This weekend I had the television on checking out the news. What
I heard amazed me, and I am further amazed that nobody seems to
have picked up on what I thought was an incredible moment on the
air -- both for political impact and humor.
This is Representative Dennis Kucinich (Democrat) from Ohio. He
was being interviewed about the past and current irregularities
for votes cast in Ohio (for example, in the last presidential
election, there was one county with twice as many democrat votes
cast as there were registered democrats in the county).
Rep. Kucinich did his best to deflect any hints of improper
practices taking place in his home state. After several questions
and non-answers, the interviewer changed subjects to the federal
financial bailout. Here is my best recollection of what was said:
Newsperson: So, I hear you voted against the federal bailout.
Kucinich: Actually I voted twice against the federal bailout. If
I could have voted against it more times... I would have.
Ummm... does this sound like the right thing to say just seconds
after discussing how there was no truth to the allegations of
voter fraud in his home state???
Oh yeah, we Ohioans are so proud of Kucinich. NOT! What an idiot! Seems a Floridian speaking of voting irregularities/problems if a bit funny, as well!
:) It doesn't really surprise me. With all of the accountability educators face, I think there needs to be more accountability at the various levels of government. Why is it so many think they can do whatever they choose to do without dealing with any of the repercussions? So many of them claim to have values... upon what are those values resting? God? If so, then they need to check to see if they really ARE in alignment with Him. The Israelites had to check that often, 1 Kings 18 bears just one example. I think we all need to ask ourselves that question... do our values reflect God's will? We really need to pray and proclaim throughout this month. Big decisions ahead!!
Update: My son's MRI on his shoulder came back
with nothing of concern -- thank you all for your prayers!
Observation: Sunday night, I was at a the home of a good friend
and he had a sermon on DVD he played for us. The preacher had
an excellent lesson -- one that I would love for everyone in the
church to hear.
I did a search on the preacher's name, in hopes of finding out
more about him and more good sermons.
Guess what I found? About a dozen websites devoted to trashing this preacher, his views, the practices of the congregation
where he preaches... you name it.
It never pays to see things differently. You cannot possibly be
right if you do not agree with your contemporaries and ancestors.
-- Steve
Loved Ender's Game. Really loved it. I am looking forward to reading more of Card. Glad the MRI looked good. Who was the preacher? If we need to hear him, we need to know him!;)
At least, not until the new "different" becomes the old "tradition." Then again, it still won't pay to see things differently then either. It'll just be a different "different"—and maybe even a return to the old "same."
It was a great lesson and eye-opening. He begins with the history of the restoration movement & the Church of Christ as "we" recognize it today and what caused the divisions in it to begin with. Having that information gives an insight to why we do things the way we do traditionally. Very interesting.
Yeah. Who is it? Ya big fink. You tell of this great sermon, then nothing.
Glad to hear of the positive medical report. It is cool when prayers are answered.
Let me see how many more groovy 1970ish words I can use, rad...bet it has been a while since you were called a fink, huh?
Our best labor, the best fruit from it, will be in our local fellowship. These close brethren, those who share our whole lives and not just a few concerns, are our "crowns". Let it be enough that this sermon moved you, your wife, and the fiend who showed it to you. This is the same method Jesus used to start the church - share it with a handful, and send them to work. They all had detractors, even Jesus. Sometimes they won the minority of their intended audience, but WON, they were! I doubt the DVD sermon guy spends much time worrying about how his peers and contemporaries view him. He answers to the Boss (and I don't mean Springsteen). The scope of our success cannot be completely measured in immediate or short terms, since we are in the seed-planting business, sometimes the work we did comes up years later (it all depends on the soil, right?). I've been called a "consiberal", wrong, weak, inconsistent, and was once told the Lord had removed our church candlestick. I'm only worried when someone in my local fellowship thinks such things, and even then I assume there is some misunderstanding. You and I don't always agree, but you've provoked some better thinking in me, and made me a better saint. How many like me are there? Rejoice in all of us.
The Lord's Church is a fellowship of men and women who
share their experience, strength and hope with each other that
they may solve their common problem and help others to recover
from sin. The only requirement for membership is a desire
to stop sinning. There are no dues or fees for membership;
we are self-supporting through our own contributions. The
Lord's Church is not allied with any sect, denomination,
politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage
in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes.
Our primary purpose is to stay holy and help other sinners to
achieve eternal life.
I really believe God intended the church to be a support group,
like AA. Unfortunately, some perceive the church building to be
the holy place where God meets man as man comes before God to
worship Him there. Some people do not like this notion of what
church is, as they believe it to be making church "about us" and
not "about God".
