Messy Church
Frustrated with blogging (among other things). Will post more on this but a few questions to those of you who profess Christianity.
How would James' exhortations about the tongue apply to the world of blogging?
When does blogging become gossip and slander?
How do we apply the Biblical exhortation to "guard our hearts" when we pour them out onto the internet?
Do you spend more time and effort reading someones blog w/o making an effort to really pursue a friendship with them?
Does dirty laundrey belong in a washer or your web-page?
btw, who actually reads this stuff, if you are reading this, leave a comment to this post and take a stab at a couple of these. (if I don't like what you say I'll just delete it :)
Well I'm outa here. Adrienne and the kids are going to Athens so I'm going to try to find some buds to hang out with.
God Bless
|
We'll, I got back from Chi-town at 2:00am this morning. I want to share my thoughts and feelings about "The Passion of Christ" but I doubt I will do the film any sort of justice. Dave Webster and I, along with pastors around the country crowded into the Willow Creek Auditorium to watch the film, and then Mel Gibson came and talked about the movie while being "interviewed" by Bill Hybles. I will probably write about the latter in a couple of days, but now I'll stick to sharing some thoughts about the film.
The film start's with Jesus Praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. You really feel the fear and the tension. The chaos of Jesus being taken captive is done very well. It is a very disorienting experience. The film was very good at exploring the tension between Jesus being fully man, but fully God. He isn't the dispassionate phantom like the dude in "Jesus of Nazareth." This movie is extremely violent, earning an R rating. I did not feel like any of the details were prettied up. Throughout the film I just kept being reminded of how my sins put him on that cross. I truly felt God's love as I watched Jesus being tortured. The portrayal of Evil in this movie is chilling.
I definitly think this film could be used to awaken many followers of Christ. I hope that it could also be used to awaken many who have no affinity for Jesus. I'd reccomend everyone to go an see this move, and if you are someone who is a follower of Christ, forgo eating out for a couple of weeks and buy extra tickets so you can bring your friends.
I'll add more later, I'm still a little sleep deprived.
|
Getting Ready to Road-Trip with Dave Webster (link on right) to Chicago. Going to see Mel Gibson's "The passion of Christ" at Willow Creek. I will post more on the film after I see it, but now I'm most looking forward to hanging out with my buddie Webbie.
I hope to have comments back later this week.
|
Check out
JMC's post about our adventures last night (Jan 15 Post).
Also Ian was recently on a major X-Men kick, specifically Wolverine and Nightcrawler (my favorites in 1984 during the whole Secret Wars series for you geeks out there) I watched a few minutes of the X-Men movie with Ian (cause I had to skip through most of it) Apparently now Ian does not like Wolverine because he did not wear a seatbelt in the movie. He is still into Nightcrawler, but Bionacles are quickly taking over the rest of his attentions.
Kathleen and Ian also told me that they want to have Santa (Billy-Ray) over for dinner soon.
|
I'm pretty nauseated right now. Just got back from visiting the Homeless camps with people from our home group and John McCollum and friends from the Grace Polaris Church. It was a pretty involved evening, but I'll let John Blog about it. I'm sick with a headache from praying in one of the shacks with a couple who had apperently been huffing solvents as well as smoking other substances (A dangerous combination) 5 minutes there and my throat and sinuses are burning and my head is throbbing. Oh well, I'm such a winer. But God was doing some stuff tonight. He shows up even (especially?) when the weather sucks. It was more about mercy than justice tonight.
BTW- Daniel Fox, man that he is, beat me to the punch and posted one of my favorite John Wimber stories on his page. I listened this on my powerbook at Cup O Joe three months ago. You MUST check this out: John Wimber
Also, thanks to
Dave Webster for helping me get set up tonight and ccook the food for the camps. You are a true friend, and I look forward to seeing "The Passion of Christ" with you next week. Road Trippin!
|
"10 seconds of a straight stream, by golly you're empty!"
--George Coleman
|
Michael Gallaugher's mom Penny died today. She has been fighting cancer for for years. Mike's parents were Missionaries in Spain for years, having returned to the US due to Penny's illness.
Please keep Mike and Sara, his father and brother's in your prayers.
|
What'd day, whatta night.
Michael Gallaugher is navigating the highest peek and the lowest valleys right now. Just talking to him and Sara tonight was such an illustration of what a tension we live in. The best of times and the worst of times. Check out whats up for Mike and shoot up some prayers for his family.
