Hope Community

2003-09-24T09:09:00.000-04:00

I had another spiritual dream last night that I was
fighting off demons. I often dream similiar dreams...
This time though, I was just trying to distract them and I
did not use the authority I know I have in the name of Jesus. Instead I tried to do all the work> Needless to say, It was exausting. God is showing me some areas where I will need to allow him to work, not try to do it myself- namely a family situation. Feel free to read my
personal blog. I was just singing praises to God for
Hope Community...
peace!
amy

2003-09-18T08:18:00.000-04:00

Thankfully Amy has been booking up on the Tutoring side which is helping us out with somethings. While she is out I get to spend some great time and hopefully quality time with my daughter. Last night dinner was up to me, so I grabbed a pizza, poured some juice and put on the U2 live from Boston and we sat and watched. I glanced over to see Faith moving her head to the music, eating pizza and enjoying the moment. I smiled and said babygirl it doesn't get much better than this, pizza and U2. She smiled at me and said "and juice too" daddy. I said your right baby, and we conked cups together and said chheers and went back to pizza and U2, Thanks GOD for these great moments.

I will be taking a short break from blogging as I want to allow GOD to deal with some internal stuff with me related to significance, why I do things I do, why I blog about certain things, basically going after my pride. Anyway, I really feel a need to do this for awhile and keep a written journal. To Hope community you rock, and the journey will be awesome with you. I can be reached via email at ernie@hopecom.org

2003-09-16T08:37:00.000-04:00

here is something I read from Winn Griffins blog spot. Sorry that I do not have the link to it but if you want it ask and I will send it to you.

Some Musings on Spiritual Disciplines
As a biblical thinker I must admit that I have some problems with what seems to me like a list of practices or disciplines that must be accomplished in order to be an authentic believer. A new kind of "pull yourself up by your spiritual boot straps" or "how to become more like Christ with ten easy disciplines." This appears to me to be a new set of "boundary markers." I am not against moving toward Christian maturity by putting into practices certain disciplines. What I think should be the focus is practices that are clearly mandated in Scripture as the priority then other "disciplines" that may be proposed. (There is no agreement on what a list of spiritual disciplines should be). We use the word "spiritual" as an adjective to specify what kind of disciplines one is speaking about. The term "spiritual" is not used in this way in the New Testament. Rather spirituality is defined in terms of the Spirit. A person is spiritual to the degree that he or she lives in and walks by the Spirit within a community of faith.

I believe that Biblical practices, those that we are admonished in Scripture to follow, will form people in a way of life. Our churches have been lax in providing such instruction for its community because our culture holds a deep-seated belief in the freely choosing, autonomous individual who out of rational self-interest forms his or her own way of life.

Spiritual disciplines seem to lean heavenly on individualism in the sense of gaining some "inner" strength that makes the outward person stronger. The conduct of a Christian is not the result of simply an effort to become better. Rather, by incorporation into the Body of Christ, our individual growth takes shape. It seems that God's intention is that Christian behavior is to be reinforced and upheld by the friendship, company, teaching, counseling, and loving criticism of other Christians (by alleloning). To try to be an individual working on becoming spiritual is not a sign of becoming truly human, but is a sign that the old life of bondage still dominates.

Paul has argued in Colossians that the Colossians were free to follow Jesus. Jesus had defeated the principalities and powers to deliver freedom to his people. In Colossians chapter 3 Paul provides a refreshing program of living for Jesus. The prohibitive list is twofold: the abuse of sex and speech. The new life has no more sexual immorality, no anger or violence. However, there is a catch, trying to stop the old lifestyle without recognizing that the old powers have been defeated only brings failure. Living the "new life" stands squarely and firmly on the work of Jesus in his life. The reality of living between the times is played out in this and other like passages.

Put to Death (3.5-6)
Paul's imagery moved from death and life to putting clothes on and off. Put to death . . . whatever belongs to your earthly nature. The Greek tense in this command suggests a decisive action, as if Paul said, "Mortify it! Do it now! Do it resolutely!"

The list of evil activities flowing from man's earthly nature includes

 Sexual immorality: Sexual intercourse outside of the marriage relationship (Illustration: 1 Cor. 5.1ff).
 Impurity: The general word for immoral activity, which shuts a person off from God's presence. The opposite lifestyle is found at Matthew 5.8.
 Lust (pathos), uncontrollable passion which leads to sexual excesses
 Evil Desires illicit craving
 and Greed (or insatiable desire; sexual greed), which is idolatry

Rid Yourselves (3.7-9)
Though the Colossian Christians used to walk [live] in these evil ways, before they came to know Christ, Paul commanded that they do so no more.

Now you must rid yourselves of all such things. The word "rid" (apothesthe) means "to put off" like a suit of clothes. In its ethical use here it means "throw it off like a dirty shirt.

