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6 things God may be trying to tell you

10/31/2014

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Have you ever tried to talk to a preschool age child (or husband) during their favorite show on TV? The lack of attention can get on your nerves. Okay…I guess you caught it. I am one of those parents who allow my child to watch TV in the morning. Hey, sometimes I am tired and I need my son just to do his own thing for a few minutes while my brain wakes up. I am horrible…I won’t even talk about the fact I don’t buy organic…OH THE AGONY!!! Call the police!

I digress….ANYWAY, have you ever been in a situation in which you have tried to have a serious conversation with someone only to find out more than halfway through that they didn’t hear or understand anything you have said t them. Frustrating huh? Or, like I mentioned above, have you ever been listening to someone talk and their tangents got in the way of the message? This can also be infuriating. Sometimes you just either want to clearly convey your message or you want to be heard.

I think God feels the same way much of the time. There are times when I am certain that He is trying to teach me something, and because of my own pride or reluctance, He can’t get through. Not because He is powerless, but because I am distracted or I have my proverbial “fingers in my ears” and I would rather follow my own way. Well, there are many things the creator of the universe tries to say to us, and we could spend all day discussing them. Today, I want to touch on a few.

Here are 6 Things God May Be Trying to Tell You today…I think all are applicable to anyone who believes. 

1. No hurt goes unheard- It is so easy to begin to believe that all our suffering is falling on deaf ears. Sometimes we can pray with such passion and for such a long time that, when we don’t see the answer or relief coming, it seems like God is ignoring our plea. When we are going through these trials, God is right there with us, suffering as well. He definitely has insight into the His own perfect plan, but I can only imagine that the reason He also suffers is because He wants to bring the solution to you right now…He just knows what is perfect. He wants the best for you, and sometimes this means we have to wait. No one likes to see their child in pain…even if we know that the pain will not last forever.

2. Sometimes the answer is not as difficult as you think- When we pray, it is easy to ask that God brings a miracle that will completely change the whole situation. We often wonder how God will resolve the conflict we are facing, and trust that He will, but also concoct complicated answers that we think will solve the problem. Then, we tell God these are the steps that need to be taken to implement the miracle. The answer is often easier than that…and it involves becoming uncomfortable and barreling through to victory.

3. Doing the right thing is always the best thing- This is hard to hear. It is also hard to understand sometimes. Many times, we truly do know what is right, but often it conflicts with what is easy. What is right may hurt feelings, or change lives…but the right thing will always lead to abundance. The wrong thing may feel better in the moment…it may even relieve some pain temporarily. It will never, however, lead you into the fullness of God’s plan. The right thing also will always be in line with God’s word.

4. You will never stray too far- There are people who do not follow God because of their anger, guilt, and shame. These feelings often come from a time of reflection on the person they have become and memories of a sin-filled past. Many think that they have sinned way too much for God to accept them…this is simply not true. God wants to meet you where you are at, and give you His abundant life now. Not after you clean up your act. He is waiting.

5. You will never get too close- If you have ever had a relationship in life that has truly let you down you know exactly what I am talking about. You know, you have loved someone and trusted them deeply and they turned around and used that power against you. Guess what. Your relationship with God is nothing like that, and it will never be that way. You can cultivate a close intimate relationship with Him and expose all of your flaws. He will accept you and use it to grow, stretch, and mold your life. It is about time you let go of the fear of getting close.

6. Wearing a T-shirt doesn’t count- If you really want to know what it means to be a follower of Christ…it has nothing to do with the cool new Christian T-shirt you just bought online. You may think you are telling satan to “shove it” when you wear it around town, but what you are really doing (sometimes) is trying to find a way to display the message without living it. This will not work. God wants you…not your clothing. Inanimate objects can not be spiritually redeemed. They have no soul. Now, when you wear that inspirational t-shirt…remember this…how can you truly be a walking billboard for the creator? Add things like compassion and forgiveness to the mix as well. These will go far. Your t-shirt will doesn’t count when talking about your Christian witness.

God wants to say so much more to us. Don’t let a blog have to be the one to tell you.Open your ears, eyes, and heart. It is time to listen.



This post was written by Rev DeCrastos.  You can find his original post here:  http://other-words.net/2014/10/29/6-things-god-may-be-trying-to-tell-you/




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The week that broke my heart

10/30/2014

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Consider these facts:

    • Over 27-32 million Americans have significant hearing loss
    • About one in four families have at least one member who is deaf or hard-of-hearing
    • The number of severely to profoundly deaf people in the US is estimated at 1 million
    • Only 2% to 4% of deaf people claim to know Christ as Savior
When I first read these statistics, I honestly skimmed over them as if they were another pile of information to wade through on the internet. It is so hard not to. There is so much information out there that would have startled a person years ago, and we have become so jaded as a culture when it comes to new information of this kind. The stats above came from their website.

Last week, I had the awesome privilege of working, for 5 days, for a ministry called “Silent Blessings Deaf Ministries“. The purpose of my time there was to help the organization develop a fundraising strategy for a campaign they have coming up in the near future. So, my time that week largely consisted of getting to know the ins and outs of the mission, vision, and values of this ministry. Silent Blessings is an organization that desires to bring people, both deaf and hearing, into a profound encounter with the reconciling love of God through Jesus Christ. I would say that is a worthy goal.  They also produce a TV show for deaf (and hearing) children that is broadcasted all over the world. It is called Dr. Wonder’s Workshop.  All of the actors are deaf and the voice-overs cater to the hearing population.

I know very little sign language and I only personally know a couple deaf people. For a while, for some reason, I have felt like our church has had some sort of call by God to reach out specifically to this people group. I am still not sure how that is going to look structurally, but we have already started dabbling in sign language as a church to prepare for what God has for us.

