Interactive Sermon

Attention Groupies .2

A note specifically for those involved in my reading/discussion group of the best-seller The Shack: This coming Sunday be prepared for a conversation over Chapters Three and Four.

Last weekend we looked back at the impressions that the Foreword and Chapters One and Two had on us.  Where the Foreword was concerned, we discussed the initial impressions we gathered of Mack and Willie, and of their relationship.  We discussed how Willie's statement about Mack's story, "I definitely want everything Mack told me to be true" struck us.

Chapter One's title gave us a little thought provocation--confluence meaning "a flowing together", we discussed the ways in which many things flow into who we are and into our perceptions and understandings of God. 

Over chapter two we mused about the story of the Multnomah princess and the gospel story--specifically how stories are heard and processed.  We also spent time talking about "the Great Sadness" in Mack's life and how clouds of sadness or disappointment are pretty common across our human experience.

Any other impressions you may have had over the opening sections?  Feel free to drop a comment here or pick it up in conversation with someone in the group.  See you Sunday! 

What's On My Mind?

A mind is a terrible thing to... are you kidding me?

iPad ~ The latest in the line of gadgets we all won't be able to live without.  I'm guessing I will live without it.  Why if I had $499 I could buy something so much more... useful.  500 2 litre bottles of coke, for instance.  Now there's something.  Can't wait to see which of my friends show up with iPad first.  Anyone?  One of my friends wondered aloud through Twitter if next year Steve Jobs would unveil iPeed.  Now there's a ap to accompany 500 litres of coke, eh? 

Cross Cultural / Short-term Missions ~ Having our friend Tresford from Namibia here with us is helping bring more clarity and understanding to how we can partner in Namibia more effectively.  Here's what I'm learning: ten years, more than 200 individual "experiences", having one of our staff members on the ground in Namibia for a year making observations, several visits from our Namibian friends here to NH - and still... so much to learn.  Always more to learn.  This is the hard stuff--but also the worthwhile stuff--of being the body of Christ.  

Playing My Role ~ Studying 1 Corinthians 3 and 4 (last Sunday and this coming Sunday at Christ's Church) has me thinking about a handful of relationships I am in, and a handful of settings I've found myself in that I didn't necessarily see coming.  What of this is God's doing?  Where might I be called to plant?  Water?  Encourage?  With what am I building?  Is it lasting?  Today I'm especially moved to consider these words: Now it is required that those who have been given a trust be found faithful. Hmmm.

Bubba O'Leary's ~ Not really worth explaining.  Just on my mind today.  Maybe it was all the talk of 500 litres of coke. 

Back At The Ponderosa

Hoss has been thinking.

Three weeks.  That's how long matters of a family leaving one congregation and surfacing in another have dominated the conversation at the local pastor's meeting.  Be assured, it's not just a family deciding to change scenery, but rather showing up in a new location spewing venom towards their previous church home.  It's emotional.  It's personal.  It's a danger within the church community.

If airtime at the meeting wasn't enough, a couple of these matters have spilled into (seemingly) endless strings of "copy all" email.  Has anyone else considered that email is not the best manner of communication over things that have emotional and personal charges attached?  Oy vey!

One pastor has suggested a formal covenant be struck between the local pastors and leaders.  Another has begun drawing up such a document.  Still another invited the leader of a pastor's fellowship in Massachusetts to come visit us to share what they've written up there.  Still another pastor sent an email saying he's picking up his jacks and he's going home.  Email, again! 

A pastor, newer to our group, had a very interesting take.  He pointed out that we've spent the better part of three weeks (I think he's only been with us three weeks) arguing over a small handful of families that are "in" the church.  He pointed out that folks in some 95% of the households in our community don't attend any church anywhere.  He wondered aloud what might happen if we focused some of our energy on those folks.  Let me just say, Hoss likes the new guy.

I'm not opposed to signing a covenant. I'll sign it. I prefer, however, that relationships within our local church community ran deeper than a formal agreement--they were there once. 

For my reading of the scriptures, unity and love are those things, when evidenced in the church, that cause a watching world to take notice.  I'm just sayin'...

1 Corinthians 3

This weekend we'll move on to chapter three in our study.  Paul returns to an issue he mentioned briefly at the start of the letter--divisions among the faithful.  Here he points to the heart of the matter.  Here's an outline of the chapter:

v. 1-4 Jealousy, quarreling and selfishness - this, Paul demonstrates, is how the world behaves.  There's a carnality here that frustrates spiritual maturing.  Notice the phrases Paul uses like "you are still worldly" and "acting like mere men."  At the root of this division is immaturity and carnality.  In the specific instance he's addressing (that report he received from Chloe's household) it has manifest itself in their separating--some calling themselves followers of this teacher, and others of that teacher.

v. 5-15 Paul clarifies the role of teachers and their relationship to God's work.  God orchestrates this plan--He places teachers and ministers in just the right setting to sound just the right notes, but it is God who is the composer, arranger and conductor.  Paul, Apollos, Cephas, whomever--instruments in God's masterpiece.

v. 16-23 The chapter (indeed, this subject) concludes with a sober warning: Do not deceive yourselves!  God takes this matter very seriously. 