Repulsive habits--anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language--do not fit or suit the community of faith. They are unbecoming to believers (cf. Eph. 4.17, 31).

 Anger (orgen) is a chronic attitude of smoldering hatred
 Rage (thymon) is an acute outburst. Thymos elsewhere is rendered "outbursts of anger" (2 Cor. 12.20), "fits of rage" (Gal. 5.20), and "rage" (Eph. 4.31).
 Malice (kakian), the deliberate intention to harm
 Slander (blaspheian), "railing or evil speaking, defamation of character"
 Filthy language (aischrologian) is shameful or abrasive speech.

Put on New Humanity (3.12-17)
Because of their new lives in Christ all believers are called on to clothe themselves in virtue, letting Christ's peace rule them. His Word should dwell in them richly, and they should do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Again Paul called on believers to take a decisive action: Clothe yourselves (endysasthe). We must remember when we read these passages that the "you" is plural. Paul did not have the individual in mind first and foremost, he had the community in mind. Again, it is fair to say that God's intent is for us to be formed in his image within a community where our individuality can truely become all it was meant to become. Because they have "put on (endysamenoi) the new self" (v. 10), they should live accordingly, with appropriate attributes and attitudes. Paul listed the abuses of sex and speech and now in contrast to them, Christians--as God's chosen people (cf. Rom. 8.33; Titus 1.1), holy ("separated to God"; cf. Col. 1.2) and dearly loved (cf. Rom. 5.8; 1 John 4.9-11, 19)--are to have several virtues. These include

 Compassion (splanchna oiktirmou), concreate acts of mercy
 Kindness benevolence in action; or generosity
 Humility a lowly attitude toward God; cf. Phil. 2.3; 1 Peter 5.5,
 Gentleness (prauteta), meekness, a consideration for others and a willingness to waive one's rights.,
 and Patience (makrothymian), long suffering which endures wrong and puts up with the exasperating conduct of others rather than flying into a rage or trying to get vengeance.

We don't want to make spiritual disciplines another religion of this "present evil age" when in reality we live in the "age to come" becoming what God has created us to be as his people (community and individually) for the sake of the world.
Some Musings on Spiritual Disciplines.doc

2003-09-09T13:00:00.000-04:00

Hey,
I was listening to "This is your life" by switchfoot in the car
yesterday... The line that keeps ringing in my ears is: This is your life. Is it who you want to be? What a ? Yes and _______ no! If there was a book written about my life up to today, I would be disappointed at blank pages... My struggle is between doing and being... I grew up being told to study the Bible, pray, do kind deeds, and periodically throw in some charity or sacrificial giving... I want to give more to God and others, and do all of those things, but I have seen myself and others do,do,do and they are no more than burnt out little pride balls who have nothing left to give. I am reflecting on myself here, not critisizing... I know I am in a tail spin sorry ... Any thoghts???

2003-09-03T19:18:00.000-04:00

So.... back from boise just a few days and just as we felt so encouraged the dark clouds start rolling in. Especially upon Greg. But I am happy because I live with this man and the things greg has been proclaiming were affirmed this weekend with our friends at allelone(did I spell that right). This work that we heard and shared about (living and proclaiming the kingdom) is not a work done in the midst of fanfare. We are really caught between a rock(jesus) and a hard spot (church as we have known it). Lord give us love and wisdom as walk on.

Another topic I'd like to see more diaolgue about from everyone is the voice of women in the kingdom. I am not thinking we have to go change a bunch of folks rather I wonder what your experiences are and what you think. Since we have been encouraged to re-imagine the church I wonder what it would be like with more of a balance of voices.

More later......... Much love to all of you who have been praying for us. Now bring it up a notch as we walk out what jesus is calling us to.

2003-08-28T00:25:00.000-04:00

We're Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaackkk ....

Our site is now back on line ...

We should have our "under construction page" off over the weekend, but you can there by clicking above.

We will be adding some more graphics, some logos for our churches and some more interviews with leaders very soon ...

Peace

2003-08-27T11:38:00.000-04:00

Wheeler Welcome...

This is a totally optional gathering, but a great time to meet and welcome the Wheelers to our community.

When: Sunday August 31st
Time: 5pm - 8pm
Place: Quirings House
Plan: Hang Out, Welcome the Wheelers, Swim if you want to.
Details: It is a potluck meal, PLEASE contact your house church leader for MORE details.

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE.

PS- Haven house church, since Greg/Heidi are in BOY-Z hanging with Allelon you can call the martons for more info.

2003-08-21T22:47:00.000-04:00

I am very much looking forward to meeting you all. It won't be long now...in fact we are feeling a bit rushed!!

See you soon

Tim, Melissa, Leo and Cole

2003-08-21T12:42:00.000-04:00

This was from Cheryl.

AWESOME! Notice how the 4 out of the 5 core values (mercy, scripture, hospitality, worship and missional living) of Hope Community Simple Churches are in this?

