God’s Plan? – Part 3

So I guess talking about God’s Plan does not interest any body. But I am curious if there are no thoughts, comments, questions or ponders on this issue is it because those that saw the posts feel that it is an unanswerable issue or because you feel the issues is not worth addressing? I am seriously asking and this is my last attempt to get some thoughts on this issue. Seeking to know God’s plan for my life has driven me down every path that I have taken. I don’t consider it minor issue that is irrelevant to our lives. I read how God lead those that served him in both the Old and New Testament. He told them to stay, to leave, to go here and go there. I believe God would want to intentional and specifically lead us today if we would be willing to believe that he wants to speak to us about it.

God's Plan? - Part 2

What does this verse tell you as you go to find God’s leading or will in your life?

Isaiah 30:20-21
21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."

Please leave me your thoughts and interpretation and any reasons you have for that!
I see two options: 1 God will tell you which way he wants you to go when you get to the fork in road of life. 2 God is saying (because of context) that if you are walking with Me either way is good as long as you are walking with Me. Or there is a 3rd option.
What do you think?

God's Plan? - Part 1

God's Plan! I hear Christians and non Christians alike talking about God's plan or God's will, and this is a very challenging thing to talk about. Many are looking to know what God’s "plan" is for their lives. And when things go wrong many begin asking why God would let bad things happen. These are both difficult issues to address. One of the ever popular verses regarding these is the great verse from Jeremiah 29:11.

Jer 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This is a great verse to read and a powerful one to hear in times of looking and wondering for answers about life. But it is easy to quote a verse and “claim it” and then wonder why thing don’t happen like the verse says it should. Many times when things don’t seem to be “prospering” and we are experiencing “harm” we start to question God and ask others why God would let bad things happen when he promises good. The way this verse is thrown out there as a simple answer is to misrepresent God and his word. God’s plan for our lives might be able to be summed up in this verse but a world that does not go according to plan can not. God says He has a plan but just by looking at the nation of Israel (to which whom this is written) it is obvious that they did not always prosper and we know that they did experience harm. So is God a liar? Do we just not have enough faith? Or do our actions or sin that go against God’s desire for our lives keep us from experiencing that plan quoted above?

The Emerging Church Part 3

I would like to say one last thing. I am for just about everything I have read that the Emerging Church wants to do. And I agree with just about everything they see as problems in many of our Church’s today. I know at some point many feel they can’t make a difference any more and separation is the only option. I know some like the argument that we have already been separating for hundreds of years, what’s a little more? But I do believe Jesus’ words when he said:
Mark 3:24-25
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
And when he said:
Matt 16:18
I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Both of Jesus' words will ring true for all time. I have been part of a church for 10 years that I have “wanted to leave” many times but how would that have been edifying to the body, God’s church? I want to see change. I want to see the church become a powerful tool in our communities and in our world. The more that I have these desire the more I see that we, as a community of believes, both in our local churches and the world, will be ultimately more effective and powerful if we are all fighting the same fight. It does take more time if one is gathering a larger army but I believe it is time spent well if we can look back and see a church that is fighting together instead of fighting against each other.

I would say to the Emerging Church, which I would consider myself emerging with; Emerge within our churches and lead those churches into a place were they are more of what God desires His church to be. Lead them don't leave them. Make leaving the last option not the first.

The Emerging Church Part 2

Sadly I did not get the comments I was looking for after my first post, however I will still offer some of my thoughts in hope of others offering theirs. One thing is for certain. The Emerging church really has no true definition. Part of who they are is defined in their desire to not have a specific definition. However I have found common themes. The first is that they wish to be different then the Christian “church” cultures at which they live or grew up in become what the church is “supposed to be”. (I am in no way implying that this is a bad thing by using quotes. But I am saying that to try to become the way it is “supposed to be” is up to different interpretations and views.) The second is a desire to universally accept people and support them on their own spiritual journey, where ever that might lead. The third is to see the church take an active role in the lives of those they touch or are not directly touching through openness and advocating and living social justice.

