I have been having a terrible week. It was an amazing weekend, I preached on Sunday night, a real sense of the Spirit, God spoke clearly with new words for us. Then Monday, it felt like I got punched in the stomach in a couple of conversations that I won't air out here. But it makes me want to say, why do I bother...
I pray the depression, or the depressor, away.
31 March 2004
29 March 2004
26 March 2004
"Take responsibility..."
I was driving up to camp on Monday of this week and there is a certain part of the road that serpentine it way up the mountain where I usually turn off the radio/cd/tape/iPod and just pray for the next 10 minutes of driving. I was thinking about the sign that I just passed that needs a new arrow to direct people correctly to camp. Then, very clearly I hear "Take responsibility..." I say "responsibility for what?" Again, "Take responsibility..." I respond again, "for what, the sign. Yeah I need to tell those guys who told me about the sign to be responsible and fix it themselves!" Again, "Take responsibility..." Then I think about God speaking to Isaiah, "Who shall I send?" "Isaiah's response, "Send Me"
"Ok, Lord, I will take responsibility." I did not know for what I was taking responsibility. I would soon find out.
Next thing I know, I am sitting in a worship meeting volunteering to help lead our night time service until camp starts. I will lead for a month with the leader who is doing it now and she will be aware of the Spirit's leading and watch me. After the service we will debrief what happened and did she sense the leading in the same direction that I did or what did she sense. Next month she will sense the Spirit's leading and interject what she is sensing with me as I lead. With a debrief afterwards. The last month she will lead and I will accompany on piano.
I think that was what the Spirit was saying to me about taking responsibility and quit complaining, "If I was leading,..."
"Ok, Lord, I will take responsibility." I did not know for what I was taking responsibility. I would soon find out.
Next thing I know, I am sitting in a worship meeting volunteering to help lead our night time service until camp starts. I will lead for a month with the leader who is doing it now and she will be aware of the Spirit's leading and watch me. After the service we will debrief what happened and did she sense the leading in the same direction that I did or what did she sense. Next month she will sense the Spirit's leading and interject what she is sensing with me as I lead. With a debrief afterwards. The last month she will lead and I will accompany on piano.
I think that was what the Spirit was saying to me about taking responsibility and quit complaining, "If I was leading,..."
21 March 2004
What are we doing...
I have been in a conversation lately about the different things that we do at Calvin Crest. We have a ten week program from June to the middle of August that is the classic Summer Camp, and the in between time which is about 42 weeks minus some holidays winter weeks we have an outdoor school and guest groups that use our facilities.
The question is this... Does that add or detract from the ministry of Calvin Crest?
And this... What is the purpose of a Christian Camp and who should it avail itself?
Don't pass this one... Do we open ourselves for "nonChristian groups"?
Last and then I need to get another cup of coffee... Is opening for non programmed groups (meaning CC doesn't program directly or it is a nonChristian program such as an outdoor school for public schools) antithetical to a Christian camp mission statement?
This is a real conversation, weigh in.
The question is this... Does that add or detract from the ministry of Calvin Crest?
And this... What is the purpose of a Christian Camp and who should it avail itself?
Don't pass this one... Do we open ourselves for "nonChristian groups"?
Last and then I need to get another cup of coffee... Is opening for non programmed groups (meaning CC doesn't program directly or it is a nonChristian program such as an outdoor school for public schools) antithetical to a Christian camp mission statement?
This is a real conversation, weigh in.
18 March 2004
Prayer and conversation...
There is something about brothers and sisters of the Spirit being together. I spent 24 hours in Pacific Grove talking and praying with my friend Diane.
We did not pray with our eyes shut but in conversation. There was a sense of the spirit talking between us and it was not a "wouldn't it be neat if..." kind of conversation but one that continued to build between each other. I cannot explain it very well but it was more than great encouragement, even though it was, but more of listening and speaking truth to one another. It was not profound thinking but more like revelation. Glimpses.
Tonight, I was able to hear Rudy Carrasco speak in Fresno. The same thing took place. It was not just what he said, even though it was great, it was that a new thing was being revealed. A Glimpse. Again it is hard to explain. Not just an interesting idea, but a new way of seeing.