My week there was exciting, and I felt like I was at home with my temporary co-workers. I felt like we had the same mission in ministry even though I did not have much connection with the deaf commnunity I know God was nudging me. God broke my heart that week, more deeply, for the deaf community. In many surveys, this people group is called the largest unreached people group in America. To hear stories of how the deaf are marginalized, abused, and ignored entirely made me leave my temporary office shaking my head and desiring more of a connection. One stat that really shook me to the core involved the fathers of deaf children. Less than one percent of fathers who have deaf children are engaged with their child to help them grow spiritually, emotionally, or mentally. Not good.

So, as I reflect on last week, I have fond memories, and I look forward to my continued connection with this organization. My heart is filled…but it is also broken. Jesus loves everyone…even those who can’t hear.

Take a look at the video on my page and catch the passion for why this ministry began. Go to their website and donate! 



This post was written by Rev DeCrastos.  You can his post here:  http://other-words.net/2014/10/27/the-week-that-broke-my-heart/




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Reducing worry

10/29/2014

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We don’t like to think of ourselves as worriers.

Yet plenty of circumstances require nerve.

• Public speaking
• Meeting a new person when something is on the line
• Traveling somewhere
• Needing to make a big sale
• Giving a presentation at work
• Making an important life-change

Normal concerns of life can also stress us. Questions such as, how can I best provide for my family? Are my loved ones safe? What will the future hold?

It’s important to note that not all stressors are harmful. The production of adrenaline is natural, and helpful if received in intermittent doses. Adrenaline only becomes problematic if we feel it all the time.

If I go speak somewhere, then I want to feel alert and aware. I just don’t want to feel overly-stressed or anxious.

So, what do we do? How do we live our lives the most excellent way in situations that cause us to feel on-edge or overly-adrenalized?
Here are the 5 best ways to leave worry behind.

1. Prepare  Preparation is your best friend.

A professional public speaker told me that if ever he feels nervous on stage, then he attributes that feeling to having not prepared enough.

Otherwise, he knows he’s rehearsed. He knows he has the skills. Preparation gives him confidence.

2. Cushion  Cushion means leaving yourself margin.

This could be allowing extra time to get somewhere.

Or leaving extra money in the bank as a rainy day fund.

Or creating emotional distance between yourself and a chaotic situation.

Or strategically scheduling days off and vacations as a means to recharge.

I had the privilege of traveling by plane several times with Buck Compton (1921-2012). He was famous for wanting to get to the airport far ahead of his scheduled departure time. That was just his way of dealing with any contingencies that might arise. A good plan.

3. Visualize  Visualization is a mental trick used the world over by top athletes, businessmen, and performers.

You mentally rehearse something before it takes place to see for yourself what success looks like in that role.

Along with seeing success, you can ask yourself all the hard questions beforehand to ensure that contingencies are in place if problems do arise.

4. Exercise  Daily exercise lowers your blood pressure, releases all sorts of good endorphins into your system, lowers your resting heart rate, and clears your mind.

If I need to go speak somewhere, I’ll go for a run the morning before the event. That helps get me in a good mental mindset.

If I’m flying somewhere and have a layover, I won’t just sit and veg. I’ll strategically walk up and down the corridors of the airport to get some exercise and lower any stress I may be feeling.

5. Breathe  Your breathing rate and blood pressure and closely related, and one can profoundly affect the other.

To alleviate stress, practice breathing from your diaphragm. Breathe deeply, consciously, and steadily.

Try this exercise: breathe in for the count of 4, hold the breath for the count of 4, then let the breath out for the count of 4. Repeat the exercise for 5 to 10 minutes.

When I breathe consciously, I’ll often strategically bring peaceful thoughts into my head. The phrase I use is “My breathing is peaceful and calm.” It’s like you’re talking yourself through a stressful situation.



This post was written by Marcus Brotherton.  For the original post, go to: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/afewgrownmen/2014/10/the-5-best-ways-to-leave-worry-behind/#ixzz3HUWptooR




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Improving your daddy power

10/28/2014

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Niels Bohr said, “An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made in a very narrow field.”  If that quotation is true, I must be getting pretty close to being an expert father by now.  Hopefully though, I’ve learned from the mistakes I’ve made.  The mark of a good leader and a good father is just that—the ability to learn from mistakes.  The man who doesn’t is doomed to repeat them over and over again.  The following areas are some tips about fathering that I’ve discovered over the years.  I list these not because I’ve perfected these areas, but because I finally recognize them for how important they really are.

Tip #1 – Emphasize Strengths not Weaknesses.  As a father I have a tendency to focus on the things my children do wrong instead of the things they do right.  But as a coach I tell my players to focus on their strengths not their weaknesses. Help find your son’s and daughter’s strengths–their gifts from God.  Focus on those instead of being overly critical of their weaknesses.

Tip #2 – Give Plenty of Physical Affection.  As men we are uncomfortable with too much physical affection–especially from another male.  But our kids (in fact all of us) have a craving for healthy masculine affection.  When our children have it, they are blessed.  When children do not have healthy masculine affection, they will accept unhealthy masculine affection in its place.  Hug and kiss your kids—even your son.  Give them plenty of physical love.  Even as they get older, continue to show them physical affection.

Tip #3 – Give Them Your Time.  It’s almost a cliché to quote the song by Harry Chapin, “Cats in the Cradle,” to illustrate the consequences of a father being too absorbed in his work when his son is young.  The reality is that most of us men are given the vision that in order to be a success in life we must be successful in our work—that our career is more important than anything else in life.  Time is the most valuable, and the most limited, resource we have to give to our children.  Your kids need your time more than they need your money—just ask any fatherless child.

