As with just about any evolving or progressing mechanism where people are involved there commonly are fads, celebrities, and an assortment of hot ideas.
In the Christian community much of the church of today has greater access to national or international Christian fadish schools of thought such as the Shannon Claiborne movement, the Call to courthsip brought to the forefront by Christian couples such as the Harris' and Ludys, the "emergent" or emerging church and many others.
also many celebrities in the Christian community are much more accessible due to technological progress such as the internet and podcasting. Many of these common Christian celebrities are figures such as Andy Stanley, John piper, Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, Erwin McManus, Robe Bell, Brian McLaren and the list goes on and on.
Some of these men are inches away from being heretical and don't base much of their teaching on the Bible while others are extremely Orthodox and have an amazing gift of "rightly dividing" the Scriptures.
I have for a long time criticized myself and others who seem to be looking for the next great Bible teacher to catch their interest. Sometimes I find myself looking for a new guy to say something witty and innovative. Simultaneously, I feel guilty not paying attention to the Biographies and offerings of dead saints who have fought the good fight and share seemingly timeless experiences having a deep root in the scriptures.
I am coming to a point where I am starting to believe their is more of an urgency for a balance not one can be more powerful or meaningful than the other. Culture is changing and we must engage culture and "become all things to all men thatt we may win some". Also, truths are timeless and there is "nothing new under the sun" as Solomon said. Essentially the Body needs both to learn from the old and test, sift through, and listen to new godly men on the seen.
I think the new stuff is simple to "dangerous" in our minds and we are hesitant to follow for fear of being led astray, which appears to be a healthy concern. I certainly think it is.
Yet, we tend to ignore the lives and teaching of old saints and their schools of thought simply because they are well...old. and we associate old with being out of touch and therefore not apllicable to our lives, church, or culture. Such an idea is partially valid in one way but completely wrong in another.
People and things on Earth do develop and we do progress as a culture and people. Yet the issues and problems namely sin that the Bible addresses are essentially the same since the first sin was committed in the garden of eden. Therefore sin has not changed, BUT the ways in which that sin is manifested have in some regards changed therefore our engagement of culture must be timely if we are to relevantly and knowledgeably adress and reveal sin, call others including ourselves to repentance, and love people by extending them the Gospel.
Simply as Mark Driscoll said, yes I do support him, "Our doctrine and the truths we believe about God are timeless and our methods and engagement of culture is timely."
May we learn from timeless doctrine preached by tireless Bible-bleeding old saints and may we wisely embrace young Spirit-filled men to guide us in reaching or culture with timely Biblical truth for the Glory of God.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Spiritual Discomfort in the Body
This may seem strange how this and the last post contrast but oh well maybe it will make sense.
I met a Godly girl, kinda sorta asked her out (long story), and she let me know she was not interested in dating due to circumstance.
Awesome right? yeah I thought so too...
The thing that stuck with me while we had this somewhat pre-encounter dtr is that she explained why dating was "not on her radar". She essentially said since she is moving out of this area and kinda getting a real job and moving out of her comfort zone she is ready to experience God in a new way. She elaborated that her relationship with God had always been comfortable and that she felt a sense of necessity for God to challenge her with her following Him even when the journey was uncomfortable. In short, she conveyed she was looking forward to God growing her through a difficult season.
She said this and I for a moment disconnected from the phone conversation...
Immediately my heart went back to high school and the times I had asked God to grow me and stretch me through trials because my relationship too was always comfortable and easy with God
Then it happened two years ago in college where everything began to self destruct and spiritual and emotional depression set in as my world kinda collapsed.
I began to wonder if this girl really sees how difficult this time can be. I began to without thinking say things to myself like "if she only new my story" and "God please guard her faith and not let her break under the pressure, but strengthen her I don't want her to live through the failures and scares that I had to endure." Is that a healthy prayer? Not sure? but regardless your will be done Lord.
I kinda just said a silent prayer in my heart there at that gas station as she was explaining this in more detail and elaborating with excitement.