Paul commends unity to the young church as a matter of utmost importance.  He began his letter with a mention.  He clarifies it here.  He gives a warning--If anyone destroys God's temple, He will destroy them!  Sounds serious, doesn't it?

News & Views

 

Saw these three stories today. Headlines or head-scratchers?

Human Bed Warming Service ~ Holiday Inn launched a human bed warming service in London.  This creeps me out.  I couldn't help but think of some of Holiday Inn's popular slogans over the years:

"Relax, it's Holiday Inn."  ...besides, there's a guy in your bed in a one piece body suit.

"We put a smile back on your face."  ...and an employee under your sheets.

"The best surprise is no surprise."  ...or finding strange hair and body dander in your bed.

"Holiday Inn: The World's Inn Keeper."  ...sheet creeper.

"Your host from coast to coast."  ...and a bed, warmer than most.

I was also thinking of the slogans of other hotels.  Like the famous "We'll leave the light on for you!" by Motel 6.  Holiday Inn could counter: "We'll leave a chick in the bed for you."

What's next?  Toilet seats warmed by human buns?  Not for me, thanks.

Purple and Gold ~ The artist formerly and presently known as Prince wrote a new fight song for his hometown team, the Minnesota Vikings.  Um... I've always thought Prince to be a tremendous song writer.  Give this fight song a listen and see what you think.  I'm thinking it's not one of his better efforts.

A Woman Scorned ~ How does that saying go?  Hell hath no fury... This story tends to agree.

Attention Groupies

A quick post for those in my Sunday morning reading/discussion small group reading through The Shack.

Sunday come prepared to chat about the Foreword and Chapters One and Two. 

Don't worry if you missed our first meeting last week.  We spent our time enjoying a cup of coffee and familiarizing ourselves with the book--considering some of the endorsements, mentioning some of the controversy that has arisen, and discussing some interviews that the author Paul Young has given concerning the book.  Certainly all of this will come up again as we progress through the story.

I still have a couple copies of the book on hand if anyone wants to jump in last minute. 

Come at 8:30AM for an Interactive Java Stop.  Our small group begins at 9AM.

Bet This Gets Ugly Fast

Did you see this?  A company in Michigan supplying the U.S. Military with rifle sights has been putting "secret Jesus messages" in the serial numbers of their product.  Some folks are crying foul.  Uh oh.

Check the article here.

What do you think?  Would folks in Iraq and Afghanistan be offended?  Does this constitute proselytizing as specifically forbidden?  I'm no military strategist, mind you, but I'm guessing the idea with these rifle sights is to keep folks far enough away from you that they can't read the "JN8:12" at the end of your rifle's serial number.  I'm just saying...

Women and Happiness

Bluebird: Women and the New Psychology of Happiness ~ I'm reading Chick-Lit?  No.  Chick-Psych.  You do know that I live with five women, right?

Besides, one of my favorite authors, Ariel Gore, has written this book on women and happiness. It hits bookstores TOMORROW.  I've read an advance copy and found it very informative and thought provoking.  Ariel weaves together material from a wide variety of sources, the findings of noted authorities (most of them men), the experiences of a panel of 100 real women (imagine that?), and her own life's experience, so as to paint a picture of what women are up against.  I've found Ariel's book thought provoking because it's real world. 

Now, a note to my Jesus Freak and/or church-going crowd: Ariel's book isn't a Jesus Freak and/or church-going handling of happiness.  And that's a good thing for my thinking.  I was talking about this book with a pastor last week who actually said, "A book on women and happiness?  That must be a short book.  'Trust Jesus!  The end.'"  What's worse is he wasn't joking.  You won't find "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life!" in this book.  This is studies.  This is experiences.  This is emotions.  This is real life.  And this is the playing field women find themselves on in our society. 

Pick up a copy.  Give it a read.  Then look me up and we'll chat about it. 

1 Corinthians 2

The editors have done us a bit of disservice in some of the places they've put chapter divsions.  Chapter one ended making the point: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  The first five verses of chapter two appear closely akin.

Here's a pretty basic outline of chapter two:

v. 1-5 Paul stresses that it wasn't his eloquence or superior wisdom that resulted in their coming to faith in Christ.  Rather he came in weakness and fear, that it might be a demonstration of God's power.

v. 6-10 Continuing to contrast wisdom and folly, Paul speaks of God's secret wisdom--his mysterious plan from before the ages, coming to pass, and being revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

v. 11-16 Finally Paul moves a bit into how God's Spirit reveals these things.

This chapter contains a number of what I like to call "big buts."  They provide a good map through this chapter's content.  You can find a few of my thoughts on this chapters buts over at the Big Buts site, here and here.

What do you observe in the chapter? Anything catch your attention? Comment here, or we'll chat about it in person on Sunday morning.

Separated at Birth?

  

Have you seen the commercials for the new Travolta film?