Category: Unity

Does a Rigid View of God Cause Problems?

3/27/2014

Can you smoke and drink and still express allegiance to Christ?

Is church attendance necessary to the definition of “being like Christ?”

If you are a Christian, is it wrong to have more possessions than the poorest person in your community?

If a Christian commits suicide, will he/she go to hell?

Ask these questions to 10 different Christ followers and you might get 10 different answers, with each person convinced their view is correct. Fighting over questions such as these have caused divisions between friends and even church communities.

Especially in theology and worldview, Christians have the tendency to see things as black and white only. This causes us to draw lines of separation from those who believe differently. We make camp with those who think similarly and we wage wars against those who think differently. Every now and then, we will try to come up with a peace treaty. This is quickly abandoned, though, out of stubbornness with a dash of arrogance.

I do believe some things are black and white. One cannot read the Bible and not come to that conclusion. However, there are also things that aren’t so clearly laid out in the Bible. I wish everything were black and white, but it isn’t always so simple.

The Bible is as messy as it is neat. There are moments that God is very clear and then there are other moments that there is uncertainty on how to interpret a passage. There are moments when all of Christendom can unite on a topic and then there are moments that we divide because of different views. In 2008, there was an estimated 39,000 Christian denominations worldwide. By 2025, it is estimated that there will be 55,000 Christian denominations worldwide. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary estimated that there is a new Christian denomination formed every 12 hours.

If it is all black and white, why is a new denomination forming every 12 hours? Within the 40,000 denominations (my estimate) that exist today, there are probably still divisions among what to believe about certain issues. Christendom is a mess. We have made finding Christ the most impossible maze.

The issue with an exclusively black and white theology is just this: the lines that we draw create a maze that makes finding Jesus impossible. We have Jesus at the center, but we haven’t put Him at the beginning. Instead of teaching people to walk with Jesus through difficult texts, beliefs and theologies, we teach them to go searching for the answers to all the side issues on their own in hopes of finding Jesus somewhere down the road. This causes confusion and frustration among people when they can’t seem to find Him. Exhausted, they give up or they create some version of Jesus that they think best fits their life. Then we have new churches popping up just because they want to do worship, preaching, community, mission and sacraments differently.

There is one, central truth that we should all agree upon: Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God and through his life, death, burial and resurrection, God is reconciling the world to Himself. If you’re like me, you probably might think this is a good belief, but what do we do when we disagree with someone on something other than this? Here are some steps I think would be beneficial:

Seek conversations rather than debates.   If there is anything we can learn from the Ken Ham and Bill Nye debate, it is that debates really solve nothing. Each side walks away more convinced about why they are right and why the other side is wrong.

Conversations ask open-ended questions rather than questions that cause a forced answer. Conversations seek to listen rather than give a rebuttal.

Pray “I in them and You in Me, may they be brought to complete unity”  This is a prayer found in John 17 that I pray almost daily. It is a reminder that above all else, I need to seek unity in everything I do. Anytime I want to pick a fight with someone I see as crazier than me, I ask myself, “is this going to lead to unity?” Ask yourself that question before you decide to engage in a war with someone (under Christendom) who believes differently than you.

Operate from humility, not from expertise . As a Bible college student, most of the time I want to begin my answers with “let me tell you why you’re wrong.” I feel that because I have a four-year degree in Bible, that I am an expert that everyone needs to listen to.

But pursuit of truth never means that one has to be arrogant in beliefs. In reality, none of us are experts when it comes to God. We cannot get to a level where we know God enough to consider ourselves experts. So it is best to operate from humility; from a stance of “I could be wrong…”

I hope grace works. I hope that it covers what we get wrong. Even more, I hope that grace covers what we thought we got right. Because if it doesn't, we're all in big trouble.