What a co-inky-dink ...

Twelve Indicators of a Missional Church
The Missional church:

1- Faithfully proclaims the gospel

2- Is a community where growth in discipleship is expected of all.

3- Reads the Bible together to learn what it can learn nowhere else.

4 - Consciously seeks to conform itself to Christ instead of to the principalities and powers of this world.

5 - Makes its "mission" a priority among its members and in its community.

6 - Is known for how Christians love and care for one another.

7 - Practices reconciliation and moves beyond homogeneity.

8 - Holds people accountable to one another in love.

9 - Practices radical hospitality.

10 - Keeps worship is at the heart of the church's celebration of God's presence and God's promised future.

12 - Makes an impact on the transformation of society and human relationships.

13 - Knows that the church itself is an incomplete expression of the reign of God.

Guess what denomination came up with this?

Thoughts?

2003-08-16T18:23:00.000-04:00

Last night, I went with Sara Parker (great gal) to see Bruce Almighty. Pretty Funny... I'm not usually a Jim Carey fan, except for the fact that he amazes me with what a human being can do with their face... Anyway, there were a few scenes that spoke to me. One of my favorites was when he was mopping the floor of this empty warehouse with god... He was working side by side with god on what seemed to be a menial task- just struck me... I loved what god told him near the end that impacted his life: Be the miracle... Not to take away God's miraculous power, but to say You as a person has everyday miracles to perform in relationship to others... ( I interpreted this to mean - being like Jesus..)
Well, it made sense to me. By the way the scene with the tongue tied newscaster was pretty halerious!!!

2003-08-16T08:08:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to say to all how important each of you are to me- Don't say it enough. hiedi and I were talking about being far from our blood family and the struggles we face....
But truly, you the co""mmunity, are our family...I've heard it all
my life, but it was more of a religious cliche than a reality. We even called each other brother and sister so and so ....
Personally, I think that is religious hokiness. But I want to have relationships with you as my family, my brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews. Call me up if you have a need, etc, or just to talk. At least, this is what I do in my family.
love,
your "sis"
amy

2003-08-15T07:55:00.000-04:00

Philippians 1

1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers[1] and deacons:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.

As I sit at work and am thinking about community and things that have happened like sicknesses, people leaving, attacks, etc. I cannot get away from the aspect that we need each other, we need to come together and connect via phone calls, get togethers, BLOGGING, etc and give way to the enemy and get isolated from one another by falling into the trap of I'll see you next week. I dont want to be that way, and I think from conversations I have heard not many of us want that either. I am grateful and thankful for each of you in our community and want to carry you in my heart with the affection of Christ, I have failed to connect with some giving way to lame excuses, but I am becoming more aware of the battle we wage and the enemy's scheme to isolate, remain behind mask's and just letting cares of this world keeping us from connecting. Anyway, enough said... hope to see you soon.

2003-08-10T00:20:00.000-04:00

Hey community,'thanks for the stimulating conversation last night at our gathering. It really is great to get together with you all and discuss, dialogue, and laugh together with you. I thought Sally's word aboout GOD being pleased with us talking, relating, discovering etc was great. I beleive that being the church and "doing" church can be free from agendas, a song list, a 30 minute sermon etc, and HIS spirit being with us moving and doing what He does so well. Anyway... I wanted to post something from the book I am reading a Simple Path by Mother Theresa

" In the west we have this tendancy to be profit oriented, where everything is measured by the results and we get more and more caught up in being more and more active to generate results. In the east especially in india I find people are more content to just be, to just sit under a banyan tree for half a day chatting to each other. We westerners would probably call this wasting time. But there is value to it. Being with someone, listening without a clock, and without anticipation of results, teaches us about love. the success of love is in the loving- it is not in the result of loving. Of course it is natural to want the best for the other person, but whether it turns out that way or not does not determine the value of what we have done. the more we remove this priority for results the more we can learn about the contemplative element of love. there is the love expressed in the service and the love in the contemplation. It is the balance of both we should be striving for. Love is the key to finding this balance."

My hope is that our love for each other and others will always be the focal point of our community, not becoming another "church" in the city but a community of love that "stinks" up our neighborhoods. Just thinking out loud.

2003-08-09T11:31:00.000-04:00

Hey all - glad to see people hopping back on this blog. in response to greg's inquiry - yes, people are absolutely necessary for us as we follow Jesus. We've been blinded by the last 100 years of culture becoming more and more about MY personal this or that...personal cell phones, personal computers, personal space, personal rights....personal relationship with Jesus. It's not to say that we don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, but I believe that our relationship with Him as a community is equally important, maybe more important.

On a totally non-spiritual sidenote...Banks. We are switching banks now because our current bank (M &T Bank, formerly Allfirst) doesn't have any branches down there. I am looking at Bank of America, Wachovia, and SunTrust as I know they are both here and there. If anyone has any insight into which bank is more reliable, more available, or better in some way, could you e-mail me? mrtimwheeler@yahoo.com

2003-08-08T10:50:00.000-04:00

Here is a song I am listening too, fighting to hold the tears back as GODS presence invades my cube space.