Tip # 4 – Heart over Performance.  Too often, I have a tendency to judge my children’s efforts by their performance.  The reality is that an individual can do his personal best in an area in which he is not gifted, and still fall short of average performance.  Likewise, a person can be gifted and do well in an area while applying very little effort.  Which scenario should they be applauded most for?  I think the kind of heart they have is what should be encouraged.

Tip # 5 – Have Fun.  It’s so easy to get caught up in the complexities and stresses of everyday life.  This is especially true for those who take responsibilities seriously.  But part of a dad’s charm is his ability to have fun.  Let yourself go and remember the all the goofy things that make life worth living.  Have fun with your children while they’re still little.  Take some time to just goof-off.  There will be plenty of time to be serious and somber.  One of the things kids appreciate most about their fathers is his sense of humor.  When Dad has life under control, he values the humorous side of life and shows it to his kids.

Tip # 6 – Don’t Fear Failure.  I spent much of my life avoiding anything I wasn’t perfect at because I was afraid to fail.  This has caused me to have a number of regrets.  The regrets I have in life are mostly of things I didn’t do–not what I did do.  Oh, I regret some things I’ve done over the years (I’ve done many things I’m not proud of), but I don’t regret my sins of commission like I do my sins of omission.  Missed opportunities, an apathetic attitude, and not seeking significance were all choices I made which I regret deeply. I was raised to believe that failure was the worst thing of all.  But it’s not.  I’ve come to understand that true failure is never reaching out to attempt something great, to try and reach your full potential.  You only fail when you don’t try or when you quit.

Tip # 7 – Understand Your Power.  Several years ago, during a rare bout of brutal self-honesty, I discovered that I treated my employees better than I did my wife and children.  I heard myself saying things to my family I would never say to my employees.  If another man had made those kinds of statements to my wife or kids, I would have physically confronted him.  Why did I feel free to verbally wound those I treasure more than anything else in the world with words that I would never dream of saying to a stranger?  God has given us men great power that can be used for good or evil.  Just look around at some of the problems men have created in other peoples’ lives.  Then look at some of the great things men have accomplished to benefit others.  It’s an awesome power.  But with that comes the need to understand it and use it responsibly.  Former U.N. Secretary General Dag Hammerskjöld said, “Only he deserves power who every day justifies it.”

Tip # 8 – Develop Friendships.  Most men in our country have acquaintances, but no real friends.  The pressures and time constraints of work and supporting a family often take away the opportunity to build masculine relationships.  But to be the best father possible, you need other men in your life to hold you accountable and to lift you up during difficult times.  Another man’s experiences are invaluable when we try to navigate some of the uncharted waters of fathering.

Isolation is death to a man’s character.  Perhaps that’s why our culture, seemingly bent on the destruction of positive masculinity, continues to promote the rugged individualist as the model for men to look up to.  But real men need other men.  We need the accountability, comradeship, support, and the help, that other men can provide.

Tip #9 – Be Consistent.  Being consistent is one of the strongest traits a man can bring to fathering.  Kids rely on you to be consistent in your responses no matter the circumstances.  They rely on you being dependable, a rock in the face of adversity.  When life throws a curve ball, they need Dad to be there to tell them it’s okay.  Think about how scared you would be if the leader you were following–maybe someone you thought was strong or even invincible–were to suddenly become very frightened or to exhibit erratic, out-of-control behavior during a stressful situation.  Would you want to follow that person again?  I wouldn’t.  Your emotional stability, especially in stressful situations, provides your kids with the security they need in order to grow into a healthy man or woman.  A father’s wrath can be very frightening to his children.  You can’t keep stressful situations from happening, but you can control how you react to them.  Teach your kids that a man keeps his head while others around him lose theirs.

Tip #10 – Overcome Complacency & Passivity.  Complacency and passivity are two of the biggest enemies that hinder our fathering abilities.  Many men think they do not matter.  But one man does matter.  In the movie Schindler’s List, Liam Neeson stars as Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist during World War II.  In an effort to capitalize on the war he acquired a factory in Poland which he ran with the cheapest labor around—Jewish labor.  At first he seemed like every other greedy German industrialist, driven by profit and unmoved by the means of his profiteering. But somewhere along the line, something changed. He succeeded in his quest for riches, but by the end of the war he had spent everything he made on keeping 1,100 Jewish men and women alive.  He literally bought their lives by having them work in his factory.

As a father you are not perfect, but you’re just good enough to be irreplaceable in the lives of your children.  You have the power to lift your children up to more than they could ever be without you, or the power to crush them with just a word or by your absence.  Use that power responsibly.



This post was written by Marcus Brotherton.  For the original post, go to:  http://www.patheos.com/blogs/afewgrownmen/2012/07/10-tips-for-better-dads-2/



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A safer world than before

10/27/2014

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The world is a getting safer. For centuries, violence has been subsiding.

Really? Most people find this hard to believe.

But consider evidence presented by Stephen Pinker in his fascinating book, The Better Angels of our Nature (a Lincoln quote), published by Viking in 2011. Pinker teaches psychology at Harvard University and has won awards for his prior research.

The book is subtitled, Why Violence Has Declined. Pinker argues, “The decline of violence may be the most significant and least appreciated development in the history of our species. Its implications touch the core of our beliefs and values—for what could be more fundamental than an understanding of whether the human condition, over the course of its history, has gotten steadily better, steadily worse, or has not changed?” (692).

Pinker argues that in point of fact violence has declined over time and continues to do so.

The Evidence

Pinker takes the long view, covering many millennia. But his primary focus is the last 2000 years. He marshals a wide range of data to prove his case that as a long-term trend, human violence has dropped dramatically.

