Omigosh. What a show they put on. I love them for their musicianship as well as for their incredibly deep, un-CCM lyrics.
-- the verse that was the theme of the week, which is expressed so beautifully in The Message version of the Bible: "Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small but you're living them in a small way. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!"
I am refreshed, renewed, and have a whole heck of a lot to process from all the classes we went to. It's good to be home.
Carla Yaconelli interviews people in youth ministry each night... if you get pulled up on stage, usually that means YS is going to majorly bless you in some way. This couple gave up great jobs to go into full time ministry, so YS gave them all sorts of resources and a weekend away just to help them out. Very cool.
Sunday, October 10, 2004
tired but happy
I have intended to blog during the conference but there's just been no time!
It has been non-stop information overload, but it's been awesome. I'll post some pictures later.
David has been going to an intensive course with Doug Fields, the guru of youth ministry, and has been learning tons.
I have been to sessions on counseling teens, getting a drama ministry started, reaching kids way outside the church, and today I'm going to Steve Rabey's session on ancient mystics.
And now I'm outta time... I'll post the whole deal tonight.
It has been non-stop information overload, but it's been awesome. I'll post some pictures later.
David has been going to an intensive course with Doug Fields, the guru of youth ministry, and has been learning tons.
I have been to sessions on counseling teens, getting a drama ministry started, reaching kids way outside the church, and today I'm going to Steve Rabey's session on ancient mystics.
And now I'm outta time... I'll post the whole deal tonight.
Friday, October 01, 2004
Broken
I broke my fast today, as planned. God's grace is so beyond amazing. This fast went really quickly... and I didn't really struggle this time much, except for last night when I was making pizza for David and David and it smelled soooooooo good! I just had to pray through it. God sustained me.
So today, all I could think about was my Chipotle Corn Soup that I make every fall. I decided I'd break with that since it's soup... and I made homemade bread too. Yum. I am a happy camper.
This was good though. It's cool how God meets you and speaks when you are still enough to really listen. I learned a lot about prayer this time... I realized that I have become really timid in my prayer life... that's such a weak area in my busy world. But I was watching Joyce Meyer on Tuesday, I think, and she said something really profound yet very simple: she said, "Prayer allows us to be violent against the violence of Satan in our lives." I love that. She went on to say that he will do anything he can to stop us from praying -- distractions, making us sleepy, deceiving us into believing that our prayers really aren't all that effective, etc.
I feel that I have been lulled into sleep regarding prayer. It's always last on my list of things to do, and it should be first. "You have not because you ask not." Well, there ya go. My version of prayer for awhile has been "firecracker" style... sending up the quick little short prayers throughout the day when I need it or when I think of it. And those are okay, but I really feel like I need to make a concentrated effort to spend more quality time in prayer communing with God. It's a privilege.
So today, all I could think about was my Chipotle Corn Soup that I make every fall. I decided I'd break with that since it's soup... and I made homemade bread too. Yum. I am a happy camper.
This was good though. It's cool how God meets you and speaks when you are still enough to really listen. I learned a lot about prayer this time... I realized that I have become really timid in my prayer life... that's such a weak area in my busy world. But I was watching Joyce Meyer on Tuesday, I think, and she said something really profound yet very simple: she said, "Prayer allows us to be violent against the violence of Satan in our lives." I love that. She went on to say that he will do anything he can to stop us from praying -- distractions, making us sleepy, deceiving us into believing that our prayers really aren't all that effective, etc.
I feel that I have been lulled into sleep regarding prayer. It's always last on my list of things to do, and it should be first. "You have not because you ask not." Well, there ya go. My version of prayer for awhile has been "firecracker" style... sending up the quick little short prayers throughout the day when I need it or when I think of it. And those are okay, but I really feel like I need to make a concentrated effort to spend more quality time in prayer communing with God. It's a privilege.
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Cranky
Things are going okay today... although I didn't sleep very well last night. I woke up around 4 and couldn't go back to sleep until around 6. I hate this new trend. Anyway, I've had sort of an irritable morning... I've had to fight with literally every little thing just to get the simplest task done, and it's really annoying. Stupid stuff, like, I went out on the cliff to have some quiet time, and when I got out there, my book slipped off the chair and fell down the cliff to a place that's just out of reach. That kind of stuff. I'm sure it's all just meant to distract and annoy me.
And then there's homeschooling... that always starts my morning off in a really frustrating way. Right now, he would rather goof off than take school seriously, and I know, what do you expect from a 7-year-old? But getting into the habit of viewing me as teacher instead of mommy isn't coming easily. Every assignment is done with silly noises and goofy answers... reading from the reader in a silly voice, etc. I'm sure it will all fall into place with time, but for now, it's really stressing me out.
