D'VINE Rhythm

Missional Community

2009-04-19T10:09:00.001-07:00

Missional Community sounds big, but I'm wondering what simple ways we can think of for community houses and small groups to be on mission (a.k.a. be the church) in our communities.

Our larger community can band together to do the big stuff (like start a coffee house, and hold larger gatherings, and bigger endeavors)

But small groups hit the streets. Relationships get real, dirty, awkward when you try to "love your neighbor"

I think the conversation we were having last night about a specific vision for each group emerging out of the group will be helpful in defining each groups mission.

But how do we love our neighbors. How do we be light? Represent Jesus? I like the way the message translates John 1:

The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.

What would Uptown look like if our neighbors started saying that? "Jesus moved into the neighborhood through these folks. I saw it with my own eyes. Generous, loving, true..."

Here are a few things that I've seen us do so far:
1) participate in monthly neighborhood council meetings. YOu meet lots of people who care about your community.
You can see all the neighborhoods and find out when they meet at http://uptowncincinnati.com/
2) participate in clean up days (Come to the Corryville Clean up Saturday 4/25 at 9:00 am at Corryville Rec Center)
3) just reach out to neighbors in need - maybe buy a $20 bicycle from them. Or give them some... wait what's that stuff called again? Oh yeah, "corn." Just sayin. :-)
4) the art party for kids in the neighborhood

What other ways can we express love to our neighbors?

RESET

2009-03-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to RESET (D'Vine style)!! My name is Rachel, and my calling is food :) I've never been much of a writer, but I wanted to share some "food for thought" about our journey so far (get it? food for thought? haha). Prepare yourself--that awful pun was just the beginning.

Aaron's talk this week included my #1 favorite story from the Bible--The Parable of the Lost Son. But "favorite" isn't really the right word, because it can (and frequently is) used for very trivial things. Like a favorite color, favorite holiday, favorite food... Not bad, but not meaningful either. The Parable of the Lost Son is the one that consistently and irrevocably shakes me; grips my heart and brings me to tears; reminds me of the absurdity of God's love for me. If you heard Aaron's talk, then you know what I mean. The son hurt his father in a very real and lasting way--he took his inheritance before his father was dead, and threw it away as if it were meaningless. As if his father's life and work meant nothing to him. The father in the parable had every right, and every expectation according to custom, to disinherit his son and cut him off from the entire community.

When I stop the story here, it gives me a moment to feel some anguish for the ways and times I've turned from God--to remember that those choices break His heart as well as mine. I move on though, because the story isn't over. The father doesn't just forgive his son. He receives his son in joy, as if there is nothing to forgive. The father doesn't ask the son to start paying back the squandered wealth. The father restores the son, and rejoices over his return. Incredible. A love so powerful, so deep, and so strong, it doesn't just love through the betrayal--it loves away the betrayal.

So you've heard the story. (And if you want to read it for yourself, see Luke 15:11-32). The incredible, powerful, meaningful parable that gives us a glimpse into how much God loves us and longs for us to return to Him. Maybe now the practical voice in your head (don't you all have a voice in your head that asks you questions?) is asking you this: What does it mean for me? What does it mean for the way I live my life? It's important, sure, but why?

I can't tell you why it might be important for you, but I can tell you what it means to me. Imagine for a minute that the son had persisted in his original plan to make amends to his father by earning back what he had lost. From the perspective of the son, it would be impossible (Aaron did the math for us--a day laborer couldn't possibly earn enough money). From the perspective of the father, though--what could be more hurtful except for the son to reject the father's forgiveness and love, and to persist in earning his way back? Is that how God feels when we treat our faith like a to-do list? Like a bunch of obligations that earn us a ticket to heaven? Jesus died for our sins while we were still sinners. Doesn't it seem like it would break his heart if we said "Gee thanks for that, it was real swell of you, but if you don't mind, I think I will keep working to earn my way into your grace"?

So what does that change about the way I live my life? When I remember it, my faith is renewed in joy. I accepted the task of coordinating dinners for RESET NOT because I love cooking. And I do love cooking--but as a slightly obsessive perfectionist, the idea of cooking for so many people was daunting. I accepted the task because it's one way I can pour out to others the love Jesus has for me. He fed people in all kinds of ways, including the practical bread-and-fish, food-in-your-stomach sense. So when I remember (and sometimes I need a reminder), I peel potatoes and sweep floors and wash dishes with joy. Because I'm not sweeping a floor for the sake of sweeping a floor. We're part of the mission, no matter which part, to show Jesus's absurd love to our community. And to feed people.

-Rachel

When You Pray...

2008-11-12T08:34:00.000-08:00

And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace. (Matthew 6:5-6, The Message)

On Sunday, Aaron told a story about UK worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman and his song, "The Heart of Worship." He said Redman was "famous" among worship leaders, and said that it was "a little weird" to think of someone becoming famous for leading people into God's presence. I agree. I've attended "worship concerts" before (even paying money and getting searched at the door at Bogart's, but that's another story for another time). It can be a great experience. But sometimes you wonder where the focus is. Is all the fancy stuff happening on stage helping me focus on God? Should I be paying money to experience God's presence? Am I geeked out over meeting with God or about seeing some sort of worship rock star?

Similarly, there are some people who are sought out for how they pray out loud. Someone I know (a dedicated follower of Jesus who happened to have a little experience in acting and public speaking) was asked once to pray in front of a group gathered for (I'm totally serious) a "concert of prayer." (In all fairness, the intentions behind such events are good. It's an opportunity for a group to gather and participate in a structured prayer experience. The "concert of prayer" terminology, in my opinion, is a bit unfortunate.)

Prayer is not meant to be a performance before other people. Honestly, we don't even need to approach prayer with "performance anxiety" before God. Romans 8:15 tells us, "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'" (A couple of helpful hints... The "Spirit of sonship" referred to here is the Holy Spirit. When someone starts a relationship with Jesus, the Holy Spirit fills that person. And that person is adopted into God's family. Therefore, "Spirit of sonship." And "Abba" is Aramaic for "Daddy.") We're to approach our holy God with the respect and honor He's due, for sure. But we are to approach Him confidently. Prayer is simply having a conversation with a God who loves us so much that He gave His Son for us. He gave His life so we could approach Him. He's our Father in heaven. He loves it when we spend time with Him. And it's pretty good for us, too. Prayer is a key tool God gives us so that we can participate in the work of His kingdom. And it helps us stay connected to Him.

