Loving, Learning, and Leading

"Pounds like thunder within my breast All the anger, all my humanness. And, though I call you Lord, I must confess I''m a stranger to your holiness A stranger to your holiness" --Steve Camp in Stranger to Holiness (1985) "*Reads news* *Looks in mirror* I will not despair.  I will defiantly identify in myself that  Which I hate in others and I will be kind" --Nadia Bolz-Weber @sacrcasticluther 7/16/16 “God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:5-7, 9 NLT We live in unprecedented times.  The degree of violence, mistrust, deception, and division within our communities seems like it has been building and building and there is a sense of an impending explosion.  We have seen tragedy upon tragedy ...

“We need to be willing to replace our agendas with God’s agenda, put God’s will above our wills, and replace our priorities with God’s priorities.” — Richard Stearns in Unfinished “ The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” ” John 1:35-38 ESV Lately, I have been studying the gospels, looking at their applications in regards to concepts of community, discipleship, and Jesus' understanding and use of power.  I took several months to go through the book of Mark and now have begun the gospel of John. In this early scene from John's gospel (John 1:35-38 above), we have the well known prophet, John the Baptist revealing to his own disciples, and previously, to the scribes,...

“ God intends for us to fight sin as an army, not as a soldier.” — Gary Thomas in Thirsting For God “Satan does not fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God.” — Deitrich Bonhoeffer in Temptation “pray without ceasing,” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Although I have followed Jesus for many years, God has taken the last couple of weeks to remind me of the necessity of prayer.  Not only the importance, or the priority of prayer, but the essential role of prayer that is foundational for a healthy spirituality, a healthy marriage, and a healthy church.  So often, prayer is something that is done "if we have time" and this leaves us spiritually dry.  In a spiritual catch-22, we become spiritually destitite because we do not have an active prayer life, then in our destitution, we pray. Last month, I visited a young dynamic church (www. red4christministries.com)  that was holding an outdoor worship and community picnic.  During the worship service, a couple perfo...

" Prayer is the method, and the Holy Spirit is the mechanism whereby God has given us the ability to discern His direction in our lives "~Richard Stearn in Unfinished " Prayer is openness to God in faith "~David G. Benner in Spirituality and the Awakened Self “ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer .”” Mark 9:27-29 ESV According to yahoo news, the movie War Room was the leading box office draw this weekend.   War room is a film about a couple with a struggling marriage who have a divine intervention with the introduction of intercessory prayer into their lives.  It is an unapologetically Christian film. So, let me get this out of the way after seeing it this weekend. The acting is poor, the writing is definitely subpar, and the plot is predictible, very cli...

"Its clear that an essential way to stop the violence and the despair in our culture is to engage in activities that bring us empathy and conviviality"~Cecile Andrews in Living Room Revolution "Justice without might is helpless; might without justice is tyrannical"~Pascal in Pense "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!~Jesus of Nazareth  (Luke 12:49) Dr. Cheryl Sanders wrote that the first step of empowerment of a people is the expression of testimony.  Not the testimonies that we often get in the traditional "testimony service", but an uninterrupted expression of one's experiences using the witnesses own words, language, and forms.  Often, in our sincere desire, to help others, we rush into the area and begin to rescue.  In that rescue attempt, we often articulate "their needs". and silence the voices of those who desire empowerment.  Paradoxically, we further diminish the dignit...

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.  Proverbs 11:2 The Sin of pride undergirds racism.  Pride is a misdirected self-love that regards others as being inferior to the individual or race.~Lisa Sharon Harper in Forgive Us: Confessions of a Compromised Faith Racism need not be malicious or intentional to be.~Monica Harrold Last month, after the massacre of nine African-American people in Charleston S. Carolina by a self-identified White Supremacist who posted pictures of himself displaying what is commonly understood to be the confederate flag (Understanding that the flag used most often to commemorate Confederacy is quite different than what was used by the Confederacy).  In response to the tragedy, cries were renewed to remove that same flag, that had been flying at the South Carolina Statehouse since 1961.   It is heartbreaking, to realize that it took a tragedy of this degree to even initiate a real discussion on...

"Trust is a function of two things: Character and competence.  Character includes your integrity, your motive, your intent with people.  Competence includes your capabilities, your skills, your results, and your history. "~ Stephen MR Covey in The Speed of Trust "The moment there is suspicion about a person's motives, everything he does becomes tainted .~ Mahatma Gandhi' "What's important, though, is that at last we're confronting the issue of declining trust in our culture.  As trust declines, we quit believing in each other; we don't feel safe because we trust no one."~Cecile Andrews in Living Room Revolution Romans 13:3-4 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. (NLT) The single most important asset in any community is trust.  Trust is simply the ability to have confid...