It’s fine to discuss, but we need to consider if we’re really honoring God when we argue to the point of division. Life would be better if we stopped saying "I'm right." Life would be better if we stopped saying, "God told me this is the way it should be," or "from my studies, this is what I think we should believe on this issue." Because what happens if we are wrong on those side issues? What happens if the person who believes opposite of us is right? Maybe we are the ones that need to be changed and God is trying to use them to change us? Stop trying to martyr yourself on something that is not essential to the core message of the Gospel.

So if you find yourself arguing in an unhealthy way with a Christian brother or sister who believes differently than you do—someone who smokes, is divorced, supports gay marriage, is a democrat, speaks in tongues or whatever else—maybe you should just say “You still believe in the Christ? Let’s talk about the other things.”

Read more at http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/problem-rigid-view-god#HzezhGbPMc5c6Zwd.99

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BE A MAN.

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Rules or Love

2/14/2013

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There once was a couple who loved each other very, very much.

They loved each other so much, in fact, that every act of kindness, every gesture of service, was considered pure privilege. Whichever one of them woke up first would cook breakfast for the one who slept longer; they would surprise each other with gifts, small tokens of affection that were monetarily valueless but sentimentally priceless because they were laden with meaning; and they would tell each other constantly how much they loved each other, mainly because they just couldn't keep it in.

Over time, however, the relationship became a series of behaviors. They would still cook breakfast for each other, but only because breakfast was now the responsibility of whomever woke up first. They would still surprise each other with gifts, but only because the absence of gifts would have broken a long-standing tradition. And they still told each other how much they loved each other, but only because they had trained themselves in the vocabulary of love. The actions were the same; the motivation had subtly, drastically changed.

During those first years of their relationship, the couple overflowed with life. The latter years, however, were a slow, daily death. A kind of love was still there, but all the affection was gone. As soon as their acts of love became a to-do list rather than an overflow of desire, the shell of the relationship hardened and the inner joy gradually, achingly seeped away.

How Love Fades

Love turns to ritual quickly. The spontaneity and affection that fill a relationship with life can become rote behaviors almost overnight. Whenever we want to recapture those early exhilarating feelings, we do the things that accompanied them, assuming that the actions will spark the emotions again. But they don't. In all matters of love, actions are only a product, never a producer, of how we really feel.

This dynamic is apparent all too often, widely observable in cinema, literature and, sadly, in the firsthand experience of many. Every married couple, presumably, has at least occasionally wavered between form and feeling, trying to manufacture the former in hopes of cultivating the latter. But manufacturing form usually doesn't work. Love has to be felt.

That's the way it is in our relationship with God too. I know that doesn't jibe with most definitions of "agape," that ideal form of biblical love allegedly based entirely on fact and never on emotion. But try bringing that kind of love into any relationship that matters. Would your children be glad to know you're fulfilling your parental duties in spite of your lack of feelings for them? How about your husband or wife being content with your explanation that though the feelings have gone, the commitment to honor the piece of paper that says you're married remains? No, I didn't think so.

The fact is that the Christian life can degenerate into a set of rules suddenly and imperceptibly. There's nothing wrong with rules; they're great when the heart just isn't in it anymore and you need a temporary framework. But they're always remedial. As a long-term norm and the basis of a relationship, they drain us of life. The answer is to have the heart fixed.

That's what the Christian life is all about. It's a heart issue. The Holy Spirit didn't come into us to teach us which rules to obey—"the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Corinthians 3:6). He inhabits us for an entirely different reason: unbridled, passionate love. The kind that serves because serving is a privilege, that fulfills rules even when unaware that there were rules to fulfill. The kind that gets up and cooks breakfast for the beloved. The kind that gives gifts because giving is what naturally happens. The kind that declares and demonstrates "I love you" constantly because the love just can't be contained.

Does that accurately describe your Christian life? Yeah, mine either. Oh, sometimes that kind of love is there, and it's incredible when it is. But as a pattern, we substitute obedience to form over a natural response to passion. And it's a slow, aching death. If we're not exuberantly in love with God, we're missing the essence of the Christian life.