Can it be? “Wasn’t the 20th century the bloodiest in history?” Pinker asks. “Haven’t new forms of war replaced old ones? Aren’t we living in the Age of Terror?” Yes, but, he says. “[F]or all the dangers we face today, the dangers of yesterday were even worse.” Unlike the past, most people today “no longer have to worry about abduction into sexual slavery, divinely commanded genocide, lethal circuses and tournaments, punishment on the cross, rack, stake, or strappado for holding unpopular beliefs, decapitation for not bearing a son, disembowelment for having dated a royal, pistol duels to defend their honor, . . . and the prospect of a nuclear world war that would put an end to civilization or to human life itself” (30).

Such evils still exist, of course. But Pinker points to statistics. It’s true many people today—in some cases, millions—face lethal dangers like betrayal into slavery or the threat of genocide. But over centuries, and continuing today, the incidence of such horrors has been declining.

This can look like a cold, heartless analysis. Who cares about statistics when one’s six-year-old child has just been gunned down in her own classroom? And yet the very horror and immediacy of such violence can immunize us to the truth of larger trends. Or so Pinker argues.

Pinker focuses on the centuries-long decline in violence, particularly homicide, in Europe. He shows that in England murder rates have dropped dramatically since about 1200--“from the 13th century to the 20th, homicide in various parts of England plummeted by a factor of ten, fifty, and in some cases a hundred” (60). Unearthing this data, he says, “confounds every stereotype about the idyllic past and the degenerate present. When I surveyed perceptions of violence in an Internet questionnaire, people guessed that 20th-century England was about 14 percent more violent than 14th-century England. In fact it was 95 percent less violent” (61). Today Europe is the safest place in the world to live.

Violence and Human Culture

Pinker discusses violence within the larger context of culture and “the civilizing process.” As societies get organized into larger units, violence gradually comes under control—partly through government action (police or military, law codes) and partly because more civil behavior gradually becomes the cultural norm.

Drawing upon (with some qualification) the work of Norbert Elias (1897-1990), Pinker describes what happened in Europe over the past 800 years or so. “Europeans increasingly inhibited their impulses, anticipated the long-term consequences of their actions, and took other people’s thoughts and feelings into consideration. A culture of honor—the readiness to take revenge—gave way to a culture of dignity—the readiness to control one’s emotions.” This shift first took hold among “aristocrats and noblemen,” but these new values “were then absorbed into the socialization of younger and younger children until they became second nature.” The new norms also “trickled down from the upper classes to the bourgeoisie that strove to emulate them, and from them to the lower classes, eventually becoming a part of the culture as a whole” (72). More pacific values and norms got increasingly internalized.

This change brought an array of cultural benefits, Pinker argues. “Across time and space, the more peaceable societies also tend to be richer, healthier, better educated, better governed, more respectful of their women, and more likely to engage in trade” (xxiii). “Since violence is largely a male pastime,” he adds, “cultures that empower women tend to move away from the glorification of violence and are less likely to breed dangerous subcultures of rootless young men” (xxvi).

Pinker’s basic argument is that “we enjoy the peace we find today because people in past generations were appalled by the violence in their time and worked to reduce it, and so we should work to reduce the violence that remains in our time” (xxvi).

Kingdom of God Reflection

Pinker’s evidence seems pretty convincing. It is important precisely because it is so counterintuitive. It is a reminder not to take for granted, at face value, what we hear on the news. We all know that bad things make news in ways that good things don’t.

Pinker misreads history, however, in at least one important respect. He largely ignores the role of Christian faith and ethics as a key factor in reducing violence, and more generally in “the civilizing process.” He engagingly describes the results, in other words, but misreads the causes.

My point at the moment, however, is simply that we—Christians and non-Christians alike—easily misread our own culture. All of us are caught up with the news of the day and our current concerns. Necessarily so. We simply don’t have the data nor the historical perspective to see the big picture or know how to read it.

This is a key reason why we need constantly to immerse ourselves in Scripture and keep company with the saints, not only of our time but of the ages. Aside from everything else we can say about the Bible, we can say this: It wasn’t written in the last ten or one hundred years! It’s not of our age. It breathes other ages and cultures and stories. It (so to speak) operates on different assumptions. That is its strength, not its weakness; its relevance, not its irrelevance. It teaches the way of love and shalom through Jesus Christ; the peaceable kingdom.

Plus, the Bible is the inspired, once-for-all written Word of God! We need it in order to “read” our own time and place.

The Bible of course doesn’t answer the question of whether violence is really increasing or subsiding over time. The Bible promises both that evil will increase (2 Tim. 3:1-13) and that God’s kingdom will come. His will done on earth. The Bible leaves us with that conundrum.

But really, it’s not a conundrum. It is a challenge and a call to kingdom faithfulness. The two ways. The world will get better or worse, or both at the same time. A whole lot depends on the faithfulness of God’s people in responding to God’s grace and power and being agents of God’s kingdom coming in our world today.

Meanwhile, let’s not buy into the popular pseudo-Christian myth that our world is inevitably and irredeemably going to the dogs. The gospel is more powerful than that.

This post was written by Dr Howard Snyder.  For the original post with comments, go to:  http://seedbed.com/feed/the-world-is-getting-safer/

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

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Sunday Meditation

10/26/2014

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If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales. It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas - no wonder my words have been impetuous.
Job 6:1-3


When we have lived for a long time by the 'don't talk' rule, learning to talk honestly and personally can be a real challenge. Our attempts to move away from self-deceit toward honest self-disclosure may be quite awkward. It's not reasonable to expect ourselves to be gifted at telling the truth when we have practiced deceit for so long. Sometimes our words will seem startling. We will feel our pain, find our voice, and the words and emotions will tumble out raw and uncensored. This text calls these 'impetuous' words. 



Another translation of this text calls them 'wild words'. 