DARE YOU TO MOVE- by Switchfoot.

Welcome to the planet, Welcome to existence
Everbody's here, Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now, What happens next

I dare you to move, I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move, Like today never happened
Today never happened before

Welcome to the fallout, welcome to resistance
The tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself
Where you gonna go, where you gonna go?
Redemption is here

2003-08-08T10:06:00.000-04:00

hi, it's me amy. I'm trying to learn this blogg thing...
I tried 5 times to blogg my dreams, but now i am weary of typing them... Let's just say, god is teaching me not to care what others think, not to care how it has always been done, s but just to care for others and reach out in any way possible. I really want to get to know each one of you in the Hope Community. I'm planning a craft night for the ladies this coming wed the 13, And a MARY kAY PARTY the following wed- hope some of us can connect that way... I spoke to a lady yesterday that I have been working with at walmart to try to get donations for Abba house... Well, she has donated
items personally and wants a religious group of hers to host a
luncheon for abba house. she's a terriffic lady and she does tons of charity p arties, etc. i asked her what religious group she was with and she told me. It shocked me. She is not a
Christian at all, but a Muslim. She quoted the Koran to me about doing for a neighbor, very similar to a scripture from the bible we know, but don't always do. It saddend me a little to think she is missing out on so much(Jesus), but maybe we are missing out on so much- sermon over. it just got me thinking...
amy

2003-08-08T09:28:00.000-04:00

Here's a question for everyone:

Do you think that people are necessary for you in your following of Christ? Why/Why not? And outside of your family ... how do you live out what you believe about the necessity of others?

2003-08-07T20:08:00.000-04:00

Come on now, it doesn't hurt

Everyone else is doing it.

2003-08-07T15:52:00.000-04:00

I am really hoping that all the lurkers will post something soon. Even if you are posting what you had for breakfast I don't care.

Anyway if you haven't gotten to know Amy Marton yet you are really missing out. She is so cool. I was having this bad craving for buffalo wings for the past 3 weeks and today I couldn't stand it anymore. So she offered to stop by Zaxby's and pick me up some.

How is everyone doing?

2003-08-05T08:09:00.000-04:00

Repentance has been a new word in mine and Gregs conversations as of late. Repentance is an uncomfortable word for me it conjures up feelings of condemnation, or out of touch preachers or fundamentalists. The truth I cannot dodge, is that Jesus invites me to do it as a condition of following him. Hummm...............A condition. That is another uncomfortable word. Sounds like a personal problem to me.

A lyric written by Bono is also rolling around in my mind. It is becoming an original psalm for me. The words are from a song called Kite.

I am not afraid to die
I am not afraid to live
when I am flat on my back
I hope to say that I did.

Jesus I repent, please help me to repent
while your at it could you teach me
how to die
and
how to live.

2003-07-31T18:35:00.000-04:00

I wanted to post this. This is from a blog of an Allelon-friend of mine.

His wife is 27 years old.

"I thought I would post an update on Jennifer and the journey that we have been on for a few months now. We were in Cincy two weekends ago, worshiping and sharing life with friends from around the region. Jennifer had a really wonderful time; she was strong and was encouraged by all the prayers and love we received while there. When we returned on Monday, she became very tired, and then started to experience nausea on Thursday. The nausea became so severe on Sunday that I took her to the emergency room, and we spent the night in the hospital.

While there, she began to have waste drain from the tube in her stomach. Her doctor told me that this indicated that the stomach and the bowels had fused, and that waste was passing freely into her abdomen. This was what was causing the nausea. He encouraged us to bring her home, so that she could be comfortable for her last days here on earth. While at the hospital, we also made the most difficult decision I have ever been faced with, to stop her nutrition. It was only feeding the tumors and making her more sick. So as of Saturday evening, Jennifer is no longer receiving any nutrition for her body to live.

We came home Monday evening, and have been controlling the nausea with around the clock injections of medicine. Jennifer is sometimes aware, and sometimes not. This morning we spent a few hours together in the gardens behind the house, talking of the future, the past, and how unimaginably wonderful it will be when she meets God.

I also told her that I still believed God could heal her, and renewed my promise to pray for that until the end. I would encourage you to join me in that prayer, asking God to bring His healing in a miraculous way. I know that if Jennifer had the strength to write, she would say the same thing.

She would also say to be encouraged. Do not lose heart. The Kingdom is present.

All glory to Jesus."

May God give us all the proper perspective on our own lives.