When that's the case, what's the solution? Pardon my lack of conventionality, but the answer isn't a recommitment. Neither is it a deeper resolve or an increase in the spiritual disciplines. Not to criticize, but I've found that those things only accelerate the death of desire in a relationship. They don't make the heart beat faster. They do nothing to rekindle love.

How Love Returns

Rekindling love is all about spontaneity, adventure, passion, and pleasure. It certainly doesn't violate the character of the other person—God forbid, as in this case the other person is actually God—but it does recognize the true nature of the new heart. Rekindling love begins by understanding that God is a romantic in love with His bride.

Some generations would blush at such a notion—or worse yet, condemn it—but God makes it very, very clear in His Word. He portrays Himself as a lover in the Song of Songs and a jealous husband in the Law, the prophets, and the parables of Jesus. Are we, like most insensitive spouses, completely unable to take a hint?

If your faith is in need of revitalization, imagine what advice you'd give to the couple in the first four paragraphs. How should they get the sparks flying again? Would you tell them to focus more on the fact that they were married? Or would you encourage them to go away together, to spend some time rekindling the flame that was once there? Whichever advice you would give them, turn around and give it to yourself.

God's heart of love is not a sterile heart. He approaches you with enthusiasm and desire. If you return His passion with formulaic living, the Romantic is sadly, seriously disappointed. If you return His passion with passion, the Romantic is thrillingly, gloriously... well, wildly in love with His beloved. A relationship defined by such love is never defined by the rules within it. And it is never, ever unsatisfying.

This post was written by Chris Tiegreen. You can find the original post at: http://www.walkthru.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1048&Itemid=559

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BE A MAN.

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Top Five Reasons to Grow Up and Get Married

2/12/2013

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I’m pro-marriage. I always have been, always will be and I’ll make no apologies for it. As a matter of fact, most of you should be apologizing to me. Yeah, I said it. Whether you're one with a successful marriage who's remained silent on its myriad virtues, or merely a single, lonely critic... America, you've got some 'splaining to do.

Sadly, marriage has become a punchline in today’s society. From referring to the wife as “the old ball and chain” to nearly every poorly written sitcom that we watch, the message we’re sending to today’s generation is clear… Marriage = no fun.

Men on TV constantly joke about how wives are incredibly expensive, demanding and overall vacuums of all things fun. By that same token, the women complain about their fat, lazy, insensitive husbands as they swoon over their trimmed, manicured and chest-waxed Hollywood counterparts.

Ever see a commercial with a wife and husband shopping together? Yeah, we always play the idiot.

I know plenty of people my age that will never get married because they genuinely believe the false cultural meme that marriage has sadly become. There’s only one problem. It’s completely untrue.

Even more of a problem, those who know it to be untrue often do nothing to correct the lie.

As someone who comes from a family of lifers (along with my wife), I just want to say, flat out…

… Marriage is a really good deal.

Let’s assume for a second that you don’t think of humans as inherently spiritual beings. So let’s remove the fact that married people claim to be happier, more fulfilled, complete and purposeful. Some of you are even thinking,

“Love? Who needs love!”

Okay. Here are a few purely statistical reasons as to why marriage (when done correctly) is conducive to an undeniably better life. Hold onto your butts.

1. You’ll be richer – Yes. Not only do married couples make more, save more, have a higher net worth and qualify for more benefits/financial incentives than lonely, single folk… but your kids will be richer too. Which brings me to my next point

2. Would somebody please think of the children!! – The single biggest indicator of child poverty is whether both original parents are still together. Not only that, but children in married households get better grades, are less disruptive in class and less likely to develop behavioral disorders than children from non-married households. So be married long and prosper. Your kids will too.

3. You’ll have more sex… A LOT MORE SEX – Okay so you may not want kids. You may despise them. I get it. Sticky hands. Let’s say you’re just another selfish, narcissistic bachelor (or bachelorette) who quite frankly, isn’t deserving of the unconditional love you may oh-so-luckily find. You just want the sex. Statistically, not only do married people have more sex, they have better, more satisfying sex. If the two of you should hold off on sex until marriage, those statistics become even more promising. Here’s a perfect example of where Hollywood gets it wrong. In the real world, while Alfie fruitlessly toiled away at picking up harlots from the bar, suffering a mean case of whiskey-wiener, Mr. Cleaver was getting busy on the regular. Them’s the real breaks.