It is not easy to break the silence, to talk about what is real, to tell the truth about what we see and hear, to share what we think and feel, to tell our stories. Breaking the silence is like breaking the sound barrier - sometimes it can be quite loud and it can rattle the walls a little. When our misery feels like it 'outweighs the sands of the sea,' our emotions are going to be intense and our words will sometimes be wild. 

Wild words are part of the journey and should not surprise us. Intense feelings sometimes need strong language in order to find true expression.

Lord, I am not accustomed to talking.
I am not gifted at honesty.
I have practiced 'don't talk' for a long time.
And now I need to practice honesty.
Help me to be patient and accepting of my wild words.
Even when the wild words frighten me.
Help me to pursue the truth.
Give me the courage I need.
You, Lord, who created the worlds with a word,
Give me the words I need.


Amen.

Copyright Dale and Juanita Ryan 

National Association for Christian Recovery




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The Walking Dead Gospel

10/25/2014

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The gang is back together now, as evidenced by the trademark Reservoir Dogs slow-mo strut shot. Other than Beth, who is still MIA, everyone is accounted for. So for the first time in a long time, the group pauses to take a breath in an abandoned church. It’s during this “pause” that many of the group seek to collect their thoughts and prepare themselves mentally and psychologically for what might lie ahead.

Episode 2 tackles the theme of overcoming our past. Father Gabriel is introduced as a reverend of a small church who has somehow survived since the dead began walking the earth. Gabriel is plagued by guilt for something, and we can only guess that it has something to do with the fact that he survived alone in the church while countless others perished outside.

It’s always intriguing when Hollywood introduces religious characters. Most often, these individuals are depicted as the archetypal hypocritical, unloving Christian. I’m curious to see if they defer to this overplayed stereotype.

The jury is still out on Father Gabriel (even though 78% of Talking Dead viewers voted that he is dangerous and shouldn’t be trusted), but so far, his refusal to confess what’s bothering him is making the group a little leery of his actions. That’s probably why Rick not only asked him the “three questions” (a la Season 4, Episode 1), but basically told him, You endanger my people, I endanger you.

But Gabriel isn’t the only one struggling to find penance for sins past. Carol, Michonne and Tyreese each express the individual desire to squash bad memories in search of a new beginning. Carol and Rick even share a moment where the two of them make things right.

Let’s face it. People don’t like to carry around secrets. These secrets become burdens, weighing them down emotionally. Daryl feels this struggle from Carol, and even though he’s not pressuring her to confess, he makes it clear that he’s willing to listen.

America agrees. 86% of Talking Dead viewers voted that Carol should tell Daryl.

Confession feels good.

Perhaps that’s why Tara approached Maggie, burdened with the guilt of once standing with the Governor (a path she already navigated with Glenn in Season 4, Episode 10).

The scene begins about 50 minutes into the show (including commercials).

Tara: I was at the prison, with the Governor.

Maggie is speechless, realizing what Tara is confessing.

Tara: I didn’t know who he was or what he could do, and I didn’t know who all of you were.

Maggie processes Tara’s words.

Tara: I just didn’t want it to be hidden that I was there.

Maggie: You’re here with us now.

Tara smiles. Maggie hugs Tara.

SEASON 5, EPISODE 2 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.  Why were so many people searching for forgiveness?

2. Why do people feel the need to disclose sins of the past?

3. How would you have responded if you were Maggie, especially after losing your father to the Governor?

4. Was Maggie right to forgive Tara?

Read the following passages from scripture:

21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone[b]who sins against me? Seven times?”

22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22)

Then Jesus tells a story about a guy who was forgiven much by a king, but wouldn’t forgive someone else even a little. The ending of the story is a little sobering:

34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” (Matthew 18:34,35)

5. Why does Jesus tell Peter “seventy times seven” (which basically meant, “infinity”)?

6. What does God do if we won’t forgive others?

7. Why won’t God forgive us, if we won’t forgive others? (A tough answer to a tough question: God is willing to forgive us if we are willing to put our complete trust in Him. Part of that complete trust is the willingness to give up our own selfish desires. That includes “grudges.” God welcomes us to him when we are ready to let go and give ourselves completely to him.)

Are you holding onto a grudge that you want freedom from?

Pray and ask God to give you the strength to give up that resentment to him. Ask God to take that grudge from you and free you from bitterness.

This post was written by Jonathan McKee.  For the original post, go to:  http://www.thewalkingdeadgospel.com/2014/season-5-episode-2-strangers/#.VEf7Rr69G98





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Why I am a Nazarene

10/24/2014

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I am a Nazarene because of what the church teaches. It teaches a doctrine of compassion, love, and kindness. 

In October 1895, Phineas F. Bresee and Joseph Widney organized a Church of the Nazarene in Los Angeles. The church was formed around the doctrine of entire sanctification and the belief that sanctified Christians should follow Christ’s example and preach the gospel to the poor. 

Bresee took issue with the church placing missions in poor areas, but not giving the poor their own church. He formed the church with the goal of ministering to the poor. It was said of him that he often took money with him when he went out on his pastoral rounds, but that he never returned with any, having given it away to anyone he met who was in need. 

On Sundays (and the members would come to the church for the entire day, having services in the morning, eating dinner together, fellowshipping in the afternoon and then having an evening service), he would stand in the foyer greeting people before the service. If he saw people arrive who looked embarrassed about the way they were dressed, he would rush to greet them enthusiastically, put his arm around them, and escort them to the best seat in the sanctuary. 

Even in 1895, the church allowed for the consecration of women and ordained both women and men as ministers. Before the Holiness Church of Christ in Tennessee merged with the Nazarene Church in 1908, they had ordained three women as ministers. Our founder was fond of saying, “Some of our best men are women.” Women played major roles in the holiness movement and when we start naming the names of our church parents, the lists are filled with women who were ministers, deaconesses, evangelists, and missionaries. 

