Park Meadows
We went shopping at the mall for the first time in I don't know how long. It was amazing how busy the mall was and on a Tuesday afternoon! It really causes me to pause and think. What do we think we are here for? Are we here to consume? I am amazed at how much I want (and after a day of shopping ironically you find you want more!). That's one thing I enjoy about living in a rural area. Sure we have Amazon but we don't have the easy access to all the shops and restaurants. It's nice to have so much less vying for our attention.
It's interesting to me how much "stuff" clutters our souls. I feel that I want to make a conscious effort consuming less this year. And yet I am pulled to consume. Pulled to consume more especially gadgets.
I am very challenged by the simple lifestyle that many people "out in the sticks" live. We'll see if I can become less of a consumer this year. What is the opposite of a consumer? Producer?...
12.31.2003
12.29.2003
Positive & Encouraging K-LOVE
Driving in to Denver today from Wray and we were listening to the local K-LOVE station. This station pushes every button of mine! It demonstrates everything that is wrong with modern day evangelical Christianity.
Currently they are in there end of the year pledge drive. They are asking people to send in $40 a month so they can pay off there current $3 million operating deficit! What a joke!
The benefits are that your children won't have to hear all the terrible music and shock jocks that are out there and you will be encouraged each day in your faith. It makes me sick.
I wish they would have everyone donate to Compassion and sponsor a child for $28 a month. Let's really do some good and not just contribute to something that entertains us and reinforces the current pathetic evangelical Christian culture.
The thing that really bothers me is that this station acts like they represent all Christians. Nothing could be further from the truth. Perhaps their $3 million debt should cause them to re-evaluate what they are doing.
Driving in to Denver today from Wray and we were listening to the local K-LOVE station. This station pushes every button of mine! It demonstrates everything that is wrong with modern day evangelical Christianity.
Currently they are in there end of the year pledge drive. They are asking people to send in $40 a month so they can pay off there current $3 million operating deficit! What a joke!
The benefits are that your children won't have to hear all the terrible music and shock jocks that are out there and you will be encouraged each day in your faith. It makes me sick.
I wish they would have everyone donate to Compassion and sponsor a child for $28 a month. Let's really do some good and not just contribute to something that entertains us and reinforces the current pathetic evangelical Christian culture.
The thing that really bothers me is that this station acts like they represent all Christians. Nothing could be further from the truth. Perhaps their $3 million debt should cause them to re-evaluate what they are doing.
12.27.2003
What a day and a little about Wray, Colorado...
I have been reading a lot of blogs the last couple of days and learning a lot about this medium. I must say that it is really fun!
Today, I have been a human doing rather than a human being. We had a wedding at the church and I played guitar and trumpet for it and helped officiate it as well. What a crazy day. I have hardly had time to think today.
We live in a rather small town on the northeastern plains of Colorado. The town has only about 2,000 people.
I pastor two small mainline protestant churches: one is Presbyterian USA and the other is Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Both churches have an average attendance under 100 people. Both churches are graying and the town is dying.
I know God has called me here but there are many times that I want to do so much more than maintain and bury so many.
There are several in there 20's and 30's out here, including my wife and I, but few attend church. Clearly the churches out here are irrelevant to them. I am praying for wisdom and guidance as I seek to minister to the people in my churches and the surrounding community.
Grace and peace.
Steve
I have been reading a lot of blogs the last couple of days and learning a lot about this medium. I must say that it is really fun!
Today, I have been a human doing rather than a human being. We had a wedding at the church and I played guitar and trumpet for it and helped officiate it as well. What a crazy day. I have hardly had time to think today.
We live in a rather small town on the northeastern plains of Colorado. The town has only about 2,000 people.
I pastor two small mainline protestant churches: one is Presbyterian USA and the other is Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Both churches have an average attendance under 100 people. Both churches are graying and the town is dying.
I know God has called me here but there are many times that I want to do so much more than maintain and bury so many.
There are several in there 20's and 30's out here, including my wife and I, but few attend church. Clearly the churches out here are irrelevant to them. I am praying for wisdom and guidance as I seek to minister to the people in my churches and the surrounding community.
Grace and peace.
Steve
12.26.2003
Amazon.com: Books: Luke: "Luke"
Working feverishly on my sermon for Sunday. I am disappointed in what Darrell Bock had to say on this week's text.
I am preaching through the lectionary and the text this week is Luke 2:41-52. This passage brings to mind all sorts of questions and mysteries and yet Bock seems obvious to them.
I understand that this is an English only, commentary "lite" if you will, but much of evangelicalism doesn't read the text very carefully. Much modern thinking wants an authoritative question and answer approach with a text like this. They often want the mystery removed.
Now I am not saying that Bock doesn't read carefully. But his treatment of this particular passage is far from satisfying.