The Bible is filled with examples of people whose lives were shaped by prayer, by intimate encounters with God. Moses was described as someone God talked with as if He were talking with a friend. Hannah (mom of Samuel, the judge and prophet who led Israel in the transition between the judges and the kings) poured out her heart in the tabernacle (where the Israelites worshiped before Solomon's temple was built), crying out about her struggles with infertility. David had a very open, honest relationship with God. At times, he was singing and dancing with joy before God. At other times, he was confessing sin or stricken with fear or sadness as he was faced with opposition and betrayal from others. The Psalms (attributed to David and others) show a full spectrum of real, authentic prayer.

There's so much to say about prayer that many, many books have been written on the subject. Lots of great resources are out there. For now, let's get practical. :) If you're new to prayer or just needing a prayer pick-me-up (we all do sometimes), here are some tips:

-Establish a regular space and time for prayer. Life gets crazy. Some married couples need to plan date nights in order to keep the flame going. And sometimes we need some structure in relating to God stay focused on Him.

-Journaling is great for capturing one's journey with God. You can pour out your prayers on paper, if you're so inclined. Or you can jot down things you're learning from God or things you're praying about. Or you can use some sort of recording device, if that's closer to your inclination. It's just good to have something you can look back on over the years to remember how far you've come. I've found it helpful for processing things on a short-term basis, too. (Are there any recurring themes in what I'm learning, for example? Is God trying to tell me something with that?)

-Talking to God out loud. (For this one, it's probably especially important to follow Jesus' words in Matthew 6 about finding space alone with God. :) Talk to Him as if He were in the room. If you belong to Jesus, He is in the room.

-Praying during walks or runs is great, especially in colorful times of year. You can thank Him for the beauty of creation. It's also a good prompt for praying for your neighborhood.

-Come to the prayer gathering Thursday night at the South House! It will be an informal time of people chatting with God together and seeking out what He might add to the conversation.

-Receive prayer at Sunday gatherings. This is a little random, but I was watching the film Juno recently, and I was struck that Juno has her BFF come with her to tell her parents the news of her pregnancy. Juno was scared to talk to her parents, and having her friend there made it a little easier. We can always talk to God, and He always wants to talk to us. There's no need for fear. But sometimes it's good to have someone talk to God with us (with us, not for us). And Jesus tells us that He is present whenever two or more people come to Him in prayer. People are ready to pray with you after each gathering in the loft.

-Worship (meaning any act meant to show love, admiration, and respect for God) and prayer go together. I'm a little biased, of course, but I think worship through music is pretty meaningful. I've heard musical worship described as "prayer set to music." When we sing as a group at our gatherings, that's the goal. And because worship through music is helpful for me, I try to listen to other people's "prayers set to music" on a regular basis, sometimes during my not-so-quiet times :), other times in the car or while doing stuff around the apartment. Of course, music's not the only way we can worship God. Other spiritual disciplines (like fasting, as Aaron's blogged about, or digging into the Bible) or creating art or service or seeking justice for others can all be ways to show God that we love Him. For more ideas, check out this helpful website <http://common.northpoint.org/sacredpathway.html> to get a sense of how you were wired to worship.

-Let the Bible guide your prayers. Prayer is conversation with God, and one of the ways we can hear Him speak is through the Bible. (If you think you're hearing something from God that contradicts the Bible, you're not hearing from God.) Again, there are lots of great resources for learning to understand the Bible (and we are all learning to understand, trust me :), so I won't go into all that either. Incorporate reading the Bible into spending time with God, and see what happens!

All of this is simply to say that there is a God who wants us to spend time with Him, who made us for unending conversation with Him. Let's press on to know Him more deeply.

- Candyce

Adventures in Fasting

2008-11-09T16:56:00.001-08:00

Last Friday, Halloween night, I went out for dessert with my wife - Opera Crème Cake from the Bon Bonerie. Big deal, right? It was a big deal to me because I hadn’t eaten sweets since April (save one pre-planned Breves y Arequipe in Colombia in July and an accidental picked-up-the-wrong cup at TAZA mocha sip in October). So the long-awaited OCC was my first real chocolate experience in six months.

How was it?

It was gross. Way too sweet. So disappointing.   I had waited for it for so long, planned it’s arrival into my world for weeks, dreamed of the first taste. But once I actually tasted it, it was a real let down.

Nothing against the cake. It’s hands down the best cake in the city. I think my taste buds were experiencing sugar overload and I had built it up too much in my mind.

Fasting is an interesting practice (emphasis on practice). I’ve been practicing it in various forms for years and still struggle to explain it’s value and meaning when I’m asked.

For me it’s about setting something aside from my everyday life in order to focus more intently on God.

I often fast from food because as an admitted emotional eater (any emotion will do) food is a central source of comfort in my life. For me, the danger in that is that food and drink can often become my go-to-gods. You know the functional gods that offer sanctuary, offer to take your burdens and makes you feel better - at least until the experience fades, the glucose levels drop, and you need that next fix?

So this spring I decided it was time to remove the functional god of sweets for an extended period of time and allow God to step into it’s place.

Surprisingly, I get asked a lot of questions about fasting. People ask me what I learn from it and why I do it. To start, here’s what Jesus said about fasting:

"When you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God, don't make a production out of it. It might turn you into a small-time celebrity but it won't make you a saint. If you 'go into training' inwardly, act normal outwardly. Shampoo and comb your hair, brush your teeth, wash your face. God doesn't require attention-getting devices. He won't overlook what you are doing; he'll reward you well.”
Matthew 6: 16-18

Jesus assumes we will fast “when you practice...”.   But he challenges us to not draw attention to ourselves while we’re fasting. This is difficult. He challenges us in the same way about prayer, giving, and other acts we do, but fasting is especially difficult because your friend has a birthday or a celebration and you have to explain why you’re not eating their cake, or someone spends hours making an amazing dessert and you have to refuse, the staff at Graeters wonders why you don’t return their calls. Was it something they said? So though you try, you inevitably draw attention to the fact that you’re fasting. I’ve found I rarely get through a fast without someone noticing, so I just try to be as simple in my explanation as possible because it really is between me and God, and not make a big production out of it.

What I learned during this fast was simple yet profound - Life’s sweetest moments are shared.