4. You won’t be such a pathetic sloth – Married people are more productive. Married men in particular, have higher employment rates, work longer hours and receive better wages. It’s time to stop wading through puddles of your own filth as you reach for the hotpockets and have a dame whip you into shape. You’re welcome.

5. Don’t die sick, miserable and alone. This would seem to be self-explanatory. Sadly, it’s not. Young people think that being young and single is the “fun and free” time of your life, while marriage is something that can wait for the days when you’re ready to grow fat, boring and settle down. Married people not only live longer lives, they live healthier lives. There are too many factors at play here to even list. From married people statistically maintaining healthier weights, being more active and having lower mortality rates, to married women incurring less severe illnesses, enjoying better cancer survival rates and of course… lower rates of domestic abuse (as opposed to those merely cohabitating). Yes ladies, it’s true, living with an uncommitted, self-absorbed jackass can be hazardous to your health.

All of this to basically say that people need to start being more honest and vocal about the virtues of marriage. Americans need to stop feeding and buying into the lie that we’ve all been fed. Whether you’re young old, male, female, marriage (when done correctly) will make your life, and this country better off. The facts are undeniable. If the facts aren’t enough, maybe this’ll help…

Picture coming home every night to your best friend, your greatest fan, and your number one supporter. She (or he) makes each good day better, and each bad day good again. Every day, you get to live what is essentially a 24/7 sleepover party with the greatest friend you’ve ever had.

… Now add sex and sandwiches.

Get married, like, now.

This post was written by Steve Crowder. For the original post, go to: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/01/26/man-top-5-reasons-to-grow-up-and-get-married/

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

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Fixing our welcome

10/31/2012

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Too often, people inside the church are looked at as people who put on a great front on Sundays. These people may go to work, school, or other places of business and show no signs of faith in the world. To some, faith in God is a hobby that is celebrated and exercised at church. This, at least, it what seems to be the case. This seems logical, but it may be a false assumption for many. Looking deeper into the life of a Christian who behaves in this way may provide a broader explanation about the imbalance of their faith and behavior.

What I have found is that there are many who come to church and love being there because it is the only time during the week in which they can find encouragement, positive attitudes, and a safe place to escape from life. It is a controlled environment where they can be themselves, be taught, and celebrate. They don’t have to be an employee, ex-spouse, or the prey of a creditor…they can just… be. These people come to church with wounds, addictions, hurts, no money, evil self talk (lies that they tell themselves), and the night before they just had a terrible fight with a family member. This person comes to church to be distracted.

What if we as Christians, and regular church attenders, understood this about those participating in worship each week? We have been there. We know there is hope. Our job is to be open to the times in which we can help be a part of this distraction, and to guide people out of their shame and brokenness. We are called to be compassionate, but no one is called to stay broken.

Let’s help lead people away from their hurts, and into healing arms.

The posts this week are written by our pastor in honor of Pastor Appreciation Month. For the original post, go to: http://other-words.net/2012/10/18/fixing-our-welcome/

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Marital Sex or 2 hours of porn?

7/30/2012

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Sadly, many men would take the last one. But porn warps a man’s character, with devastating results:

He cares only about himself. He is full of pride. Many of his problems stem from this root issue.

Masturbating to porn trains a man to climax quickly. If/when sex with his wife occurs, he’s a short story… if that.

His perception of sex and reality are totally warped. He would rather masturbate to a picture of naked women who cannot comfort him, wants nothing to do with him, and who probably hated being in a porn movie/picture shoot, than enjoy an exhilarating, satisfying ride to the top with his God-given spouse.