So I've had a rough day. We're going to see Van Halen tonight, so I'm hoping to sneak some time in for myself to be still and listen. Jesus, sustain me today. I need to hear Your voice.
Oh! I finished "White" last night, the third in the Ted Dekker circle trilogy. I loved all the books. I love Ted Dekker. The way he characterizes the heart of God for His people is beautiful. Ted has it all... action, suspense, mystery, philosophy, romance, you name it. It's great. I'm ready for the next adventure.
Okay, I'm outta here....
And then there's homeschooling... that always starts my morning off in a really frustrating way. Right now, he would rather goof off than take school seriously, and I know, what do you expect from a 7-year-old? But getting into the habit of viewing me as teacher instead of mommy isn't coming easily. Every assignment is done with silly noises and goofy answers... reading from the reader in a silly voice, etc. I'm sure it will all fall into place with time, but for now, it's really stressing me out.
So I've had a rough day. We're going to see Van Halen tonight, so I'm hoping to sneak some time in for myself to be still and listen. Jesus, sustain me today. I need to hear Your voice.
Oh! I finished "White" last night, the third in the Ted Dekker circle trilogy. I loved all the books. I love Ted Dekker. The way he characterizes the heart of God for His people is beautiful. Ted has it all... action, suspense, mystery, philosophy, romance, you name it. It's great. I'm ready for the next adventure.
Okay, I'm outta here....
Monday, September 27, 2004
Back in the saddle
I haven't blogged here in awhile... it's hard enough to keep mind the gap going, and this blog is secondary, but I want to change that.
The Lord has called me to a fast this week... I've been feeling it for a couple of weeks, but sometimes, I've learned, you have to consult your calendar to make sure you choose a good week. Last week was bad... we were out and about too much, and I would have been merely "starving for Jesus" instead of truly drawing near and listening. Anyway, so that's why I want to start this blog up again, just to document for myself what I hear this week. I'm pretty sure no one reads this blog anyway, so it's all good.
Also, we are going up to Youth Specialties in a week or so, and I'm really looking forward to it. I want to try and blog about what happens that week too.
But back to the fast... I'm seeking God particularly on the issues of LJG and fasting for some breakthroughs in my marriage, but I also feel really burdened to pray each day for specific kids in our group. Cool things are happening there, and I am so excited to see what God is going to do in their lives.
I have been worried about the future of LJG. It's been so discouraging because we have this great CD and nowhere to put it. Opportunities are drying up. I am frustrated because we're going through the same old crap with Borders -- not getting paid, etc., and I just don't know if I have the energy to chase our money down every day. It's so draining as an artist. And yet, we have $20,000 to pay back to our investors, and I really want to make that happen asap. I hate having that over our heads. So my question for 2 years has been, "God, what are You doing?" He knew we would have to pay these folks back, and the Bible says to owe no man, so what is the purpose of this? Beyond that, I believe that He's called us to this music thing. LJG has opened up so many hearts and has given us a platform for Him, and I just can't imagine that it's all over. So why the 2 1/2 year holding pattern? We have a great record. A GREAT record. Why isn't it doing anything? Where do we take it? What are we supposed to do?
So my prayer is for wisdom, for fresh inspiration because I'm at the point where I just want to forget the whole thing, for a release in the spiritual realm to be about what God has called us to do.
And this verse came today as I was reading my Bible: "No unbelief or distrust made him [Abraham, who, a few verses before, it says was "human reason for hope being gone"] waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God." Romans 4:20
And so, if Abraham, who was human reason for hope being gone, could believe in the promises of God, so can I. If he was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, I believe that I will be, too.
Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
Yet will I exult in the LORD
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The Lord GOD is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds' feet
And makes me walk on my high places.
For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
The Lord has called me to a fast this week... I've been feeling it for a couple of weeks, but sometimes, I've learned, you have to consult your calendar to make sure you choose a good week. Last week was bad... we were out and about too much, and I would have been merely "starving for Jesus" instead of truly drawing near and listening. Anyway, so that's why I want to start this blog up again, just to document for myself what I hear this week. I'm pretty sure no one reads this blog anyway, so it's all good.
Also, we are going up to Youth Specialties in a week or so, and I'm really looking forward to it. I want to try and blog about what happens that week too.
But back to the fast... I'm seeking God particularly on the issues of LJG and fasting for some breakthroughs in my marriage, but I also feel really burdened to pray each day for specific kids in our group. Cool things are happening there, and I am so excited to see what God is going to do in their lives.