I’m not making that up, as cheesy (or sweet:-) as it might sound. A couple months into the fast I developed this heightened appreciation for the act of being with people. We gather around food. Sometimes while we were having a meal or hanging out with people, I realized that there was a shift in my attention from the act (be it eating, drinking, or whatever) to this overwhelming sense of thankfulness for the shared moment itself. It was pretty cool. And it’s something that I hope to remember now that my taste buds are quickly readjusting to my sugar-filled life. This appreciation for shared moments actually led me to break my fast a day earlier than I had originally planned, just so I could share the moment with Brooke because she was going to be out of town the next day.

Not every fast I’ve done has led to an ‘aha moment’ like this. And I also don’t believe fasting is always about learning something. Sometimes we fast in petition for a cause, or in order to free up resources to give to a need. There are lots of reasons to fast. But when you fast, focus on God. Trust that he won’t overlook what you’re doing.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with fasting.

-Aaron

Thoughts on Election Day

2008-11-04T11:52:00.001-08:00

so i have this habit of praying the Lord's prayer a few times a day. this morning, as i prayed, i thought a bit about the election and stuff, and thought i'd share a few thoughts prompted by that...

*may Your kingdom come. may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.*
ultimately, our hope isn't in men. (though i certainly hope my man wins today. won't lie. :) our hope is in a King who knows better than i do what this nation (and this world that is so impacted by what happens in this nation) needs. He knows better than barack, better than john, better than joe the senator, better than sarah. He knows better than tina fey, better than seth meyers, better than amy poehler, better than jon stewart, better than steven colbert. He knows better than gwen ifill, better than katie couric, better than any political science professor or economist or community organizer. and as hard as it may be to admit that my idea of what's best may not actually be what's best, God is so much smarter than me. so... may His will be done, even if it's not mine... and may His kingdom advance here, by His Spirit, through His people... that will make a bigger difference than any swinging of political pendulums.

*forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.*
this has been a long (way too long, if you ask me) election season. very hard fought. and in all of that, there have been some ugly moments. nasty, unkind discourse. untruths spoken. (not singling any campaign or ideological perspective out in particular, here.) and so my prayer is that, regardless of the election results, God would bless us with a lot of grace and forgiveness toward each other, that there would be restored unity at least in His church, if not in the rest of the country. my prayer is that we'd quickly be able to set all the crap aside. (so thankful that it will all be over soon...)

so that's my two cents. now, go rock the vote. :)

-Candyce

The Driving Force

2008-10-28T12:24:00.001-07:00

"So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment." James 2:12-13

I'm sure I'm not the only one who really gets confused on the balance of the Law and Love. You may hear we are covered in grace, but does this mean we are free to sin? One of my best friends once explained it to me like this: Our relationship with God is like our human relationship with, let's say, your girlfriend/boyfriend or spouse. These unspoken rules are really simple. You will have no other before me (no cheating). You will not take my name in vain (don't be talkin' bad behind my back). Don't lie to me. You get the point...

Our relationships have these "commandments" if you will--although we don't really sit down and carve them in a stone tablet...that would be an odd first date. But it's not like every time you see your significant other, you are always consumed with this idea, "I can't look at other women. Or I can't lie to her--please don't let the next thing I say to her be a lie!!" And then at the end of the day say to her, "I have kept all the commandments, I should get something in return". I promise you, if you do this, you won't have her for long.

Love is our driving force. "I love her so much it doesn't even cross my mind to lie to her. I adore her so I don't even want to think about cheating on her." And so in doing this, my mind is off the commandments and on her. It becomes less about the commandments and everything to do about making her happy and pleasing her.

God is the same way. God doesn't want us dwelling on the commandments when we come to him. We miss the whole point! Every time I dwell on the commandments I usually end up botching it. Secondly, it distracts us from the Infinite. God wants me to fall in love with Him so that the last thing in my mind is doing something that will displease Him. Grace is a wonderful thing, but we miss the whole point when we say, "I'm covered in grace, I'm allowed to do _____". If we say this, then grace becomes the law, which is what Christ came to do away with.

Our purpose is to fix our eyes on Him. To love Him. Love comes first, then comes love, followed by love. Relationships are based on this, not awkward commandment-obsessed-rites. The commandments were meant to protect us, but they aren't the point. We must find ourselves seeking Him. Soon, we'll begin to see that our hearts and thoughts align towards His, and our yoke becomes lighter when our eyes are fixed on the Eternal.

"for whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty." (2 Cor 3:15-16)

-Eliot

Love's Higher Law

2008-10-20T05:57:00.000-07:00

People at D'VINE come from all kinds of spiritual backgrounds, which is great. So you may or may not be able to relate to the little example that follows. But if your background involves being involved with any sort of group of churched teenagers, you've probably witnessed one of life's all time greatest debates: the "how far is too far" debate.

This topic seems to invariably come up in any conversation involving teenagers, faith, and sex. Kids who spend time around church seem to pick up on the idea that you're supposed to save sex for the wedding night. But then they have questions on what else might be okay (I'll leave that to your own imagination).

The folks who ask such questions are likely starting with good intentions, wanting to do the right thing. But it can also betray a skewed perspective that asks, "How much can I get away with here?" Or "What is the absolute bare minimum?" And kids trying to figure out where to draw the line in physical relationships aren't the only ones asking those questions.

In this week's section of Matthew (5:17-20), Jesus starts out by saying He hasn't come to do away with the law but to fulfill it. Jesus was speaking to people who had been living under many laws... The law given to their ancestors through Moses. The law of the oppressive Roman regime. The "extra" law (the Talmud) enforced by their religious leaders, in order to minimize any risk of breaking Mosaic law (with rules about how far you could walk a donkey on the Sabbath before it counted as "work", it was the ultimate in "how far is too far"). That's a heckuvalot of law, if you ask me! People were looking at Jesus and hoping for revolution. Or at least a break...

And Jesus does not offer the sort of break they're looking for. After making a strong campaign pledge not to do away with the law, He goes on to give several examples from Mosaic law and takes them up a notch. The law says not to kill; Jesus says not to harbor anger. The law says not to commit adultery; Jesus says not to lust. (Poor Jimmy Carter was ripped mercilessly by the media back in the day because he confessed to a reporter that he had looked lustfully at someone. What simple times those were...) He finishes the chapter by saying, "In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." (Matthew 5:48, The Message)

People don't find redemption by sinless living; it's rather impossible! We are saved by grace, the completely unearned favor of God, through the blood of Jesus. However, Jesus didn't shed His blood for us just so we could live however we want. Those who have been ransomed by Jesus now belong to Him and to His kingdom. And we're called to live as Kingdom citizens.