As time progresses and he indulges in porn more often, having sex with his wife becomes emotionally strained. It’s hard to be intimate with your wife when you know you’re committing porn-adultery against her. Shame is an intimacy killer.

Compare all of this to marital sex:

Whereas porn is a one-dimensional, shallow act of selfishness, marital sex is a multi-faceted diamond that involves physical and emotional intimacy, the fun of discovering what pleases each other, and the joy of reaching the peak together. Sex with the spouse is far more enjoyable than anything porn offers.

Marital sex spouse has a bonding effect. I always feel that my wife and I have strengthened our union afterwards.

The communication that takes place during sex enhances the bonding process. Expressions of love and other intimate conversation take a husband and wife to places porn can’t come close to. I can’t imagine a guy talking to himself and telling himself he loves himself while he’s masturbating to porn.

Marital sex is a gauge of how the relationship is doing. I have to treat my wife with kindness, care and respect for sex to happen (and vise-versa). If she’s turning me down and there isn’t a physical reason, it forces me to re-examine how I’m doing with carrying out one of God’s greatest commands to me as a husband – to love my wife as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5).

Sex with my wife gets me focused on her. The opposite of what porn and pride do.

The afterglow of marital sex is warm and loving, whereas with porn there’s only emptiness, shame and remorse.

Marital sex is satisfying.

Porn? Never!

Maybe you want to change but are stuck. Here are some guide posts that will help you in the journey to healing:

Stop using all porn, no matter what it takes. Support groups, accountability software, counseling, books, whatever. There will be no progress made until you’ve taken this step.

Set the idea of sex aside, and focus on the relationship with your wife. Take her on a date to a place she likes. Have fun together again. Rediscover the woman you married.

Show her you care. Listen to her fears, needs and concerns. Ask her how her day went. Ask questions and encourage her to talk about her feelings. Don’t try to fix her when she shares, especially if it’s about her weaknesses or failures.

Stop criticizing her.

Stop comparing her to the porn-images you’ve exposed yourself to. Set firm boundaries in your mind that from this day forward, the only woman you will want to want is your wife. Ask for God’s healing touch in your mind and your heart from the mental adultery you’ve committed.

Do special, out of the ordinary things for her. Get her a card, make her dinner, buy flowers. Surprising her will help spark the friendship again.

Embrace humility. If she points out a way you’re hurting her or not taking care of her and she’s right, bite your tongue, swallow your pride, and ask God to help you change. Confess to her that she’s right.

Help out around the house. She’s not your maid, but your best friend.

Pray together, every day. I can’t overemphasize this one. I’ve heard a statistic that couples who pray together daily divorce one in one thousand, while those who don’t divorce one in two. Praying together is a fantastic way to draw close to your wife, and it brings the Lord into your marriage, which is what you need for healing.

When sex does happen:
-Don’t make it a rush to the finish line. Take your time and get into foreplay.
-Remember that sex is an act you’re enjoying with your best friend, not something you’re doing to “get off.”
-Open up the lines of communication. Talk to her about what you like and ask her about what she likes. Tell her you love her.
-If you suffer with premature ejaculation, read up on techniques for prolonging sex and/or see a doctor if you need to. Tell your wife you may need a little time to re-adjust physically and emotionally.

Be patient. If you’ve spent years acting out with porn and your marriage is in a bad place, don’t expect your wife to warm up to you overnight. Keep working at it, and be determined to persevere until you’ve had a breakthrough.

This post was written by Mike Genung. For the original post, go to: http://www.xxxchurch.com/men/sex-with-wife-or-3-hours-of-porn.html

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

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Us vs Them

7/18/2012

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Have you ever encountered someone who exerted an "us vs. them" mentality? You know the type. He treats you like a commoner, while he assumes that he is a much better, higher class of person. He pities your sad state of affairs, thinking that he will always be "better" than you. Oh, such people may never come out and admit such; but the attitude is present just the same.

