| Topic: |
Religions > Bible |
| User: |
"dmaycock" |
| Date: |
28 Aug 2006 12:46:41 AM |
| Object: |
Engage, Ponder, and GROW! Some thoughts on change |
Greetings friends!
Well, I woke up this morning to the sound of a pager going off in my
ear, because I'm on call this week at work (two weeks out of the year,
I'm on the 24/7-keep-boeing-going pager rotation). so I tweaked a
server, and couldn't sleep because I so much swimming in my mind that I
thought I'd spin about it :) That, and the sun is now up, illuminating
my room and I'm a light sleeper ehehe.
I don't know for sure, but I'd venture a guess that next to New Years,
one's birthday is probably the most common point in the year where
someone commits themselves to change. Since today happens to be my
birthday, I figured that's what I'm going to write about.
If you only have a few moments, please skip "THE BACKGROUND" and head
to the section entitled "THE POINT"
THE BACKGROUND
If you've been getting my big ol e-mails, and reading through them
you've probably noticed a simliar theme - theology topics. Perhaps
you've read them, perhaps you've skimmed them, I hope at least that
you've opened them and in turn I pray that contained within each e-mail
there has been something that has touched your heart, head, or both.
See, the goal for me has been this - I think we live in Christian
communities where alot of things are "role" based. I.E. I'm the coffee
station greeter at church, and my job is to make sure the coffee
carafes have coffee in them and that's my role to play so I show up
every Sunday and focus on just that. Just the same, pastors to
caregivers to elders all have roles as well. And the unfortunate thing
is we aren't really put in situations where we have to step outside of
that "role". We aren't engaged in things outside of our capacity that
would cause us to move in directions we haven't headed before,
especially if we've been at the same congretation for long periods of
time.
This poses a problem, because it creates "comfort zones". I can predict
with great certainty every possible situation that will arise within my
"role" and that gives me a sense of comfort because I can predict all
sizes and shapes of circumstances surrounding what it is I do. If I'm a
church-goer for instance, perhaps I sit in the same seat every Sunday
and some Sunday my seat is taken by a visitor when I arive. Well, I may
or may not be a bit jolted but I can always find another seat so that's
ok. And really, within what I do that's the extent of change that'll go
on in my walk - I never push past the comfortable to walking into the
unknown. I'm not exploring new territory, because I take notes from the
sermon but I don't DO anything with them. Or I'm in a small group, but
I don't take things into my workplace or my family.
This is a broad generalization, and I"m certainly not downplaying the
importance of these things because God works in all ways and by no
means is the work of the Lord reduced by people having positions within
a church. I just think it's the temptation of being comfortable, that
will cause God's plans for people to be diminished over time by the
comfortable life of coffee station greeting. Where I can prepare for
running out of coffee, the pitcher not working, even a spill here or
there and because of that I won't allow myself to get used for anything
BEYOND that. I won't take up the challenges I'm given by God, either by
the Sunday sermon or elsewhere because I've found my place in seat 3,
row 6 and that's where I'll stay till I leave this world. And though we
need coffee station greeters to make the coffee, we, each one of us,
also needs to constantly be challenging our call in the church and
asking God "Am I dormant Lord, am I growing moss, or are you using me
the way you want me to be used?".
Are we probing God, challenging the comfortable, and willing to step
out to see what God has for us? I think as the church in America, no. I
say that, because I see signs of it. I see LDS, Scientology, Kabala,
and the like growing in numbers when good churchs are shutting their
doors. I see a rise in all manner of corruptness, from the destruction
of the nuclear family to the rise of self-centered corporate politics.
I could speculate, give examples, point to concrete reasons and point
to warnings and historical points in scripture but we all know of
something we have a heavy heart about in this world so I don't think
any more evidence is needed.
We as a body need to step outside of the comfortable for this to
happen, and challenge what's going on in the world around us - things
are the way they are, because I believe people just aren't jazzed to
get up and take a step towards having that happen.
There's substantial room for improvement these days in the American
church community and I don't like to just sit on the sidelines when the
team is struggling - I like to jump in and help score a touchdown. You
feel the same way, and that's why you're on my mailing list :) You are
someone commited to making a positive difference for the kingdom of God
and are doing awesome things.
I know you all from seperate walks of life, and each has touched me in
a special way. Now I want to bring you all together, and spark some
thoughts on how we can make changes for God. Theology, the
understanding of God and his plan for us, is what we can use to form
this community. We can be people that engage ourselves in thought, to
help what we do in heart and deed.
