Lenten Thoughts

I grew up in the South. I also grew up in the evangelical church of the South. We did not celebrate Lent. Thinking back, I am not sure I had a any real understanding of the Lenten season until I was in HS. In my thirties like many I began to ask simple questions about my faith, my world view and my future. In this time of searching I read authors I had never heard of, built friendships with people from different Christian traditions & more than once asked myself, "Why did we do/believe that?".

Along the way I discovered many of my Catholic brothers & sisters of the faith had just that...faith. Faith in the same God, the same scriptures and the same Christ. Their faith and worship was rich with images not only for the eyes, ears, but also the palate of taste. I had not only discovered new members of my spiritual family, I had also re-discovered my faith in a new and vital way.

Advent & Lent are now a part of my annual worship experience and each year The Spirit teaches me something new and beautiful about following this Jesus the Christ.

I am excited about what I shall discover over the next 46 days.

PS Just so you will know, here is what I am fasting from the next 46 days.

1. I will be eating vegetarian

2. I will be consuming no desserts, sweets, candy and will avoid white sugar.

3. I will limit myself to 3 pints of local brew per week.

4. My Facebook statuses will be limited to the things I HEAR from God's presence as I practice LISTENING.

Jesus is for Losers

Brant Hansen writes one of the best posts of 2008.

David Hayward has great thoughts on feelings and faith.

Take 45 minutes and watch this great "sermon" by Reggie McNeal



Read "The Rescue of MoonBase Asimov" and the follow-up post by Dan Edelen, both worth the read and the brain energy expended as you ponder.

Big paintings = God's kingdom on earth, touching people, where they live and work and play...

Dan Nelson started the painting above at 12 noon May 17. He set-up his giant easel as a part of Artplosure 2008.

This is the same painting at 3pm Sunday, May 18. Dan finished the painting at 6pm Sunday evening, the painting was then sold to the high bidder of a silent auction that went on while he painted. At 3pm, the price was around $550.00.

Dan is an artist. He paints big. He paints small. He illustrates books.
He paints portraiture. He draws on sidewalks with chalk. He draws/paints architecture. He draws cartoons. Dan plays several instruments. Dan sings. Dan writes music. Dan is an artist.

Dan is also a pastor. Dan planted and lead a church for several years. They would meet on Saturday in Moore Square in Raleigh, NC. They would make music and eat food together, inviting any and all in the park to join along. On weekends, Dan would set-up his giant easel and paint and talk to people as they passed by. Dan met many people and a church grew. Dan painted and pastored for several years, then decided to move the church to a home church. After five years of home church, Dan spends his Sundays painting all over the area. After many years of church, Dan is now part of the fastest growing Christian community in North America. Dan is one of the many Christians who is no longer a member of a church. Most Sundays he never even attends a church.



Dan is an artist, a musician and probably a better pastor now than he ever was when he was pastoring/attending a church.

Short visit, long implications...

The Pope visited one of the oldest synagogues in the U.S. on Friday. The video at the news website is less than 22 minutes. It may have been a short visit, but I believe this stop could have far reaching and positive effects on the church of the world.
A "raw" video of the visit was in the side bar this morning. It is worth the time to watch and listen. Rabbi Scheier gives a powerful illustration for followers of Yaweh to build relationships and work together. If we as the Body of Christ, (I include all Catholics and Protestants) as well as those who call on Yaweh, (Jews and Christians) would begin to know and care for each other, we could then love and care for a hurting, hungry world.

Another video at YouTube...

Thank God for Mountain Momma

It has been busy here the past four or five days. Construction is keeping me busy, with several dead lines and a weekend marathon project for a store up-fit in a local mall. With a few hugs from family and a few hours sleep it has been hectic. All is well, as we start another week with a full calender.

I am excited this week as the weekend brings me to a yearly pilgrimage. On Thursday morning I will drive to here for a bit of hiking and outdoor enjoyment. By Thursday night I will be here. Friday morning will begin a weekend of this. If all goes well, I may stick around in the mountains an extra day to absorb the beauty of creation. As I travel by car, I will most likely not take any music, audio books or radio. Last year, I traveled in silence, it was great.

