Look at Jesus and find an interessting collection of what people think Jesus might look like!

Hi everyone. We just moved this site back to its original address. The conversation we had last year was a great one. Then it stopped. We need to start another- I am open to suggestions.
How do we want to use this site?
At present, it is the largest, longest running international Christian blog site. But still, if we all dont need it, I would be happy to kill it and start something else.
I was hoping that more developing countries would be involved but that has not happened. Lets see if we can extend the technology to them as well as an invitation.
In the meantime, this is your site.What do you want to do with it?
oh yeah - I put a comments link on the site.

What's up in Europe?

Hey guys, things are moving in Europe. Check out some developments at Marc's Messages. Topics: raising up apostolic leaders (with unexpected lessons from the Church in China), Lighthouses take off in Norway, influencing our culture, multi-media worship, Pim Fortuyn remembered, seven reasons why I blog, a report from E:merge, thoughts about church planting in youth/student culture, no more tithing, Pete Greig's gripes about the pomo-pogo arty crowd, and more...

My new Blog. Check it our FutureMargins.com

"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic."
Anonymous

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?

"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!

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.

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.

Evangelical Views of Islam -- Beliefnet.com

Evangelical Views of Islampoll results are in.

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.

live from baghdad

live from baghdad its salam pax get a first account of the war from a guy who lives in baghdad

Added
I've uploaded the Graceway outdoor peace service if anyone wants to do a similar thing in their neighbourhood.

Prayer
Bombs started landing on Bagdad about 2:30 pm New Zealand time yesterday. A quick ring around and a group of us gathered publically in the local village square after work (7 pm). We had pre-prepared a short service. We laid out some candles and used chalk to write on the pavement an explanation of what we were doing. We read Scripture, thought about children, lit candles, prayed the Lords Prayer.

It was nice to be public with our faith. A number of bystanders joined us, thanked us or lit candles and moved on. It was beautifully peaceful, with the fountain splashing and candles glowing.

We'll do the same again tonight.

Update from Europe

Time for an update from my side of the world...



David Sörensen, a young Belgian designer, developed several excellent websites for spiritual seekers in cyberspace: Real Life, Heavenisopen.com and Moreofgod.com. Check out the God Tour.

Redesigned the Joel News website. Check out what God is doing worldwide.



On my blogsite Marc's Messages I wrote some interesting stuff on 'Jesus groups' and other expressions of organic church. Also available is a report of the DAWN Europe consultation on churchplanting in Europe.

I worked on an overview of what's happening in the youth prayer scene in Europe, as a preparation for our Connect Europe team meeting in The Hague last weekend. Over the weekend we prayed and talked about the emerging youth prayer movements in Europe. How can we bless what God is doing? For your information: of the 47 nations in Europe 7 have a national youth prayer movement, 27 have local/regional youth prayer initiatives and 13 have no youth prayer initiative at all. A lot of prayer stuff is happening, like young Catholics in the Netherlands who set apart a whole year to pray for the Holy Spirit.



Ronald van der Molen decided to close his weblog Dutch Traveller. Too bad! At least there's one person mourning...

lentblog

the season of lent begins today - ash wednesday. it's a time of repentance, a time of focusing afresh on god and a time of preparation for easter. neglected in some parts of the church, but in others one of the most important times in the church calendar. at grace we are running a lentblog. someone from the community will be posting food for thought/prayer/reflection for the forty days of lent. do join with us.....

Reuters | Latest Financial News / Full News Coverage

Reuters acknowledges Blogs4God, a "semi-definitive list of Christian Blogs" (http://blogs4god.com). Thanks Coop.

24-7 Prayer

24-7 Prayer update - Last week every minute of every day was filled with intercession in 23 Prayer Rooms around the world.

CERGE-EI

Dr. Jan Sokol, a committed believer, is the candidate for this Friday's election of a new President of the Czech Republic. God's man for the right time? Some of us believe so - pray for sucess this Friday.

I just ordered Jonny's book.

hope you don't mind the plug but wanted to share the joy and relief at finally getting the book and cd rom alternative worship out. along with doug gay and jenny brown i have been working on it for a loooong time. i have blogged about it here. for those of you familiar with the 'prodigal project' it's kind of a follow on to that....

.: Tall Skinny Kiwi :.

Tall Skinny Kiwi has some good thoughts on putting the SERVICE back into 'worship service'.

Gordon MacDonald made an interessting remark. He said that in Germany in the 1930s many pious, bible believing Christians trusted Hitler because they had heard the rumor that he - like them - was reading the moravian paroles (a kind of daily scripture reading very popular to this day). When he started doing things that were not in line with scripture they did not dare to critzize him ("He must be a pious man if he reads the paroles") but said: "Well probably he has access to information that is not available for us therefore he is doing things we simply cannot understand). MacDonalds conclusion: "NO political leader - no matter how much we may sympathize with him must be permitted to do whatever he wants, without us questioning him, simpy because he seems to be inclined towards our beliefs."

welcome to www.culturalshift.net

culturalshift is on today in England. Pray that it goes well. I am not there this year, but i made it to the last two of them.