The apostle Paul's letter to the church at Galatia is probably the Bible's most in-depth look at life under grace, as opposed to life under the law. Yet even in Galatians 5, Paul writes, "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Galatians 5:13-14)

As Bono sings in the U2 classic "One", love is the higher law. Followers of Jesus are called away from the sophomoric hair-splitting of "how far is too far" and called to take love to the max. Jesus cuts past the surface of the letter of the law right to the heart of why the law was given, to provide a picture of what a people belonging to God look like. And most importantly, Jesus doesn't just talk about the law, doesn't just tell us what the bare minimum is. He certainly doesn't seek to live out the bare minimum. He fulfills the law. He blesses those who curse Him. He loves those who are unfaithful to Him. He walks the extra mile with us.

What an incredible King... What an incredible example to follow...

-Candyce

Just As We Are

2008-10-14T05:55:00.001-07:00

Matthew 5:17
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

I can't stop thinking about the sermon this past Sunday. I don't think it has fully hit me, or ever will for that matter, the power in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and what that has done for us. I often can't get my grey matter around the implications of the work of the cross. Reading what Joshua pointed out last Sunday; the passage is from Acts 15:

"Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith."

Peter is speaking and he is referring to the Gentiles; you and me, if you aren't of Jewish decent. And I kept reading this verse and couldn't believe what I was reading. Wow! We, a people who never have been able to access God, the Presence, the Holiness, YAHWEH, He who was once only for Jews, only for the elect, is now offered freely to everyone. Anyone. He has accepted us, giving us the Holy Spirit, made no distinctions between us and the Jews, purified us by faith. And this was all made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Before Jesus, this wasn't possible.

And I can't thank God enough for that. It's like I'm now part of the family. Before we were looking from the outside in on the party. Now God opens up the doors and welcomes everyone. (read Luke 14:15)

And here comes the good part. Peter continues in Acts 15 by saying this:
"Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

This is what Josh was talking about last Sunday. In the early days of the church there was a rumor going around saying, "all the Gentiles have to follow the law that Moses gave if they want to be Christians". That means a lot of tough stuff... Like getting foreskins chopped off certain body parts for example. But Peter, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, realized that this was erroneous. Because Christ's work on the cross came to give us a new Law. A law of grace, not of works. So we don't need to get out the butcher knife and bite the bullet. Praise God. Seriously.

It says elsewhere in the Bible:

Heb 8:13
"By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear."

2 Cor 3:6
"He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Here is the big picture that makes the Cross so incredible. We can't bear this burden, but Christ already did that. The Law of Moses kills the soul says 2 Corinthians, but Christ already did that when He died. The Law of the Prophets is not abolished Jesus says, that would make God a liar, but rather it is fulfilled! And everything that was written before 33 B.C. (laws like sacrifices and circumcisions and other odd laws) was sealed and buried with the death of Christ. That part is done. That part is finished. But wait! There is more. There is a resurrection that happened and with that resurrection comes something new. Something more powerful. There is new life in it; a new song; a new law; a new covenant, and it echoes with praise through the heavens and on earth and throughout all of creation in aeternum chanting in chorus, "through the grace of our Lord Jesus we are saved, just as we are."

Just as we are.

-Eliot

Persecuted

2008-10-11T07:06:00.001-07:00

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10

Not all that long ago I was listening to a pastor teaching via podcast
(makes the work day go by nicely) and he said something that got an eyebrow furl out of me. Like most truth, we bristle at it initially.
I do anyway. Here's what was said: "If you follow Christ, you will
be persecuted. If you aren't being persecuted, you aren't being
obedient and you may not know Him."

Do you like that? I don't. But its true. I'll show you... verbatim,
actually...

"In fact, everyone who wants to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will
be persecuted,"
2 Timothy 3:12

I don't like this. Neither do you if you're honest. I like comfort.
I like it when things are easy and smooth. I like it when you like
me. So this is what we're left with. It’s very natural and human to
wish for a path of least resistance. As a Christ follower though, a
Christian, at its most simple meaning, we're to be like Christ. Jesus
Christ was persecuted. Which means the ease and comfort we all
worship is contrary to the persecution we will assuredly face when
we're walking in step with the Spirit.

But doesn't God want me to be happy? No, He doesn't. Not the way we long for happiness and fulfillment. God longs for us to worship and
glorify Him. That brings true joy, not the temporary things we grasp for and are frustrated over when we don't get. God loves us enough to fill us with something more significant than our convoluted ideas of
what it means to be filled and happy.

Look at the beatitudes in this text; mourners have something to
cry over, the hungry and thirsty have cravings and needs yet to be
met, the merciful aren't always validated, and peacemakers sometimes get shot at. Too often we long to assert our rights; too easily we
forget what Jesus set aside to be our sacrifice (see Philipians 2).
The beatitudes are all about the promise of blessing and inheritance
in the kingdom, but take a simple quick read of them and we immediately notice the economy of the kingdom of heaven is polar opposite to the economy of this fallen world.

We will be persecuted. The forces of this world will war against
those who follow Jesus. Our flesh and sinful desires, still imbedded
inside us, will tug and pull. We will struggle and fight on our
darkest days and be persecuted. Standing up for the widow, the
orphan, loving those who we don't want to love, and doing the other things Jesus commands such as going an extra mile, turning the other cheek and praying for those who persecute us - those things will spur conflict, make no mistake.

The tough questions have to be asked in prayer today. Do I avoid
persecution in favor of my own comfort? Have I experienced any
conflict lately (with other people, with my own flesh, with spiritual
forces at work) and if not am I being obedient to Jesus? What is God teaching me in the persecution and struggle I'm experiencing today?

Remember what the beatitude says - theirs is the kingdom. All things work together for good. Even though we think we know what will bring us comfort and happiness as Christ followers, we trust His words more than our own intuition.

-Doug

Mercy

2008-10-08T13:15:00.001-07:00

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy"

I look at this blessing and I always hear this adage as an imperative virtue, especially among the Christian circle. But you look at this circle to see if it is lived out and I wonder if it's not one of the hardest statements ever given by our Lord, or at least the least popular of the Christian virtues. I wonder because it is so easy to say that we must be distributors of mercy, until we are actually demanded to do so, then the real challenge begins.