This mentality is demonstrated in a variety of ways. The rich view the poor with half-hearted yet disdainful pity. A self-righteous person thinks of him- or herself as better than someone known for a particular sin. The person of a majority race views another person of a different, minority nationality as a lesser form of being. Someone who thinks he's accomplished a great deal during his lifetime may look upon others who do not "measure up" to his standards as less worthy of respect.

These sinful, deceptive, superior attitudes have been plaguing the human condition for thousands of years. Even in the New Testament, when Christianity was blossoming, Christians had to be reminded to abandon an "us vs. them" disposition.

The apostle Peter, for example, being a Jewish man who, in the old Jewish order, would not have eaten with non-Jews, began, under the new Christian order, to eat with Gentiles. But when some "prominent" Jewish men came to his village, "he drew back and kept himself separate [from the Gentiles] for fear [of the Jews]" (Gal. 2:12). His actions led other believers in Christ to the same attitude and practice.

The apostle Paul called this "us vs. them" attitude hypocrisy (Gal. 2:13). Why? I can think of at least two biblical reasons: 1) all people are sinners on the same sinful playing field and thus all need a Savior; and 2) the gospel is for allpeople, not for the socially elite of any group.

Paul states, "But when I saw that they were not acting consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas [Peter] before them all, 'If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew [strictly following Jewish laws in order to be approved by God], how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?'" (Gal. 2:14 NRSV) An "us vs. them" disposition is inconsistent with the truth of the gospel (Gal. 2:14). It denies the base reality of our fallen condition (i.e., the sinful condition of each and every person alive), promotes a deceptive self-righteousness, and is an affront to the holiness of God.

I think this sinful attitude is an affront to the holiness of God because He alone is worthy of absolute dignity. No human being could ever match His worth and excellence (nobility, majesty). When a fallen human being believes himself to be better than another fallen human being, he assumes the eminence of God Himself.

Scripture informs us, however, that there is none who is truly righteous or good or eminent -- not one (Rom. 3:10). "And he [Jesus Christ] is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent" (Col. 1:18 ESV, emphasis added). We need to have our perspective priorities set aright. Only God is worthy.

Jesus' half-brother writes, "Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up, and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field" (James 1:9-10 NRSV). The so-called "lowly" in the world who trust in Christ have an eternal inheritance that cannot be diminished or taken from them.

Yet the so-called "rich" in the world who trust in Christ will have no more (and no less) an eternal inheritance as well. Though the rich in this world may have more possessions now, they will have no advantage over the poor in God's kingdom (James 2:5). The "lowly" in Christ have been "raised up" to great spiritual heights (cf. Eph. 1:3), while the rich will "be brought low" -- i.e., die just like everyone else.

James went on to condemn partiality (James 2:1-7), concluding, "You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you show partiality [favor some people, disdaining others], you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors" (James 2:8-9 NRSV).

We too often neglect Scripture's admonition: "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think" (Rom. 12:3 NRSV). There is no "us vs. them." There are only fallen human beings among other fallen human beings.

This is guest post taken from the White Picket Fences blog. For the original post with comments, click here

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

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He's still teaching me

7/10/2012

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I was fortunate to spend some alone time with my parents for a couple of days before our most recent family reunion started. Even though my Dad is hard of hearing, and is difficult to communicate with, at 89 years of age, he is still teaching me about life.

While driving together, he told me about the financial decisions that he had recently made and how thru his acumen, he has been able to also sell and buy a few vehicles for a profit. One car he sold because he was sideswiped by a semi-truck. In the middle of the conversation, he said, "God is really good to us. We could have been killed by that truck. If I had been a second slower we might not be here. Also, by being sensitive to God's leading in the selling and buying of the vehicles, everyone got a fair deal."

The next morning, we were trimming the pecan tree that was in the back. He had been waiting for me to visit so that he could get this job done. The tree had overgrown the house and was hanging into the neighbor's yard. We worked steadily for a couple of hours, hardly talking to each other. Yet, there is something about a father and a son working together that builds upon intimacy. We paused a couple of times to sit down and drink some water together (it was in 90 degree sunny weather). We didn't talk about much, mostly the tree and how the squirrels steal the pecans and how he got a new BB gun so that he could scare them away.

