Friday, April 25, 2003
A big global confab on Islam starts up at Oxford in a few days.
Conflicting Leadership Styles
Consider this paradox...Faith communities lead by ministers who are "pastoral types" generally don't grow, but you can't grow unless you care for people. (Crop rotation doesn't count as growth)
If a community becomes a spiritual hospital, focused primarily on bandaging wounds--it tends not to develop the muscular faith necessary to engage the postmodern world. I wonder--are pastoral care and visionary leadership incompatible?
Comment & Question: I authored a blog titled "GraceAwakening" I discontiunued that blog at the end of 2002. I am ready to begin blogging again...but I need someone to help me design a cool looking blog...anyone have a contact for me?
Consider this paradox...Faith communities lead by ministers who are "pastoral types" generally don't grow, but you can't grow unless you care for people. (Crop rotation doesn't count as growth)
If a community becomes a spiritual hospital, focused primarily on bandaging wounds--it tends not to develop the muscular faith necessary to engage the postmodern world. I wonder--are pastoral care and visionary leadership incompatible?
Comment & Question: I authored a blog titled "GraceAwakening" I discontiunued that blog at the end of 2002. I am ready to begin blogging again...but I need someone to help me design a cool looking blog...anyone have a contact for me?
Sunday, April 20, 2003
"As Christians we tend to put the Great Commission [to preach the Gospel to all mankind] before the great commandement [to love God and to love men]...Quote found in Jack Frost Experiencing the fathers Embrace (cool book for those who find it hard to love - themselves, God or others...).
Happy Easter to Everybody...Everybody...and every member of the body, too!
Happy Easter to Everybody...Everybody...and every member of the body, too!
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
Marc, the nice guy from Joel News wrote about what is happening in Berlin:
JN438-2. PRAYER FOCUS: 50 days of prayer for Berlin
From Easter to Pentecost the Berlin city network 'Together for Berlin' is calling the church to prayer for their city. A booklet has been produced in German and English to provide specific prayer information.
Let's pray that the '50 days' will fan the spirit of prayer in Berlin and elsewhere, that people will be ignited with new love for their city, and that churches of all sorts would be motivated to join in.
Coordinator Kerstin Hack writes: "In German there is a saying 'Not allowing anybody to steal the butter from your slice of bread' - meaning 'Not allowing anybody to take from you what is rightfully yours'. More and more Christians in Berlin are fed up with the enemy having stolen so much 'butter' right from under our eyes and we are more and more motivated to start a godly revolution against this. We are grateful for all the support we get in this endeavour from other cities and places. Thanks for joining hands with us!"
Get the booklet and join in. The English version is for free (download).
English version for Download
If you want the German verison in Print mail to shop@down-to-earth.de (it costs 3 Euro + postage) and is really nice (if you understand German).
Here in Berlin we are really excited about all the encouragement we get from outside of Berlin (Germany and the World!) - joining hands and prayers with us to make Berlin a God place.
JN438-2. PRAYER FOCUS: 50 days of prayer for Berlin
From Easter to Pentecost the Berlin city network 'Together for Berlin' is calling the church to prayer for their city. A booklet has been produced in German and English to provide specific prayer information.
Let's pray that the '50 days' will fan the spirit of prayer in Berlin and elsewhere, that people will be ignited with new love for their city, and that churches of all sorts would be motivated to join in.
Coordinator Kerstin Hack writes: "In German there is a saying 'Not allowing anybody to steal the butter from your slice of bread' - meaning 'Not allowing anybody to take from you what is rightfully yours'. More and more Christians in Berlin are fed up with the enemy having stolen so much 'butter' right from under our eyes and we are more and more motivated to start a godly revolution against this. We are grateful for all the support we get in this endeavour from other cities and places. Thanks for joining hands with us!"
Get the booklet and join in. The English version is for free (download).
English version for Download
If you want the German verison in Print mail to shop@down-to-earth.de (it costs 3 Euro + postage) and is really nice (if you understand German).
Here in Berlin we are really excited about all the encouragement we get from outside of Berlin (Germany and the World!) - joining hands and prayers with us to make Berlin a God place.
Monday, April 14, 2003
alt.worship.saskatoon
We are getting ready to launch an alternative worship group in our city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada called the Worship Freehouse on April 27th in a dank Jazz Club in the downtown core. We covet your prayers as we get ready to launch. The lead up has been amazing and painful at the same time but we are looking forward to seeing what God has called us all to.
Wednesday, April 09, 2003
Monday, April 07, 2003
To understand the present it is good to look at history. Right now I am reading The secret of their strength - which can be downloaded. A book about a movement of people during the time of the reformation who lived as communities of believers, shared their lives, faith and possession, took the words of Jesus seriously, believed in the Holy Spirit to dwell in them and guide them. A movement that grew like wildfire with thousands of people deciding to follow Christ in the course of a few months and years.
For the crime of following Christ, but not accepting the established church as "supreme authority" they were killed by the sword, fire (burning them on a stack), drowned, shot, driven into houses that were then set aflame....thousands of our brothers and sisters. I did not know this. History told me that "some bad catholics" persecuted the "good protestants", but no one told me that "the good protestants" also turned around and killed their brothers and sisters in Christ.
Apart from some gruelsome details (have your tissues or vomiting bags close at hand) it is fascinating reading how they lived and built their communities, followed Christ in their daily lives, understood the Bible (they dared to try to follow the commands of Jesus)...they were true revolutionaries. Men and women to be admired - and followed.
For the crime of following Christ, but not accepting the established church as "supreme authority" they were killed by the sword, fire (burning them on a stack), drowned, shot, driven into houses that were then set aflame....thousands of our brothers and sisters. I did not know this. History told me that "some bad catholics" persecuted the "good protestants", but no one told me that "the good protestants" also turned around and killed their brothers and sisters in Christ.
Apart from some gruelsome details (have your tissues or vomiting bags close at hand) it is fascinating reading how they lived and built their communities, followed Christ in their daily lives, understood the Bible (they dared to try to follow the commands of Jesus)...they were true revolutionaries. Men and women to be admired - and followed.
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