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Who Did You Make better Today?

Posted by Ed and Lois

Taken from Thunderstruck.org. Great site for news perspective from around the country and the world.

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“God is first. That’s the breath of life. For me, that’s why I’m here. I’ve been blessed with these abilities. I believe that it’s not what you’re given, it’s what you do with what you have. I learned that from the Bible. What are you doing with what you have? Everybody has gifts to give. Who did you lift today? Who did you make better today?”
—Denzel Washington in the Independent
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When Your Thoughts Are Too Expensive

Posted by Ed and Lois

From Relevant Magazine

I’ve had some pretty expensive thoughts lately. You see, in my life I have a real knack for being able to spot the inadequacies and shortcomings of my brothers and sisters in Christ. I love to critically examine their lives because it is a good way for my pride to get a boost and it doesn’t really cost me anything. But lately, I’ve started to see the shortcomings in my own life pretty clearly. The only problem with facing your own shortcomings is that oftentimes these realizations can be quite costly. I’ve started to see that in my life—most of the time—I am all talk and no action. So I figured maybe instead of pointing out the problems of Christians in the world, I would instead point out the problems I see in my life and how I hope to change myself in order to further Christ’s Kingdom on this earth.

One of my favorite things to do is to go to my local Christian bookstore about once a week to check out the new goods on their shelves. Rarely do I leave without spending $20 on the latest CD or book that catches my eye. Now I don’t think there is anything downright wrong or evil in this behavior, but during my last visit to the bookstore, I suddenly felt a strong conviction about how I spend my money. I asked myself: Is it pleasing to Christ for me to drop $15 on a CD with the newest renditions of my favorite worship songs, or $20 on the new book by one of my favorite Christian authors? Now I am not and will not speak about how others should spend their money—remember, I’m trying to figure out my own thoughts. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and must be convinced in their own minds. But I believe I have let the consumerism that is so prevalent in America to grab a hold of me, thus affecting the way I spend money in the Christian sub-culture. Maybe the next time I go to the Christian bookstore, instead of spending $20 on a book that will explain in detail how to love my neighbor, I should take that $20 and use it to provide safe drinking water, or nourishing food for any one of the millions of people around the globe who currently live without.

A couple of days after my trip to the bookstore, I spent a few hours on the World Vision web site (http://www.worldvision.org) and became convinced that I need to make some drastic changes in the way I spend my money. I waste so much money on food and carbonated beverages while so many people in this world are dying of starvation. If I simply gave up drinking carbonated beverages, which are so unhealthy for me anyways, I could contribute well over $500 a year to provide basic needs to those without. I asked myself: Isn’t that worth it? Wouldn’t it be worth giving up soda in order to provide clothing, food and clean water for three children a year? The answer in my own life has become quite clear. Yet there are so many other things I could sacrifice … I could give up at least one meal a month with my wife at a nice restaurant, and contribute another $350 a year. Slowly, the more I let my mind dwell on these thoughts, the more I began to feel a little like Oskar Schindler in the movie Schindler’s List, except it is not too late for me. In many ways, it is just the beginning.

I am now faced with the question, am I willing to deny myself for the sake of others? Am I willing to make sacrifices in my own life to better the life of someone else? Soren Kierkegaard once described two types of Christians: the first being those who imitate Jesus Christ, and the second being those who are content to only speak about him. All too often I fall into the latter category. I would rather choose comfort than Christ. Yet by His grace and conviction, I have been able to see more clearly my own shortcomings and the changes I could make in my life, which would draw me further away from the love of this world, and closer to the love of Christ.

I’ll be honest with you. I haven’t really decided if I want to keep these thoughts or not. These thoughts are each pretty costly and would force me to strive to change many things in my life, and frankly, that’s just not fun. But then again … maybe these expensive thoughts might be worth it.

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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.