As for me. I just need to not strive for blamelessness, but BE blameless. Be a man, a man after God's heart, building His kingdom and making Him known.
Praise You Jesus
Praise You Lord
For the gift I can't afford
I met a Godly girl, kinda sorta asked her out (long story), and she let me know she was not interested in dating due to circumstance.
Awesome right? yeah I thought so too...
The thing that stuck with me while we had this somewhat pre-encounter dtr is that she explained why dating was "not on her radar". She essentially said since she is moving out of this area and kinda getting a real job and moving out of her comfort zone she is ready to experience God in a new way. She elaborated that her relationship with God had always been comfortable and that she felt a sense of necessity for God to challenge her with her following Him even when the journey was uncomfortable. In short, she conveyed she was looking forward to God growing her through a difficult season.
She said this and I for a moment disconnected from the phone conversation...
Immediately my heart went back to high school and the times I had asked God to grow me and stretch me through trials because my relationship too was always comfortable and easy with God
Then it happened two years ago in college where everything began to self destruct and spiritual and emotional depression set in as my world kinda collapsed.
I began to wonder if this girl really sees how difficult this time can be. I began to without thinking say things to myself like "if she only new my story" and "God please guard her faith and not let her break under the pressure, but strengthen her I don't want her to live through the failures and scares that I had to endure." Is that a healthy prayer? Not sure? but regardless your will be done Lord.
I kinda just said a silent prayer in my heart there at that gas station as she was explaining this in more detail and elaborating with excitement.
As for me. I just need to not strive for blamelessness, but BE blameless. Be a man, a man after God's heart, building His kingdom and making Him known.
Praise You Jesus
Praise You Lord
For the gift I can't afford
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Dealing with Displacement: Missional, Seasonal, Singleness
Wow the thoughts and revelations that are shooting across my brain. Neurotransmitters working incessantly.
So I'm nearly 24 and I'm a single guy. No prospects, no "I would if...", Nope, nothing.
Right now its just me and my cat Zoe.
Now to give a little context for these thoughts that I'm about to unload you must know a few things about me.
First, I live in a sizeable college town, where there are young men and women socializing everywhere.
Secondly, I have wondered if God has just forgotten about this single guy, condemned me to singleness or worse yet, to walk with a woman that I love and care about her significantly more than she loves me. This has always been a battle for me because I feel very "normal" and wired for marriage yet circumstances seem to debilitate the fairy tale.
With the above understanding let us wade into my current thoughts. Being in this town for 5 years I have seen a common theme with the people I meet. Probably 98% of these individuals are what I would like to call "transitionary friends." Meaning that these young people that I have walked through college with or their young career stage is by definition a formative and transitionary period in their life. It is not a time of settling down, laying root to an area and committing an on-going donation of their life and labor to the College Station community. Typically our friendship is just as transitionary or seasonal as their education or young career formation. So that person male or female maybe a semi-close to close friend for about a year until they move on to the next step of life i.e. graduation, marriage, career, etc...
This is totally normal and healthy. People are young and college ageish, complete school, get good jobs, met someone, marry them and move off with them.
The 2% or so that don't and our friendships actively remain are generally those people that usually fall into one of the following categories or most likely all of them. They graduate and have no clear job direction or prospects, are still single, love hanging around with the college kids for selfish or selfless reasons, or get jobs in this area.
An exception to this is extremely dear friends that move off get married etc and yet we still remain close. These types of people possess great love for me and are truly a blessing and are a part of a bond only God could create. AKA - Mark Morris, Taylor, Jesse.
Well, I fall into that 2% category as you can already figure out. More specifically I yearn for community for a dear friend to walk with long after all of my college friends have been married or taken jobs elsewhere or both. I want someone to share my life with, the little things, the insignificant or foolish moments and the intimate and intense moments. This is not really the kind of need a dude can meet therefore, in short, I need a wife.