2003-07-21T15:53:00.000-04:00

Awesome dream, Heidi! I love the open doors and the neighbors worshiping Jesus, and the power and glory revealed as he came to your house.... He showed up at your house in that power and glory of wind and fire. Let it be, Lord.
I'm excited about what God is up to among us. It's so tough to move from the individualistic view of the world that is ingrained in us. It's like we think the American Dream is God's dream for us, and "I Did it My Way" is our national hymn. It ican almost feel sacrilegious to move from the "taking care of number one" approach, even when it comes to how we do church. More and more God is correcting my thinking. Church isn't something we do. It's something we are. We just need to be who he made us to be, together, in his presence, and with his power and grace flowing through us both to each other and to those around us. Sounds easier than it is. We still want to "do it my way" when He is calling us to "be My way." Lord, help us!

2003-07-17T09:23:00.000-04:00

Last night I had the most amazing dream. Well first of all I must confess that I did eat 1/4 of a chocolate turtle cake and then I picked up a favorite book called A Chance to Die by Elizabeth Elliot. It is a biography of Amy Carmichael. I was very encouraged by her faithfulness and trust in God. But my dream was this.... I was at my suburbian home here in Cumming Ga and I wanted a visit from Jesus. Jesus said he would come and make a personal visit to me at our home. So.. he was on his way and I kept getting reports from people that he was coming but he would stop here and there to talk with people on his way. He seemed to be stirring up a lot of attention. So finally he was in my neighborhood and I was looking outside my front door and a lot of the neighbors had thier front doors open. One neighbor who is Indian had his door open with an altar set up. It seems that it was an altar for Jesus. So neighbors told me that he had stopped by another neighbors house but he would be coming to my house next. Then a woman came to the door and her name was Mary she was dressed the way she would have been dressed in the time of Jesus. She was there to let me know he would be here soon and suddenly a small tornadoe came down around a tree in our front yard and it caught on fire and there were heavy winds in that small area. I was not afraid because it seemed to be a symbol of God's power. Then I woke up. Any thoughts?

2003-07-16T17:22:00.000-04:00

Those articles that greg emailed to us were awesome. I encourage everyone to read them and lets dissect them and see how they apply to us and who GOD is calling us to be. Looking forward to it.

2003-07-14T13:08:00.000-04:00

Hope you all are doing well. We think we found a car, and we are calling insurance complany to see how much to insure it, etc for budget reasons. Anyway...

I read a great point in the VC Housechurch manuel in the HC and evangelismn section. I wanted to comment on it. And point out the communal" call that is on us as the church to be a community that accomplishes kingdom stuff together. It says " Evangelismn is at best a team effort. When Jesus called people to follow him and said he would make them "fishers of men" the picture in their mind was differant than ours. We tend to think of the solitary fisherman casting his line into the river, wile standing alone. (ISOLATED-emphasis mine) But the picture in the mind of someone listening to Jesus was likely that of a fishing COMMUNITY. (Again emphasis is mine) A group of people then fished together, with some tending the boat, some casting the net and hauling it up, and some cleaning the fish. "

I know the handbook was refering to evangelismn, but what sparked me was that JESUS'S call to them was a call to community and following him, not isolated followers who "have their individual way of following Jesus. (Which I have been guilty of) Anyway I was encouraged and re-confirmed to the Hope and powerful extension of GODs kingdom through being in community with others. Anyway, just thinking out loud.

2003-07-11T15:54:00.000-04:00

This is outstanding:

Problem of Individualism
Maybe a major problem with the desire of churches to form community, is that we are born into a culture of indvidualism. When we gather as the church, we gather as a group of individuals, primarily concerned with my needs and wants, and not to serve a communanl mission and purpose.

There is a popular move to dismantle/abolish/abdandon congregations, i.e sunday services, with many seeing them as axiomatic to modernity and consumerism.

The danger is they can be replaced by other gatherings that are just as individual focused, to keep meeting my new post modern sociological needs. i.e I''m fed up with preaching, I''m fed up with sunday services, therefore I''ll form church around my new needs, of avoiding things I''m burned out on.

I think we need a well thought through theology of community, that informs our way of doing church. Otherwise, alot of people beleiving moving away from congregations is going to generate community, are going to be very dissapointed.

So as we try to form community, we are trying to ask, how much of our re-structuring is due to continued individualism, and how much is because of thoughtful theological reflection, and motivation for our mission and purpose as a church/community.

2003-07-10T03:05:00.000-04:00

After a very hard day we welcomed Cole Timothy Wheeler into the world at 8:19 pm. Mother and baby are resting comfortably.
8 lbs 3 oz.
20 1/2 in.
cute as a button.