I think mercy is the one virtue that does not make sense given the wisdom of the world. Perhaps I can forgive and have mercy on my brother if he breaks my favorite toy. Perhaps. But how in the world can I forgive and have mercy on a plane high-jacker who kills thousands of innocent lives by running the plane into a building in New York? How in the world can I have mercy and forgiveness on the Nazi party who killed millions...millions of innocent people. It just doesn't make sense. It seems almost reckless.

Mercy doesn't always make sense, unless you look at the big picture. Unless we look at how much we have been shown mercy. It's like the story Jesus tells about the man who is in debt to a rich man (Matthew 18). He owes the dude like $5,000,000, is basically never going to pay him back which could mean he and his family could end up slaves to this man. Not a good financial situation. But the rich man pardons him. The man is obviously extremely ebullient, I mean who wouldn't be? But the next day he turns around to a guy who owes him like $5 from money he bummed off of him the other day and the guy can't pay it off so he has him thrown in prison. Then the master (million bucks man) finds out about this and says to the servant, "'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed."

Jesus then goes on to say, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

Mercy is one of the hardest virtues to distribute, but it is also the virtue that distinguishes us from the world. It doesn't make sense.

Some might say that perhaps it's reasonable to say that we shouldn't have to forgive any more than what we've been forgiven. But we are this man who has been just been pardoned from the eternal punishment. Our sin, which would have cost us our life, our souls, hell... was just paid for. How in the world can we turn to our brother who owes us $10 and hate him for it? or even $100 or $1,000,000? We say, "but you wouldn't believe what he/she did or said to me! It is unforgivable! You wouldn't believe the sin that he/she committed. Lying is one thing but murder? Adultery? Homosexuality? Abortion? Debauchery? How can I show mercy?"

And I can only image what God would say to us, "you don't know what you did to Me...you killed My Perfect Son. My one and only Perfect Son."

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

-Eliot

The Meek

2008-10-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

“And the earth goes to…”

In this world, we are taught that the strongest survive. Those who reach their goals will do so because they’ve beat everyone else and made those goals priority one. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there; watch your back.

So it’s pretty ironic when Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

The kingdoms of this world tell us we have to push and shove our way to the top if we’ll ever make it. God’s kingdom does not work in the same way as the kingdoms of this world.

As we look at meekness as described here, I think it would be good to be good to note that the Greek word (prau, for those who wanted to know J) that is translated “meek” is also used a couple of other times in Matthew to describe Jesus. In Matthew 11, Jesus invites anyone weary and weighed down to come to Him for rest, noting that He is “gentle and humble of heart.” (The Greek word translated “gentle” here is translated “meek” in Matthew 5.) Then as Jesus enters Jerusalem in the week prior to the crucifixion, Matthew quotes the Old Testament prophet Zechariah in a description of Jesus, saying, “See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey.” (Matthew 21:5) Remember, this is the same Jesus who tossed tables in the temple and boldly faced Satan in the wilderness. When Matthew describes Jesus as “meek” or “gentle,” that doesn’t mean Jesus was weak or a pushover. It means something else…

I’m reminded of a scene from the C.S. Lewis classic The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. The children, newly arrived to the land of Narnia, are learning about Aslan (Narnia’s true king) for the first time and are surprised to learn that he is a lion. Lucy asks one of the talking beavers if Aslan is safe. Mrs. Beaver replies, “‘Course he’s not safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.’”

Jesus is no pushover. Not at all “safe.” But He’s good. Good enough to rest in. Good enough to show mercy to sinners. Good enough to welcome children and bless them. And when Jesus comes for the first time, He is absolutely the King. But He chooses to ride in gently, not as a conquistador, not as the oppressive Romans rode in.

So when Jesus calls His followers to be “meek” (or when Peter later instructs Christian women to have “gentle and quiet spirits,” in 1 Peter 3, for that matter), I don’t think He is saying that the pushovers will inherit the earth. I think He’s saying that those who know how to channel the power they’ve been given and direct it as God wills, for the sake of serving God and others, will inherit the earth. In the end, it’s not those who lord their strength over others but those who submit their strength to God who are lifted up by Him.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

-Candyce

Reaction

2008-10-01T09:36:00.001-07:00

After the Gathering on Sunday night, after looking at the temptation of Jesus, after Aaron challenged us with the things that tempt us, a friend came up to me and here's the question he asked: "Do you ever feel like you always fail; you know, like, you always give into the temptation?"

I've been thinking about that question for three days now, in some form or another. To answer it in short form, yes, I do feel that way. But let me explain. The longer I walk with Christ, the closer and richer my relationship with Him becomes, the more I become aware of the darkness inside me. In fact, I regularly ask God in prayer to show me my sin so that I might draw closer to Him. The process of becoming aware of our own brokenness leaves us no choice but to trust fully in our salvation that is by grace alone in Christ alone, having nothing to do with any test we've passed. There seems to be two different directions we can go when we fail; we'll look at them.

Shame is one of the Enemy's most utilized tools, and when we give into temptation and sin, the door is left wide open for shame to take root. Shame and conviction are two different things. As Christians who have the Spirit of God living in us, when we sin we can experience a conviction that leads to confession, repentance and renewal. Shame is a totally different animal. Shame accuses; it uses the 'you' voice (You aren't this, You' can't that, etc.). Shame puts a choke hold on our prayer life, as all of a sudden our prayers are no longer focused on the glory of Christ, rather, they tend to draw into our self pity. When this takes root inside us, we're separated from relationship with others too, isolating into shame rather than walking in the light. Jesus wasn't tempted so that we might be shamed.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Romans 8:1

Bad habits are hard to break; we all have them. But the shame and self absorption that can come with them are simply the result of giving the Enemy a foothold. What is your pressure point? Where do you struggle? What specific sin do you struggle with repeatedly? Chances are, you know the answer to this without any thought. Here's the challenge: talk to somebody about it this week. Ask them for their experience. Don't just give lip service to community; practice it. Do you feel like you always give in?

18Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 2:18

13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

------ End of Forwarded Message

Dependent

2008-09-29T01:24:00.001-07:00

The story of the temptation of Jesus is huge. Sermons and literature have been extensively written about this story, and rightfully so, as it is a powerful story because it demonstrates the powerful Word of the Lord and shows how we have been given a high priest who underwent same temptations we have gone through. Incredible stuff! And so this temptation story has become the benchmark of engaging in spiritual warfare with the enemy.