Its a neat thing God has shown me about my manhood and how I am created. It is also extremely encouraging and I hope that it encourages others. I was not made to live the rest of my life with people, guy or girl, blowing into and out of my life like the wind. I was made for community and the most intimate level of that community is family.
You may ask..."Why is that encouraging if you don't have a wife or family right now and are stuck at home by yourself with your cat?" Well, thats a great question. One reason is the Godly, and functional longing for that kind of intimate community is affirmed with scripture that I was not made to be alone and therefore gives me hope that one day in God's timing he will fulfill that longing my desires will be fulfilled by His grace. Basically, it reminds me that it is healthy to long for a wife and family and should raise a red flag and other inquires if that longing wasn't there.
If I was comfortable with getting close to people and then having them leave me and move on in life and i just was comfortable remaining in the same stage of life that would be valid cause for alarm. It also could be an indication to examine my life and see if I was made for singleness as a so to speak career move. Nope not digging it. Thanks God.
Also, it makes me utterly dependent on God to satisfy these desires of wanting to have this type of intimate family relationship while he with holds this from me.
Another thing that comes out of this is a sense of overwhelming healthy, Godly, anticipation of how "things" (meeting a lady, courting or dating her, etc..) are going to play out. Its sort of like being one or two people back in line for the best new intimidating roller coaster at a large theme park.
Back to reality =)
So I am still single at the end of writing this. That doesn't mean that I sit on my duff and wait for God to drop her out of the air it also doesn't mean that I go and load my quiver with Cupid's arrows then frequent every estrogen rich environment in town either.
No, I live and learn and press into God, with my eyes fixed firmly on Him, praying over these desires being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. What does that look like practically? Doesn't that sound over-spiritualized? Lets be careful to not do that. What I mean is simply this. Be an active part of God's community, the church. Love those in the church, love those outside the church, love those in other local bodies, of every gender and age, but don't get caught up in socializing and let that become and idol. Remain on mission for the things of God and then she, or he will appear. Not out of thin air, like some ridiculous "hocus, pocus," or scales will fall from your eyes like Saul, but the Lord is sovereign over our hearts and our affections and He will incline them in accordance with his will. You typically see God pair people as they are serving Him. This is not a great shocker because a family as Paul gets at in 1 Corinthians is a ministry.
This time is bittersweet. Displacement -yearning for more than the status quo of singleness and yet sweet because of the keeping and assurance of the Lord's promises and revelation. Don't be a bear my friends. Don't hibernate through the winter season of singleness, but venture out on the snowy valley and gaze up unto God's majestic mountain peaks above. May this began to melt away the bitterness and displacement upon the heart and warm it with joy and gratitude for the faithful mountain-maker.
Side note: Be careful about idolizing the Eric Ludy, Josh Harris, stupid courtship philosophy. A lot of that stuff is overspiritualized. I have had to combat that a lot lately. Its not that its bad or sinful it is just not superiorly wise or has some form of inherit righteousness if you follow everyone of their suggestions. Such a method does not universally apply to the body of Christ or it would be laid out in scripture. their dating/courtship methods are BASED on scripture but extrapolated into a dating philosophy so don't get legalistic and tied down if such a method doesn't work for you.
So I'm nearly 24 and I'm a single guy. No prospects, no "I would if...", Nope, nothing.
Right now its just me and my cat Zoe.
Now to give a little context for these thoughts that I'm about to unload you must know a few things about me.
First, I live in a sizeable college town, where there are young men and women socializing everywhere.
Secondly, I have wondered if God has just forgotten about this single guy, condemned me to singleness or worse yet, to walk with a woman that I love and care about her significantly more than she loves me. This has always been a battle for me because I feel very "normal" and wired for marriage yet circumstances seem to debilitate the fairy tale.
With the above understanding let us wade into my current thoughts. Being in this town for 5 years I have seen a common theme with the people I meet. Probably 98% of these individuals are what I would like to call "transitionary friends." Meaning that these young people that I have walked through college with or their young career stage is by definition a formative and transitionary period in their life. It is not a time of settling down, laying root to an area and committing an on-going donation of their life and labor to the College Station community. Typically our friendship is just as transitionary or seasonal as their education or young career formation. So that person male or female maybe a semi-close to close friend for about a year until they move on to the next step of life i.e. graduation, marriage, career, etc...