2003-07-09T13:03:00.000-04:00

2003-07-09T12:11:00.000-04:00

Hope you are all doing well. Amy and I are currently looking for another car as we cleaned out our honda and said the last goodbyes to it. We are still going back and forth with the insurance company on final settlement. They informed us that the rental is due back friday of this week. Anyway... I wanted to share a poem that reflects what I have been processing/dealing with the past couple days. It is from my other blog spot. livingintension.blogger.com

Tuesday, July 08, 2003

Yesterday was an interesting day, all day I just felt like weeping. I just felt GOD was near and I wanted to weep before HIM. Ever have that happen. If anyone would have some insight to this I am open to hear about it. Anyway, tears didnt flow due to the fact I was in my cube at work. Anyway, I wrote this this morning as I processed yesterday and the things going on in my head. I guess that it is my prayer...

FELT LIKE WEEPING TODAY, BUT THE TEARS DIDNT FLOW
FELT LIKE TALKING TO YOU, BUT I DIDNT MAKE TIME
THOUGHTS HAVE BEEN COMING, BUT NOTHING HAS RHYMED
I CRAWL BACK TO EASILY TO THIS PRISON OF MINE

FELT LIKE CREATING TODAY, BUT MY FINGERS ARE NUMB
FELT LIKE SINGING TODAY, BUT THE WORDS DIDN'T COME
FELT LIKE BEING TODAY, NOT THE PERSON I AM
FELT LIKE WEEPING TODAY, AND BEING MORE LIKE HIM.

2003-07-08T20:56:00.000-04:00

Hey all...Just wanted to let you know they plan to induce Melissa tomorrow morning around 7:30 am. Please pray for a successful delivery and a healthy baby. We'll keep you posted tomorrow! It's very exciting, yet very strange to schedule the birth of a child.

2003-07-08T16:53:00.000-04:00

Well here is the latest, our car has officially been totaled and we have 2 days left with the rental car and then we have to either pick up the cost of the rental or locate a new car. Does anyone know of any decent dealerships new or used and or salespeople? shout it out to us. Thanks.

2003-07-08T15:45:00.000-04:00

Cheryl- great question. One that I know I need to examine more closely. I find it so easy to slip into this "functional godlessness" . And yes I too always default to handling things myself. What I just in the Divine Conspiracy was related to this and so I have been examining it and trying to come up with steps about including GOD in all areas of my life. I have more thoughts about this at livingintension.blogspot.com Gotta run to a meeting...

2003-07-07T20:13:00.000-04:00

Chery good to hear from you. And yes I am thinking along the same lines. More later.

Heidi

2003-07-07T11:53:00.000-04:00

Back again. Hope y'all had a great 4th! Our group had a brunch at the Marinos' place, and met some friends of theirs that we hope will join our group soon. Lots of fun. So glad you're getting good news, Erny and Amy, about the insurance coverage for the accident. That will make everything smoother... hope they're paying for a rental car for you, while yours gets fixed. Is Amy still feeling OK? Or did her neck/back start having further problems?
Our class this week talked in part about functional godlessness: acknowledging God, but living and organizing our lives as though He did not exist, or had nothing to do with us. We were challenged (and I pass the challenge on to you) to identify in what ways we are tempted to functional godlessness in our own lives, and to commit to some specific steps that will help us counter it. Personally, it's the temptation to "do it all myself, thank you" rather than leaning on the Holy Spirit for guidance and power all through the day. How about you?
Blessings,
Cheryl

2003-07-04T09:43:00.000-04:00

030315 - Missional Living.doc

Here are the notes from the talk I gave on Missional Living in March.

Enjoy!

greg

2003-07-01T21:54:00.000-04:00

RE: the regularity of teaching et. al

just my thoughts...

I think teaching should be regular, but varied. By that I mean more than various topics. Perhaps sometimes it looks like a sermon - a more traditional communication, speaker to "audience." Other times it could be slightly more interactive. Sometimes, perhaps, a panel discussion. Still other times could be a complete "round table" discussion. How great would it be for everyone to bring their thoughts/biblical support on what it means to be a Christian parent. The stories that would come up would probably make it seem like simply a time hanging out...and yet everyone would learn, and thus, be taught. An occasional movie night would be cool (discuss the spiritual implications of a movie or something).

Maybe I've dodged the question, Greg...what do you all think?

2003-07-01T20:01:00.000-04:00

I love this because I can chat with you all but you are not at my house so I do not have to vaccume. Cheryl and David thank you for your posts. I spent the afternoon with Jennifer which was very refreshing. Seeing another mom treck through a day with young children. I felt so refreshed after spending time at her house and out of the rain.. I had been in my house so long I felt it was raining inside. I feel lead to pray. Pray for our church and for individuals. Blessings to you all

2003-07-01T17:52:00.000-04:00

hey guys...
Don't ask.doc

...Hope it hasn't been one of those days =)

david

2003-07-01T13:02:00.000-04:00

follow up on article: I STILL LOOK VERY MUCH TO GREG TEACHING US. :)

2003-07-01T13:01:00.000-04:00

great news is the other insurance compnay is taking responsibility for the accident amy was involved in. So that is one thing off my mind. Anyway... I read this great article and wanted to pass it on, I saw similar things that "Alan Creech" mentions that I have beleived about the giftis of the spirit flowing 24/7 not just during "church" times. anyway.. hope you are refrshed by it.