God wants us to be about His business 24/7/365. God wants us to
be about supporting one another, comforting one another, singing
to one another, encouraging one another -- those are things that
require communication, and to be truly effective, face-to-face
communication.
So, consider whether or not the assembly should resemble the AA
statement, then consider what might need to be changed to allow
that to happen when you meet with your spiritual family locally.
For the sake of other readers, what might you suggest be done in
the assembly time to make it more effective as the support group
it was meant to be?
-- Steve
My first thought would be to really pay attention to each other and take the chance to really care when we can tell someone is hurting and listen to them. Sometimes that is all they need. Let them know you will pray for them or pray for them right then & there. I've had that done for me. I'm assuming you meant during the time that we normally sing, pray, take the Lord's supper, listen to preaching. We're still assembled when the "service" is over, but sometimes that's when true encouraging, supporting & comforting each other takes place. :)
Firstly, I believe there should be true confession by everyone who is there. Secondly, "what comes here stays here" mentality. (You don't rat out or talk about your brothers and sisters to others.)
Communication, communication, communication.
Interesting thought, to which might be added "don't immediately head for the door". When I'm struggling the most, however, that's what I do. In the last couple of years I've gotten really good at getting out with only a handshake or two (or none) when my wife isn't there.
I believe we have carried this idea of "worship service" in the "holy" church building too far. Too many scriptures are brethren to brethren oriented, encouraging, building up, admonishing, even reproving and rebuking. Our assembly is not to help God it is to help us as we seek TOGETHER to do His will.
I totally understand that feeling and have found that when I want to head out quickly, I usually get "caught" and then I'm usually glad I did. :) Maybe when we're not the struggling one, we can head for the door and "catch" a brother or sister that might be headed out quickly and give them some encouragement.
Heb. 10:25 has been used by brethren as grounds to "disfellowship" brethren who don't show up for services. They miss the point of the verse completely. The encouraging going on was a constant process not confined to any church building. One sister once ask, "What about the encouragment I need when I not at the church building?".
Thank you brother. Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting...
consider,stir up,love, good works, - these always seem left out when people quote Hebrews 10:25
I just want to get all who want it (and a few who don't) more involved mentally. I worry about those who spend the time in a pew thinking about how bored they are. How do we change the attitude of "Here I am, entertain me. Otherwise, it's the church's fault I'm not a better christian."
I find I get the most out of the service when I am excited to go meet with the family. Yes, there are things that would make it better for me. Somethings(status quo) are better for others. And that is okay. It's not all about me. There are things I do at family get-togethers (and that is what services are supposed to be-1 big family) that don't thrill me, but they sure make my momma happy. As far as encouragement outside the building, we have that responsibility ALSO not instead of. To get the encouragement needed, we often have to let people in enough to encourage us.
The NT writers spend a lot of time talking about the church (kingdom) being God's family. Jesus talks about us gaining brothers, sister, mothers, and fathers when we follow him. I know some very functional families, and I know some disfunctional families. One of the big differences is how much time they spend together and how they get along when they are together. What is our spiritual family like? Do we like spending time together? Do we circle the wagons around the brother that is facing difficulties as if they were our blood brother? In reality, Jesus says that our spiritual families should be closer than our physical families (unless your physical family is part of your spiritual family, which is the best this world can offer).
I love that section in the AA Big Book. I have often thought it should apply to the local congregation.
Here is where I always struggle. Should a congregation accomplish a similar purpose to AA? I'm sure that it should. Should a congregation's assembly be like an AA meeting? That is where I'm not so sure. I guess I'm all for group settings within the working of the church to be like those meetings. But, I simply don't see the random sharing, the rigorously honest periods of confession as something done in the congregational assembly. We see preaching, singing, praying, discipline, reports, the Lord's Supper, prophesying, tongues, lessons. But I don't see a circle up while we just wait around for someone to share what was on their mind that week.
Again, I'd like to see some groups that get together or personal relationships that mirror some of those kind of meetings, I just don't think the church's assembly should necessarily mirror those meetings.
I often believe we view our spectator assemblies as a sort of worshipping society. The pattern of the NT seems to indicate that the focus of the assembly is to help each other with the goal of seeking and DOING God's Will. Our focus seems to be more on the "five acts" rather than each other.
it's crazy that you wrote this! Since I've been here, a major theme of my teaching/preaching has been that our congregation needs to become a 'spiritual hospital'. The idea we are trying to promote is that we are a place where people can come for healing, then continue on to help bring healing to others. Very similar to AA!
