manna?

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Posted by Mike Boyink

The Come-To-Us stance taken by the attractional church is unbiblical. It’s not found in the Gospels or the epistles. Jesus, Paul, the disciples, the early church leaders had a Go-To-Them mentality. Full Post >>

Very thought provoking article, found via Jordon Coopers blog.  It points out three issues with contemporary church:

The Christendom-era church has these three flaws in its DNA; it is attractional, dualistic and hierarchical.

Well worth the read.

A Lesson in being Missional

Posted by Mike Boyink

We were at the Salvation Army store the other day, picking up a used couch for my office.  After I pulled the car and trailer up to the door and got out to walk in the store, I followed in a slightly older couple.  I sensed he was watching me, and as soon as I started pulling the cushions off the couch, he was there, asking if I needed help carrying it out.  I declined, saying I had my wife there, and carried the cushions out to the car.  Coming back in the store, I saw that he had engaged Crissa in conversation, something along the lines of “disliking shopping so much he’d rather carry heavy things”.  Once again he offered and I accepted, and we carried out the couch and put it in the trailer.

Then he handed me a Bible tract.  And, contrary to my usual reaction, I didn’t have a problem accepting it.

I think this guy is onto something.  Rather than walking up in my driveway and interrupting me while I’m busy washing the car and on a schedule to get somewhere (like a book club..;), he found a way to break the ice a bit first.  And I’ll bet he’s more successful because of it.

I’m not sure I’ll ever be a “tract-hander-outer”, but I think there’s a lesson here in how to be more missional in the day-to-day stuff that fills our lives.

Deeper Walk: Are We There Yet?

Posted by Ed and Lois

Article By Dan Leinbaugh (Thanks To Relevant magazine)

He sat across the table from me at a Subway and retold a story that had changed his life. As he recalled the struggle of climbing Mt. Fuji in the dark and being one of the few to make it to the top as the sun rose over the land of the rising sun, his voice cracked slightly and his eyes became intense. It was a pivotal point in his life when God revealed to him the millions of people that were living in darkness and without hope. God had put a passion in him on that mountain that would change the rest of his life.

I realized two things that day: first, I’m not losing any weight eating at Subway, and second, I hate stories like that. I hate stories like that pretty much because I don’t have a story like that.

Most of us haven’t stood on a windswept mountaintop where, in an instant, God laid out the purpose of our lives. And, while God seems to speak to some as loud as a trumpet blast, for most of us, the still, small voice of God is just that: very still and very small. And so we sit, ears strained, trying to hear God, just in case He might say something to us ... anything.

Super-spiritual people point to Moses, who sat around staring at bushes for 40 years until he was ready to be used by God. Or Abraham, who was one billion years old before God followed through with His promise of starting a nation through him. And in response, I nod my head in understanding, but inside my heart is breaking. Will it really be that long before God gives me something significant to do? Before He gives me a purpose? When will I arrive?

In the meantime, I continue my spiritual journey in the backseat, pestering God. “Am I there yet? Am I there yet? How much longer?”

Jesus told a story about a boss who, before leaving on a long journey, entrusted his employees with varying amounts of cash with the idea that there would be a good return on his investment. You will recall that two of the employees doubled the money, while the last guy buried what he had for fear he’d lose it all. But what is really striking in that story is the line that is repeated several times: “You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.”

Maybe I want to change the world, but have I changed my apartment building? My neighborhood? My church? Even myself? Have I taken a backseat in my spiritual journey, waiting for “the” moment to arrive while thousands of moments pass me by?

T.S. Eliot said, “We had the experience, but missed the meaning.” Every day God places experiences before us. Most of them are small and easy to miss, but they are packed with enough meaning and significance to change lives. The key is being faithful with a few things.

I Don’t Like Church Anymore

Posted by Ed and Lois

Interesting article by Doug Tappan in Relevant Magazine

I’ve decided I don’t like going to church. It’s not that I’m going to stop going. But I came to the conclusion last Sunday, as I was showering before church, that I’ve come to the point where I just don’t feel like it makes a difference in my life. When Sunday morning comes, I find myself wishing it were Saturday where I would have the entire day to do whatever I wanted.

It hasn’t always been this way. I used to love going to church. I would look forward to it every week. I loved the worship time, ate up the preaching and enjoyed the fellowship with the people around me. However, all this has begun to change for me lately. I’ve come to the point where I don’t want to be bothered with talking to people. It’s not that they’re not good people, it’s just that I really don’t want to talk to them. I find that I’m not as interested in the worship and preaching as I used to be. In fact, I usually find every possible way to criticize the songs we sing or the delivery of the message (that’s the effect Bible college can have on some people).

You see, the problem with all this is that I’m in ministry myself. It’s actually my job to be at the service on Sunday morning. Maybe that’s part of the problem. Maybe I’m bitter that I have to go into “work” while other people can go and enjoy the service because they have no obligation.
Full Post
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/article.php?sid=4636

Sunday October 10, 2004

Posted by Ed and Lois

Manna meets @ 10:42ish AM at the Park Theatre

248 South River Avenue
Holland, Mi 49423-3201

Still studying Acts