http://www.allelon.net/thinkingoutloud/rethinking_teaching.shtml or reads it now:

Rethinking the Gift of Teaching
by Alan Creech
[Print] [Back]

"Teaching," unfortunately, has come to mean a certain thing in virtually the whole of the Christian community, or at least among those who recognize it as a legitimate spiritual ministry. Many look only at "preaching," which is not cited in the New Testament at all as any sort of gift given by God's Spirit to build up the Body, only as something which is done by anyone telling the good news. Whatever the case may be, we have definite views on these ministries in the church which do not necessarily come into line with Scriptural practice and philosophy.

We have this activity, this ministry of teaching and we put it in a box with very definite sides. Most Christians probably think of teaching as what their pastor does on Sunday morning behind a pulpit, or maybe on Wednesday night. Perhaps we think of a Sunday school "teacher" or even a seminary professor standing in front of a "class," probably at a board or something of that sort. How about you and I sitting in a restaurant for lunch just talking, and we talk about spiritual things and living out the life of Christ and I bring light to something you never understood before and now you understand it and begin to live it—That's teaching!

If I have been given a gift by God, then I have it, all the time, and there is no real "proper" place in Scripture for me to use that gift. No one place, no box, no sides! In traditional church settings over the last great period of time we have so constrained the outworking of these equipping gifts (Ephesians. 4:11-16) that we probably rarely see them function as they were designed to function. We have seen the role of teacher be relegated to the auditorium setting, one day a week, and only in front of the whole assembly. Teachers in the program-based church have become merely those who take us through a Bible drill while we sit silently and ... "learn?"

Now this gift should most definitely be used in the large group setting as well, but as we see in Acts 5:42—their teaching was done in the assembly and from house to house. I don't believe that teaching was meant to be a "hit and run" thing where we come at them with both barrels and then take off to let them fend for themselves. On the contrary, we must allow these valuable gifts to operate freely and in the context of community. For too long we as teachers, pastors, etc. have ministered as those isolated from the Body. In the emerging Church today, I truly believe we can see the shackles torn off. We can again allow God to build up the Body of His Son as we see these gifts operate as they were designed, in an ongoing context of true Body fellowship in which teaching, and whatever else, is not seen as a quick fix but as something consistent which is always flowing through the Body of Christ, always building up without disconnection from the other. In Acts 18:11 we see an example of Paul staying for a year and a half to teach the faithful in one location, and that is not an isolated incident.

So, in light of these things I have discussed: the constant residence of the gift; the lack of restrictions for the operation of teaching; and the proper functioning of the gift in the context of community life—we can effectively teach in the small, intimate church meeting without necessarily holding an audience "captive" or standing behind a pulpit. We can allow God to equip the members of the Body for the work of ministry through us at any time and in any place. And, best of all, we can teach and teach and teach by word and by example in the true spirit of discipleship by living together in community with those whom we are teaching—and they won't go away confused, and they will, by the consistency of God working through us in their midst, they will understand it and be changed and live out the life of Christ that is in them! Exciting? Yes! Optimistic? Yes! Possible? Yes!

I pray that God continues to renew us, continues to grow the vision of how He designed us to be, and continues to make us able to receive and to live that vision no matter how great it might be.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alan Creech is a church planter and graphic designer in Lexington, Kentucky. He, his wife Liz, and a small community of others are cultivating church there called Vine & Branches Christian Community. You can find more about what they're doing on their website—www.vbcc.net. You can contact him at vbcc@qx.net. He also has a rambling blog where you can read his mind on a regular basis—scary—www.alancreech.com.

2003-06-30T15:56:00.000-04:00

OK, family, here's my first shot at blogging... It's been a really busy week for me, but absolutely awesome. I'm into my first class at Fuller Seminary: Christian Worldview and Contemporary Challenges. Taught by the President of the seminary no less! It's all done online, so I can work on it a bit while I'm at the office (when my other stuff is caught up), and whenever my computer is available to me. It's been a long time since I've been in an academic setting and when I was, it was studying law or very basic psychology courses. Nothing nearly as connected to god-stuff as examining various worldviews and comparing them with a Christian worldview; and examinining our own lives to see to what degree we are actually "living out" our Christian worldview. Really exciting stuff... And timely. One of our assignments will be to do an hour-long interview of someone with a different worldview, to seek to understand theirs more fully. I think I'll ask my 'neighbor' at the office if she will consent to be interviewed - she's a Jehovah's Witness, who once offered to 'explain' the Trinity to me... Should be interesting. Have a great week, everyone.

2003-06-30T14:35:00.000-04:00

I think that the Lord really set out to encourage us this past w/e. First at our service on Saturday night and then during our leaders meeting on Sunday.

