tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2337891220779442452024-03-13T05:37:48.660-05:00Parish PerspectivesPastor who happens to be a woman, a mother and a dog-loverUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger439125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-90701141695751924872013-04-10T13:44:00.000-05:002013-04-10T13:44:28.227-05:00PenielI am participating in a class called "Peniel" where we read and discuss some of the great theologians of the ages. It started out with St. Augustine and we are currently reading St. Chrysostom. It is amazing how the ability to read the syntax of the ancient texts becomes dimmer the farther away from seminary I've grown. Peniel refers to the place where Jacob struggled with the angel and I truly feel myself struggling with some of these texts. Surprisingly, I find it exhilarating also. I have become tired of Bible Study books that show a video and want us to fill in the blanks, that are "miraculously" put on the screen for the participant. My thanks to the dreamers who put this challenging study together and are leading it. Now, where are the answers?? (just kidding folks)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-52163424597173057522013-03-28T13:46:00.000-05:002013-03-28T13:46:15.916-05:00New ApppointmentI am moving to a new position in the Arkansas Conference starting in July. I will be the Associate Director at the Center for Clergy & Laity Excellence in Leadership. I am excited and nervous all bundled up together. It will be the first time in ten years that I have not been directly involved in pastoral ministry as a clergyperson and 16 years overall.<br />
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I am praying that I will make a difference in my new position just as I have always prayed to make a positive difference to the various churches that I have served. I will be a definite challenge but one that I am looking forward to meeting head on.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-62556962894729611092012-11-29T11:54:00.002-06:002012-11-29T11:54:18.351-06:00FuneralsFunerals are never quite the same from family to family. They can be heart-wrenching or almost a relief to the family, especially if the person has been suffering for a very long time. They can, also, be quite weird and egocentric. If anyone ever decides to write a book, they need to give me a call.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-63910985675994446232012-11-07T15:14:00.002-06:002012-11-07T15:14:14.508-06:00ElectionWell, the election is finally over. It seemed like the politics and pundits were starting to consume my life. It feels like a broke a bad habit today when I finally turned the television off and started living again.<br />
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I know that politics really can have life and death consequences but I have decided that it is time to kick the habit, at least for a little while. Time to concentrate on what is really important, God, Family, Church.<br />
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With that said, my daughter wants to go camping this week. I HATE CAMPING unless you are in a fully heated/air conditioned RV or camper. I think I can find something else to distract her with but pray for me.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-23790198942181823622012-05-30T11:52:00.001-05:002012-05-30T11:52:36.909-05:00Red StoleAs I prepare for Annual Conference, I asked the question about which red stole I should wear. This was a serious question because I don't always know what the customs are for certain social occasions. Should I wear the red stole that was given out at my ordination or could I wear the fancy red stole that was a gift from my last congregation? This is the first time that I shall be a part of the Procession of Elders during the Ordination Service and I didn't want to commit a social gaffe (which I am apt to do). The consensus was any red stole would do just fine. It made me think that know matter how deep I get into the church organization there are some things that are just not taught at seminary. A day for random thoughts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-89712714950888273332012-05-07T12:56:00.002-05:002012-05-07T12:56:49.014-05:00General ConferenceGeneral Conference 2012 was held in Tampa this month. I would love to brag on how much progress we made as a denomination to make disciples for Jesus Christ. It didn't work out like that. I watched in horror as guaranteed appointments went away without even the slightest bit of discussion. Regardless, of how one might feel about GA itself. They threw away something that has been a part of the church since 1914 (even if only enforced since the 1950s). After all that people give up to become Methodist clergy; the picking up and moving of our families every few years, the extreme debt from seminary, etc. You would think that we would have rated at the very least some discussion on the floor of general conference. Now it is up to every individual Annual Conference to put in some safe guards against possible abuses. I trust my Bishop, let me say that up front, but he will be leaving this year and I don't know who my next Bishop will be and that can be a little scary.<br />
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The other big item was the restructuring of the church itself. This went down in a flaming wreck. The first plan didn't go over too well and neither did Plan B. The compromise plan, Plan UMC failed to pass the litmus test of the Judicial Council. Key in rending of garments and gnashing of teeth. After two weeks in Tampa, we ended up with the same structure that we started with from the start.<br />
