Get it right.

A lot of people have been asking how the church should approach the role of the pastor. It has been alarming how many church people have no Biblical understanding of this. Mel Menkle does a good job of summarizing this here at Author’s Den. Please take a look at it and share! My only concern is breaking that horrendous mindset that sees this as a position, not a calling. Even when Mel Menkle talks about a Bishop (overseer) most of us will think of a manager at the top of the pyramid, in a position we have created, educated according to the rules, pays his annual ordination fee, does a good enough job that he doesn’t get fired. Truth is, a bishop is an elder that God is using to minister to other’s. Not some position we have created and filled. Philippi had multiple people referred to as bishops or “overseers”. These men, “elders” certainly did not all have the same gifts or same abilities (and all certainly functioned mostly in their areas of giftedness), They were all called by the Holy Spirit to be spiritual leaders of God’s flock (Acts 20:28). This calling is recognizable by apostolic standards (2 Cor 8:16). Appointing was made by men with true apostolic calling. From a practical point of view you know them them by their spirit (1 John 4:1 – does not mean by the degree of comfort with your human spirit, but the homogeneity with the Holy Spirit).They bear spiritual fruit, have spiritual authority, move the flock towards the living God. Someone with this calling burning in their heart will certainly not be distracted by buildings, finances, waiting tables and rummage sales.
When God’s man is in a place and ministry that God has called him into, there is accountability. When it’s not a God thing, when we do it our own way none of this is necessarily true. The 12 tried this once and we have no idea how things went for Matthias (Act 1), apparently not much came of it. When God chose a man things happened!

p.s. Some of the most unlikely, ragtag people are shepherding God’s flock with true love and spiritual authority. At this very moment God is raising up a generation of leaders. It’s not about some “official” “church” position, it’s a function, a ministry – ordained by God and not by men. At best we recognize what God is doing and engage these called people in the body. Yes, leadership is needed, but it is God doing the calling.

Jesus Culture

Kim Walker – How He Loves Us

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It’s because you lied.

Or whatever – maybe you lied or stole or maybe lust (same as adultery per Jesus) or hate (same as murder) …. Truth about you and me is that we are guilty of breaking laws that God said would never change. We’re not guilty because we’re bad or worthless, shoot…Jesus thinks your so worthwhile He died for you. We are guilty because we broke the laws. It’s kinda weird that we get this “there is no Law” thing going on – like God changed the rules for us cause we’re different, when the truth is that the one thing that changed is that our fines are being paid by someone who loves us.
This is love, this is Jesus being glorious. He took the punishment for us and if we’re walking in faith in Him were guiltless because of His actions.
Isn’t it also kinda weird that we translate “Jesus does it all” (true) into we pretend it’s not there (insane). Or is it like saying we believe He died for something that’s not all that important, at least not us?
When it becomes important to us we are very close to that thing called repentance. And repentance is the first step to the most mind-blowing life-fixing experience in the universe.

Jesus Culture – Kim Walker

We Cry Out

From: What would Jesus Blog

The following are not my words – they are pasted right outa What Would Jesus Blog? at Blogspot:

“Every so often, somebody likes to yell at Me in My blog comments. Rarely do I respond via this blog. However, I would like to respond a recent comment, which I have copied and pasted below. The comment was as follows:

IF GOD REALLY DOES EXSIT WHY IS IT THAT HE MAKES UP SUFFER AND IF HE IS REAL WHY DOES HE GIVE US EMOTIONS WHEN SOME OF THEM WILL HURT US OR THE PEOPLE WE CARE ABOUT. WHY IS IT THAT HE GIVES US LIFE AND LITTLE HAPPINESS BUT TAKES AWAY LIFE AND OUR HAPPINESS WHEN WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE WHAT WE HAVE AND HE TAKES IT AWAY. I SAY THAT IF GOD REALLY LOVED US HE WOULDN’T MAKE US SUFFER AND WOULDN’T TAKE AWAY THE THINGS OR THE PEOPLE WE CARE ABOUT THE MOST.

And now, My response…

Dear Anonymous,
I have created your world and your life. I have loved you ever since I made you in a special place. While creating you, I placed in your heart a set of morals. I remember the morals which I gave you, and I remember specifically placing in those morals the rules of when and when not to excessively use your caps lock key. You clearly went against your own heart which I made for you when you went against your better judgment and typed your whole comment in capitol letters. You know this is wrong, and yet you do it anyway.

Unfortunately, Anonymous, you live in a world surrounded by people that go against the seeds of righteousness I have planted in their hearts. When the world turned against Me, the world fell apart. Why the suffering? Why the Hurt? Why the excessive use of the caps lock key? The answer is only three letters long… S.I.N.

I’m sorry that you have to wrestle about Me in a world so screwed up. The good news is I did something about it. I’ve created a place better than where you’re stuck, a place where suffering doesn’t even exist. I also made a way for you to get up here. If you want in, and believe in Me you do, then calm down on your caps lock key and keep searching for the truth. At the end of your journey, you’ll find Me with My arms spread wide open. That’s a cross reference, get it?

I died for you. I died for your excessive caps lock key use. I died for your anger. I’m sorry you are hurting. You won’t be much longer. I love you. Read My biography and we’ll chat.

