I have been to the LeadNow conference which focused on ministry by and with Young Adults. I returned yesterday and was privileged to go with Louise and the Allens. Now I must reflect and then implement some course changes to be more user friendly to our 20-30 somethings. I don't know much but here is the first blush on my experience last week.
By the way I love to go to the emerging generations conference because of the energy, creativity and life that I find there.
Need to do more dialogue with this age group. Need to build relationships. Need to plan things which are active and hands on. Need to seek connecting points. Need to have worship be less predictable, less preachy and more dialogical. Engaging metaphors and stories are important and I can certainly use story more. So this coming week and for the Sundays this month I am working with the metaphor of "Baggage" We all have it. What we do with it counts. What's in your suitcase?
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Economic Stimulus Check
What it? 100 people in the church tithed their stimulus checks. That would be $6,000 for God's work hear or somewhere needed. (If you get a $600 check)
Everybody is on that bandwagon now. Use it for a downpayment on a new car. You'll look good in that new suit. Take a break at the spa. 2 words.... home repairs. me, me, me, me ....
I am happy to get the check. Many people and places want to help me spend it. But let's all remember God's portion in the middle of this "bonus" from the fed.
Everybody is on that bandwagon now. Use it for a downpayment on a new car. You'll look good in that new suit. Take a break at the spa. 2 words.... home repairs. me, me, me, me ....
I am happy to get the check. Many people and places want to help me spend it. But let's all remember God's portion in the middle of this "bonus" from the fed.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
UM General Conference
A Future with Hope is the theme of the General Conference - the once every 4 years meeting of the body called United Methodist. It begins tomorrow 4/23 and meets in Ft. Worth, Texas through May 3rd. We have lay and clergy delegates from this region who represent us in the voting and in the sharing of our UM Life. First, be in prayer for these delegates who have a rigorous schedule and often some hard decisions to make. Second join me in this prayer - make us creative, passionate, united and fill this body with your Holy Spirit. May there be an awesome and even fresh outpouring of your Spirit upon your people gathered there. May we be open and empowered as Christ Followers for these important days in God's church and world. In the Name of Jesus.
Question - If you have one prayer for the Church what is that prayer?
Question - If you have one prayer for the Church what is that prayer?
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Credit Jonathan
1 Samuel 18:1- 4 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved s him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
Sometimes I think that we do not hear enough about Jonathan as one of the Biblical heroes. Go back a few chapters to 14 and Jonathan is slipping behind enemy lines and making quite a conquest of the Philistines. But in this passage, the capable Jonathan recognizes David as the one who will lead Israel. He makes a covenant with him and honors him with robe, sword, tunic and belt. The one who would be next in line to King Saul recognizes David as the next leader. It is a pledge of mutual loyalty or even more. I see it this way. David, I have your back. I will be the #2 man. I will be what I can to give my strong support to your true leadership.
We will see what develops, but Jonathan does show this loyalty later and is informative and protective of David when he is on the run from Saul. So give Jonathan great credit. When Saul is getting jealous of David, Jonathan is the one who opposes Saul's desire to kill him.
Sometimes I think that we do not hear enough about Jonathan as one of the Biblical heroes. Go back a few chapters to 14 and Jonathan is slipping behind enemy lines and making quite a conquest of the Philistines. But in this passage, the capable Jonathan recognizes David as the one who will lead Israel. He makes a covenant with him and honors him with robe, sword, tunic and belt. The one who would be next in line to King Saul recognizes David as the next leader. It is a pledge of mutual loyalty or even more. I see it this way. David, I have your back. I will be the #2 man. I will be what I can to give my strong support to your true leadership.
We will see what develops, but Jonathan does show this loyalty later and is informative and protective of David when he is on the run from Saul. So give Jonathan great credit. When Saul is getting jealous of David, Jonathan is the one who opposes Saul's desire to kill him.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Do you hear what I hear?