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The only bright spots that I can see is that we still have UM Communications, and the two groups that will protect women and minorites. And another interesting tidbit: Twitter made it to the big leagues during this General Conference. Twitter directly impacted debate on the floor. <br />
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I am Methodist through and through. I know that God will work through this and in spite of, this mess. Perhaps, that was the point God was making. Quit trying to legislate growth and start making disciples--one disciple at a time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-61221386993493299922012-04-18T12:49:00.000-05:002012-04-18T12:49:09.153-05:00Let DownI wanted to blog about something that happened at my church but common-sense prevailed and I decided to keep my mouth shut. It is funny when people let you down as a pastor. We don't feel the freedom to tell them about it. Should we? Should we tell the congregation when we are disappointed in them?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-41429819036655348002012-04-12T12:03:00.000-05:002012-04-12T12:03:46.984-05:00Where Has that Loving Feeling Gone?I was thinking about that great scene in "Top Gun" when Tom Cruise starts singing this song and it kind of struck me as funny because that is how I feel now that Easter has passed. Basically though, I think it has more to do with absolute exhaustion. I haven't had a day off in two weeks without anything on the calendar. I am so looking forward to Saturday. The ironic thing is that the more tired I get the less I can sleep; harder to go to sleep and harder to stay asleep. As the week winds down, I hope hoping/praying that I can relax and not have any emergengies or even phone calls to interrupt my down time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-56646400091989592922012-04-12T11:46:00.002-05:002012-04-12T11:46:50.498-05:00Emotional Prisons<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Book Review: “Enemies of the Heart: Breaking Free from the Four Emotions that Control You” by Andy Stanley<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Emotional Prisons<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Andy Stanley writes that all our emotional problems and spiritual problems stem from four basic emotions: Guilt, Anger, Greed and Jealousy. He traces all of the emotional issues that face humans, as far back as Cain and Abel, to these four basic emotions. The argument is clear and concise and he does have a convincing argument. He believes that if we would take a moment to dig deeper into why we are feeling a certain feeling eventually we will find that it stems from these four emotions which keep our hearts “out of sync with the rhythm it was created to maintain”. Part of this problem is that “we rarely stop to monitor out hearts” instead “we are taught [as children] to behave” but not how to dig deeper into why we act the way we act.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As Christians, we are not supposed to stop changing and growing at the moment of our salvation. As a United Methodist, we call this sanctification. Stanley tells us that we still haven’t given God full access to our hearts at that moment. We still have work to do. We must continue to grow in grace.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Guilt is the first emotion that Stanley highlights. “Guilt is the result of having done something we perceived as wrong.” He used the example of a man leaving his family for another woman and this incurs a sense of guilt for having stolen from his children. This incurs a feeling of debt towards our family. Since, we have usually all done something that we feel guilty for this leaves us will a defensive manner unless we are able to balance this debt.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Anger is the second emotion that he discusses. “Anger is the result of not getting something we want.” He says in many ways this anger stems from being hurt in some way. A parent that abuses a child has deprived that child of a happy or safe home thus resulting in anger issues. Stanley has a wonderful exercise for those who suffer from anger issues. “Here’s the question every angry man of woman needs to consider: How long are you going to allow people you don’t even like—people who are no longer in your life, maybe even people who aren’t even alive anymore—to control your life? How long?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Greed is third on the list. “Bottom line, the greedy people believe they deserve every good thing that comes their way.” However, “greed is a different breed than the other three enemies of the heart we’ll discuss. Greed disguises itself.” You might not believe that you are greedy by disguising it as being careful or frugal or saving for the future. “Greed isn’t a financial issue; it’s a heart issue. Financial gain doesn’t make greedy people less greedy. Financial gain or loss doesn’t change anything, because greed emanates from the heart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Jealousy is the fourth enemy of the heart. “Jealousy says, ‘God owes me’.” “Let’s face it: most of us believe on some level that if God had taken as good care of us as he has for some people we know, our lives would be richer.” Stanley goes on to say that on some level this might strike us as “absurd” but he is able to make a sound argument for his statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Stanley goes on to give his prescription for confronting these four illnesses. To confront guilt, one must publically confess the sin. The remedy for anger is forgiveness. The solution for greed is generosity. Jealousy means that we need to take it to God and pour out our unmet needs and let the Holy Spirit work in our hearts. He uses the Book of James to make this argument. And that we are to celebrate what we already have instead of being jealous of what we don’t have.