chasm

I'm not conservative enough for my church, and now even they are beginning to realize it. This feels like a gulf that can't be breached. I'm not sure how to proceed.

how exclusive is too exclusive

What makes it okay for a Christian concert held in a church to charge $25 per ticket?

Isn't that just saying, yes, we're the church and we love everyone and our doors are always open- except tonight, you gotta fork over $25 to come through our open doors? If it were held somewhere else I wouldn't have such a problem with it. And maybe it's hypocritical of me, since I'm so big about "the church" being the people and not a building. But what is the image folks outside the church have? Do they see this and say, oh the church is the really the people; no problem, it's just the building I can't afford to go to today? Or do they see a structure claimed by the followers of Christ as their space for worship and gathering, and realize that because of their financial situation, that place of worship is closed to them today?

suggestions?

any suggestions for a meal time prayer for a 10 year old?

one of those email things

I just received one of those Christian email things designed to make us throw up our hands in fear and fall prostrate to the ground in sheer terror for our faith is great jeopardy. Some Muslim folks want to gather for a prayer rally. Oh dreaded day.

There was also a special note about an "emergent" Christian who is actually calling for a special time of prayer that we might learn tolerance of our Muslim neighbors. This is part of the warning, apparently.

oh. oh. oh. This is me jumping up and down and biting my tongue in frustration.

I don't need to say it to you. But I am going to say it, to hopefully prevent me from chewing through part of my desk.

Jesus Christ did not call us to oppose any religion but to love all mankind.

How, I wonder, do these fearful inflammatory folk think our Muslim neighbors will feel when they hear the "Christians" are rising up in prayer and panic over their own prayer meeting? As if they will suddenly realize the love and salvation of Jesus Christ because they're being looked upon like predators for having a prayer meeting? That's NOT what Jesus would do. I don't care where the meeting is. (Washington.) This is a free country. And, by the way, that freedom was a God given idea. You know, freedom to worship and all that.

The Crusades are over. It was wrong then and it is still wrong now.

Thanks I feel better.

things to say

I actually do have a few things on my mind. I just don't know when I'm going to find the time and presence of mind to sit down and type them.

not so grand start

Well we started school on the 17th, only to get sick by the 21st. Ruby is well; I'm still on the mend. I'm feeling overwhelmed, blue, tired, and extra curricular activities haven't even begun yet. All in all, not off to such a good start. I'm hoping for an upswing---SOON.

better

I'm enjoying our surprise extra week of summer! No deadlines or scheduled activities, no rushing, no home improvement projects! It's the first full week of this I've had and it's nice. I wouldn't want it all the time, but for the last week it's a nice little gift.

:-(

feeling sad that we only have a little over a week of summer break left...

the church that mirrors a failing system

Grace has some insightful thoughts on the implications of a failing economy on the church system that was designed to mimic capitalism. Here are her conclusions:

I don’t know if there is hope for economic and political change or revolution in that arena. That isn’t what I want to address. These articles highlight the depth of failure by the church to model an alternative truth.

A few thoughts…

• The dominant cultural model of our churches has been to copy the models of corporate business in organizational structures, leadership styles, productivity, performance, and marketing.
• Perhaps those systems that mirror the corporate culture will also mirror their collapse.
• Should we look to these same systems to organize the recovery of a church that could be different?
• The church that exemplifies the kingdom is not conducive to the powers of an elite oligarchy.
• The church that is an alternative witness to this culture will look radically different than the celebrity-led, consumer-fed, mega-campus complex.
• God forgive us for the turbo-capitalism that drives us to success rather than faithfulness.

Sometimes the failure of all that previously worked is the doorway to an opportunity to be stripped of what is unnecessary and introduced to the beauty and simplicity of life in the kingdom. I have a glimmer of hope that the church is being turned in this direction.

Be sure and read her whole post.

Welcome to the Faith

David Hayward(nakedpastor) hits it out of the park with this one