Tonight at home-group (or house church, kinship group, Bible study, - - -or FAMILY) we just went around the room and everyone kinda shared a retrospect of there journey through last year and what they would like to be journeying in 2004. About 33 people were here tonight and everyone was willing to share. I was somewhat stunned by the level of authenticity and vulnerability that was demonstrated in our family room tonight. Today I was kinda flatlining, but tonight definitely was invigorating.
Fellow travelers with a diverse assortment of baggage, with different methods of transporting said baggage (any many of them being divested of their baggage), on the same journey, desperate for more of God- This is my family. Only the Kingdom of God brings together lawyers, Hippies, insurance salespeople, pilots, welders, rockers, teachers, democrats, republicans, libertarians, librarians, Greek Scholars, Brits, engineers, volunteers, social workers, out of workers, single, divorced, married, kids, no kids, pretty cool stuff.
BTW- publicly announced at group our plans to plant a Vineyard in The Clintonville/University District area. I will be writing more of this later. The plans are to kinda work like a satellite (satellite of love) of the big Vineyard, utilizing all the resources provided by a sizable gathering of the faithful. i.e.- The infrastructure of the mercy ministries to the poor, training opportunities, etc. Looking at Jan. 2005 as a likely launch time.
As Wimber pointed out, local bakeries can thrive alongside Wal-Mart bakeries.
God Bless
|
Pulled an all nighter last night, first time since College (10 yrs ago). Had a surpirsingly invigorating day at work. Adrienne and I celebrated
Epiphany with the kids. This was all Adrienn'es idea. She called me at work today and suggested the celebration. It used to be that Adrienne would be eager to take all the Christmas decorations on Dec. 26th, but she has reformed. Christmas is December 25th and the 11 days that follow. So I guess we have to chuck the tree out tommorrow.
We'll, I'm of To a public meeting concerning the Glen Echo Stream Restoration. It's always good to connect with my good neighbors in the university district.
|
Adrienne was visiting Zena all day today so the Kids and I got to have Daddy time at Cosi. A good time was had by all.
Bob Koert and Matt Gordon popped by today as well which was cool.
My basement finally dried out, and bob helped me get rid of a bunch o stuff. My new-years resolution is to de-accumulate. Ian's infant wardrobe just went to Mansfield, and the Christmas Tree went to the Kidney Foundation.
Also encoding all of my cd's to mp3 so I can box them up and quit having to obsessively compulsively reorganize them.
Along the way I listenned to Michael Gallaugher's "The Cross." The song "Magnificent Master" is perhaps my favorite contemporary worship song. I miss hearing that played no holds barred at Joshua House. I tried to post an mp3 of it (sorry mike), but I couldn't get it to work. If you havent heard it, you need to hear it, and then sing it.
BTW, have recently added several new blog links to the right. A diverse range of opinions is represented (soon to get a lot more diverse, patience ex r.)
|
I don't find myself agreeing with everything Rowan Williams has to say, but this is amazing:
The cry to God as 'Father' in the New Testament is not a calm acknowledgement of a universal truth about God's abstract fatherhood. It is the Child's cry out of a nightmare. It is the cry of outrage, fear, shrinking away, when faced with the horror of the 'world' - yet not simply or exclusively protest, but trust as well.
'Abba Father' all things are possible to Thee . . . '
|
Read the 1st half of "Out of the Silent Planet" by Lewis last night. It was a great break from the worries of the day. "Perelandra", the second book in Lewis' space trilogy is perhaps my favorite book ever. I'm a sucker for sci-fi, fantasy, as well as theological exploration (yes I know some of you see all three as the same thing-- God Bless You :)
I'm at cup-joe finishing writing a manual for leading faith discussions with spiritual seekers. (I am relentlessly borrowing from numerous sources) I probably post more about this initiative at a later date.
Adrienne and I are eagerly anticipating the Melissa Kay-Tim King wedding this evening. Adrienne and I get to be door greeters, which insures that we'll be able to at least say 'hi' to everyone there. We are grateful for the opportunity.
Listened to "The Ocean Blue" yesterday. I forgot how much I enjoyed their music.
Announcements- Adrienne and I have a real nice artificial tree (probably 200$ value) that we want to give away in the next few days. Contact me if you want it. I will probably put it on the corner with a note if no one claims it.
|