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Confess, forgive, give, celebrate” are the four prescriptions for what ails the human heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #3d281b; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-33655708483143746532012-03-26T13:00:00.000-05:002012-03-26T13:00:00.368-05:00GardenAnyone who wasn't able to get outside and enjoy this last week-end truly missed out. Thankfully, the rain knocked some of the pollen out of the air (it will be back I'm told), which made breathing a little easier. The warm air caused me to get started on planting my summer garden. I couldn't get everything in that I wanted because my winter garden is still ripening, but I did get in tomato, pepper, cilantro and basil. My basil exploded last year and ended up with tree-like stalks so I put it in a big container this year to make room for some other stuff. I harvested carrots, lettuce and chard. I still have broccoli and cauliflower producing, so it gets to stay in a little longer.<br />
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After spending Saturday gardening, I decided to rest and read after church on Sunday. I had Billy Abraham's new book "Celtic Fire" about evangelism on my Kindle and a comfy spot on the back patio to start reading, when my back neighbor started trying to cut some branches that were blocking her satellite. I couldn't just sit there and read when someone my Mom's age was working, so I got up and helped. A couple of hours later my arms were tired from cutting and snipping but we got her a clear path from her satellite to the open sky. <br />
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I did manage to read part of "Celtic Fire" later, I think Billy would be proud :) It did remind me of seminary when we read the book by George Hunter called "The Celtic Way of Evangelism" and it talked about the way evangelism was done by the early monks in Ireland. They moved into a community and started working in and with the people. It was a kinder, gentler way of evangelism versus the door knocking, forcible baptism evangelism of the "Roman" way. I loved that book because it showed me that there is a different path to evangelism that doesn't require me going door-to-door with pamphlets, something that my postmodern soul cringed at the thought of doing. The one problem that United Methodist clergy have with this particular way of evangelism is that we are seldom in one place long enough to put down the kind of roots necessary for George Hunter's method. It is still possible to train the laity up in this way of evangelism, however.<br />
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All in all, this was a great week-end to get things done around the house and rest up for the Palm Sunday/Easter rush that is hitting this week.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-91110475965431518372012-03-15T11:08:00.000-05:002012-03-15T11:08:45.788-05:00Spring TimeBy now most of us of almost used to the time change. I love Daylight Savings Time but detest the losing an hour of sleep part of the whole change over. I am becoming an advocate of leaving it this way forever. Who do we have to petition for that to become reality? I was stationed in Arizona for two years and for two years the time remained the same. I would have enjoyed it if I wasn't a shift worker and our shift rotated every two weeks, but I digress.<br />
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The other part of this time of year is becoming very apparent in the South, all of our cars are covered with a nice yellow color....tree pollen in out in full force. One can only gaze longingly out the window at the wonderful weather because to venture out requires a HazMat level breathing apparatus for those of us who suffer from allergies. I just take a record level of allergy medicine because I am weak willed and must go outside and work in my vegetable garden.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-64450724398632372682012-02-17T11:37:00.000-06:002012-02-17T11:37:23.378-06:00BraggingOne of the worst parts of being a pastor is the whole employee/self-employed situation as it relates to the IRS. Before I loved when I received my W-2 because it meant that soon I would be getting a check in the mail from the US Government. I understand that it was really my money but it felt like a gift that meant I could buy something special or pay off bills or whatever.<br />
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Now when I get my W-2, it just means that I have to work on taxes even if I pay an accountant. It helps that I computerized all my stuff years ago so it doesn't mean digging through boxes of receipts or anything that horrible, but it still means that I have to spend the day getting things "ready" for the accountant. And it usually means that I end up having to pay into the IRS.<br />
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So like many unpleasant chores that I can put off, this is one of the things that I leave until the last minute. I am proud of myself for getting everything finished today. Hurray!! Yippee!! Alleluia!!<br />
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I can at least celebrate until the accountant calls back with how much I will have to pay by April 15. This year I did start having the churches I serve to start taking it right out of my paycheck, just like the old days. I have my fingers crossed that I will only owe the accountant this year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-1637894652522029352012-02-16T09:58:00.000-06:002012-02-16T09:58:01.789-06:00Post CruiseAfter returning home from the RevGalS BE#5, I finally succumbed to the pesky sinus infection/cold that had been threatening me for weeks. I guess everything I had done to push the sickness away from caused the eventual fall to be really, really harder than it might have normally been. In other words, I was sicker than a dog for over a week. Glad to report that I am finally on the mend except for a pesky, lingering cough.<br />