This is all well and good. It is so important to realize this and know the Word of the Lord when temptations come. But as I was reading the text, I couldn't get my mind off this particular verse:

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil...He had fasted forty days and forty nights..."

whoa, wait a second...Jesus was led up by the Spirit...? In other words, this was his choice? Jesus deliberately brought this upon himself? Jesus fasted and went to the desert and underwent this solitude in 120 degree weather...by choice? Why? This spiritual retreat was tough!

And here is what I realized from this self-inflicted retreat. You see, we place a lot emphasis on the Word of God part of the temptations. Which is good, please don't get hear me wrong on this, the Word of the Lord is powerful. But we tend to forget the 40 days before that. The Word of the Lord isn't some magical formula we can memorize and recite when danger comes. Rather we forget about those forty days of work--the suffering, and learning, and starvation, and silence, and solitude, and the days of being still before God--the other part of the deal. Jesus knew the Words. Heck, He wrote them. But He knew that there was something He needed before He did anything. He had the Words, He had the Spirit (from His baptism), but He needed one more thing... He needed to become absolutely dependent on the Father.

The Word, the Spirit, and dependency on the Father. I often wonder how this compares to the typical spiritual retreat we go on. Often I feel like we take the easy route when we go on spiritual retreats that are quiet and serene with the beauty of nature surrounding us; with awesome worship during the day and good speakers by night? It looks nothing like the retreat Christ went on. Jesus chose to go through this wilderness experience and came back barely hanging on: strong in spirit, but weak in flesh; skinny, hungry, sun-beaten, delirious, weak, only to meet His greatest enemy. We come back spiritual charged and physically rejuvenated and ready to take on the world; we feel. We have the Word, we have the Spirit, but are we becoming dependent on the Father? Are we purposefully putting ourselves in a place where this can happen?

I find that it isn't just about knowledge and spiritual good feelings, or getting a spiritual high and getting "recharged". Surprisingly, I also find that it's not only becoming intimate with God or knowing Him better, though this is good. It is ultimately about becoming dependent on Him. That is the difference. Dependence on our Lord in this way is the only way we will, like Jesus, ever be able to say with authority, "Away from me Satan, for it is written 'Worship the LORD your God, and serve Him only".

Religious Folk

2008-09-17T06:47:00.001-07:00

In the last post we saw John the Baptist deliver a hard message. While the Bible doesn’t give a number, it’s estimated that hundreds of people responded to that message and were baptized by John in the Jordan River. But when the Religious Leaders of the day showed up to see what he was doing, his message became even more severe:

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

“Vipers” might not sound that bad to us, but it was to them. It was used to describe a people who were so ruthless they would devour their own family to ensure their own survival. I picture John (in his best Dane Cook voice) saying, “Now look at these mutha eatas!” But that’s just me.

Why is John so critical of these folks? Well, the Pharisees were known to be legalistic, hypocritical, and embrace the tiniest letter of the law while missing the spirit and heart of the law. It’s said that the Sadducees were the elites of the day. They controlled the temple business. They used religion to advance and control their political position and then used those positions to ensure their own temporary welfare and success. It could be said that they weren’t really looking for the King as much as they were looking to remain in power and hold onto their assets.

John challenges their nominal faith and says that God wants a faith that produces good fruit – a living faith that transforms their character, includes other people, and blesses the world. Without that they will be cut off. And interestingly enough when the temple went away so did the Sadducees. In the absence of their business interests and their political positions their history goes silent.

These two groups take a lot of flack. Jesus is even harder on them than John. So it’s important for us to understand where they were getting it wrong because there’s a bit of Pharisee and Sadducee in all of us.

The way I see it is it’s about fruit. Are we seeking God for God, and allowing him to produce fruit in our lives = transform our character, use us to include others in his family, and bless the world around us? Or does our seeking of God stop at the border of our own skin and being?

Children of Abraham were promised blessing, but it was not just for the sake of living a blessed life.

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

I believe this is still the deal. Our faith isn’t to be used only to advance our own self-interests, our own bank accounts, our own political interests, our positions, or our own business ventures… We may receive lots of blessings in those areas, but our faith is about producing fruit – allowing God to transform our character, use us to include others in the blessing of relationship with Jesus, and bless the world around us. Produce good fruit!

Week 2 Group Questions

2008-09-16T12:58:00.001-07:00

Small Group Questions for Matthew 3

1) What’s the most disgusting thing you've ever eaten?

2) Ask someone to read John 3:1-12 aloud.

3) If you had to tell someone (in a concise way) what John the Baptist’s message was, what would you tell them?

4) People were drawn to John the Baptist even though he’s described as “wild looking” and his message isn’t the feel-good message of the year. Why do you think that is?

5) Why was John so angry with the Pharisees and Sadducees?

6) In verse 11, John compares himself and his ministry to Jesus. What do you notice about the comparisons?

7) Read Matthew 3:13-17

8) Why did Jesus get baptized?

9) At his baptism Jesus is affirmed both by the Holy Spirit and the Father. In fact the Father uses a tense of “pleased” that is indicative of a past, present, and future state of being pleased with Jesus. What do you think that moment was like for Jesus?

10) Has God ever used a person in your life to deliver a hard message – possibly even calling out sin in your life? What was that like?

11) If you’ve been baptized, what was that experience like for you?

Down by the River

2008-09-16T07:22:00.001-07:00

No podcast this week. Thanks to the remnants of Ike, we had no power on Sunday. So we’ll use the blog the next few days to work through Chapter 3 of Matthew.
For now we are skipping Chapter 2 of Matthew’s account. (Don’t worry we’ll come back to it in December). About 30 years pass between Chapter 2 and Chapter 3. During that time Jesus lived with his family in the town of Nazareth and worked as a carpenter.

Remember as you read this chapter that Matthew’s purpose is to prove to his Jewish readers that Jesus is the promised King. He did that in chapter one by showing Jesus’ genealogy – linking him to Abraham, the Patriarch, and David, the King. In chapter two he shows that Jesus is divine through the virgin birth. Now Matthew is showing us that Old Testament prophecies about a “forerunner” to Jesus are being fulfilled through John the Baptist.