The third thing he taught me was that his love for God is still alive and vibrant after all these years. I love to hear my Dad pray. He doesn't use a lot of flowery words or Elizabethan English. He usually doesn't pray very long (however, I have been privy to some of the times when I heard him and my Mom pray for extended periods of time). Yet, almost every prayer recognizes God's authority, our dependence on Him and a sincere thankfulness for God's provision.

So, you may be reading this and think, "wow, I haven't told my Dad recently about how much I appreciate his influence in my life."

If that is you, let him know.

Or you may be thinking, "I wish my Dad was like that."

If that is you, rise to the challenge and be that kind of Dad for your kids.

If you don't have kids, find a single mother of a young boy in your church and invest your life into his spiritual, emotional, physical growth.

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

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Getting Rerooted

7/2/2012

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I'm going off the grid for a few days. I have the fortunate pleasure of going to a family reunion where I can reroot, learn to appreciate these people who helped to make me what I am, and experience the pleasure of family.

I ask for two things from you while I am disconnected from the WWW:

1) My pastor has asked me to speak in his absence next Sunday, July 8th. Please pray that I will talk about what God has planned for our congregation both as individuals and as a corporate body, and

2) Please pray for our upcoming Ironstrikes organizational meeting. For more information about this, click here.

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

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Men need men

6/7/2012

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Men need to be accepted by men. A woman's acceptance is wonderful and fulfilling. However, if a man does not have the acceptance of other men, he does not feel like a real man.

This is the very reason why accountability groups can be so vital. The true intimacy of friendship and acceptance actually heals the wounds so that the false intimacy of porn is no longer needed as a pain-killing medication. The true intimacy of friendship takes the place of mind-numbing substances like alcohol and drugs. The true intimacy of friendship pushes you to know God better.

Men know men. Puffing your chest out and beating it to draw attention to how tough you are or how "manly" you are doesn't set well with men. Men are not impressed with self-love. Men are impressed with affirmation, honesty, truthfulness, and leadership.

Men need godly principles upon which to stand. Rejecting passivity, accepting responsibility and leading courageously are principles that lead to lasting relationships with our Savior, with each other, and with our community.

Even more important, men need to be accepted and affirmed by God, the Creator of men. He made you the way that you are complete with your foibles and strengths. He is the one that made you with your desire for intimacy. No man is an island, no man is a rock, neither is he the walrus.

As we begin our Ironstrikes group, know that real men want to get together with other men. They want to gain strength from each other, they want to let down their defenses and show their Achilles' Heel. Real men join arm in arm together to bring the kingdom of God to their churches, to their families and to their communities.

Our organizational meeting will be starting soon, setting the second Saturday of each month as a time to get together. We will be meeting on July 14th at the R.G.Holland Memorial Park in Fishers, IN at the shelter behind the children's play area. We will start at 0830 and end before 1000.

Jesus just wants to hang out with you and share with you how to be like Him, our example of a real man. Will you join HIM?

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

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We are one

3/3/2012

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We thank thee, O God, for the spiritual nature of man. We are in nature but we live above nature. Help us never to let anybody or any condition to pull us so low as to cause us to hate.

Give us strength to love our enemies and to do good to those who despitefully use us and persecute us.

We thank thee for thy Church, founded upon thy Word, that challenges us to do more than sing and pray, but go out and work as though the very answer to our prayers depended on us and not upon thee.

Then, finally, help us to realize that man was created to shine like stars and live on through all eternity. Keep us, we pray, in perfect peace; help us to walk together, pray together, sing together, and live together until that day when all God’s children, Black, White, Red, and Yellow will rejoice in our common band of humanity in the kingdom of our Lord and of our God, we pray.

Amen.

A prayer by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Read more: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/galleries/Thou-Dear-God.aspx?p=3#ixzz1npIxjmTT

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