Day 66
Sunday.
A truth so much bigger than yourself.
A community much bigger than yourself.
A Jesus so much bigger.
Philippians 2:6-11 WOW a christocentric profound hymn.
Makes Christian radio............... yep lets not go there in this blog about intentionally following Jesus - swearing not allowed!
Jesus:
Did not considered equality with God something to be grasped.
WOW.
You've just got to soak that one line in.
Here's the one person who could grab it - officially.
But he didn't.
I would have.
I mean it would of have been legal, even godly - according to most of today's preaching. It's just living up to who you are; its your destiny; be the real you; be who God made you to be!
The Gospel I often preach would have legalised grabbing your heritage.
But I guess I've been getting the Gospel slightly wrong, slightly off balance.
Jesus didn't grab it.
He made himself nothing.
Much to learn, much to copy, much to re-preach
Sunday, Day 66 - good day.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Day 65 - friends.
Day 65 saw us hang with friends as we coped with Carolyn's mum's passing.
That's an intentional follow.
Real simple - God made us to be community. It's some core theology. God - three but one; marriage - two but one; life - one but many.
Do life with others - friends, or even better Christian brothers and sisters.
Thanks brothers and sisters.
That's an intentional follow.
Real simple - God made us to be community. It's some core theology. God - three but one; marriage - two but one; life - one but many.
Do life with others - friends, or even better Christian brothers and sisters.
Thanks brothers and sisters.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Day 64 - surreal.
Day 64 - and the day we received the sad news that Carolyn's mother quickly passed away. To make matters worse, Carolyn had just been home visiting her mother and was flying back to the US from Scotland as I received the news. It was left to me to break the news to her when she landed in Fresno after 28 hours of travel.
It was rather surreal.
Carolyn appeared at arrivals all happy to be home, glad she'd had a good visit with her mother, eager to see the boys joking as to them not being with me to welcome her home, talking about her flight and the fun things that happened on it, even laughing when yet again our luggage did not make the connection from LAX to FAT (yep avoid LAX if you possibly can!).
And while all this is happening I am carrying news she does not want to hear, I do not want to tell her, but most definitely, I was not going to tell her in the lobby of Fresno airport.
Surreal.
Do you enjoy her jokes; do you talk the usual trivia about what's happened in little 'ol Reedley since she left 6 days earlier; do you mention 'hey we had frost this morning!'
I'm standing there knowing the news, but not yet able to share it.
In some ways, in the relatively few minutes this all took until we were alone, I was thinking of Solomon's wise words "there is a time to laugh and a time to cry" - and we were experiencing that all in the space of a few short moments.
Surreal.
To know something, but to live in the tension of it needing to be told, but you can't tell it just yet, and the person you're with has no idea about what they need to know.
For me there was no option, I just had to wait.
But it's got me wondering of how too often I create a tension like that. Got information people
need to know, they don't know they need it but they do, but I don't (not so much can't) share it with them.
Sometimes its the full truth (blog of a few days ago), but often its the amazing essential news of Jesus Christ .....people need to know it, and I have it, but I don't tell them it.
Is that not also surreal?
"Lord, may I never hold the information of you quiet; may you inspire and embolden me to always tell people the news of Jesus Christ."
It was rather surreal.
Carolyn appeared at arrivals all happy to be home, glad she'd had a good visit with her mother, eager to see the boys joking as to them not being with me to welcome her home, talking about her flight and the fun things that happened on it, even laughing when yet again our luggage did not make the connection from LAX to FAT (yep avoid LAX if you possibly can!).
And while all this is happening I am carrying news she does not want to hear, I do not want to tell her, but most definitely, I was not going to tell her in the lobby of Fresno airport.
Surreal.
Do you enjoy her jokes; do you talk the usual trivia about what's happened in little 'ol Reedley since she left 6 days earlier; do you mention 'hey we had frost this morning!'
I'm standing there knowing the news, but not yet able to share it.
In some ways, in the relatively few minutes this all took until we were alone, I was thinking of Solomon's wise words "there is a time to laugh and a time to cry" - and we were experiencing that all in the space of a few short moments.
Surreal.
To know something, but to live in the tension of it needing to be told, but you can't tell it just yet, and the person you're with has no idea about what they need to know.
For me there was no option, I just had to wait.