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My first cruise and my first time with so many other wonderful ministry women was a unique experience and I loved both. I was able to observe that so many of us go through the same ups and downs in our ministries. We don't all seem to deal with them in the same way or come out of them the same way, which is to be expected. The church is a rough place for women in leadership. We sometimes go into ministry thinking that everyone will be "just like Jesus" and loving, sweet and supportive ALL the time. We discover just the opposite. I think that ministry is much more rough and tumble than we like to admit.<br />
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When I worked in the corporate world, I knew going in that I was not going to win a lot of friends or popularity contests. I expected to have conflict and so was not disappointed when it came my way. With ministry, we seem to have an innate desire to please everyone and for everyone to like us. Thank God for my business experience, it doesn't strike me as hard as it might when I find that someone, for some reason or for no reason at all, just doesn't like me. Frankly, I find it hard to like some of them too. Oh, I can still love them as Jesus love me, but I won't be expected to be invited over for family events or anything.<br />
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It seems like most of my troubles seem to come from women and not men. I can get along with "grumpy old men" much better than I can with some women. At least with most of the men, they are up front with why they don't agree with something, not all women can be quite as direct.<br />
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So back to the cruise, we had such a large group that it was impossible to get to know everyone in only one week. And I am not complaining just stating a fact. I did feel that with almost every that I met however, that I COULD become friends with and that was a great feeling. I did hear some complaints from at least one of the old-timers about such a large group but I am am dismissing that due to the fact we are all bitchy once in while. I know that my physical sickness definitely interfered with getting to know many of the women and I regret that especially since I am usually healthy as a horse. I know that I would love to go again at some future date. Probably not next year since my daughter will be finishing her Senior year of high school and rumor as it that can get expensive.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-33153135331582333822012-01-23T11:27:00.000-06:002012-01-23T11:27:04.849-06:00Stormy WeatherI live in the South, so stormy weather isn't at all unusual. However, having tornadoes on the ground in January is just plain weird and a little scary. I didn't have to get into my safe zone last night because the really bad ones were about 50 miles away, but it doesn't quit making one hyper-aware of the weather. <br />
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The bright spot on the horizon is the Continuing Education Cruise that I am taking next week with all my new and old friends from RevGalsBlog. We will sail the high and hopefully calm seas, as we study the upcoming lectionary.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-72316156285002701782012-01-19T11:14:00.000-06:002012-01-19T11:14:08.911-06:00Continuing My EducationI am leaving next week on a Continuing Education Cruise. Yeah, I know, it sounds like a rough thing to endure (laughing). It is a new adventure for me, however. First off, I have never been on a cruise and this coming right on the heels of the cruise calamity in Italy. That really didn't phase me at all, however. The part that worries me is that I am such an introvert it is hard to go into new situations with people I don't know, which is ironic considering the calling God has on my life. I will be moving into new situations on a regular basis with the United Methodist Church. <br />
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Thank goodness that I am traveling with my friend from seminary, who has been with from the very first day of school. I am certain that I will make some new friends on the journey. I have made a decision (which I hope I don't regret) to travel without my baby--the laptop. I am going to go old-school, Bible and a notebook but with my IPOD and Kindle and Smart-phone. Hey, a girl can only give up so much at one time :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-4010067976995296452012-01-18T14:30:00.002-06:002012-01-18T14:30:27.882-06:00Eating With God - A Book Review“Dinner With A Perfect Stranger: An Invitation Worth Considering” by David Gregory <br />
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Spoiler Alert: This is a story of a man, Nick Cominsky, who receives an anonymous dinner invitation to a fancy restaurant from Jesus. He suspects that it is a prank joke from some of his buddies but decides to go anyway. What follows is an in-depth and personal encounter with Jesus. It is a story of a skeptic who has a meeting with God and he asks some of the questions that you and I might ask. I was disillusioned by only one part of the story, when the author is setting the scene in the restaurant and he writes, “In the middle of the room two weigh-challenged women giggled as they plunged into a monstrous chocolate torte.” (10) It seemed harsh and did not flow well with the story that would follow.<br />
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The best part of the book is when Nick challenges Jesus by saying, “The other day I passed by the church down the street, and their sign read, ‘No one comes to the Father but through me’ – Jesus. If you actually said that, I think you’re full of it.” (24) What follows is an interesting stroll through the variety of world religions and how they differ from Christianity. It was a compelling argument for Christianity.<br />