I have been worried about the future of LJG. It's been so discouraging because we have this great CD and nowhere to put it. Opportunities are drying up. I am frustrated because we're going through the same old crap with Borders -- not getting paid, etc., and I just don't know if I have the energy to chase our money down every day. It's so draining as an artist. And yet, we have $20,000 to pay back to our investors, and I really want to make that happen asap. I hate having that over our heads. So my question for 2 years has been, "God, what are You doing?" He knew we would have to pay these folks back, and the Bible says to owe no man, so what is the purpose of this? Beyond that, I believe that He's called us to this music thing. LJG has opened up so many hearts and has given us a platform for Him, and I just can't imagine that it's all over. So why the 2 1/2 year holding pattern? We have a great record. A GREAT record. Why isn't it doing anything? Where do we take it? What are we supposed to do?
So my prayer is for wisdom, for fresh inspiration because I'm at the point where I just want to forget the whole thing, for a release in the spiritual realm to be about what God has called us to do.
And this verse came today as I was reading my Bible: "No unbelief or distrust made him [Abraham, who, a few verses before, it says was "human reason for hope being gone"] waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God." Romans 4:20
And so, if Abraham, who was human reason for hope being gone, could believe in the promises of God, so can I. If he was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, I believe that I will be, too.
Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
Yet will I exult in the LORD
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The Lord GOD is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds' feet
And makes me walk on my high places.
For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
interesting article
The Internet Monk has an interesting article on how religious parents royally screw up their kids. Yeah, I know, but just read it. It's great. Particularly the part regarding hyper-insulating your kids from the real world (that's been a big beef of mine for a long time). Anyway, very balanced article. Worth the read.
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Careful Unreasonableness
CAREFUL UNREASONABLENESS
"Behold the fowls of the air." . . . "Consider the lilies of the field." Matthew 6:26, 28
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars and the moon - all these are, and what a ministration they exert. So often we mar God's designed influence through us by our self-conscious effort to be consistent and useful. Jesus says that there is only one way to develop spiritually, and that is by concentration on God. "Do not bother about being of use to others; believe on Me" - pay attention to the Source, and out of you will flow rivers of living water. We cannot get at the springs of our natural life by common sense, and Jesus is teaching that growth in spiritual life does not depend on our watching it, but on concentration on our Father in heaven. Our heavenly Father knows the circumstances we are in, and if we keep concentrated on Him we will grow spiritually as the lilies.
The people who influence us most are not those who buttonhole us and talk to us, but those who live their lives like the stars in heaven and the lilies in the field, perfectly simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mould us.
If you want to be of use to God, get rightly related to Jesus Christ and He will make you of use unconsciously every minute you live.
Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest": May 18th.
Oh, Jesus, be my only Desire and Delight. Let my heart be enrapt by You alone.
"Behold the fowls of the air." . . . "Consider the lilies of the field." Matthew 6:26, 28
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars and the moon - all these are, and what a ministration they exert. So often we mar God's designed influence through us by our self-conscious effort to be consistent and useful. Jesus says that there is only one way to develop spiritually, and that is by concentration on God. "Do not bother about being of use to others; believe on Me" - pay attention to the Source, and out of you will flow rivers of living water. We cannot get at the springs of our natural life by common sense, and Jesus is teaching that growth in spiritual life does not depend on our watching it, but on concentration on our Father in heaven. Our heavenly Father knows the circumstances we are in, and if we keep concentrated on Him we will grow spiritually as the lilies.
The people who influence us most are not those who buttonhole us and talk to us, but those who live their lives like the stars in heaven and the lilies in the field, perfectly simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mould us.
If you want to be of use to God, get rightly related to Jesus Christ and He will make you of use unconsciously every minute you live.
Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost For His Highest": May 18th.
Oh, Jesus, be my only Desire and Delight. Let my heart be enrapt by You alone.
Friday, May 28, 2004
Emerging Church
I'm reading "Emerging Worship" by Dan Kimball... I'm really intrigued by what he has to say and am exploring this Emerging Church movement and concept. This paragraph stuck out to me as I think about the current church and how it's not making disciples, which is what we have been commanded to do:
"If Jesus were to look at how we spend our time during the week and how we think, worry, and make plans regarding the weekly worship service, what would He say to us? How much time would Jesus spend sitting in an office designing a worship gathering? How much time would He spend on other aspects of spiritual formation and the mission of making disciples? These questions I think we need to ask in the emerging church if we are serious about making disciples."
Jesus said, "Go into all the world and make disciples...," not "Go into all the world and make really big worship services with great music and really hot Powerpoint and a hip worship team that sounds like Coldplay." That stuff is cool, but yes, our focus in the past century has been on the gathering, not on the discipling that should happen during the week.
Hmmm. I'm very interested in this as a new church leader. We'll see where this road leads.