The founding members of our church strongly believed that you shouldn’t adorn either churches or your body—not because it was sinful, but because it was a poor use of resources. That money, they felt, should be going into ministries for the poor. 

That church later merged with two other regional denominations, each having a Wesleyan context. The Association of Pentecostal Churches of America, the Church of the Nazarene, and the Holiness Church of Christ were brought together and merged officially on October 8, 1908 in Pilot Point, Texas.  The merged organization was called The Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. In 1919, we changed our name to drop the “Pentecostal” because of the new associations that had become attached to the word Pentecostal. 

We trace our roots through various movements which we recognize as paving the way for our existence. Our antecedents include the Holiness Church of Christ of 1894, the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America (1887), the holiness movement of the 19th Century, and the Wesleyan movement of the 18th Century, including the Anglican Church. 

We claim heritage from the other Christian churches (including the Catholic Church) throughout the ages. The Church of the Nazarene calls itself a branch of the “one, holy, universal, and apostolic” church. We seek to be faithful to that universal history and—like nearly every other Christian religion—claim the history of the people of God as presented in the Old and New Testament as our history and heritage. 

We believe that all people of God through the ages who have been redeemed through Jesus Christ are our brothers and sisters—no matter what church they do or do not attend. We acknowledge and accept as expressions of our faith the ecumenical creeds of the first five Christian centuries. 

We believe that our branch of the church has a special calling and that is why we exist separately. Our calling is to proclaim the doctrine of sanctification and to live a Christ-like life of service to others.   We have 16 Biblical Articles of Faith.

As Nazarenes, we believe that God calls Christians to a life of holiness. God cleanses our heart from original sin (the act of justification, achieved only through God’s grace and accepted by us only through faith) and fills us with love for God and others. When we have been filled with the Holy Spirit, we then devote our lives to serving God by serving others. 

Compassionate ministries are extremely important to Nazarenes. It is commanded that we love others and we display that love through service. In that love and service, we believe, all else is fulfilled.  Our concept of service and God is based on the belief that we are to love God with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. 

This post was adapted from an epinions website entry.  For the original post, go to:  http://www.epinions.com/content_2721620100?sb=1

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

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Why I like denominations

10/23/2014

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One of the sea changes taking place in American religious life is a popular turn away from denominations. Some say we are entering, if not already in, a “post-denominational” era. Nearly all traditional denominations are struggling with membership declines and revenue shortfalls. As I put my ear to the ground of popular opinion about religion, I hear rumblings of discontent about denominational labels and behaviors and a preference for what I call “plain label” Christianity.

I, for one, still value denominations.

Before explaining, I need to define “denomination.” Some sociologists of religion use the term for broad religious traditions. For example, in that usage, “Baptist” is a denomination. That’s not how I use the word. For me, “Baptist” is a tradition, a heritage, and a religious type. I think “denomination” should be reserved for religious organizations and networks of churches. (I could add synagogues, but here, for purposes of this post, I’m talking only about Christians.) By my usage “Baptist” could not be a denomination. As the old saying goes “I don’t belong to any organized religion; I’m a Baptist.”

So, for me “denomination” refers to an organization of churches with something like a headquarters or at least some unifying structure, however informal and inchoate it may be. (For example, the Churches of Christ count as a denomination even though they have no headquarters as such. They do have a relatively cohesive structure of mutual recognition.)

By my definition, the Abingdon Handbook of Denominations lists and describes about 300 distinct denominations in the United States. There are more, of course, because the Handbook excludes the smallest ones and many that are restricted to a small region. Some scholars have guessed there are about 1,200 denominations in the U.S. (I suspect they are including groups of two or more churches.)

I know this will shock many people, but my attitude toward denominations is “the more the better.” Let me explain.

It seems to me one of the strengths of American Christianity has been its multiplicity and even diversity of denominations. That blooming, buzzing profusion (to paraphrase William James) has produced both good and bad results, but overall and in general, I judge, it has benefited American Christianity and American society as a whole.

For example, most colleges and universities in the U.S. were founded by denominations. So were most hospitals. Most denominations have charitable agencies that are involved in feeding the hungry, training people for jobs, community development, etc. And, of course, most have mission-sending agencies. Small churches that cannot afford to do these things (e.g., found a college or hospital or even support a missionary family) pool their resources better to do them.

Denominations also provide accountability for pastors and other “church professionals.” And I think that accountability works best when the authority is closer to the churches and their leaders.

Denominations also keep each other sharp. A certain amount of competition serves to raise the bar, so to speak, so that there is motivation constantly to update, refurbish, stay sharp (e.g., with regard to technology, training for ministry, etc.).

I recently interacted with a well-known ecumenical theologian who has been intimately involved with the World Council of Churches for many years. He expressed the hope of someday seeing one worldwide Christian denomination. I don’t share his hope. He portrayed the existence of multiple denominations as evidence of “brokenness” in the body of Christ. I don’t see them that way. At least the plurality of denominations does not have to evidence brokenness in the body of Christ.

As I have stated and explained here recently, my vision is of an ecumenism of the Spirit, not of institutions. I’m not opposed to denominations merging, unless that means the sacrifice of important particularities and a lowering of standards of belief and practice to a “least common denominator” in which robust belief and practice get lost (e.g., “generic Christianity”).

Some people assume (and I think this was the case with the ecumenical theologian) that the very existence of separate denominations equates with hostility and exclusion. I don’t see those as necessary at all. Where they exist, yes, they are to be overcome. Dialogue is the path, not throwing off particularities and distinctives in favor of a bland, generic spirituality and/or social ministry.