Here are a few articles of interest.

Christians are slowly embracing Scientology.

If you enjoy wife beating, convert.

Dan Edelan on education.

Finally, he is going to write a book.

Great thoughts by RobbyMac.

Leading Atheist gives it up.

Words of Wisdom in Chaos

7 Loving Challenges

As I have mentioned before, I am really not wanting a fight. If I can love my wife, my daughters, my family and community, I will have a full day. Oh God, Please help!

I just gotta shout....Aaamaaaeeennn!!

The InternetMonk rants.

"Shake that bush one more time!!"

Rant #1....I think

My mother tells me I was 4 weeks old the first time I attended church. I am sure I was with her or in the nursery. As a matter of fact, my first memories of church are memories of the nursery at North Gate Chapel in Durham, NC. I remember Nilla Wafers, Ritz Crackers, happy faces and safety. I remember many faces of love and caring from Sunday School. I remember the stories of the First Testament, Joseph, Noah, Adam and Eve, Moses, the great prophets, King David and of the Hebrew nation of Israel. The stories of Jesus were always placed in high priority and the story of His life, death and resurrection were displayed in flannelgraph many times. I loved that church, those people, the story of the Bible. By elementary school I knew all the major players, many verses of scripture and had heard the themes of most all the books of the Christian Bible. I loved the music of the church, the hymns, the choruses. We sang with NO instruments in early services and I loved to hear the harmonies. Middle school may have been in a different church, but most all was the same...the main parts. By high school "youth group" activities dominated my calendar and after high school I knew I wanted to work in the church, somewhere, somehow.

By college I realized American Christianity had many flavors. More than the corner ice cream shop. At that time, I chose a flavor that was like rainbow sherbet...many different colors and flavors all rolled into one. It was good for a time, but after after six or seven years I was ready for plain vanilla. My wife and I ended up in a main line church as staff members. It was good for five years or so, but then we longed for chocolate syrup. A few years later, it was time to try planting a church. It has been hard, but rewarding work.

Seven or eight years ago, I began to hear the word emerging used in context of church. I started reading, listening, hearing, dreaming, laughing, crying, but still, in love with the church.
I consider myself part of the emerging church. I consider myself part of the ancient church. I consider myself part of the conservative and liberal arms of the church. I consider myself part of the body of Christ. I want to ask questions of the USAmerican Church and it's leaders. I want to be part of the church that saves the world, yet loves humanity and the planet.
I believe that there is a real Hell and Heaven. I just do not want to treat people like hell to get them into heaven.

I am a gun toting, whiskey sipping, hymn loving, movie watching, book loving, family man that wants the church to be better tomorrow than it has been in my lifetime. I believe that many in the emerging/post-modern movement are going to lead the church to be more like Jesus in the future. So there, I said it. I am not what you think I should be. I am what Jesus is making me.

Yes, you know I want Muslims to rule the world. Frank Pastore may have been a MLB star, but here he proves he is not a thinker nor an asker..

I want my beautiful daughters to live like this.

All of these probably illustrate me;).

Emerging Grace expressing the "words" of the Emerging Church.

(HT to Jordan , Andrew and RobbyMac)

Listen to the Sweetness and the Samson

Len Sweet is one of my favorite communicators. He is fast with a retort as well as a metaphor. He has challenged the church for years to look into the past and the future at the same time and pull them both together into the now. He does not write a blog, but he does podcast. About once a week he sits down and records his thoughts. I look forward to his words each week. I am also honored that he considers me his friend. Take a listen and enjoy.

Will and Lisa Samson are a great couple with a great family. Lisa is an author, Will is a leader in the Emergent Village. They are attempting to live out biblical justice in an unjust world. They have written a book, "Justice in the Burbs". It is available the first of August. Here is their promo video. Take a look and buy the book.

If you are wondering about justice...

great article at next wave

an upcoming book about justice

Cheers, good beer, Kingdom living...

Milton kinda sums up my feelings regarding church...

Brant finds a great quote by Dr. Peterson...

Towards Hope chimes in on the altar call...

This is a bad day...