I'm also delving into Reformed theology a bit more. I was raised with Armenian thought mostly, but there's a lot of the Reformation thought that I don't disagree with. I guess I'm just at a place where God is having me really nail down my doctrine, something I've always just taken for granted. There is so much that it's sometimes overwhelming, but it's also fascinating to me.
"If Jesus were to look at how we spend our time during the week and how we think, worry, and make plans regarding the weekly worship service, what would He say to us? How much time would Jesus spend sitting in an office designing a worship gathering? How much time would He spend on other aspects of spiritual formation and the mission of making disciples? These questions I think we need to ask in the emerging church if we are serious about making disciples."
Jesus said, "Go into all the world and make disciples...," not "Go into all the world and make really big worship services with great music and really hot Powerpoint and a hip worship team that sounds like Coldplay." That stuff is cool, but yes, our focus in the past century has been on the gathering, not on the discipling that should happen during the week.
Hmmm. I'm very interested in this as a new church leader. We'll see where this road leads.
I'm also delving into Reformed theology a bit more. I was raised with Armenian thought mostly, but there's a lot of the Reformation thought that I don't disagree with. I guess I'm just at a place where God is having me really nail down my doctrine, something I've always just taken for granted. There is so much that it's sometimes overwhelming, but it's also fascinating to me.
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Summer
We had our first Wednesday with the new youth group tonight. I'm finding that I'm starting to get used to the whole "I'm a youth pastor's wife" idea..... we've got an awesome group of kids with some really great potential. I'm already seeing some leadership potential in several. And they have personality as a group, which is really cool. I'd rather have an energetic group than a bunch of kids that don't talk at all, and these guys and gals are definitely energetic. There's spiritual depth as well, which is great. I'm so excited to see what God is going to do here. I'm praying that this little group will be set on fire for Jesus, and that these folks will be the spark that sets off a revolution for God here in Pipe Creek. There's certainly the potential, and with prayer and passion and willingness, I know the Holy Spirit can and will do it.
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Quotable
"When emotion pulsates, the mind becomes deceived and conscience is denied its normal standard of judgement." -- Watchman Nee
Monday, April 19, 2004
"I have a wonderful and terrible truth for you. We become like the object of our focus. If our focus is on our needs, we become more needy. If our focus is on the harm others have done to us, we become harmful and angry people. If our focus is on material things, we become grasping and needy. And, praise God, if our focus is on Christ, we become more and more like Him."
-- Beth Moore, from "Living Free"
I am on this wacky journey right now where God is trying to really break off of me my dependence on anything or anyone but Him. I have run for too long. I need Him every hour. I am a pitiful failure and a waste of oxygen when I do not rely on Him.
We are at the brink of some new things, and I am excited and apprehensive about the thought of laying hold of some of them. We are very close to accepting a position at a church as youth leaders as well as worship leaders, and the prospect really thrills us both... being able to go into full-time ministry... and yet it is very daunting because we don't have the degrees and the stuff that most youth pastors work years to attain. But I know that God is in control... and if it is His will for us to go and do this, He will equip us for the task.
-- Beth Moore, from "Living Free"
I am on this wacky journey right now where God is trying to really break off of me my dependence on anything or anyone but Him. I have run for too long. I need Him every hour. I am a pitiful failure and a waste of oxygen when I do not rely on Him.
We are at the brink of some new things, and I am excited and apprehensive about the thought of laying hold of some of them. We are very close to accepting a position at a church as youth leaders as well as worship leaders, and the prospect really thrills us both... being able to go into full-time ministry... and yet it is very daunting because we don't have the degrees and the stuff that most youth pastors work years to attain. But I know that God is in control... and if it is His will for us to go and do this, He will equip us for the task.
Monday, February 02, 2004
Wow... our website is up. How cool is that?
I am looking forward to blogging here... this will be the more spiritual side of us... it will free me up and give me an avenue to express myself. A platform, if you will.
So we opened for 4Him Friday night. We had a blast. We couldn't have asked for a better crowd to play to (thank you!), and we met some really great folks after the show. It was such a fun night, and I felt God's presence so strongly there on the stage while we were playing. That was very cool.
I got to play guitar (!) for the first time in front of a big audience, something that was personally very fulfilling for me. I want to do it more.............
I am looking forward to blogging here... this will be the more spiritual side of us... it will free me up and give me an avenue to express myself. A platform, if you will.
So we opened for 4Him Friday night. We had a blast. We couldn't have asked for a better crowd to play to (thank you!), and we met some really great folks after the show. It was such a fun night, and I felt God's presence so strongly there on the stage while we were playing. That was very cool.
I got to play guitar (!) for the first time in front of a big audience, something that was personally very fulfilling for me. I want to do it more.............
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