But it's got me wondering of how too often I create a tension like that. Got information people
need to know, they don't know they need it but they do, but I don't (not so much can't) share it with them.
Sometimes its the full truth (blog of a few days ago), but often its the amazing essential news of Jesus Christ .....people need to know it, and I have it, but I don't tell them it.
Is that not also surreal?
"Lord, may I never hold the information of you quiet; may you inspire and embolden me to always tell people the news of Jesus Christ."
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Day 63 - values are trump.
Day 63 and there's something neat about a really productive day, but there's something ever neater (is that another made up word) of a really productive evening.
Spent the evening working on some papers about values.
During two conversations this week I've been asked if our vision/mission is written down any where.
My answer is slightly surprising to some - especially fellow GHC pastors........
NO, and never will be.
Redeemer's Church is only the sum total of what we do - our values.
Aubrey Malphurs says it this way "You won't do ministry that really matters until you define what matters".
In the real world, everyone will know what your church is about not by a statement written but by seeing what it is you are actually doing, and you do what you value.
I'm not saying that at Redeemer's Church we haven't spent time thinking through our vision, even writing it down in staff and leadership settings, but it is meaningless, if not sinful, if you aren't doing it.
[Excuse me if I seem slightly distracted I am actually watching a really funny episode of The Office as I try to write this ........some distraction before heading to the sack.]
Values.
No matter what you write or say - you are only doing what you're doing!
This is my bottom line,.
So, at Redeemer's we focus on modeling our values, talking about them - formally and informally, we try to make sure our values are actionable ...they can be done, not just said.
I think part of this conviction is driven by the emerging culture where genuineness is core. To some degree vision/mission statements are from modernity - linear thinking. Today's generation do not seek linear paths, they seek authenticity - "are they doing what they say they are supposed to be doing?"
It's a bit like a church name. Do we do inside what the label says outside; are we making false promises; are we misrepresenting ourselves?
So many vision and mission statements do just this. Grand statements that have no bearing on current reality.
If you want to go this way, don't call it a mission or vision statement - call it an "aspiration statement."
Or better ...... don't print one, instead major on values.
Spent the evening working on some papers about values.
During two conversations this week I've been asked if our vision/mission is written down any where.
My answer is slightly surprising to some - especially fellow GHC pastors........
NO, and never will be.
Redeemer's Church is only the sum total of what we do - our values.
Aubrey Malphurs says it this way "You won't do ministry that really matters until you define what matters".
In the real world, everyone will know what your church is about not by a statement written but by seeing what it is you are actually doing, and you do what you value.
I'm not saying that at Redeemer's Church we haven't spent time thinking through our vision, even writing it down in staff and leadership settings, but it is meaningless, if not sinful, if you aren't doing it.
[Excuse me if I seem slightly distracted I am actually watching a really funny episode of The Office as I try to write this ........some distraction before heading to the sack.]
Values.
No matter what you write or say - you are only doing what you're doing!
This is my bottom line,.
So, at Redeemer's we focus on modeling our values, talking about them - formally and informally, we try to make sure our values are actionable ...they can be done, not just said.
I think part of this conviction is driven by the emerging culture where genuineness is core. To some degree vision/mission statements are from modernity - linear thinking. Today's generation do not seek linear paths, they seek authenticity - "are they doing what they say they are supposed to be doing?"
It's a bit like a church name. Do we do inside what the label says outside; are we making false promises; are we misrepresenting ourselves?
So many vision and mission statements do just this. Grand statements that have no bearing on current reality.
If you want to go this way, don't call it a mission or vision statement - call it an "aspiration statement."
Or better ...... don't print one, instead major on values.
Day 62 - a walk in the park!
Day 62 found me trying to "love thy neighbor!"
It was my day for a really fast walk - cross training and catch your breath morning. But I'm pedantic about how I exercise. I always run with my watch; I pace every mile; I know every distance down to the parts of a mile: and I know what I need to do to reach the goals I've set.
Yep - pedantic.
On my cross training walk day (which I reluctantly do but I know is good to do) a slow walk isn't helpful, a medium walk won't cut it either - especially as after my walk I was heading out for breakfast and massive calorie intake - this walk needed to be fast to accomplish what was required according to the schedule.
Only 10 minutes in I bump into a neighbor. A good neighbor; a growing older neighbor; a not so well neighbor AND....a really slow walking neighbour.