Are any of these things wrong? Maybe not but I do fear the way in which it is being done, through leaving the current church and going out to start their own communities. I believe this is leading them down the same path for which they desire to move away from currently. Recognizing culture change is a very biblical thing to do to reach those around us with the message of Jesus, what worked 20 years ago may not work today and therefore it is valid to seek how to reach the cultural we are in. However in 20 years that cultural will change. Is it a good thing to see Christians have an exodus from the church every 20 years because people don’t believe in the current church any more? Or is it better to be unified, recognizing that Jesus said that the church is the hope of the world (that includes those that aren’t being culturally relevant) and work from within to bring about biblical changes. If there are changes to be made and problems to fix should we not use unity to strengthen, grow and change our communities instead of running and leaving those who love and worship the same God. The world sees how we act toward each other as much as they see the way we act toward them.

The Emerging Church Part 1

I have been reading and hearing more about what some call “The Emerging Church”. Larry King as talked about it, Newsweek did an article about it and many others both secular and Christian have been talking about it. Just about every time it is talked about the discussion opens with the question: “What is The Emerging Church?” I have some thought on it but I am curious about what you know, or think about his “new” thing. First of all I am not out to speak against it. I am curious about what others think about it. How do you define it? What is it to you? I am doing some more reading on it right now so my thoughts will come with my next post. But before I do, as part of my research let me know what it is to you or to those that you know. Have you ever been to or been apart of an Emerging Church? Let me know!

Money, The Church, and God

Money, the church, and God, one of the issues the church is most negatively known for. I grew up in the church and for the most part have not thought negatively about this issue but I know that many do. Even people that are very committed to the church seem to struggle with the issue of giving money to their church. I read something a few days ago: “Why is it that $20 seems like so little for dinner and a movie but seems like so much when we give it to the church.” One response to the question that I heard was that, as Americans, we are always being consumers. When we give $20 for dinner and a movie we see what we are getting back but when we give to the church we don’t see ourselves getting anything out of it or from it. How do you feel about this issue? If you regularly attend a church do you give to it? Do you follow the 10% approach or do you have your own. If you believe you are supposed to give to the church (to God) do you believe that there is a responsibility to give to your local church or is it up to you to whom you give it to?

Willing To See

I ended my last blog with this statement: “Can you truly defend a belief that has no evidence for existing therefore it is a belief that can come only by faith?” I would come back and say that I think this statement is only half true. Ultimately believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who came to earth and died to pay the price that our sin owed does come by faith. It is something I have no real proof for. However, when I read about what Jesus did I am compelled to wonder; “If this man really lived (which there historical evidence of) and really did the things written about him, then it seems compelling to say there might be reasons to believe in what he said.” Now I am not removing the faith element. I still believe that faith plays the strongest role in my relationship with Jesus but I can say that my faith has been confirmed by things I have experienced in my life. Again those are my own experiences and many would say that I choose to see things a certain way in order to confirm what I believe. Sometimes that might be true. But I have had things happen to me when I didn’t want them to or that I could not have created on my own that confirm my faith in a God that is real, alive, and active in my life. My faith believes in my God, Jesus Christ, but what has happened in my life reveals to me the truth and reality of my faith being real in the world around me.

Can You Defend Your Faith

“Defend your faith!" That was a statement I heard many times growing up in church and youth group. But I was thinking about that statement recently and was wondering what that really means. Can I truly defend my faith? I may have heard it growing up in a Christian environment but I don’t think that it is limited to there. I grew up next to a family that was Muslim and as kids playing together we didn’t really know the differences in our faiths until one day we talked about who Jesus was. Even as a 10 yr old we both felt compelled to “defend our faiths” and I tried, to whatever extent a 10yr old could interact with another one on that level, to defend my faith. But the very nature of the word faith implies a belief in something we can not prove. So if we each have our own faiths can we truly defend it? Do you believe you can truly defend your faith, whatever that might be? Even if you are an atheist you to must feel inclined to defend what you believe and since there is no proof that there is no God even someone who believes in nothing believes that by faith. So I ask the questions again hoping someone will tell me. Can you truly defend a belief that has no evidence for existing therefore it is a belief that can come only by faith?

Beginning

This is my first post thanks to my friend David Best. I look forward to more to come!