Jesus Christ

Anybody else got anything they want to vent My way? Drop Me a line and maybe I’ll respond back in blog format. posted by wwjblog @ Monday, January 07, 2008″

A code of conduct for missions and evangelism? Sheesh.

Effective evangelism by Evangelicals and Pentecostals has created quite a stir among Christendom, so it would seem. Time to bring some intelligent ecumenism to this! The good old World Council of Churches, along with the Vatican and a whole bunch of Evangelicals have decided it’s time to bring some uniformity to the problem of Christians who are just a little too successful at winning people, especially from otherwise well governed mainstream (sic) flocks and our already irritable Muslim and Hindu neighbors. (What does this remind me of, like maybe the book of Acts). A code of conduct should do the trick. The problems of enforcement will have to be worked out later.

What’s the problem again?

“Evangelization also has caused concern among the branches of Christianity because of the vigor with which Pentecostal and evangelical congregations have led the drive for conversions around the world, outstripping the growth of older churches. Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Brazil in May was partly a response to the exodus of millions of Catholics to Protestant evangelical churches.” see “Evangelicals Support Conversion Code” By BRADLEY S. KLAPPER, Associated Press, Wed, Aug 15, 2007 Washington Post

And of course:

” The code aims to ease tensions with Muslims, Hindus and other religious groups that fear losing adherents and resort to punishments as extreme as imprisonment and even death for converts from their faith and foreign missionaries.”

See also at EthicsDaily.com “Christians Report Progress on Proselytizing Code“

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Dakoda Motor Company!

Peter King and Dakoda Motor Company . They are back! Voting to Cornerstone this Year?!

“Truth” on Youtube -

Here’s more – Grey Clouds. I missed these guys. And more:

Surf singing, bad dancing, bad cartooning, weird shoes, guitar shaped pinata, this vid has everything – Stand Up,

and why not Trip to Pain. OK enough.

What up… Why me?

It’s just too good, I don’t deserve it. I could be anywhere, I could have been anybody, but I am here .. being me. Loved by God, and tolerated by all of you. This is sooo good. To have this much love, people! – life is amazing.

Always inspiring. Thanks, Phil

Phil Keaggy at YouTube

Click:

“Salvation Army Band”

Hound on your tail?

 

“Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am He Whom thou seekest!
Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest me.”

 

Those are the concluding words of the Hound of Heaven, by Francis Thompson, a story in verse about a man who fled before God, and God, who for love never stopped pursuing him.
I think I know a few folks who are in this restless flight themselves. Religiosity just isn’t working, and all the other attempts to find rest are failing. The hound keeps chasing. We use wisdom, family, theology, comforts, manipulation, – whatever, and yet the approach of the hound keeps us glancing back and pacing ourselves – weary and determined.

Why this insanity? Maybe it’s the fear of losing…

“For, though I knew His love Who followed,
Yet was I sore adread, Lest, having Him,

I must have naught beside,”

…says the poet.

 

Ahh, that explains some things! To those of us that have been overtaken by the Hound, it seems clear enough that this flight is responsible for most of whats wrong with the world. Those of you whose path is best known for bitterness (yours), and can’t understand why the world doesn’t serve your twisted perspectives – - – give it up. The Hound of heaven has a single purpose – you will not get away.

 

Amazing

Something amazing is going on. I’ve been a believer for a long time, and have been in the ministry most of my life, but I don’t remember ever feeling so kinda-like out of control and yet so on track, everywhere I look I see God-stuff going on. I’ve been back in the Black Hills for a couple years now, and from the first lots of people have shared the same sense of things, something great for God is going to happen but we can’t quite figure out what or where. It’s like the orchestra pit is filling up with players but nobody knows what to do next. It’s coming, be ready.

Everybody has one.

Yes, I have one big presupposition about life. God is- and he rewards people who seek Him. Well OK, maybe that’s two. Everybody has at least one, what’s your’s?

Forgot the Plot?

“Why’d ya do it, kid.” It’s the classic interrogation-room line from a stock private eye novel. The suspect sits in the too-bare-too-bright room, shackled to a steel chair before a bare table. The weary detective plies the suspect with questions. He believes that there is no such thing as a random action, and cleverly unearths the plot: a revealing love letter, a hidden will, a telling relationship between suspects, a motive poisoned with greed and selfish desire. He discovers the perpetrator, vindicates the falsely-accused and restores honor to the honorable. Philip Morrow look out.
Motives of the heart and the actions that follow. Ever notice how the Bible is like a story of motive and actions. Like when the mysterious serpent subtly persuades the man and the woman to distrust and disobey their Creator. Only later are the true motives known and the bitter consequences realized. True stories, real people, real events. Over and over the simple plot is spun in the Greatest Book. Typically, ultimately, the story boils down to the relationship between the characters, and the motives of the heart. In the first story it was God, the Serpent, Adam & Eve. In another; God, Saul, Jonathan and David, in another; God, Daniel and Darius, I could go on all day. Some have happy endings, some tragic.
But what about the stories that are taking place right now, today? What about yours? What part is God playing in your story? There are revealing love letters in this story too: (found in the Bible) and they too reveal a plot of motives and actions. Some of our stories are simple, some quite complex, but at the heart of each tale is the Great Plot. Destinies hang in the balance, love is won or lost, a loving God longs for love returned and the devil works to unravel the stories happy ending.
Don’t be fooled into thinking your story is untold. The Great Story is still being written and your name is in the book!

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