It seemed clear that there is genuine excitement and commitment to being a decentralized network of simple churches.

2003-06-29T12:59:00.000-04:00

I thought church this past saturday evening was awesome. The food was great, catching up with people was awesome and the time we spent sharing and worshipping was refreshing. I thought the question that Greg posed after check in time was great "how do we enter worship as a community carrying each others burdens"(not exactly but i think I captured the essence of it) and the responses great. But I have to give amy kudos for saying lets replace the "i" in the songs with "we" and sing to GOD. I thought it was powerful. And I have been pondering since then "community" and "bearing each others burdens" and caring for each other. How GOD called Israel into becoming a "community" that would represent Him to the world a "light to the nations" and how HE dealt with them as a community, yes he raised up individuals but it was for the sake of the community. And as we form into a spirit led community who care deeply for one another, bearing each others burdens, being open to the spirits equipping of gifts to minister to each other, community is becoming clearer to me. Anyway..., I (we) look forward to growing as followers of Jesus with you and being the community that HE plans for us to be and caring and hanging and just being with you. Looking forward to seeing you...

2003-06-27T11:48:00.000-04:00

here is an interveiw I read that I found a great read:

http://www.stanleyjgrenz.com/articles/talk_mag.html

I was reading this Interveiw and thought that this little piece of how HE describes the church how we should veiw ourselves is awesome. Like agents in this world for GODS kingdom who pray and seek to see it come in power and then look to see it in operation all around us and then engage ourselves in it. Also what he says about embracing our past (story) and bringing it into our present is pretty cool.

Similarly, we should define the church from the vantage point of our communal purpose to be the sign and foretaste of the fullness of community that will be ours when Christ returns. Therefore, we must see ourselves as called to seek to live in the present in the light of the glorious future that awaits us. But the valid orientation toward the future ought not to lead us to cut ourselves off from the past. As many sociological theorists have pointed out, a true community is a “community of hope” (one that anticipates its glorious future) as well as a community of memory, i.e., a people who remember their communal past. One real danger in the church today is that we become fixated on the “new” that we fail to appreciate the “treasures” of our heritage.

2003-06-26T08:09:00.000-04:00

started reading the book "Peculiar People" by Rodney Clapp, I must admit I did not get very far but what I have read I really liked. I agree with him on the point that the church is meant to be more than what it appears to be today. A political agenda machine, another self help pogram to get us over the obstacles we face or my favorite another multi level get rich scheme that goes out over the air waves 24/7. If I remember correctly he describes the church as a place of healing community where people can be who they are, live out their lives for GOD and be encouraged along the way. (these are not quotes, but from my memory cells) anyway what HE is talking about so far is what I long for and desire to be a part of. In this light as I read the NT I see GOD's call to a people to live as a community as salt and light, not to change politics, not to offer the lifestyle of the rich and famous, but as a place of being known, loved and encouraged in this journey of life. I know that is what I need and hope to be for someone else. Especially my wife and daughter. With you on the journey.

2003-06-25T15:28:00.000-04:00

how is everyone doing out there? Anything pressing among the hope community?

2003-06-24T13:45:00.000-04:00

FINALLY!!

I think I've shared with many of you over the past 10 months, my frustration at not being able to cry or weep. Not feel, mind you ... but just shed some tears.

Well, God's funny.

I was driving back from the gym at lunch and I was listening to the song "Ocean Floor" by Audio Adrenaline (man, I feel like I'm 25 ... just typing that sentence) and I just lost it during the chorus.

Man, I needed that.

2003-06-23T21:19:00.000-04:00

Tim- can't wait to meet you guys. anyway, everyone I posted at livingintension.blogspot.com if you want to see what I have been thinking the past few weeks. But yesterdays conversation at house church was really I found stimulating and edifying. I love where we are Jesus and seeing his kingdom come in our neighborhoods and places of work. Lets stay hungry for GOD and finding him where He is. peace! Remember to pray for Rene as she is waiting to hear on scholarship news for Nick to continue at military school, they are deciding this week.

2003-06-23T18:19:00.000-04:00

very cool. Hi I'm tim - I'll be moving down to do life with you all very soon. I was thinking today about our visit there last fall. At a gathering, before everyone left, someone (forgive me, I don't remember who) said to my wife, "I just know you guys will be here...I just know it." And we will. God is awesome.

2003-06-23T15:58:00.000-04:00

Welcome ... let's use this as a way to connect with one another. Share our stories, thoughts and use it to post WHATEVER THE HECK YOU WANT TO:

Here are a coupla other community blogs. Take a look at how they are being used:

Check this out!
And this ....
oh ... and did I mention this ?

I will give $25 to the first person in our community over 40 who becomes a regular contributor here ... don't let the young folks show y'all up!

2003-06-23T15:48:00.000-04:00

this will be an excellant way for us to connect with the community and keep in touch via cyberspace.