I couldn't resist this video after reading Chapter 4. If we were all sitting in a classroom together, I would have opened the discussion with this video, so I thought I'd do the same here.. Nothing like a good laugh before the seriousness of a chapter about change hits, right?
"To move forward, we can't keep everything we've always had. We have to pick what to take, what is absolutely necessary, and leave behind some things that have been important to us. What used to provide comfort may now only take up space or be a hindrance to getting where we need to go." (p24)
This was the quote of the chapter that stood out most to me. Do you buy it?
REFLECTION QUESTIONS::
Some of the things that excite me about our new spiritual journey are the possibilities of seeing people experience the life of Christ in ways that are yet unseen. Seeing people that have checked out on "church" check in to the possibilities of community life where people actually let Jesus live out his life in their midst. Some of the things that scare me are the finances, the misperceptions of what we are doing and simply the unknown.
Jesus has been trimming down my "Christian experience" to the essentials and what I have left right now are Loving God and Loving My Neighbors. The relationship I have with Father God and the relationship I have with my "neighbors" is what it's all about. Much of what He has trimmed away has been my own selfish desires and comfort - you know, the "what's in it for me" thinking about church and the Christian life.
Something to keep in mind when posting :: The idea here is to recreate a physical discussion in a virtual setting. The shorter the posts and comments, the easier it is for others to participate. If the posts are too long, others will check out. Trust me, this is as much for me as for anyone. Better to post three separate posts than one long one with three points!
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13 comments:
Yes I do buy it. As the writer of Hebrews said,(12:1)...let us throw off everything that hinders..."
I think we have substituted the traditions of men for the absolutes of God, or maybe we just tacked them on and said these are equivalent to His absolutes. Either way it raises a critical question: Since when did the religious trappings of Christianity become the point?
Paul warns us in 2nd Timothy to stay away from people that act this way.
2 Timothy 3:5 (NLT)
"They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!"
Although written from one believer to another, it is an appropriate warning for non-believers too. Maybe they get it better than we do?
I think it is time we stripped ourselves of those things which stand in the way of loving God, and loving others.
I agree too. Andy Stanley calls it "sideways energy" things that get us off mission. It's the good stuff (all the things we can do/are doing/want to do) versus the God stuff (things that are His). We overwhelm ourselves with the good (adding this and that, trying to please everyone all the time, not saying no) and end up losing focus on the eternal things.
Better to travel light.
Let's flesh this out a little more. What are some of the things that you sense need to be unloaded? How do we, as a community of faith, keep the necessary things of loving God and loving our neighbors central?
I had a whole list of stuff, but I sounded like a scrooge. This is a hard question!
I think one of the things we are doing is not adding too much to the plate.
I've seen churches/companies that in the attempt to be everything to everyone have stretched people out to the point of burnout. Too many meetings, practices, services, and in the end too much time committed to something other than spending time with God.
The challenge is helping people say no to "good things" and helping them find margin in the God things.
C'mon Andrea, you can do it!
okay cubsfan, what are "God things"?
Sports, committees, social clubs, overtime, enormous vacations, maybe even vacations altogether, oh boy I'm no fun.....
Church attendence
I see God things in many ways:
it can be people that you're drawn to for no reason other than a voice or feeling that says, "introduce yourself" , "they need a shoulder to cry on" "say hi"
or the things that you are just passionate about that allow you to connect with others
it's the service opportunities that present themselves when you have time (margin)- fixing a friends car, mowing a yard, working on a house, food!
it's your quiet time that gets squeezed out because of practice, or a project, or sleep
it's being part of a community where you're known and loved and you in turn know and love (even when it's tough)
There are many more I know I missed but I see it as: God being in the things you do and not you being god over them.
Okay anonymous, it's interesting to me that you would say "church attendance." We definitely have a different view about Sunday mornings. The Sunday morning service as we know it is not found in the bible. There were gatherings of believers, they did sing songs, they did teach and learn, but they didn't do it in the same way we do it.
I'm curious to know what you think the role of Sunday mornings should be in the life of a Christ-follower? Or maybe I should just ask about the corporate gatherings, instead.
I am not certain what the role is for Sunday morning church. It so often appears as a halfway house anymore, filled with the fence sitters, the 'lukewarm' (better to be hot or cold). What is so sacred about singing a few hymns or choruses, and then listening to someone you don't even know personally talk to you about their list of do's/don'ts. So impersonal.
Okay, anonymous, you have convinced me to move this to a new post. I'd love to get some more feedback from others because you are not alone with your questions. Let's pull some more into the conversation. Thanks for the great banter.
Brad,
I thought this discussion could use a message from our pastor (Ed Rowell) here in Colorado. You're talkin his language.
Here's the link http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?i=38228934&id=277301091
Kevin
www.walkit.org
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