I don't know if you are like me, but sometimes there are just things that end up in front of me that haunt me. They take up residence in my brain and ask for constant consideration. This isn't always a bad thing.
Here are some of the more recent additions:
From John Wesley - the thought that evangelical faith must be marked by evangelical actions (think about your definition of evangelical before lowering the hammer!)
From a blog I read over the weekend (I am sorry that I didn't mark it...I think it might have been from 722 or Mark Driscoll) - "how can we expect to reach the folks that no one is reaching if we are doing the exact same thing as everyone else around us? To reach different folks, we have to do things differently."
Which reminds me of one of my favorite definitions from the recovery world: "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
And from another blog (again, in my haste to catch up, I missed saving/starring it for proper credit) - "why is it that all church planters seem to plant churches in the suburbs? Why isn't anyone planting churches in urban areas?"
I have lots of thoughts about these and other insights...but I won't bore you with belaboring those points currently (I will wait for some future blog opportunity to do that!).
What I am curious about, however, is what thoughts are haunting you right now!?!
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5 comments:
I am haunted why ministry often involves one step forward and two steps back.
I'm haunted by the Pharisees who want to insist to me, "We can't do that."
I am haunted by not learning from the past.
I am haunted by reacting more than thinking.
Sometimes, I am haunted by not knowing what becomes of the 99.9% of the ladies in recovery that our church ministers to.
for me the central haunting thought this past year has been:
"No man can serve two masters, mamon and God" so the question to ask yourself is: "Is this something I would do if no one was paying me any money to do it?" and if the answer is no, then you are serving Mamon. - From a Jesus Christian friend.
For the first time in my life I have a job that not only keeps me economically secure, I have extra money to spend on toys and the chance for a real career. It is tempting to keep adding more and more stuff to my life, but I also am aware where that call comes from and where the call of christ comes from.
Go check out Bishop Willimon's blog. On a recent post, he explains that--at least in his conference--the suburban church plant thing isn't true. I've talked with our new-church-start guy in Missouri AC, and asked the same thing. He said pretty much the same--there are church plants everywhere.
But I wonder about other denominations (and conferences, for that matter).
I am haunted by GBOD today. I am attending the School of Congregational Development in Orlando this week (I attended the Dallas SCD 3 years ago) and The subject is inovation and excellence, particularly as it relates to church planting. The conference worship and organization is nearly amatuer. I canot take seriously someone telling me that innovative technology is primary, when the conference presenters are woeful with their own technology. I can't take the urgings toward radical hospitality when the conference hospitality has been bungled. I don't need great technology or great hospitality to learn, but the situation here seems like we are saying, "do what we say, not what we do." It is scary to me what we allow to pass for excellence. I hope I am held to a higer standard than the folks who planned this conference.
Rant over...
This comment is for Wademan ... I think you are right. Of course, keep in mind that Jesus told his disciples that they would do far greater things than him; so receive what you are encountering as the same invitation/promise.
We are all gifted differently. We can recognize what is needed and not be able to pull it off ourselves (thus those who say embrace cutting edge technology don't actually make use of it). That's where others step in and pick up where we leave off. Some plant, others sow.
Perhaps I'm too philosophical today ... and yes, you probably are held to a higher standard (wink)
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