Happy Advent!
Yesterday at the Launch was one of those good but hard messages. We asked a fairly simple question: Do our spending habits at Christmas actually honor Jesus? But this question is rooted in a fairly straightforward point: Our "stuff" clutters our view of Jesus and our experience of life in Jesus. Stuff Clutters. It just does. So stepping INTO the Advent story requires, on some level, that we clear away the clutter so that we can see Jesus more clearly.
You can listen to yesterday's sermon by clicking here: Clearing the clutter.
I'd love to hear any stories from you all about how you are clearing space to experience the presence of Christ this Advent Season!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Advent Conspiracy Starts Here...
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
We started the Advent Conspiracy on Sunday. This year's theme is Simply Deep. It expresses our sense that the deepest, most meaningful aspects of the Christmas story are wound up in some of the simplest aspects of the story. It is a story that is simply deep. At the same time, sometimes what keeps us from really seeing and experiencing those deep truths is the lack of simplicity in our lives. Clutter distracts us from the deep.
The messages for the 4 weeks of Advent will all build on each other somewhat. So if you missed it this past Sunday, you can click on the link below and a player will open allowing you to listen to the message.
One great reason to listen is so that you can hear about this year's Advent Conspiracy Offering which will again be going to our Meet Malawi Project. We've got a crazy big, God sized goal this year and we hope you'll consider being a part of it. We think it's a phenomenal way to tell a better story this Christmas!
Here's the link: AC Sermon #1
We started the Advent Conspiracy on Sunday. This year's theme is Simply Deep. It expresses our sense that the deepest, most meaningful aspects of the Christmas story are wound up in some of the simplest aspects of the story. It is a story that is simply deep. At the same time, sometimes what keeps us from really seeing and experiencing those deep truths is the lack of simplicity in our lives. Clutter distracts us from the deep.
The messages for the 4 weeks of Advent will all build on each other somewhat. So if you missed it this past Sunday, you can click on the link below and a player will open allowing you to listen to the message.
One great reason to listen is so that you can hear about this year's Advent Conspiracy Offering which will again be going to our Meet Malawi Project. We've got a crazy big, God sized goal this year and we hope you'll consider being a part of it. We think it's a phenomenal way to tell a better story this Christmas!
Here's the link: AC Sermon #1
Monday, November 23, 2009
I hate commercials...BUT YOU GOTTA SEE THIS ONE!
I've never even heard of that candy bar, but when if I ever see it, I'm buying one. (and I'm buying one for my wife too!)
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
New edges in the Kingdom...
This is a fantastic video that features a bunch of folks who are exploring the new shapes and new postures of life together (read that as church if you need to) in the Kingdom of God. If you've got about 10 minutes, this video paints some vivid and intriguing pictures of some of the new possibilities for what church community actually looks like.
Here's my challenge to you. Watch this video and start dreaming about what God might be whispering into reality in terms of new shapes, new postures, new understandings of what church IS.
Here's my challenge to you. Watch this video and start dreaming about what God might be whispering into reality in terms of new shapes, new postures, new understandings of what church IS.
TransFORM: Missional Community Formation from TransFORM on Vimeo.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Meet Malawi
This was one of my all time favorite Sundays. (And not just because I didn't have to preach).
Today at the Launch, we got to hear from our Meet Malawi team. All but 2 of the 13 team members who went to Malawi were able to be with us. They took turns each sharing significant aspects of the trip. We saw pictures, heard songs, listened to stories, and shared in the vision for what God is doing in us and through us. We celebrated communion using cups, bowls, and baskets that were made in Malawi. And we affirmed together the relationship of mutual encouragement we will be developing with the church in Lisanjala, Malawi. We took up the offering Malawi style (which meant we kept taking it up all service long!) We even imitated Malawian worship by having our longest service ever!
It was impossible to miss the energy, passion, and transformation that the Meet Malawi project is creating in our midst! (It was REALLY visible during the video clip of Tim Jefferson dancing!)
If you missed it and you'd like to hear the stories for yourself, look over on the right column of this blog. Under Sermon MP3's, just click on the link that says Malawi Presentation. After it loads, it will begin to play automatically.
Extra special thanks to the Malawi team for sharing today!
Today at the Launch, we got to hear from our Meet Malawi team. All but 2 of the 13 team members who went to Malawi were able to be with us. They took turns each sharing significant aspects of the trip. We saw pictures, heard songs, listened to stories, and shared in the vision for what God is doing in us and through us. We celebrated communion using cups, bowls, and baskets that were made in Malawi. And we affirmed together the relationship of mutual encouragement we will be developing with the church in Lisanjala, Malawi. We took up the offering Malawi style (which meant we kept taking it up all service long!) We even imitated Malawian worship by having our longest service ever!
It was impossible to miss the energy, passion, and transformation that the Meet Malawi project is creating in our midst! (It was REALLY visible during the video clip of Tim Jefferson dancing!)
If you missed it and you'd like to hear the stories for yourself, look over on the right column of this blog. Under Sermon MP3's, just click on the link that says Malawi Presentation. After it loads, it will begin to play automatically.
Extra special thanks to the Malawi team for sharing today!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
I love books that shake my world...
here's a quote from a book I'm reading right now:
Have you ever considered that, as followers of Christ, we are all called to LEAVE??? (see above)
Like I said, shaking my world. I love it. Let me just say loudly and clearly, as a pastor, if any of you folks who belong in our church community feel like you need to STOP coming to our church activities because you want to spend more time building relationships with those around you (relationships in which you can "incarnate the gospel") then know without a shadow of a doubt that you have my full blessing. I'd even say you are on the right track!!!
Stay tuned for thoughts on HOW we go once we decide to "leave"...
The word missional theologically means "to be sent," so leaving is where living like a missionary really begins. Leaving isn't just about going overseas. It's about replacing personal or Christian activities with time spent building relationships with people in the surrounding culture.
Have you ever considered that, as followers of Christ, we are all called to LEAVE??? (see above)
Like I said, shaking my world. I love it. Let me just say loudly and clearly, as a pastor, if any of you folks who belong in our church community feel like you need to STOP coming to our church activities because you want to spend more time building relationships with those around you (relationships in which you can "incarnate the gospel") then know without a shadow of a doubt that you have my full blessing. I'd even say you are on the right track!!!
Stay tuned for thoughts on HOW we go once we decide to "leave"...
Monday, October 19, 2009
A lamb among wolves
In Luke 10, Jesus says that he is sending us out like lambs among wolves. What do you think it looks like for us to live as a lambs among the wolves? (Or on the other hand, what might it look like for us to live instead as wolves among the wolves?)
Best answer wins a prize.
Best answer wins a prize.
CS Lewis quote...
This was the quote on the screen Sunday during the sermon.
I have Mere Christianity in my office if you'd like to borrow it.
He works on us in all sorts of ways. But above all, he works on us through each other. Men are mirrors, or carriers of Christ to other men. Ususally it is those who know Him that bring Him to others. That is why the church, the whole body of Christians showing Him to one another, is so important. It is so easy to think that the church has a lot of different objects - education, buildings, missions, holding services … the Church exists for no other purpose but to draw men to Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other purpose. - C.S. Lewis
I have Mere Christianity in my office if you'd like to borrow it.
Somebody just told me that....
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. I had no idea.
Interestingly, it wasn't someone from my church that told me. Hmmm.
Interestingly, it wasn't someone from my church that told me. Hmmm.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
This is a great experiment...
My question is...are there any implications from this study about the way we do church?
What do you think?
What do you think?
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