I've blown past him multiple times ....filled with guilt later that I haven't taken the time to stop and ask how life is.
Today ...my schedule was tight, real tight, and with the breakfast deal happening later I really needed fast calorie burning pace.
But I slowed.
For the next 20 minutes I walked slowly as he and I shared life, caught up and I listened. Real slowly.
For the first few minutes it hurt ......could I leave him having said hello and crank it back up to the required pace? But my spirit slowed and while a run a day gets me off to a great start with energy and momentum ....this was an even better start to the day.
Yep ...loving your neighbor and loving it going slow.
This was my intentional follow of Jesus.
It was my day for a really fast walk - cross training and catch your breath morning. But I'm pedantic about how I exercise. I always run with my watch; I pace every mile; I know every distance down to the parts of a mile: and I know what I need to do to reach the goals I've set.
Yep - pedantic.
On my cross training walk day (which I reluctantly do but I know is good to do) a slow walk isn't helpful, a medium walk won't cut it either - especially as after my walk I was heading out for breakfast and massive calorie intake - this walk needed to be fast to accomplish what was required according to the schedule.
Only 10 minutes in I bump into a neighbor. A good neighbor; a growing older neighbor; a not so well neighbor AND....a really slow walking neighbour.
I've blown past him multiple times ....filled with guilt later that I haven't taken the time to stop and ask how life is.
Today ...my schedule was tight, real tight, and with the breakfast deal happening later I really needed fast calorie burning pace.
But I slowed.
For the next 20 minutes I walked slowly as he and I shared life, caught up and I listened. Real slowly.
For the first few minutes it hurt ......could I leave him having said hello and crank it back up to the required pace? But my spirit slowed and while a run a day gets me off to a great start with energy and momentum ....this was an even better start to the day.
Yep ...loving your neighbor and loving it going slow.
This was my intentional follow of Jesus.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Day 61 - when truth and kindness merge.
Day 61.
Someone I greatly admire as a leader once said or wrote that "the kindest form of leadership is always the truth."
My intentional follow today was to outwork that.
Why is truth always a more difficult choice?
Not that we go the route of lies - but we most often than not go the route of only 90% truth. We hold back the final 10%.
Often we hold it back because the last 10% we're thinking of isn't really the truth but our opinion of the truth.
Often we hold it back because that final 10% we can't say with grace, only with anger, prejudice or superiority.
But often we hold it back because we think 90% is good enough.
It's not.
90% is not the truth, its part of the truth.
100% (full of grace) is the truth.
What would our relationships look like; how much more authentic; how much more genuine; how much more trusting; how much more loving would they be if we took the better route of truth, not partial truth.
Someone I greatly admire as a leader once said or wrote that "the kindest form of leadership is always the truth."
My intentional follow today was to outwork that.
Why is truth always a more difficult choice?
Not that we go the route of lies - but we most often than not go the route of only 90% truth. We hold back the final 10%.
Often we hold it back because the last 10% we're thinking of isn't really the truth but our opinion of the truth.
Often we hold it back because that final 10% we can't say with grace, only with anger, prejudice or superiority.
But often we hold it back because we think 90% is good enough.
It's not.
90% is not the truth, its part of the truth.
100% (full of grace) is the truth.
What would our relationships look like; how much more authentic; how much more genuine; how much more trusting; how much more loving would they be if we took the better route of truth, not partial truth.
Day 60 House-dad and blogger didn't work.
Day 60 - and I missed it.
I was in charge .....the boys, the house, the cooking -oops something had to go and it was my blogging.
Doesn't mean my intentional following of Jesus went. Not at all.
Here's what I did.
I sent an email that I didn't want to send - but I believe God wanted me to send.
All sounds strange and somewhat cryptic. But I know it was only out of an intentional follow of my Jesus that I wrote and sent it.
So, sorry its a day late, this house-dad stuff isn't easy!
I was in charge .....the boys, the house, the cooking -oops something had to go and it was my blogging.
Doesn't mean my intentional following of Jesus went. Not at all.
Here's what I did.
I sent an email that I didn't want to send - but I believe God wanted me to send.
All sounds strange and somewhat cryptic. But I know it was only out of an intentional follow of my Jesus that I wrote and sent it.
So, sorry its a day late, this house-dad stuff isn't easy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