Reading the story, many questions and mysteries strike me. Especially interesting is the idea conveyed in verse 52: "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." This verse causes me to ask: What does it mean that Jesus grew in wisdom? Wasn’t he the all-wise God? How do we make sense of this verse? Isn’t Jesus God incarnate? Can God grow in wisdom? At what point did Jesus become wise to the fact that he was God incarnate?
Clearly, definite answers to these questions are unavailable. Yet it often feels to me that evangelicalism is unwilling or unaware of questions such as these. And if modern thinking stumbles upon questions like these then they must have rational answers. In the age of reason would we dare raise these questions without answers? Only a postmodern crowd could stand the tension and the mystery.
Yet this is what I am drawn to in many of these texts. The mystery. The questions. In my rural, modern context, questions and mystery don't preach. We need answers. The last thing we want to think about is Jesus as a budding adolescent sitting around talking theology with a bunch of long-bearded rabbi's. Especially if the text isn't kind enough to fill us in on what they were discussing.
Working feverishly on my sermon for Sunday. I am disappointed in what Darrell Bock had to say on this week's text.
I am preaching through the lectionary and the text this week is Luke 2:41-52. This passage brings to mind all sorts of questions and mysteries and yet Bock seems obvious to them.
I understand that this is an English only, commentary "lite" if you will, but much of evangelicalism doesn't read the text very carefully. Much modern thinking wants an authoritative question and answer approach with a text like this. They often want the mystery removed.
Now I am not saying that Bock doesn't read carefully. But his treatment of this particular passage is far from satisfying.
Reading the story, many questions and mysteries strike me. Especially interesting is the idea conveyed in verse 52: "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." This verse causes me to ask: What does it mean that Jesus grew in wisdom? Wasn’t he the all-wise God? How do we make sense of this verse? Isn’t Jesus God incarnate? Can God grow in wisdom? At what point did Jesus become wise to the fact that he was God incarnate?
Clearly, definite answers to these questions are unavailable. Yet it often feels to me that evangelicalism is unwilling or unaware of questions such as these. And if modern thinking stumbles upon questions like these then they must have rational answers. In the age of reason would we dare raise these questions without answers? Only a postmodern crowd could stand the tension and the mystery.
Yet this is what I am drawn to in many of these texts. The mystery. The questions. In my rural, modern context, questions and mystery don't preach. We need answers. The last thing we want to think about is Jesus as a budding adolescent sitting around talking theology with a bunch of long-bearded rabbi's. Especially if the text isn't kind enough to fill us in on what they were discussing.
12.24.2003
Merry Christmas!
It's been a very busy day as my wife and two of my children have been sick! On top of that I have the Christmas Eve Services to preach tonight! Yikes!
This is only my second year of preaching for the Christmas season and in some ways it is the most difficult time to preach. What do you say? Especially to the many people that only come on Christmas and Easter?
Well we'll see how it goes. No really profound thoughts today.
Grace and peace.Out in the sticks
It's been a very busy day as my wife and two of my children have been sick! On top of that I have the Christmas Eve Services to preach tonight! Yikes!
This is only my second year of preaching for the Christmas season and in some ways it is the most difficult time to preach. What do you say? Especially to the many people that only come on Christmas and Easter?
Well we'll see how it goes. No really profound thoughts today.
Grace and peace.Out in the sticks
12.23.2003
I attended a Catholic funeral Mass today. It was the first Catholic Mass I have ever attended. I must say that some elements of the service were very striking.
At St. Andrews here in Wray, there is a large crucifix at the front of the Sanctuary. It was very moving reflecting on the Crucifix for me today. Here it is, two days before Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ. Yet it is all too easy to forget why Jesus came, to die on the cross. It was very powerful for me to see the Christmas decorations next to the crucifix.
There is a certain richness to the Catholic faith that is very powerful. We protestants often miss out on this richness and the link to tradition and heritage. Yet I am a protestant for good reasons and have many problems with Catholic theology. However, I do not want to miss out on certain traditions or practices just because they are often associated with Catholicism.
Remember that Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins. Too many of us want to reflect only on his birth and forget about his life and death and resurrection.
Merry Christmas!
Grace and peace,
Steve
At St. Andrews here in Wray, there is a large crucifix at the front of the Sanctuary. It was very moving reflecting on the Crucifix for me today. Here it is, two days before Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ. Yet it is all too easy to forget why Jesus came, to die on the cross. It was very powerful for me to see the Christmas decorations next to the crucifix.
There is a certain richness to the Catholic faith that is very powerful. We protestants often miss out on this richness and the link to tradition and heritage. Yet I am a protestant for good reasons and have many problems with Catholic theology. However, I do not want to miss out on certain traditions or practices just because they are often associated with Catholicism.
Remember that Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins. Too many of us want to reflect only on his birth and forget about his life and death and resurrection.
Merry Christmas!
Grace and peace,
Steve
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