The prophet Samuel tells King Saul to destroy the Amalekites completely. Saul and soldiers do battle, they capture the king Agag and they destroy the weak sheep, cattle, etc. but keep the good ones. Saul reports back to Samuel and says, "I have carried out the Lord's instructions." And Samuel replies, "Then what is that bleeting of sheep in my ears...?" The conclusion is that Saul is rejected as king. He is not obedient and he makes his own plans. God delights in obedience.
Before I am too rough on old Saul I probably have to examine myself. When am I guilty of disobedience of God? When do I carry out only part of the calling or plan God gave me? The whole thing kindof reminds me of when you are a kid and you say you have done the chore your parents assigned, but you did it half heartedly or halfway. What is this bleeting of sheep I hear? What is this lowing of cattle? Why have you still put off reconciling with your brother in Christ? What are you waiting for?
Be very careful as you read scripture that you make it so then and there that you do not allow it to speak to your here and now.
Before I am too rough on old Saul I probably have to examine myself. When am I guilty of disobedience of God? When do I carry out only part of the calling or plan God gave me? The whole thing kindof reminds me of when you are a kid and you say you have done the chore your parents assigned, but you did it half heartedly or halfway. What is this bleeting of sheep I hear? What is this lowing of cattle? Why have you still put off reconciling with your brother in Christ? What are you waiting for?
Be very careful as you read scripture that you make it so then and there that you do not allow it to speak to your here and now.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
King Wanted
It must be with a grin the the planners of the Bible reading program set up 1 Samuel right at this time. The upcoming income tax deadline. The best part of tax time is when it is done...
So here we go.
1 Samuel 8:10-20 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.
The situation - the "King's cut" taxes, etc. and also "we want to be like everyone else." God has freed them, cared for them, protected them, chastized them and also loved them. But the grass is greener. They want a king. Okay, I am supposed to learn something from this passage. The grass is not always greener when you get to the other side. As this passage says God will let it happen, let us have what we plead for and then let us bear the consequences. Part of growing up.
I don't want to be like everyone else. I want to innovate, be on the edge and take a few risks. BUT I want ABBA FATHER to take care of me too.
What I should be looking for and striving for is to be "Uniquely HIS, uniquely God's man and leader."
In case I do not make a connection before the deadline, "Happy tax day."
So here we go.
1 Samuel 8:10-20 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.
The situation - the "King's cut" taxes, etc. and also "we want to be like everyone else." God has freed them, cared for them, protected them, chastized them and also loved them. But the grass is greener. They want a king. Okay, I am supposed to learn something from this passage. The grass is not always greener when you get to the other side. As this passage says God will let it happen, let us have what we plead for and then let us bear the consequences. Part of growing up.
I don't want to be like everyone else. I want to innovate, be on the edge and take a few risks. BUT I want ABBA FATHER to take care of me too.
What I should be looking for and striving for is to be "Uniquely HIS, uniquely God's man and leader."
In case I do not make a connection before the deadline, "Happy tax day."
Thursday, April 3, 2008
No king
Judges 17:6 "In those days Israel had no king, everyone did as he saw fit." No king, no earthly leader... this could lead to trouble. Of course Israel had great kings and bad kings, so having an earthly king was not always trouble free. Good, moral, loving earthly leaders are usually a positive thing for the growth and good life of people.
Louise alerted me to events in our back yard this morning. A big ole turkey. I don't exactly live in the country. In a few moments we not only had a turkey, we had a parade. 14 of those big beautiful multi meal dinners. They were seeking the remnants of any grain under the bird feeder. The big Tom was just big and he was reviewing the front and back of the parade. He never spread his feathers, he did not have to. He simply lead and spoke as necessary. Two other smaller Toms were 'herding" the rest. Our yellow kitty(killer) was at the patio door in awe. She was so in awe she was not chirping and spitting at them like she does with squirrels, crows, birds and other cats. I could not see the whole but I finally figured out the the small Toms who had their tail feathers spread were warning another yellow kitty to stay away. It was hiding behind the tree in it's own awe. Louise was trying to take pictures and I was studying the process. Eventually the boss led the flock thru the back yard and on to better feeding grounds.