There is no reason why denominations cannot worship and work together while maintaining their institutional lives. There is no reason why separate denominations must harbor or express hostility toward each other. They don’t even have to be exclusive. In my opinion, “ecumenism” should aim at mutual understanding and cooperation. Beyond that, I hope, through ecumenical work, that all Christians might someday enjoy intercommunion. But “visible and institutional unity” is not necessary for that. Nor, in my opinion, is it even a good goal.

Imagine a worldwide Christian church (denomination). It would have to have a hierarchical structure of some kind. It would have to somehow blend Christians together in a way that would require the muting of distinctive voices. Inevitably, also, it would leave out some Christians because they don’t fit the worldwide church’s standards for unity.

Here’s an example of that. The ecumenical theologian argued that Baptists, for example, ought to recognize the infant baptisms of other denominations as legitimate Christian baptisms. Okay, that’s not likely to happen, but I understand where he’s coming from. Or I thought I understood. I don’t mind hearing a challenge like that. But, then, he held up for me (and others listening) a model of ecumenicity in which a church body decided to open the Lord’s Supper to all Christians except unbaptized children. Note—for him, baptized children could partake of the Lord’s Supper but not not-yet baptized children. In effect, he was suggesting that Baptists give up their distinctive insofar as it excludes other Christians but other denominations should not accommodate to Baptists’ beliefs! Imagine two families considering joining the church he described. One family has baptized children, but the other family comes from a baptist-like background in which the children have not yet been baptized. The first family’s children can partake of the Lord’s Supper, but the second family’s children cannot. How is that a triumph for ecumenicity?

My point is that, even this great ecumenical theologian seems blind to what would have to happen in order to achieve a world church. Some traditions’ distinctive would have to be slighted. Some tradition’s distinctive would have to “win,” so to speak. In my experience, nearly all these “world church” ecumenical thinkers envision a reformed papacy and magisterium. As one of them once said to me (he was a Lutheran ecumenist) “If the pope would just admit he’s not infallible we could join the Catholic Church.” Fine. Maybe he, as an ELCA minister and theologian, could. But how could Free Church Christians? How could baptists (of all kinds)? How could Pentecostals? In my opinion, this one world church ideal is not ideal at all—except for Catholics and closet Catholics.

My vision of ecumenism is all Christian denominations agreeing to worship together (on occasion), cooperate together (e.g., in charitable endeavors), and even admit one another to the Lord’s Table.

Now, there’s another reason for disdaining denominations that’s popular among younger Christians. It’s what’s generally meant by “post-denominationalism.” Many young Christians consider denominations old fashioned, divisive, top heavy, always embroiled in controversies, etc. They prefer what I call “plain label” churches, often newly founded, meeting in rented spaces, grassroots-oriented, etc. My observation, though, is that these churches tend to be too inclusive and lack proper emphasis on Christianity’s experiential and cognitive aspects. They tend to emphasize community. The motto is sometimes “Belong, believe, behave” or “Belong, behave, believe.” But moving from “belong” to the other “b’s” doesn’t always happen. Many such churches stress community to the exclusion of strong beliefs and moral expectations (out of fear of dogmatism and legalism).

I sympathize with this youth-oriented movement, but I fear their Christianity may, like that of the “big ‘E’ ecumenists,” be bland, with no cutting edge to it. Sometimes, it seems, they are reinventing Christianity which means they are likely to make the same mistakes older Christian churches have made (and perhaps some newer ones).

For years, whenever I traveled (and I still do it), I got out the phone book in the hotel room and looked at the headings under “Churches” in the Yellow Pages. All across the country the list of churches under “Non-denominational” has grown. Now that is one of the longest lists in most places. What’s ironic, however, is that, as an aficionado of denominational histories and identities, I recognize many denominational churches under that heading! How honest is that? To be “non-denominational” or even “post-denominational” and belong to a denomination? To promote your church as non-denominational or to tout post-denominationalism and be denominational? And yet it happens all the time.

Personally, I struggle with “plain label” churches. When I see a church sign or ad that contains no hint of the church’s denominational affiliation or identity I assume one of two things. Either it is genuinely independent, non-denominational, or it is hiding its denominational affiliation to appeal to post-denominational people. Often it’s the latter. (I know because I often look them up on the web and find their denominational affiliation.)

A good example (but only one of too many to name or describe) is a large church in a city to which I travel often. I pass it several times a year. It’s a large, beautiful church in a suburban neighborhood. Its sign says simply “Calvary Church.” I finally remembered to look it up using a search engine. It’s a member church of the Christian Reformed Church of America. Nothing I could see on the building or grounds indicated that. (Many have “CRC” or something on their signs.)

So, what’s wrong with that? Only that the CRC is a truly confessional denomination with distinctive beliefs and practices. One of its doctrinal standards is the Canons of Dort—the anti-Arminian statement of faith. Suppose a Wesleyan family (I mean doctrinally, not denominationally) moved to that suburb, liked the looks of the church, heard it is a good church (family-oriented, many programs for kids, whatever) and decided to visit with an eye toward joining the church. How long would it be before they realized they were visiting and considering joining a Calvinist church? I personally know of such situations and, in some cases, people have attended a long time before realizing the church they want to join holds beliefs contrary to their own. In the end, they have to leave, having wasted a lot of time and emotional investment.

I think every church that belongs to any denomination should say so “up front.” Failing to do so seems somewhat dishonest to me. And truly non-denominational churches should make their beliefs and distinctive practices known to visitors with a brochure in every pew.

I once saw a church that advertised itself as “The Undenominational Church.” (This was back when 7-UP was advertising itself as the “UNCOLA.” I found out the “undenominational” church was really a Church of Christ.