Most of you are pastors, and are already doing this regularly :) Or
you're in seminary, have gone to seminary, or are going to go to
seminary and that's awesome! But there are people like myself that have
to step outside of the day to day race of life and make time for
engaging my mind to take something I've had on my heart, pray and
ponder on it, then put scripture and understanding to match it in order
to engage that part of my walk. It's important for me though,
discipleship, and something I think we as a body need to do more of.
THE POINT
We need to shake the comfortable roles we have, engage God in thought,
deed, and heart and not only think but QUESTION what God is doing in
our lives and the lives of those around us. Then engage him in prayer,
and devotion to continually seek revelation. The most powerful muscle
in our body is our mind, yet I find alot of my faith is in the
subconcious - I do without thinking, because I have the role I play
rehearsed down to a T so no more contemplation is necessary. It's a
trap many fall into, and that's why I write these e-mails really.
I want us to all engage God in a theological way - to throw out a
topic, and have 30+ people responding saying "Yea, this is something
I've had shared with me lately" or "This is a verse that comes to mind"
or "Ya know, God DOES work in that way - here's some theological
understanding to go with it". I want us all to engage and discover,
because it's through theology that God prompts us with uncomfortability
- and as we move past that, it builds deeper relationship (thanks dad,
for the diagram).
If we aren't engaging God theologically, then we fall away from
revelation and steps of faith - if we have God in a box, then we need
to take him out because he's so much bigger than that. We need to probe
the news for what God is doing, look at the world around us, and
constantly question through prayer and discernment what God has for us.
It's a call to arms really, and I'd like you all to fight alongside me!
We're in a war no doubt, and though I'm not expecting to be fox-hole
buddies with everyone, I'd like to learn and share battle tactics. If
you're already doing this, in a community or bible study where this is
already going on, then terrific! But if not, please feel free to engage
these e-mails. Reply to all, and say "this is something to add to that"
or "ya know, that's a good point" or "dan, you fool, you're so off
base" - whatever!
I want to form a community of people that engage each other's minds and
dig deeper into something they've only skimmed before. Be you pastor,
or layperson, or campus minister, or coffee stand greeter - my prayer
is that we can make new friends, have great conversations, and all grow
together to constantly refine our understanding and engage our theology
to avoid the pitfalls of a "role based" life.
I know time constraints and commitments can be daunting :p If you're
unable to share, I totally understand! This is by no means a guilt trip
or anything of the sort - more of a shout out because I haven't been
hearing back from anyone so I figured I'd share my heart on why I write
what I write. We're all in different walks though, and so this one size
fits all e-mail might not work. Let me know though, and I'd be happy to
change the format for each person - be it bullet points to some and
page long paragraphs to others. Let me know!
My passion and my heart is sharing God's message to people in ways that
challenges their understanding and helps to develop their faith in
thought, because that in turn prompts deed and builds passion. So
that's really what this is! I'd like to know what ya'll think though
and hopefully you can reply to all and really get a conversation going.
If it's not your cup of tea though, feel free to just read along if
you'd like but please let me know if I can phrase this any differently
or make it shorter or put bullet points in or whatever. If this works
though, great! I pray God speaks through it. But I'm passionate about
us reaching out to each other, making new friends, and bringing
together people from all walks of the christian life - people we'd
never meet otherwise :) How awesome to have such a cross-section of
believers! And I know we all have things or topics we'd like to share.
If you want to be annonymous, feel free just to reply to me and I can
either send it out to everyone or just keep it to myself, either works
fine. I just pray that we all engage in whatever way we'd like, and
that if you aren't currently engaged in a faith-building bible study or
actively pursuising God's message at church that this could be an
opportunity for you.
Most importantly, I pray that God's word is heard and not Dan's - so if
I'm ever off base and totally off the reservation, please feel free to
keep me accountable to what I say! I need to be refined as well. Let me
know what ya'll think, if you agree or disagree, or if I missed
something. I value each and every one of you, and that's why you're on
this list so what you have to say is definetly important.
I'm not saying we can change the world, but if we shake the spider webs
off our faith and make sure we're a rolling stone - we'll never become
dormant and grow the type of moss that causes apathy - Then we'll be
open and ready to let God change the world through us. That's the kind
of powerful stuff that builds churchs and causes phenominal growth, and
it's the kind of stuff that builds passion in the heart of the
coffee-station-greeter to make the best darn coffee he can and bless
people with the heart and mind of an active passionate believer -
because God will speak through him to those around him, and that's some
pretty contageious stuff.
God bless you all! And hope you have a terrific christ-filled Sunday
.
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