The Amazing Race...

After a hard fought battle that brought them through confusion and traffic, that saw them accomplish task after task; I want to congratulate Monique Vrolijk, Jarrett Brown, Josh Brown, and Danny Oppenlaender for a well earned victory.

Does anyone have any stories from any point during the amazing race event? Should we try an event like this again?

What does baptism have to do with following Jesus...?

This past weekend saw a number of people baptized. Let's have some discussion around this whole baptism thing.

For someone not associated to the church in any way, how would the baptism service be seen? What do you guys think about baptism? Why have you been baptized? Why havent you been baptized yet? How would you respond to someone who says, "I was baptized as a baby, so I dont need to be baptized at Bethany." How about someone who says, "I was baptized when I was a teenager, but I didnt really mean it then. Does that mean I need to be baptized again?"

Lets talk! Feel free to comment on all or one of these questions.

Thoughts from another time...

I was reading an old journal that I had and came upon this entry from May 11/2002.

Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brothers, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about suck things"

There is so much in this world to draw our minds away from righteousness. Sin and impurtiy flood the media as rain does a storm drain after a heavy rainfall. But the Christian is called to dwell on the noble, the lovely, the excellent, pure, praiseworthy; not the sesspool of filth that bombards our minds each day. Sometimes I think that the life of a monk - seclusion and isolation - is a better way to go, it would be so much easier...

Then reality hits me in the face. True Christianity is not hidden behind the walls of a monastary, but lived in the streets of our cities. It is part of the real world. With seclusion not an option, the Christian needs to take care each day to watch what he or she puts into his mind; intentionally choose what they dwell on, choose what they talk about, choose the words they speak. They need to search after righteousness with all of their being.

Funny when I wrote this I was thinking about true Christianity being outside the walls of the monastary and in the city streets... Have our churches become monastaries where we can live our faith secluded and isolated from "the world"...true Christian belongs outside the walls of the monastary and in the city streets.

No Guts, No Glory

This post is a little late, but I really enjoyed the worship time we had last Monday, and your talk, Jon. The whole thing was well thought out, but one phrase you used stuck out to me: "No Guts, No Glory". Most of us have probably heard this term used in a different context (some sort of sports apparel with the words plastered on in a menacing appearance), but the truth you illustrated stuck with me. If we are unwilling to take risks and do anything extraordinary in our lives, we deprive God the glory of Him coming through big-time in our extraordinary circumstances. This is so true in my own life. My daily life is littered with "No way, I can't do that" and the like. The funny thing is, that is exactly what the Lord is getting at: You're right, you can't do that, so when you do, people will know it was me.

No Guts, No Glory.

Reflection...

Children: So innocent...so impressionable.

Yet Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3) What does He mean by becoming like little children? How does that play out in our lives?

Ride out with me...

I love to read. This past week while reading I came upon this passage.

There is something about it that strikes a chord deep within me. It taps into my desire to do something, to make a difference, to get beyond myself to a place where I don’t care whether I live or die but whether I am loving God and loving people in a way that brings glory to the Most High.

Since I love the movie referred to, and the thought communicated is one that has been reverberating in my skull for some time, I thought I would post the passage.

In the film The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson creates a beautiful depiction of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world of Middle Earth. This is a fictional place full of wizards, elves, dwarves, dragons, ogres, and goblins. There is also a race of simple, rural people who are very small; they are known as Hobbits. Sauron, the dark lord of evil in this world, centuries earlier created a ring of power that holds much of his evil influence. The ring was lost and somehow found its way into the possession of a Hobbit named Frodo Baggins. The Lord of the Rings is an epic story of a small band of characters from the free peoples of Middle Earth who face enemies in staggering numbers and overwhelming odds. They set out on a quest to destroy this ring of power and thus defeat the growing influence of Sauron.

In the second movie, The Two Towers, we find that the good guys join up with the nation of Rohan, who are world-renowned as horsemen with agile and brave horses. They face the advances of an evil army of Goblins, bent on the total destruction of all the people.

They find themselves in the throne room of Theoden, king of Rohan. When the king comes to the realization that the enemy is on the move and bent on destroying his kingdom, he is faced with tough choices. The counsel is to “ride out and meet them.” But the king is concerned for the welfare of his people. War is ugly and always accompanied by great loss. In the past, they found safety behind the walls of a fortified castle known as Helm’s Deep. With his shepherd’s heart and desire to protect those for whom he is responsible, Theoden announces, “I’ll not risk open war with my people.” Aragorn, a warrior with the true heart of a king, responds, “Open war is upon you whether you would risk it or not.”

These are true words today. We face an encroaching evil that would destroy the world of men. Our enemy, Satan, is on the move and taking ground daily. Christian leaders, like Theoden, face a similar crisis and must make choices for the good of their people.

Theoden chose the mirage of safety in that fortress called Helm’s Deep. From that decision on, the film portrays men losing ground to the advance of evil. Once in the fortress, the men feel a

sense of security, but the walls are breached, so they retreat

further to the keep. Eventually the throngs of the enemy seize the entire fortress except for a small room with a barricaded door.

With the pounding of a battering ram against this last door separating the men from their annihilation, in helplessness King Theoden cries out, “What can men do against such reckless hate?” Aragorn once again gives Theoden the answer he had brushed aside in earlier counsel: “Ride out with me.”

With backs against the wall, no way out, and no hope of victory against an army of ten thousand, this suggestion now comes across as only a way to die in a blaze of glory. Theoden says, “Yes, for death and glory!” Aragorn corrects him: “For your people.” Theoden responds with passion, “Let this be the hour when we draw swords together!” They mount up and charge the enemy on horseback, becoming the warriors they were always meant to be. They meet the enemy head on. As the plunge forward in reckless abandon, the enemy surprisingly falters at their boldness and stumbles back. At that moment, reinforcements return to assist, and in the end the battle is won. Evil is sent running, and victory belongs with the brave heroes who, against all odds, rode out to meet the enemy head on.

This is a parable for our churches today. Under the good intentions of well-meaning leaders, the church has fallen back on its heels in a defensive posture, seeking refuge in its own fortresses of buildings, programs, and “Christian” businesses, schools, and ministries. Trying to avoid the threat we were always meant to thwart, we have lost ground over and over again until at last we have nowhere left to go, surrounded by wickedness. We are now seen as an impotent and frightened group that hides from the world and the reality that faces us. We have allowed the enemy to take over the culture and society, and we complain from the safety of our fortified so-called Christian strongholds."

This passage has been taken from Organic Church, by Neil Cole (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005.)

What thoughts went through your mind as you read through the book quotation?

Ephesians 6:12 reads: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” If it is true that our battle is not against flesh and blood, how do we wage this war? What could it mean to “Ride out” in our context?