It’s one of the days that stirs up cauldrons of controversy over how the Church should handle it. Is they whole demonic realm real? Absolutely. At the same time, I’m giving candy to kids tonight because I’m in my first home and live for the first time in a residential area. I’m looking forward to meeting neighborhood kids & parents. Then I’m watching scary movies with friends and drinking hot cider. Here’s the deal – I think more people enjoy Halloween not because of the demonic side, but because they like to be scared and like to be caught up in something bigger than themselves. That feeling of being involved in something more than you, that’s what draws people in. Now if we as Jesus lovers could show folks how to get caught up in Jesus rather than a lesser power, and by a different means than just condemnation, then we’re on to something. Just saying.
Archive for October, 2007
free coffee on a Monday morning
Not too much us free anymore – we’re always asking “what’s the catch?” after something is offered for free. Props today to Ken Wilson for posting this: the opportunity to get some free Dunkin’ Donuts coffee at home.
For you designer types, Ken is on staff at NewSpring church, doing lots of design and video. While I’m not a true design guy, I love Ken’s blog. Check him out.
Innovation is becoming a buzz word in current Christian culture. There’s even a church conference called Innovate (I’m not ripping it – I’d actually love to go). Design has always been a part of church culture as well. Don’t believe me? Study how European cathedrals were built and what the design represents. Everything from Jewish temples to modern churches study and implement important design aspects. My church even has a “worship design” team. But there is a distinct difference between the two of them.I read a quote once from a blog about the differences between design and innovation. In regards to web design, it said that just adding rounded buttons and new colors might be good design, but it isn’t innovation. How you package something is important, but don’t confuse it with what’s in the box.
Something well designed often seems like the right thing to do – a great next step.
I think that a great design for a church offering I’ve seen is to have it after the message. It gives people the opportunity to respond to the message, rather then a preemptive giving. I’ve seen this work well many times, especially when teaching on finances. It makes good sense.
Something innovative often seems ridiculous, crazy, and impossible.
You want to see an innovative way to look at a church offering? Check out the Bless Back Project from Elevation Church. Or my friend Mike, who at FUSE Sunday night gave out $150 to students ($3 to each), challenged them to each add in $2 of their own, and bless someone with it.
design vs innovation
I read once that that the Old Testament is Jesus concealed and the New Testament is Jesus revealed. While I do love things that rhyme anyway, I’d never thought about his before. In my personal study time over the past two years I’ve found a new desire for better cultural & contextual understand of Scripture. I’ve started a new journal through the Bible a few months ago, and I’ve kept this sweet little rhyme in mind as I’ve been going through, and there’s been an amazing new richness to the Old Testament that I’ve never picked up on before. Reading through the Exodus has especially rocked me, beginning to grasp more how a first century Christian would understand Jesus through the Scripture they knew, and now how I understand Jesus’ move in my life through all of this.
right now
brew of the morning: Starbucks espresso roast
on the video: a NewSpring service
thought: how is it already 11am
yet unused resource on my desk: my trick or treat book of Frosty coupons
old and the new
So Wed. night with our middle school was awesome. We had 44 kids out which was crazy. Its hard to imagine that when we started 6 weeks go we had 20 kids. There’s definitely something going on there, and heaven knows it’s not me. I love being a part of something so much bigger than me. God’s making a move in our town. Something I saw was that a lot of kids I didn’t expect to step up to my challenge did. That definitely rattled me and made me think about just how many are hearing what’s being said and following.
I was listening to a sermon by Andy Stanley on Wed. for some study prep., and something he said really struck me. The past weeks we’ve had the kids in Mark 2 and really hitting that Jesus has an invitation for all of us to follow him, we just have to do it. Stanley’s remarked that when Jesus extended his invitation to others (like in Matthew 4), he didn’t ask them to believe first and then follow. The command was simply to follow; for many people, belief happened as a result of following, it wasn’t a prerequisite for following. I’m glad I was reminded of that. Often in the church I think we can fall into a mindset that following comes from belief. Perhaps we need to better invite people to follow and show them why we believe.
More on Wed. night
So pumped about tonight. Last week I challenged our middle school kids to take an active step in their faith and invite someone not connected to Jesus or the church tonight, and we’re going all out for it! Some parents stepped up big time, I’ve already heard about a couple of kids bringing friends, and the games tonight are pretty sweet, too. I’ve been praying for kids this week and for 50 to show up – we’ll see what happens. More tomorrow on it…
Wed. dump
I’ve been making my way through the Old Testament because frankly, it’s been a while. I’ve really wanted to read through, not just to know the history, but try to better understand how the story of redemption is told and sets up the saving of us all through Jesus. Once I crossed the threshold of Genesis into Exodus, something really struck me – as much as stories run right into one another, there’s a lot of waiting on God. Sure, there’s a few chapters folks, but then remember that those few accounts we have of them might run the course of hundreds of years in just a few pages. It really sunk in once I got to Joseph and into the enslavement of his people to the Egyptians. God heard and blessed Joseph, but after years of hardship. God heard the cries of the slaves in Egypt, but after multiple kings of Egypt. At times, we have to wait on God – not just a week or two, but maybe sometimes years. This is by no means a reason to be lazy; we can’t be lazy and honor Jeremiah 29:13. But so many times I run to God with something I have to have right now. I run to Him and expect an answer in my convenience and time line of necessity. Maybe I should start asking myself what God might be doing with me in the waiting.
Waiting on God
quoting: Scott Hodge
By way of Tim Stevens:
“We hang onto the old because old is cheap. Doesn’t cost us anything.
The new costs. It costs friendships. It costs money. Change is
expensive.”
~Scott Hodge
Dang, I want to meet this guy. As much as many of us say that change is important and even vital, there is often still that underlying fear of what happens when the status quo is challenged. I say that I’m ok with being uncomfortable in the wake of change, but then you actually deal with the people. I steadfastly believe that what keeps some strong when others fold is being grounded in your foundation of God’s calling and direction on you. If you haven’t gotten that, then get it. That’s the first step. If we’ve gotten it, then we have to act in confidence. Disobedience isn’t just wrong action, it’s also inaction.
For me, one of the most powerful books of the Bible is Acts. Go and act.
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