This is totally normal and healthy. People are young and college ageish, complete school, get good jobs, met someone, marry them and move off with them.
The 2% or so that don't and our friendships actively remain are generally those people that usually fall into one of the following categories or most likely all of them. They graduate and have no clear job direction or prospects, are still single, love hanging around with the college kids for selfish or selfless reasons, or get jobs in this area.
An exception to this is extremely dear friends that move off get married etc and yet we still remain close. These types of people possess great love for me and are truly a blessing and are a part of a bond only God could create. AKA - Mark Morris, Taylor, Jesse.
Well, I fall into that 2% category as you can already figure out. More specifically I yearn for community for a dear friend to walk with long after all of my college friends have been married or taken jobs elsewhere or both. I want someone to share my life with, the little things, the insignificant or foolish moments and the intimate and intense moments. This is not really the kind of need a dude can meet therefore, in short, I need a wife.
Its a neat thing God has shown me about my manhood and how I am created. It is also extremely encouraging and I hope that it encourages others. I was not made to live the rest of my life with people, guy or girl, blowing into and out of my life like the wind. I was made for community and the most intimate level of that community is family.
You may ask..."Why is that encouraging if you don't have a wife or family right now and are stuck at home by yourself with your cat?" Well, thats a great question. One reason is the Godly, and functional longing for that kind of intimate community is affirmed with scripture that I was not made to be alone and therefore gives me hope that one day in God's timing he will fulfill that longing my desires will be fulfilled by His grace. Basically, it reminds me that it is healthy to long for a wife and family and should raise a red flag and other inquires if that longing wasn't there.
If I was comfortable with getting close to people and then having them leave me and move on in life and i just was comfortable remaining in the same stage of life that would be valid cause for alarm. It also could be an indication to examine my life and see if I was made for singleness as a so to speak career move. Nope not digging it. Thanks God.
Also, it makes me utterly dependent on God to satisfy these desires of wanting to have this type of intimate family relationship while he with holds this from me.
Another thing that comes out of this is a sense of overwhelming healthy, Godly, anticipation of how "things" (meeting a lady, courting or dating her, etc..) are going to play out. Its sort of like being one or two people back in line for the best new intimidating roller coaster at a large theme park.
Back to reality =)
So I am still single at the end of writing this. That doesn't mean that I sit on my duff and wait for God to drop her out of the air it also doesn't mean that I go and load my quiver with Cupid's arrows then frequent every estrogen rich environment in town either.
No, I live and learn and press into God, with my eyes fixed firmly on Him, praying over these desires being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. What does that look like practically? Doesn't that sound over-spiritualized? Lets be careful to not do that. What I mean is simply this. Be an active part of God's community, the church. Love those in the church, love those outside the church, love those in other local bodies, of every gender and age, but don't get caught up in socializing and let that become and idol. Remain on mission for the things of God and then she, or he will appear. Not out of thin air, like some ridiculous "hocus, pocus," or scales will fall from your eyes like Saul, but the Lord is sovereign over our hearts and our affections and He will incline them in accordance with his will. You typically see God pair people as they are serving Him. This is not a great shocker because a family as Paul gets at in 1 Corinthians is a ministry.
This time is bittersweet. Displacement -yearning for more than the status quo of singleness and yet sweet because of the keeping and assurance of the Lord's promises and revelation. Don't be a bear my friends. Don't hibernate through the winter season of singleness, but venture out on the snowy valley and gaze up unto God's majestic mountain peaks above. May this began to melt away the bitterness and displacement upon the heart and warm it with joy and gratitude for the faithful mountain-maker.
