So much to do…
Glued to my computer
so little time.
This is my thought for the day. I don’t have time to write today, but I do need your help. I’ve set aside today for a few meetings in the morning, then a full late morning and afternoon of working on the FC’s teaching calendar for 2009. So because I’m glued to my computer in a mode of work today, please help me with this. (especially, though not limited to, if you attend Fellowship)
Related posts:
“As far as it is up to you, live at peace with all men.”
I recently set about to study the word “lovingkindness”. God’s lovingkindness is mentioned in my favorite psalms(138) and throughout psalms and only a few other places in the Old Testament.(King James) It also turns up in one of my favorite songs”Revive Me”…revive me acc. to Your lovingkindness. Anyway..I was just interested in its use…does it differ from compassion. Is true lovingkindness rare..only something God can give. An internet search led me to much info…including Buddhist meditation practices re: Lovingkindness. I’m most definitely a word person…the idea of studying a word and its use Biblically and otherwise interests me…as many words are misused.
When we were at that pastor’s thing a couple weeks ago, one of the comments that really struck me was by that gentleman who looked at his teaching schedule through the lense of what they were trying to do as a church. When they realized that they were heavy on one aspect of the vision they rewrote the teaching schedule.
Therefore, it seems like there ought to be two questions put to the teaching schedule.
The first question is for each series individually. That question is “Does the truths encapsulated in these sermons lead to a growing relationship with Christ?”
The second question is put to the teaching as a whole. That question is “Is there anything about leading people in a growing relationship with Christ that we are missing?”
There are, of course, some truths which can’t meaningfully be conveyed in the context of a sermon… this would remove them from the realm of “teaching schedule” but it ought to be a topic that’s red flagged so that it can be adressed in some other way.
In a way you do this all the time, without really drawing our attention to it. But I wonder what would happen if you started every single sermon (or atleast series) with a sentence like “Our mission is to lead people into a growing relationship with Christ. What we’re going to learn today connects to this mission because…”
More specifically, there are two things I love about that phrase, “leading people in a growing relationship with Christ.”
The first is the word “growing” which implies that spiritual maturity is a process.
The second, is the word “leading”; I can’t exactly explain what this word evokes in me that causes me to like it. It gives me some sort-of sense that we’re in it together, not putting walls up, that we’re developing leaders.
I don’t have thoughts about what scripture you might use. But I’d be interested to hear your thoughts about spiritual formation over the next year. This doesn’t mean that we ignore people who don’t know Christ. In fact, one part of leading people in that growing relationship is spurring them on to lead others. So, there’s my 2 cents.
1. Proverbs 31
2. What responsibility, if any, do Christians have towards the environment? In general Christians consume exactly the same as our non-believing counterparts. What does the Bible tell us about the Creation, our behavior towards and with it, how we should live our lives? I know many Christians have long thought of environmental care as the province of tree-hugging hippies, and even though organic stuff has become more “hip,” that’s not really a personal conviction thing. It’s cheaper and easier to buy Wal-Mart, but is it *right*? Maybe a broader scope would be Christians and consumption; environmental stewardship is an aspect of making consumption choices that are sustainable and not just cheapest or most convenient. I love this quote:
“We recall Jesus’ words that our lives do not consist in the abundance of our possessions, and therefore we urge followers of Jesus to resist the allure of wastefulness and overconsumption by making personal lifestyle choices that express humility, forbearance, self restraint and frugality.” (http://www.creationcare.org/resources/declaration.php)
I have a lot more to say about this but I’ll cut myself off here.
Just wanted to say..great topic Katie. I would be very interested in a study of Environmental awareness & our responsibility as Christians to care for the Creation!
Kim & Katie-
Awesome thoughts. An exploration about what the bible says about love in general would be an amazing thing. And I wonder if it would lead into Katie’s thoughts. I’m intruiged about the environmental idea but also about the stuff she alludes to about responsibile consumership…
I like jeff’s ideas about being very purposeful in filling in all aspects of growing in our relationship with God in our intimacy with him, in our influence with unbelievers, in our community with believers. There’s a lot to teach on in these aspects from what God is like, what life without God is like, what being with God should transform us as (application into how to respond to economics, environment, government, social action?), how to study the bible to understand and gain more knowledge of him (lovingkindness has often been translated from a Hebrew word that means covenant-faithfulness: there’s a freebie) how to outreach, how to have relational evangelism, investing and inviting those in our influence, why and how to build community with other believers, how to multiply your influence through service, what is the church, why does God need our cash…
I too am looking in these questions as we tackle the student ministry for the next year. I’m teaching a series on love God, love people in December and the study of love has really brought me to look at love with the synonym service. it’s action that proves love, it’s like the whole faith without works is dead thing.
Usher: Hey Deak, you think people really believe they have the power to change the earth, stop global warming and “preserve” the earth for tomorrow?
Deacon: Many do. The gospel they know is a much more kinder, gentler one than us buzzards know.
Usher: Too bad they have to deal with currency as their provision vehicle. It makes all of them trust in their bank account or their 401K.
Deacon: They should learn the real true vehicle of provision.
Usher: What’s that?
Deacon: Why the automobile of course. Without it, there would be no roadkill!
John 3:5-8 …the wind blows where it pleases… nicodemus, etc.
I’m not an FC-er, but I think that a study on the Kingdom of God would be pretty awesome. Also, the fact that
our identify is found in Christ and that everything He did, we are supposed to do here on the earth – essentially,
bringing heaven to earth.
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