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From there, it moved into the notion of grace and God’s free gift to humanity. This is where it ties into the life story of Nick and why his own marriage is having problems. It delves into when Nick actually asked the question why Jesus was having this meeting with him and the loss of his father. It is a moving book and does a good job of answering some of the questions that seekers might ask.<br />
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This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah PublishingUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-23518720464078407552012-01-05T10:36:00.000-06:002012-01-05T10:36:33.920-06:00GenerosityLast night I had an encounter with a man carrying a Bible as I left my United Methodist Church. He said he was leaving the Baptist Church from across the street and had only had one drink that day. I congratulated him and then he asked for money. I told him I didn't have any cash on me but that tomorrow was our food pantry day and we could give him food. He was horribly insistent and it got a little tense as he was blocking me from my car. I kind of ducked under his arm and got in the car and rummaged around until I came up with a dollar and change to give to him. He said he needed it for the bus. My logical thought was "Well, how did you get to your church service and didn't you anticipate the need for a way home, or why not ask one of your church people for a ride?"<br />
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I know that it was made even more awkward (in my own mind) because I have a clergy sticker on the window of my car. I really don't carry any cash around with me except the change that ends up in my car ashtray. It is too easy to spend and is untraceable from a personal accounting standpoint, so I wasn't lying to the man.<br />
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I used to be a military police officer and it became a matter of feeling threatened. I don't know if I handled it in as gracious manner as I could have and that bothers me. As a Christian, I wonder at how we handle such situations and perhaps one of the solutions is not to walk to my car alone at night but that is not a theological response to things like this.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-85446144809450341552011-10-26T14:38:00.000-05:002011-10-26T14:38:08.996-05:00Radical TogetherI recently read David Platt's book "Radical Together". He is able to make a convincing argument "that the gospel that saves us from work also saves us to work" (28). It is able to brings that gap between the assurance of being justified by faith alone and the notion that Christians are still called to work for the Kingdom of Heaven while on earth. "Real faith always creates fruit" (29).<br />
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Platt tells of his own experiences of being called to pastor a large church. However, his own lens seems to be the main focus of the book. He doesn't quite bridge the gap between a mega-church and the smaller churches. I did like his emphasis on the priesthood of all believers. That the people of his church were taught to understand that they were in ministry 7 days a week and not just on Sunday. He does give some advice for equipping the saints.<br />
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He totally lost me at the end of the book. When he goes from making a difference in the world to a message about heaven and salvation. It kind of falls apart at the end, in my opinion. It goes from talking about making a difference in the world to our role for evangelizing the world.<br />
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“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-64686379557210620392011-10-17T12:55:00.000-05:002011-10-17T12:55:54.537-05:00Dealing with DisappointmentHow is one supposed to deal with disappointment when you arrive at a new church? I had such high hopes that I would jump into this new appointment and things would start turning around. It hasn't been the case. Don't get me wrong: I never thought that I had the magic cure but I thought that I could start growing this church. It hasn't proved to be the case. The old ideas and methods are so ingrained that it proving to be a hard nut to crack. <br />
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I see glimmers of hope and that will sustain me for now but I hope to get things rocking here soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-28186962810196297592011-10-01T18:17:00.000-05:002011-10-01T18:17:00.986-05:00Lost MonthI feel like the last six weeks was lost. I got an infection that landed me in the hospital for a week and it has taken me the last five to start getting my strength back. Both of my churches stepped up to the plate and took care of me. It was weird to say the least. I am not used to not being able to go, go, go constantly. I am not yet at 100% but I feel like it is getting close. I still get tired by around four o'clock but I plan on breaking that barrier tomorrow, when I start a new Bible Study over the book of James.<br />