The "gospel"

It is a simple question full of christian cliche'...."What is the gospel?". It is THE question I have been wrestling with for almost ten years. I am not sure I have the answer, nor am I sure I ever will. My hope and prayer is the answer to the question will be a life lived well by me and my friends.

Here are Larry's thoughts on the question.


"It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching."
Saint Francis Of Assisi
Italian monk & saint (1181 - 1226)

The Monk Speaks

Reading List

I've read Lee Iacocca's new book. The title was intriguing and of great interest to me. His autobiography from the eighties is still a delight to read. I DO NOT agree with all that Mr. Iacocca has to say, but I did find myself shaking my head in agreement through many of the pages.
The book is full of innuendo and heavy on accusation, but you know what Mr. Iacocca believes and thinks about USAmerica as it sits today. Never be afraid to read books that have a different worldview than you. If your faith, beliefs and convictions cannot take a little disagreement, they are VERY weak.




I have also started reading Len Sweet's new book. Parts of the book repeat things Len has been teaching for years, but as students of the future/past we need to hear them again and again and again. The "gift" of Len's foundation may appear to be the same, but it is a new and updated version. I mean, think about this; would you want a computer that is six or seven years old when you can have the new model? Len has taken many of his ideas from past books and put them in a new, miniaturized, more powerful version. When you add the smells, tastes, colors and feels of coffee, you have a winner. Prepare to view coffee and Jesus in a new way. Grab a copy of the book, brew a fresh pot of coffee and enjoy. Len and many like him would pull up a chair at Starbucks, but for me, the closest Starbucks is forty miles away. Add extra heavy cream for me!




I read Doug Pagitt's blog regularly. I also read the blogs of several of the contributing authors. I consider myself part of the Emerging/Missional conversation in a very conservative,libertarian,little-e-evangelical way. To date, I have read a few of the essays. If you are wondering where the church of Jesus in USAmerica is going in the future, this book is a must read.

It has been a busy week here in Granville County. The weather has been good, so work has dominated the days. Nights have been busy with the family: our oldest daughter graduates from HS this month, so plans for ceremonies, parties and invitations have been the priority. We are also taking care of animals and house for friends on a spring family holiday. In the midst of all this, life goes on. The death of Jerry Falwell has highlighted the thoughts of many american christians.
Will Samson has a great post at willzhead, take a look and let me know what you think.

Another view by Dan Edelen.

A different take by NoVa Dad.

BibleBeltBlogger chimes in.

Oh God, please let the parachute catch up with me!

If you read this blog on a regular basis you will notice a label for a view posts. Up To The Table are several posts I have made with the theme of food, faith and farming. Those posts are part of a journey I have been on for the last three years:looking deep inside for what it means to follow Jesus at this time in this community.

I have been evaluating social justice in myself and my community because of Will Samson and his wife Lisa Samson. I met them over two years ago and the term "social justice" was etched into my consciousness because of conversations with them. It has been a slow and long journey, but I am now at a place to put social justice into practice in my life and the life of my christian community here in Granville County.

During the summer of 2007 we are going to feed 24 hungry children five days a week.
They will be involved in a tutoring program in our community. They will be learning to read, to write and perform basic math. We will be providing them lunch each day.

I have a small band of about thirty volunteers. We have very few financial resources. We have many ideas. We are going to attempt to use local produce, homemade products and healthy food choices. It seems like a huge task at this time.

I have jumped out of the airplane at 18,000 feet and I am hoping the parachute catches me.

If you have any suggestions, let me have them now!!

Christian?

Do you really wanta call yourself a Christian in this culture?

Alan Roxburgh is a church leader from Canada. I would consider him an "older" pastor/leader.
His video comes from a young heart, a heart I believe is speaking the voice of the Father.

There are Monks among us

If you have ever wanted to drop out of the world system, you could take up the call of Jesus to serve. Shane Claiborne is one of a new breed of Jesus' followers, who is taking His words seriously.
New Monasticism is changing the hearts and minds of communities all around.

Tall Skinny Kiwi

The TallSkinnyKiwi aka Andrew Jones had a great post on Sunday. If you have ever wondered if God can use your life without a piece of paper on the wall, read this.