If every one of the turkey did what it saw fit they would be more susceptible to predators and the hit an miss of where the food is. Hopefully Tom and company knew where to find the good stuff. My King is Jesus. I do 'like to do as I see fit' and rely on myself. But I also know that God has placed leaders over me and leaders around me. For the good of the whole flock.
Thank you, God, for the parables of nature and the living lessons all around me.
Louise alerted me to events in our back yard this morning. A big ole turkey. I don't exactly live in the country. In a few moments we not only had a turkey, we had a parade. 14 of those big beautiful multi meal dinners. They were seeking the remnants of any grain under the bird feeder. The big Tom was just big and he was reviewing the front and back of the parade. He never spread his feathers, he did not have to. He simply lead and spoke as necessary. Two other smaller Toms were 'herding" the rest. Our yellow kitty(killer) was at the patio door in awe. She was so in awe she was not chirping and spitting at them like she does with squirrels, crows, birds and other cats. I could not see the whole but I finally figured out the the small Toms who had their tail feathers spread were warning another yellow kitty to stay away. It was hiding behind the tree in it's own awe. Louise was trying to take pictures and I was studying the process. Eventually the boss led the flock thru the back yard and on to better feeding grounds.
If every one of the turkey did what it saw fit they would be more susceptible to predators and the hit an miss of where the food is. Hopefully Tom and company knew where to find the good stuff. My King is Jesus. I do 'like to do as I see fit' and rely on myself. But I also know that God has placed leaders over me and leaders around me. For the good of the whole flock.
Thank you, God, for the parables of nature and the living lessons all around me.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Oh Paul , Oh Paul
1 Corinthians 16:20 - 24 "All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. If anyone does not love the Lord —a curse be on him. Come, O Lord ! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen."
This is from the reading plan a few days ago. I love Paul. Some of my favorite Bible verses and thought provoking statements are Paul. But he does get carried away sometimes... a curse be upon ++++. Somewhere else it says, "Bless and do not curse." So that is what we teach. He snuck some fire in there. He said what we want to say sometimes. But we are people called to blessing and not cursing. We also remember that words when out are hard to take back. So we keep trying to "tame the tongue" as James would say.
I had this little book I ordered for my partner Davis in Uganda. It was thru Amazon and send by Gram Gram somebody. On the back of the mailing envelope it had these words. "Dear Book, go upon your way over mountain, plain or sea. God Bless all who speed your flight to where I wish you to be and Bless all those beneath the roof where I would bid you rest. Bless even more the one to whom this book is addressed."
I thought that was pretty good stuff. Although it could have said, "Curse the postals who abuse books and take forever to get things to where you send at too much money. Thanks for the money enjoy this purchase. Curse the weather and the things that hinder good business and competitive deliver..." But it didn't. It sent a blessing and it will go farther than it was even thought.
Blessings, Shalom, Good Health and YEE HAH!
This is from the reading plan a few days ago. I love Paul. Some of my favorite Bible verses and thought provoking statements are Paul. But he does get carried away sometimes... a curse be upon ++++. Somewhere else it says, "Bless and do not curse." So that is what we teach. He snuck some fire in there. He said what we want to say sometimes. But we are people called to blessing and not cursing. We also remember that words when out are hard to take back. So we keep trying to "tame the tongue" as James would say.
I had this little book I ordered for my partner Davis in Uganda. It was thru Amazon and send by Gram Gram somebody. On the back of the mailing envelope it had these words. "Dear Book, go upon your way over mountain, plain or sea. God Bless all who speed your flight to where I wish you to be and Bless all those beneath the roof where I would bid you rest. Bless even more the one to whom this book is addressed."
I thought that was pretty good stuff. Although it could have said, "Curse the postals who abuse books and take forever to get things to where you send at too much money. Thanks for the money enjoy this purchase. Curse the weather and the things that hinder good business and competitive deliver..." But it didn't. It sent a blessing and it will go farther than it was even thought.
Blessings, Shalom, Good Health and YEE HAH!
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