Side note: Be careful about idolizing the Eric Ludy, Josh Harris, stupid courtship philosophy. A lot of that stuff is overspiritualized. I have had to combat that a lot lately. Its not that its bad or sinful it is just not superiorly wise or has some form of inherit righteousness if you follow everyone of their suggestions. Such a method does not universally apply to the body of Christ or it would be laid out in scripture. their dating/courtship methods are BASED on scripture but extrapolated into a dating philosophy so don't get legalistic and tied down if such a method doesn't work for you.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Romanticizing Africa
A thought I had today as I was therapy walking in the park. I have to write it down. It was almost as clear as an audible from God.
"I don't have a right to go and die in Africa, until I am willing to die and be humiliated openly here in America. It seems that to run off to Africa or China and die for the cause of Christ is more than a Martyr complex and its more than being foolish, its extremely cowardly. Christ was scorned and rejected, openly humiliated and beaten by His own people the Jews. I hope I remember that. Lately the hardest thing for me to do is to call people out in my own body. To deal with the hypocrisy around me and in my own life. That kinda stuff is really humiliating and foundational to the Christ-exalting missional mindest."
"Don't woos out, thats the ultimate sell out, be a man"
It is truly a time to be bold. I love Living Hope and there is a lot of authenticity in this body but there is a ton of religiosity I'm seeing. I know when I get pressed on it or confront it I'm gonna take some flack. It will probably be sorrowful, but I have to die to that scorn for the sake of holiness and truth among the body.
I really hope we get away from this actions and attitude like we have it all together. Religion sells but their is no warranty. Praise You Jesus for being the foundational rock.
"I don't have a right to go and die in Africa, until I am willing to die and be humiliated openly here in America. It seems that to run off to Africa or China and die for the cause of Christ is more than a Martyr complex and its more than being foolish, its extremely cowardly. Christ was scorned and rejected, openly humiliated and beaten by His own people the Jews. I hope I remember that. Lately the hardest thing for me to do is to call people out in my own body. To deal with the hypocrisy around me and in my own life. That kinda stuff is really humiliating and foundational to the Christ-exalting missional mindest."
"Don't woos out, thats the ultimate sell out, be a man"
It is truly a time to be bold. I love Living Hope and there is a lot of authenticity in this body but there is a ton of religiosity I'm seeing. I know when I get pressed on it or confront it I'm gonna take some flack. It will probably be sorrowful, but I have to die to that scorn for the sake of holiness and truth among the body.
I really hope we get away from this actions and attitude like we have it all together. Religion sells but their is no warranty. Praise You Jesus for being the foundational rock.
Sound Bites from the Battlefield
I spent the evening yesterday with the Living hope off shoot church start beginning in Bryan. After a time of hanging out and eating we entered into a time of prayer.
One woman as we were praying mentioned God you have shown me these hard things that you are asking me to sacrifice (paraphrase) "please give me joy to do what you ask me to" I thought that was breath-takingly authentic as she wept extensively over her situation.
God would joy of who you are accompany us through the valley of the shadow of death. May we fear no evil, may we find sparks of hope. May the breeze of the Spirit carry away the stale air.
As Cornelius prayed in Mark "Lord I believe, help me in my unbelief"
May we taste and see how good you are, may we in a very real and practical way find joy in you as we attempt to be disciplined and follow you. God enable us with your spirit
One woman as we were praying mentioned God you have shown me these hard things that you are asking me to sacrifice (paraphrase) "please give me joy to do what you ask me to" I thought that was breath-takingly authentic as she wept extensively over her situation.
God would joy of who you are accompany us through the valley of the shadow of death. May we fear no evil, may we find sparks of hope. May the breeze of the Spirit carry away the stale air.
As Cornelius prayed in Mark "Lord I believe, help me in my unbelief"
May we taste and see how good you are, may we in a very real and practical way find joy in you as we attempt to be disciplined and follow you. God enable us with your spirit
Monday, July 21, 2008
"You don't exude joy like you use to"
If you have read the title of this entry (I'm assuming you have) maybe you can understand where I am going with this.
