Category: Ideas

Easier life? Less guilt

“For me, Sabbath (rest) is a time when I don’t read the Bible” -Pastor Mike, Boise Vineyard.

“We are designed for intensive labor 6 times a week, and boxed it off”. I think it is interesting God recognized how important it was for us to rest. In starting to realize more and more when I come home I don’t want to immediately watch tv. No, I’d rather relax In a quite room. It feels so anti-social to shut the door to the tv room.

“Why is it so hard for us to stop? Sabbat means stop. Stress is a major issue in our culture, because we don’t know how to deal with it”. Yesterday I saw a little kid getting really cranky at my work. With kids, we understand they need a nap- if we to past nap time, we expect them to eventually start flipping out.

After God created us, what was the first thing we did? Rested.

“Remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy”. That is one of the Ten Commandments. We know that part of the commandments deal with God and part deal with fellow humanity. If we focus all about the commandments with God we come off like snobbish ultra-theological zealots. If we focus only on humanity, we can become godless work-focused people-worriers. We need the sabbath command as a hinge between the two.

Maelstrom- mael = grinding. Strom = stream. Wow, maelstrom is a grinding stream. Sounds like life.

Why did Jesus use spit-mud to heal someone’s eyes? Because spit makes mud, mud is a way to make clay, clay is what we use to build, which is work. Why did he use spit mud? Because people were being silly.

When I started reading the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan I really was able to spent quality time relaxing. It was weird to just relax and read a book. So much of my life is about researching. Reading a book is somewhat the opposite; I take in what is written, planned out in the book.

Respond to loss with growth

Our pastor shared about the runner Dean Carnasis who was running 50 marathons in 50 states, in 50 days. Most of of would not be able to run a 10k. But, through physical disciplines, people can run a marathon.

There is a terrible amount of loss in this life; loss of life, freedom, love. Many people shrink back- but some actually grow in those situations.

For a long time, spiritual disciplines have been about crushing the joy out of life; shaved heads, rough uncomfortable clothing out in the country…no, the disciples are actually about enjoying and experiencing life. Practicing these disciples are about freeing us up to joy and freedom from self fear.

Jesus said:

“sow to the spirit…grow into good ground, with a good foundation”.

So how do we sow to the spirit?

We are looking for fruit. We aren’t looking to impress God, we are looking for things to do because we have been impressed by God. (Edit- I had typed “thugs” instead of “things”)

Amazing tools for music: Beatsurfing, Ronald Jenkees, Deckadance

I love checking out CreateDigitalMusic. Seeing all these amazing tools, I’m overwhelmed in a good/bad with with all the possibility out there in regards to music. Connecting multiple music apps together on mobile devices.

They talk about Deckadance Beta:

What would happen if Traktor DJ and a KAOSS Pad had a love child, who went to school at Ableton and came home full of automation envelopes and triggers? Well, maybe something like this.

 

Showing friends the Beatsurfing App I wish I had time to buy and use, my friend Zach mentioned Ronald Jenkees as a great inspiring guy who makes neat EDM.

Beatsurfing:

American evangelicals: embattled and thriving

The American church feels it is embattled, thus it is thriving.

Require higher commitments.

Gospel preached as separated from life (prayer prayer). An individualized gospel of sun management – Dallas Willard.

Scott McKnight- we get what we preach. How we live shows be gospel we responded to.
Convocation. Contributes to the coming kingdom. Umber, janitor, teacher and using those to brig the kingdom.

Mosaic generation feels the church is sexually repressive. Mosaics don’t want to shy away about the real issues of life.

Overprotection. “Parents need for control is more about needs they are trying to fill”

If the frontal lobe isn’t fully developed, what should we expect from emerging adults? What do we do when people people are becoming sexually developed at age 11 but are not getting married until 25?
“We have to think of our standards of sexuality framed with this special situation?”

What can the church do to correctly communicate the gospel message?
Share your mistakes!
Recognize all the work we do with another culture gaining trust, learning their language and making sure we convey the right metaphors. But be true to who we are, but be honest that we are trying to share our story.

We must be radically hospitable while also being so committed to orthodoxy, uncompromisingly Christian.

Wesley said our faith is how we live. Even the demons believe and shudder. Mosaics seem to believe more subjective ideas. “We don’t get why a post modern perspective…that is a language we don’t speak”. Mosaics don’t enjoy people coming out guns a blazing. do you really want to make a difference? Speak in such a way you would like go have a conversation.

Diane Leclair – Wesleyan holiness