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It is a fun book to teach because James is like the New Testament version of Proverbs. It tells it like it is and speaks to universal truths, so teaching it will be a chance to explore some of the problems that face most churches.....gossip, faith and good works. I will try to be better about updating everyone and telling you how the study is going. I am teaching it to both churches and that will be fun because of the different personalities between the two.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-77614514681357879302011-09-14T11:59:00.002-05:002011-09-14T11:59:44.688-05:00Faith, Vision, and Church AttendanceFaith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Our hopes and our dreams for the future help lift our humanity to the fullness of what it can be. Tony Campolo says, One of my favorite characters in the Bible is Abraham. He is in his late nineties when he has a vision. In my own imagination I can just see this old man waking up one morning, nudging his wife, and saying with a shaky voice, “Sarah? Sarah?” The old lady, who was at least ninety-two, probably responded in a groggy fashion, “What is it, Abe?” “I just had a vision”, says the old man. “What kind of vision, Abe?” asks Sarah. “I just had a vision of a new world! A new humanity! A new people! Sarah, you and I are going to create a whole new epoch in human history!” “How does this new humanity start?” asks Sarah. “Glad you asked!” smirks Abraham in response. Imagine the next scene: It’s this ninety-four-year-old man, probably limping along with a walker holding him up, alongside his ninety-two-year-old pregnant wife. (If you don’t think God has a sense of humor, this should change your mind.) “Where are you going, Abe?’ people ask. “I don’t know”, the old man answers. “Well then why are leaving?” they yelled back at him. “BECAUSE GOD HAS GIVEN ME A VISION!” shouts Abraham.<br />
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God has given us a vision for the future of our church, also. A vision filled with life and hope, to reach this vision though it will take hard work and for people to be willing to share in the vision. My first two Sunday’s at this church our attendance was 60+. Last Sunday, we only had 28 people show up; half of you couldn’t make it to church. God deserves to come first. This is your church and to make it a success it will require you to show up.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-68284149497843280672011-08-03T15:32:00.000-05:002011-08-03T15:32:25.622-05:00Food Pantry and Legal Aid ClinicBoth of my new churches are involved with their communities. One is running a food pantry and the other will be starting a legal aid clinic to help immigrants with legal issues. Both are serving a definite need in our community.<br />
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I have only been in these churches for a little over a month and have been observing the food pantry. It seems like the need for people to have food is growing in our community. It is a shame that so many go hungry in the United States -- the breadbasket of the world -- but it is a reality for many Americans.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-43787953008898179192011-07-28T11:29:00.000-05:002011-07-28T11:29:06.955-05:00First MonthMy first month at my new position has been challenging to say the least, but the people at both churches have been absolutely wonderful. Unfortunately, we had three funerals from one church in one week which was depressing for the church and for me too. I know that they are all in a better place now and no longer suffering. Pray for the church to spring back from these deaths and move forward in a positive and life-affirming way.<br />
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The new house is wonderful and my garden is giving me more cucumbers than I know what to do with and two eggplants so far.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-73467770591461466692011-06-30T15:40:00.000-05:002011-06-30T15:40:36.959-05:00Going on a CruiseI have never been on a cruise but I sent off my money a couple of days ago to join my sisters in Christ on a cruise in January. I am pretty stoked about it. I have not been good about taking any time off and haven't went on a vacation in years but this looked too good to pass up. I finally finished my doctorate and it just seemed to come at the perfect time. So I will be cruising the high sea's in a few months.....whoo hooo!!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233789122077944245.post-81772490213137777632011-06-30T15:37:00.000-05:002011-06-30T15:37:29.850-05:00Bad Press versus Good PressPart of the problem is that the normal Christians...and yes there are some out there....get overshadowed by all the nuts that the media loves to make such a fuss about. For instance, the nut jobs from Westboro, which I would argue are not Christian and have just hijacked the term. Or that idiot from Florida, who thought that burning the Koran was a good idea. Normal Christians go around trying their best to help people or if not that, at least do their best not to cause any harm.<br />
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Do we succeed? You might say no, but I think that for the majority of us we are doing just as good as anyone else is and maybe just a little better. I am not trying to convert you but ask you not to group all of us together when you hear (another idiot) Pat Robertson saying America is going to fall because of gay marriage. I am a Christian who believes that two people of any gender have the right to live their lives out together with all the privileges and pitfalls that come from being married. <br />
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Now I am not holier than thou either, I like to have a glass of wine and I have been known to say a few choice words (especially if I stub my toe). I, also, help hand out food to the hungry and visit those who are sick and dying in the hospital because of my religion. I am not uneducated or naive. I am not a Republican or a hater. And I'm not trying to convert you. This is my path and I came to it later in life than many but it is working for me. I just ask that you don't make blanket generalizations about Christianity. We are not all bad.....or all good.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0