Every church has boundaries; every church should let visitors and their communities know what they are by making them readily available.

What is happening (that I’ve been talking about in the previous few paragraphs) is simply cultural accommodation in a bad way. Church growth experts are telling churches that most American’s don’t like denominations and encouraging them to re-name their churches with generic names (e.g., Faith Family Fellowship) and omit any reference to any denominational affiliation or distinctive beliefs and practices. In most cases, the churches that do it keep their denominational affiliations and/or distinctive practices but hide them. In my opinion that is nothing other than cultural accommodation involving an element of dishonesty. As we have all heard, “lying” is not just telling an untruth; it can also be neglecting to tell the truth.

So, I titled this post “Why I like denominations.” I’ve wandered away from that somewhat, but I’ll conclude by returning to it. Christian churches do have distinctives; there is no such thing as (organized) generic Christianity. They ought to be honest about them. If they’re not proud of them, drop them. But better, be proud of the ones you keep! Distinctives do not have to be divisive. In fact, I like the fact that there are: Wesleyans, Calvinists, Pentecostals, Baptists, Anabaptists, Lutherans, Catholics, etc. I often wish some of them would soften their rough edges, but, for the most part, they are already doing that and sometimes going so far that they are losing all shape. When I see a church that is proud of its denominational affiliation I suspect it is giving money to help found institutions of higher education, mission-sending agencies, charitable organizations, etc. And I know what it is; I’m not left in the dark about it. May their tribe increase.


This post was written by Roger Olson, you can read more here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/rogereolson/2012/10/why-i-like-denominations/#ixzz3GtONeRBM




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The House Church Movement

10/22/2014

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We in the West are nowhere near the persecution level of those living in Muslim nations or communist nations such as China or Vietnam.  We know little to no physical attacks here for the gospel.  While I know a few open air preachers who have been arrested for preaching and have been physically attacked by people, most people just go through their day-to-day lives without fear of attack for their Christian faith.  That may change in the future but for now, we enjoy only verbal persecution from the secular media and from the liberals on college campuses.

I do believe, however, that the house church movement will become a dominant force in the Christian culture in the coming years.  It is the house church movement that has sustained (by the grace of God) the disciples in China.  It is the house church movement that sustained the saints of God in the former communist Soviet Union.  It is the house church movement that is growing in Europe as people grow tired of the institutional church and are looking elsewhere for true faith.  It will be the house churches in the United States that will see growth and souls saved as they remain steadfast in the Word of God.

Why will this be?  For several reasons but let me just name a few.

1.  Authentic Faith.  

House churches offer a place for people to live out their faith with others.  There is no hiding here.  You can just show up at a traditional church and no one may even know you are there or even care in some cases.  Not so with house churches.   A "large" house church would be over 10 people so you can't hide.  We will know your name.  We know your life.  We will both disciple and challenge you in your faith.  This, I believe, was the model of Jesus and should be ours as well.  True discipleship is not learning from a book or sitting in a class.  True discipleship is taking the "one another" texts of the New Testament and seeking to obey them (there are 52 in the NT).  This leads to authentic faith and not merely a show on the stage of many traditional churches.

2.  No Money.

House churches need no money.  There are no salaried pastors.  No land to buy.  No buildings to pay for.  While house churches do sometimes take up money for missions or for hurting Christians, house churches have no budgets to meet, no bills to pay.  I once read that 75% of money in the traditional churches goes toward salaries and buildings.  None of that is found in house churches.  If a disciple wants to give money to their church then so be it.  The house church would then take the money and give it to help church planters (missionaries) or hurting disciples.  This is the NT pattern.

Many people reject going to church because of the emphasis they perceive on money.  With the false "health and wealth" churches and the so-called "prosperity" gospel, many are turned off to Christianity because of their false teachers.  The house church movement doesn't want your money.

3.  Can Move Around Quickly.


The house churches in China are said to move around quickly.  They do this to avoid arrest.  I have heard the same of the few house churches in North Korea.  Because house churches are not locked down to a building, they don't need government approval to meet nor do they have to meet all the time in one place.  House churches in China often will meet several times a week at different locations to accommodate the needs of the saints.  They don't just meet on the Lord's Day.

Here in the United States, traditional churches are locked down in their buildings.  They need people to generate money for their buildings to pay the bills.  At times, the gospel can be watered down and pragmatism reigns as traditional pastors need people to keep coming to pay the bills.  Further, traditional churches fall under the watchful eye of the government.  As freedom falls in the West, traditional churches will suffer the most as people flee them.

The house church movement will thrive at this point with no buildings, no bills, no salaries, no paper trails, no 501C3.

4.  Can Preach What They Want To.

Traditional churches will no doubt face sensor from the government.  There may come a time where it is illegal to preach against popular sins  (being viewed as discrimination).  The government will monitor the traditional church (as they do in China).  Traditional churches will have to comply or be gone.

House churches will continue to preach the gospel without hinderance.  Why?  Because what can they take from us but our lives (Philippians 1:21)?  Jesus promised us persecution as His followers (Matthew 5:10-12).  Jesus said that if we are His disciples, we will face persecution and hatred (John 15:18-20).  But He told us to be encouraged for He has overcome the world (John 16:33).  In the house churches, we will preach the gospel.  We have no 501c3 you can take.  We have no buildings you can cast us out of.  We have no salaries that require that we go soft on the gospel for the sake of money.  We have no need of this world to survive.  We have the Word of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit so we will be fine.

For more information on the house church movement, please see:

House Church Central

New Testament Reformation Fellowship 

Reimagining Church: Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity

This post was written by the Seeking Disciple.  For his original post, go to:  http://arminiantoday.wordpress.com/2014/10/21/the-house-church-movement-and-the-future-of-the-usa/




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