I'm pretty simple...I see it as all 'parts of the whole.' Walking the daily walk, supporting and being supported by our church family, assembling together for encouragement, singing, praying (go ahead and label it the 5 acts,if that suits your comfort level), being there for one another, laughing, crying, sharing. I am in agreement with her, I want to see my church family engaged in our assembly, fully present; mentally disciplined (not focusing on the negative aspect of what we are NOT doing; but what we are accomplishing. The women have it over the men here, I believe...we ARE the AA for one another. We do the sharing, the supporting, the confessing, the leaning. We get that in so many areas. Honestly, I'm not sure that when I go into the assembly, I want it to be so casual that it becomes like a 'group session.' Somewhere there is a balance. I probably would not want to share my intimate musings, failings, joys, flaws with 200 other people. There are plenty of opportunities to get together for 'sharing, confession, etc.' Sometimes I DO need the stillness/quietness, and yes, even the formality of those dreaded 5 acts...to keep me focused. Just my thoughts.
I definitely agree with those who say true confession. There is no reason for people to feel ashamed to be honest with each other. We all have our trials and temptations. But it's kind of hard to truly pray for and encourage each other if we don't even know WHY they need encouragment prayers. It's almost as though such matters are covered with a blanket 'We all need encouragement/prayers" statement, but confession is necessary in order to effectively encourage one another.
You and your wife need to come spend some time with us here. This group is the first one that I have been a part of that I could say function's like this.
Last Tuesday I spent half the service crying over things that people brought up. One lady, who is married to a Christian but not one herself YET, came out with her kids and opened up about the pain of loosing one of her babies 7 years ago, another lady had a confession of loosing her temper with her kids. There were 3-4 other requests for prayer that were just as heavy like that.
Yesterday we had a lady asked for prayers for her decision to become a Christian or not. She's been visiting for a month or so. In tears she said, "Please pray for my decision." As Daniel prayed one of our men went and knelt before her holding her hands.
I think the key is making people feel safe. If someone comes into a church feeling one bit of judgment or insincerity they won't open up to us, and most importantly they may not be led to open up to God.
We met with a group in town that we didn't know existed until this past April - because they're a "black" congregation no one ever mentioned their "gospel meetings" nor seemingly invited them to ours.
There were about 8 people of the ~100 that went forward last night. 3 mentioned sins, the others asked for prayers for physical or spiritual weakness. It was VERY different, but very edifying. They were also one of the most friendly/loving groups I've ever met with. We're definitely going to visit these brethren again!
Can't remember who I stole this from, but I like it: Church is a hospital for the wounded, not a museum for the perfected. You've done a lot to embolden me to insist that 24/7 Christianity is the only kind, and assemblies (though vital) are only a part of the equation.
As Cecy and my wife are wont to say, "And another thing..." When we ARE assembled, I think it behooves us to comment on the people serving in other capacities than preaching. You hear glowing reports about how good a preacher is, how long the announcer has known him, what a good less that was, blah blah blah - but it only reinforces the false notion that we're there for that (mostly or alone). Howabout a declaration of the song-leader's faithfulness, or the prayer-leader's honest and humble spirit? What if we praised (gasp!) the unflagging faith and devotion of the women of the church, and named them (or do they have to be named Phoebe, Apphia, Priscilla, Lydia, etc. to be a BCV move?)
We now have a bumper sticker on our FJ that says "McCain * Palin: Read my lipstick". We'll see if Mark gets teased about driving a car with that sticker.
According to the television show by the same name, it is "Tougher in Alaska!" Funny thing is, if a man had those same beliefs no one would even think twice.
Update:On my first day driving around town with the bumper sticker mentioned above- someone slapped an Obama sticker on top of it. Maybe that explains somewhat the few number of McCain signs?
Considering the many discussions I have had with people about
living a life in perpetual worship before God, this song by
Allison Krauss says it very well.
In this world I walk alone
With no place to call my home
But there's one who holds my hand
The rugged road through barren lands
The way is dark, the road is steep
But He's become my eyes to see
The strength to climb, my griefs to bear
The Savior lives inside me there
In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee
In these trials of life I find
Another voice inside my mind
He comforts me and bids me live
Inside the love the Father gives
In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee
ah...knew there had to be a rocker in there somewhere...same with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles crossing over with Bon Jovi. Who only has to smile for me. ;)
I love that song. I saw someone say you are Steve Wallace, are you the one that is in WA? We came up and visited there last month and attend at Beaverton.
I tried editing the location (the pushpin showed up about 3 miles away) and was told it would be updated soon. I was going to fix the pushpin to be exact after it was updated but didn't get to it.
And I posted the link to the not-yet-released new version of our webpage over here, but I'll save you the trip - link
