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Meandering the metaphysical |
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Sunday, May 15, 2005
Community This is a term so often heard and discussed in Christian circles. Yet, that's almost all I have ever experienced. Just talking about it. Not actually being a part of it or making it grow. But, what is IT? What is community? Or what should community be? This is a topic I've been thinking hard about lately and will continue to. Would love input from anyone who reads this. Use the comments section or email me. I was greatly struck the other day when reading something that Moby had said. It was about how our culture in America is so dis-connected. Almost anti-community. How sad. The Christian community is no different. So many churches have crumbled recently and friendships broken. Can we re-connect with our friends? With our next door neighbor? With our co-workers? Teammates? I think we can, but how?
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Reaching out to Gen X/Y No philosophizing on my part in this week's entry, hopefully! I think we all were hearing enough from Romans and there is much more to talk about. I continue to encourage anyone who reads this blog to please leave comments in the comment section! We want to hear from you! Would like to take this time to reflect upon impacting this wonderful culture we live in. And, three specific organizations and three people whom I know impacting lives daily: First, is the John Newton International Center For Christian Studies with the specific goal of serving Dickinson College and School of Law through the promotion of excellence in Christian thinking and faithful living. They are accomplishing this by hosting lectures by speakers of national and international reputation. The Center also reaches out to the students via personal counsel and smaller, group studies. My uncle, Stephen Hague, is the renowned director of the Center. Please drop him an email or phone call if you have questions or would like to get involved! Second, is World Harvest Mission where my good friend Rebecca Williams (better known as Rebz) is serving in the Missionary Apprenticeship Program in Ireland. Please pray for this team as they seek to reach a rather dark and lost Irish culture. Please email Rebz words of encouragement and ask how you might help the ministry through prayer or financial means. Third, is Coalition For Christian Outreach and more specifically the Outdoor Leadership Team where my good friend and brother Chris Kissell begins serving this June. He is still in need of monthly financial supporters and prayer partners! Finally, I urge you to view each of these people and ministries as missionaries to our culture. We need more folks such as these who are willing to sacrifice fortune and fame to reach a generation so much in need of a holy, gracious God. There are other folks out there reaching our culture as well. Bands such as this are with their upcoming album. Choose who you will join up with...
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Do Not Surrender"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8.1This verse is a key part of this post tonite, yet I have about four different thoughts forcing their way into my brain and somehow I will attempt to tie them all together here. As well as add some peripheral items at the end. How thankful we ought to be towards God for sending His son to take the condemnation due us for our sin! Christ lived a sinless life yet suffered and died just for me. I've had discussions with friends about our selfishness that leads to sin. We seem to always choose our desire rather than Christ's. The discussion follows out to whether God is angry with us and will inflict His wrath upon us. Yet, when we read the verse above from Romans, it is clear that since we are in Christ, we have no condemnation. He took it upon Himself. Christ covers and protects us from God's wrath. So, the picture I see of our LORD is that of a father. He is deeply disappointed and saddened when we sin. It hurts Him. Yet, His just wrath has been inflicted on Christ. May we see God as our Father, a being we can talk to and seek comfort in. Yes, we ought to still fear His wrath but know His mercy abounds. An interesting article, that my good brother Luke shared with me a few weeks ago, speaks on the timing of God and how our faith must remain steadfast. So often, I get caught up in my own agenda and have an extremely small amount of patience for others when they interrupt my schedule. Unfortunately, I fear that I do this with God at times, when wanting to know what the future holds or thinking about material things. I want to take matters into my own hands and quit school or buy something that I don't really need all that much but want it anyways. The article states... "This selfishness is magnified even more when we look at the timelines and demands that we put on our faith. When thinking of the things that we give value to and the relatively short time restraints we put on God "coming through" for us, we can quickly see how our attitude and impatience paints a vivid picture of a shallow faith that is built on having what we want when we want it." (Grant Jenkins) Along this same vein, another article in the May/June issue of Relevant "Having It All Without The Stuff" spoke very acutely to me about what my expectations should be. "You have to be prepared for the fact that the search for a sense of purposefulness and success may be a longer odyssey. I don't think most of us get to realize our dreams in our 20's. It's unrealistic." I'm challenging myself and you to not have the attitude of expecting God to "come through" for us! We need to be the clutch Christians who live for Christ at ALL times, not just when we get what WE want. We also cannot expect to achieve all of life's goals before we are 30 years old!! Peripheral ItemsHere is a book and author getting some play in circles these days that we all should check out. Here is an article (written by Gene Edward Veith) about Lauren Winner, the author of the book mentioned above. The article can also be found in the May 7, 2005 World Magazine. Lauren Winner has also written a few articles for Relevant Magazine and the book, Girl Meets God. |
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