Chapter 3 begins
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
"A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' "
John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

John the Baptist certainly is an interesting dude. I wonder how people today would react to a wild looking man, living (sans van) down by the river, eating bugs and honey? Imagine if on top of that he try to tell the people of Cincinnati “turn your life around, it’s time for God to rule.” We’d likely have him committed.
But we know that people came from the entire region to see John the Baptist. Some were surely drawn out of curiosity – sort of the sideshow effect. Some were drawn because as a nation, Israel hadn’t heard the voice of a prophet in over 400 years. Some were drawn for other reasons, I’m sure, but whatever the reason the result is fascinating – a great movement where 100’s of people turn their lives over to God.
I’ve thought a lot in recent weeks about how unique John the Baptist was. He lived a harsh existence even by the standards of his day – simple clothes, simple food – the food available to the poor. We see no sign of worry to provide for himself. He planted no crops. He kept no animals. He’s described as “wild looking.” He had a hard message to deliver, but he did it without concern for how delivering it would impact his life (it eventually cost him his head).
But John wasn’t unique for the sake of being unique. John was unique because he was obedient.
Before he was born an angel told his father that he would live a unique life – as one “set apart.” And he certainly did. We also learn from Luke’s account that he was living in the desert before he got his call to begin preaching this message. It shows us that in obedience he was putting himself in a position of readiness and waiting on God.
Most of us aren’t going to be called to be wild-looking bug eaters living down by the river. But what we can learn from John is that obedience sometimes makes our lives look different. It makes me wonder what God could do in your life (and mine) if we placed ourselves in positions of readiness and waiting for God. And if when we got promptings from God we acted on them with obedience, what kind of movement would result? It’s worth considering.

What's your story?

2008-09-11T13:20:00.001-07:00

Are you a journaler? I am. Journaler appears to not actually be a
word, but it should be. Many of us journal our thoughts for many
different reasons, but one of the lessons I've learned over the last
couple years from my journals is the value of looking back. Its wild
how quickly I can forget the highs and lows of just a few short months
ago.

We all have a story. As a Christ follower, my journals detail the
story of God's redemption in mine and my family's life. Huge
victories, crushing defeats, broken generational sin, lapses in
judgment- its checkered and its raw. By Jesus' blood, in spite of
ourselves, we're grafted into His lineage as heirs because of His
grace. Looking back I'm reminded of that time and time again.

There's quite a few stories to be told in Matthew 1, as Matthew takes
a glance back into history before telling the story of Christ on
earth; stories of lies, murder, incest, adultery, prostitution, greed
and so on. But, overarching all of those vices, is God's redemption
and favor in each of those situations to all of those people. Just
like each one of them, none of us can have any claim to earned or
deserved status in God's family. It causes our hearts to rest in
God's forgiveness, love and sacrifice that allows us to be in the
family.

So, what's your story? If you'll take the time to look, maybe even
ask God in prayer to show you, what you've been rescued from because
of Jesus. Talk to someone about your story. I've been reading the
Old Testament, and Moses tells the Israelites over and over and over
again to tell the story of God's delivering them out of Egypt. Tell
your story of what you've been rescued from and watch how it
encourages and reminds you of the overwhelming love of Christ, and
pray that in some way it can speak that same love to the person you
share it with.

Week 1 Group Questions

2008-09-10T11:30:00.001-07:00

Small Group Questions for Matthew 1:1-17

1) All families come with stories – good and bad. What do you know about past generations of your family – grandparents or great grandparents? Do you have a favorite family story?

2) Ask someone to read Matthew 1:1-17 aloud – then as a group make fun of them for butchering the names – just kidding.

3) Who do you recognize in Jesus’ family tree? What do you remember about their life story?

4) Jesus’ genealogy is divided into 3 sections – the Patriarchs, the Kings, and the Exile. How would you describe each time period in a succinct (even if oversimplified) statement?

5) Matthew’s purpose in this genealogy is to demonstrate to the Jewish people of his day that Jesus is the Messiah – the promised perfect King. To do that he needs to establish kinship to Abraham, their patriarch, and kingship by connecting Jesus to David. He establishes that Jesus’ genealogy is legit, but really messy – it includes liars, prostitutes, adulterers, murderers… you get the point. These are the people God used to establish Jesus’ human lineage. What does that say to you about how God works to accomplish his purposes?

6) Jesus’ perfection is not a product of being born of man – coming from his family of origin, but from being born of God – coming from his divinity. It’s the same for us. We are all born into situations, families, and patterns that aren’t perfect and sometimes are downright sinful. But it is our spiritual rebirth, that happens when we enter relationship with Jesus, that marks us “perfect” in God’s sight. What are some “markings” you received from your family of origin that make you feel imperfect? (**Note: be sensitive to what God wants to do here and to those sharing. You may need to stop and pray specifically that some of these markings be healed/erased.)

7) After everyone has shared, close with a prayer thanking God for working through imperfect people and imperfect families to accomplish his perfect will.

Matthew 1

2008-09-08T02:12:00.001-07:00

How many of us come from perfect families? If you think you do, climb a little further up your family tree and you’ll probably find a “Crazy Uncle Larry,” a “shotgun wedding,” or maybe a more sordid tale.

In Matthew’s account of the story of Jesus, he starts by showing us Jesus’ family tree. From Abraham to Jesus it’s a no holds barred recounting of a sometimes very messy human lineage. Reading it we find is that Jesus’ family tree is far from “perfect” as we might think or expect, although it perfectly positions him to fulfill all that was promised about the coming King; a son of Abraham, from the Line of Judah, a son of David. But we also see:

- The thief becomes the Father of the 12 tribes of Israel.
- The line of Judah is established through the turning of a trick.
- The prostitute becomes a pillar of the faith.
- The adulterer and murderer fathers the wisest & wealthiest King in history.

These are some of the members of Jesus’ family tree. I for one take comfort in the fact that Jesus’ family of origin isn’t perfect. I appreciate that Matthew doesn’t spin the information to make it look better. It shows right off the bat that it isn’t our humanity that results in perfection; it’s the intervention of God and his divinity that brings perfection. It shows that God alone has the power to take broken lives and broken families and label them “perfect” in his sight. In his great love he swoops down into the lives of imperfect people over and over again and accomplishes his purposes here on earth.

I don’t know your family tree, but mine certainly isn’t perfect. I don’t know the story of your life, but mine certainly isn’t perfect. What I do know is that throughout human history God has stepped into very broken lives and very broken families over and over again to accomplish his perfect will. I know that he sometimes uses the most twisted tales to tell us who he is. Whatever back story or family tree brought about your humanity, God can and will intervene with his divinity. He can and will mark you as “perfect” in his sight. God can and will use you – no matter how imperfect - to accomplish his will here on earth.