The other day I reconnected with a guy that has been out of my life for probably close to 5 or 6 years. He ironically goes to the same church that i do and we re-met there. We began to catchup and to talk about our lives, talk about where we have been, what God is up to with us and kinda who we are now. I began to catch him up on me and he just kinda stopped me in mid sentence and said "you don't exude joy like you use to". It was all I could do to keep myself from crying. I have never been cut so deeply by words. It wasn't due to a girl or a circumstance or anything else but an observation of a dear friend. All I could say is "you're right". Part of it was pride and part embarrassment and part just sadness, lamenting of how beautiful and joyful of a follower of Christ I was. Now I'm just a seemingly washed up guy that will forever be a second-rate Christian. (I know that is not a clear picture of how Christ views me and my true identity, but it is how I feel)
I never dreamed words could really hurt that much and have such an ongoing hurtful effect. It was one of the most depressing moments of my life. Oh the irony. I have been cheated on, manipulated, laughed at, humiliated, embarrassed, may things but pointing out that I exuded the joy of Christ almost without effort because I was so intertwined with him and now I don't words can not express how displacing and alienating that makes me feel.
God I want you, God I want to be like you, love you and possess the joy of my salvation. Make it alive and new, make it fresh and pure. Glory to you king Jesus. May I once again follow you so closely so intimately that my identity is lost in you. My person is indistinguishable from the character of Christ. Beautiful One only you can make this possible. I repent of my sinful, selfish wondering, I repent of going to Tarshish and following myslef rather than the tough by blessed path you have for me. Restore me Jesus. Redeem me to yourself. Thank You Jesus
The other day I reconnected with a guy that has been out of my life for probably close to 5 or 6 years. He ironically goes to the same church that i do and we re-met there. We began to catchup and to talk about our lives, talk about where we have been, what God is up to with us and kinda who we are now. I began to catch him up on me and he just kinda stopped me in mid sentence and said "you don't exude joy like you use to". It was all I could do to keep myself from crying. I have never been cut so deeply by words. It wasn't due to a girl or a circumstance or anything else but an observation of a dear friend. All I could say is "you're right". Part of it was pride and part embarrassment and part just sadness, lamenting of how beautiful and joyful of a follower of Christ I was. Now I'm just a seemingly washed up guy that will forever be a second-rate Christian. (I know that is not a clear picture of how Christ views me and my true identity, but it is how I feel)
I never dreamed words could really hurt that much and have such an ongoing hurtful effect. It was one of the most depressing moments of my life. Oh the irony. I have been cheated on, manipulated, laughed at, humiliated, embarrassed, may things but pointing out that I exuded the joy of Christ almost without effort because I was so intertwined with him and now I don't words can not express how displacing and alienating that makes me feel.
God I want you, God I want to be like you, love you and possess the joy of my salvation. Make it alive and new, make it fresh and pure. Glory to you king Jesus. May I once again follow you so closely so intimately that my identity is lost in you. My person is indistinguishable from the character of Christ. Beautiful One only you can make this possible. I repent of my sinful, selfish wondering, I repent of going to Tarshish and following myslef rather than the tough by blessed path you have for me. Restore me Jesus. Redeem me to yourself. Thank You Jesus
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Resuscitation
"Do Not Resuscitate"
The pale chest read
A lifeless fate
Already chosen
So is this the way we play our cards
Is this the brightest of the stars
To fold the hand that we've been dealt
To call the game before its over
Fatigue with your fear
I choose to cuddle hope
If she dies in my arms
I will not let her die alone
So give and taste the dirt I was made of
The sin I was marred by
The blood sprinkled over the mercy seat
And the Spirit active in me
The pale chest read
A lifeless fate
Already chosen
So is this the way we play our cards
Is this the brightest of the stars
To fold the hand that we've been dealt
To call the game before its over
Fatigue with your fear
I choose to cuddle hope
If she dies in my arms
I will not let her die alone
So give and taste the dirt I was made of
The sin I was marred by
The blood sprinkled over the mercy seat
And the Spirit active in me
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