Today, think about God as the ‘author and perfecter’ of your life story. Take a minute to hold some of the imperfections of that life story up to God in prayer. Let him speak into them. Invite him to help write your future and ‘perfect’ your past. Know that this is something he’s been doing for ages. It's something he takes great pleasure in doing. Live in confidence that in place of your broken humanity Jesus lends his divinity to mark you “perfect” in God’s sight.

Step One

2008-08-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

I hate conflict. If you're familiar with the Myers Briggs personality profile, I am an ENFP - so along with all the wonderful things that are part of my personality, being an ENFP means I'm distraction prone, and conflict averse. We ENFP's love harmony. We ENFP's would like to buy the world a Coke.

But as the saying goes, "Conflict Happens!" It's a part of daily life. And I find it interesting that Jesus acknowledges this. In the book of Matthew we find that he gave some really practical relational instructions while he was here on earth. He gave us really wise instructions on how to relate to our government, how to relate to children, how to relate to our spouse, and how to relate to others within the church. Guess what he chose to instruct us on in regards to relationships within the church? How to deal with conflict...

Matthew 18:15-17

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector."

As followers of Jesus this is our model for resolving conflict. Step one is the hardest - go to the person who has wronged you and have the conversation - just between the two of you. Step one isn't complain about the person in the parking lot. Step one isn't blog about the conflict. Step one isn't to go talk to your friends or small group (so often justified under the guise of "seeking counsel" - that's crap! Jesus is the best counsel you'll ever get and he says step one is go to the person one-on-one.)

Again, I hate conflict. I often screw it up. But when I've followed Jesus' instructions on it, guess what? It works. I've rarely seen conflict resolution go past step one when people use Jesus' process. A handful of times I've seen it get to step two = try again and take some friends with you. And I've never seen it go past that (and the ENFP in me hopes I never do :-)

So follow Jesus and take step one. We all have unresolved tension, conflict, and other "funk" in our relationships. We've been wronged and we've wronged others. Let's commit to taking step one. Just to see what happens. Sure, the other way is easier and often it feels better. But the result of Jesus' way is a healthy community where maturity and forgiveness are in the air.

Let's win our brothers and sisters over. Let's create a healthy community - full of grace. Let's take step one with the people we need resolution with. I'm sure the conversation does not seem easy, but I can also tell you from experience it probably won't be as difficult as you're imagining it to be. So try it. One more tip - go with a spirit of forgiveness. Read the rest of chapter 18 in Matthew for more on the importance of this. In it Jesus reminds us that in light of God's great forgiveness, we should be radically generous in our willingness to forgive others.

SOUTH HOUSE

2008-08-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

Over a year ago we had an idea for a tangible way to free people from debt. Our goal was to raise money to purchase a house that would serve as a community house for people participating in an internship program we were referring to as the "Debt Free Leaders" program. But really, it was just an idea with a big price tag on it and a lot of details to be figured out.

Ask and you shall receive.

This spring during our "Consumed" series some folks from D'VINE were prompted to make this idea a reality. Fast-forward through 4 months of remodeling and you have what is now, "South House," a community house on W. Clifton Avenue in Uptown that is home to 4 interns (could be 5 - if there's another female out there interested) who are committed to getting out of debt, becoming better leaders, and pursuing God's will for their lives.

Below is an email from Anthony, one of the interns, sharing a little bit about the house and some items they still need that you might be able to help with!

And mark your calendar for Sunday, October 12th. The South House will be hosting the post-gathering outing at their place. It will be a chance to meet the community and see what's happening there.

South House Needs

2008-08-24T07:15:00.001-07:00

Hello D’Viners,

As most of you are aware, I live in the “South House”/ Debt Free Leaders House. The idea behind the house is that Debt is Bondage, and that bondage in one way or another is keeping us from fulfilling God’s call in our lives. The mission of our house is to alleviate that debt, and groom us as more suitable leaders, all of this while living in community and growing closer to Christ together. Our house is AMAZING, everyone should applaud Danielle for working so hard to get it all together. However, (here comes the pitch) there are a few things that we still need. Need actually may be a strong word, but honestly they would really make our time at the South House WAY easier.

1) 2 coffee pots, we are a coffee house church after all

2) 2 microwaves, because I REALLY love Hot Pockets

3) Tupperware

4) Cookie Sheets, blender, measuring cups, mixing bowls, spatulas

5) Trash cans (kitchen and bathroom)

6) Another Air Conditioner

7) Hand Towels and Dish Towels

8) A chain fire ladder

9) Any kind of cleaning supplies

10) Paper products (paper towels, toilet paper)

11) 2 dish drainers

12) An antennae for our community television (it is a very modern LCD HD television, so I am not sure what kind of antennae works)

13) We get 20 dollars per week for our weekly dinner, so if anyone would like to sponsor one of those we would even cook for you and invite you into our home.

14) 2 fire extinguishers

15) Trash Bags

If anyone can be of help and supply us with any of these things, we would all be super-grateful. I trust that our community will rally around us and help with these things. It wouldn’t make sense for us as a church to go into debt to help get us out of debt. If you are able to help us you can call me (Anthony Bearhs 513-607-2437) or Shane Strouse ( 513-535-7077), or you can drop off at our house (2341 W. Clifton Ave. about 3 houses up the hill from Murphy’s Pub) or we will come and pick anything up. Your support, be it prayer or things on this list, is a huge help. To help keep our end of the bargain, we will work as hard as we can to a) get out of debt, b) stay out of debt, c) serve in our community (church and Clifton as a whole), and d) commit to being the people God calls us to be.

If you do help, we ask that you would comment on the blog and let others know what you contributed. So before you buy, read the comments.

Thank You Again,

Anthony Bearhs on behalf of The South House

Ordinary People, Extraordinary God

2008-08-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

If you've listened to the Top 5 Jesus podcasts, I'm wondering where you've seen the extraordinary power of God collide in your ordinary life. What was it like for you?

Here's where it happened in my day-to-day this week. I was chatting with a friend of mine and he was telling me about life, marriage, work, and sharing how busy it had all become. As I listened I just sensed God pushing me to ask some seemingly unrelated questions. I did (albeit a little timidly at first). I'm glad I listened and acted. It led to a follow up conversation with he and his wife that was definitely full of the power of God. I love when this happens. And I want more of it.

So how about you? What's your story of God's extraordinary power working in your ordinary life?