Jesus said, "consider the Ravens..." There is something to considering. It is of the Spirit. Stop and think. More than think but consider. Listen. Watch. Learn. Correlate. Contrast. Understand. Consider. Leave your doctrine for a second and allow the words to be fresh. Consider. Listen to the words. Forget all you thought you knew. Consider. Move from the place you always sit. Consider. Consider. Don't be religious. Consider. Try on a new shirt. Consider. Let the waitress order for you. Consider. Listen to a new radio station. Consider. Hang out with a person you don't like. Consider. Go to the Traditional service. Consider.
Rudy and Diane are catalyst for considering... They have had a huge impact in my life this week.
Hmmmmm?!!??!?!
We did not pray with our eyes shut but in conversation. There was a sense of the spirit talking between us and it was not a "wouldn't it be neat if..." kind of conversation but one that continued to build between each other. I cannot explain it very well but it was more than great encouragement, even though it was, but more of listening and speaking truth to one another. It was not profound thinking but more like revelation. Glimpses.
Tonight, I was able to hear Rudy Carrasco speak in Fresno. The same thing took place. It was not just what he said, even though it was great, it was that a new thing was being revealed. A Glimpse. Again it is hard to explain. Not just an interesting idea, but a new way of seeing.
Jesus said, "consider the Ravens..." There is something to considering. It is of the Spirit. Stop and think. More than think but consider. Listen. Watch. Learn. Correlate. Contrast. Understand. Consider. Leave your doctrine for a second and allow the words to be fresh. Consider. Listen to the words. Forget all you thought you knew. Consider. Move from the place you always sit. Consider. Consider. Don't be religious. Consider. Try on a new shirt. Consider. Let the waitress order for you. Consider. Listen to a new radio station. Consider. Hang out with a person you don't like. Consider. Go to the Traditional service. Consider.
Rudy and Diane are catalyst for considering... They have had a huge impact in my life this week.
Hmmmmm?!!??!?!
What a time...
This time of prayer and planning for summer was incredible. His voice was so clear, I had to write while I was driving. Themes, ideas, designs, love, new concepts,... incredible.
I don't know if I can put it into words yet but I will soon. It is good to be home but I sure liked being in Pacific Grove with the McKneeleys and God.
I don't know if I can put it into words yet but I will soon. It is good to be home but I sure liked being in Pacific Grove with the McKneeleys and God.
15 March 2004
I will be out of town...
I will be spending some time in prayer for the summer so I will take off tomorrow, Tuesday, morning. I will try to update, depending where I am. I need to figure out the summer and all the stuff that will go with it. Talk to you soon.
14 March 2004
they will learn what they see...
A new friend, Marcus wrote, (see comments for The blog as a camp tool below)
"I just want advice, and conversation about how to make camp a place to live more like God, in Jesus' ways, and less of just talking about Jesus. We talk about Jesus. Jesus talked about the Kingdom. I want more of that, and in the camp community. Suggestions? Thoughts?"
My response to him and to others asking the same question...
Marcus, the way of the Kingdom is to do the work of the Kingdom. Proclaim the freedom, power, and authority of the believer in the Kingdom. This means setting people free from their bondage, things that trip them up and hold them down (more than sin but the grip of it over their lives). Get them to understand the truth of the gospel in who they are as believers - SAINTS. Therefore we need to equip them to live as saints. Not just prayer warriors but people who fully believe that sin and death have been conquered.
As in Matthew 9 and 10, Jesus has given us, as He did then, authority (this is not a faith doctrine but truth) to do the things He calls us to do. The way to teach it is to live it. Let them see the freedom, power, and authority of the Kingdom in your life. If they just see you talking they will be talkers, if they see you praying, they will be prayers, if they see you loving, they will be lovers, if they see you setting people free, they will be people who pray and love people to freedom...
The way of the Kingdom needs to leave our blogs and enter our hands, feet,... lives. If we practice that what we read Jesus doing in the Gospels and the disciples in Acts and make it our lives instead of Academic conversations, I believe we will see the Church come alive. But if we stay in the shadows of our computer monitors we will never see an emerging anything.
I believe...
"I just want advice, and conversation about how to make camp a place to live more like God, in Jesus' ways, and less of just talking about Jesus. We talk about Jesus. Jesus talked about the Kingdom. I want more of that, and in the camp community. Suggestions? Thoughts?"
My response to him and to others asking the same question...
Marcus, the way of the Kingdom is to do the work of the Kingdom. Proclaim the freedom, power, and authority of the believer in the Kingdom. This means setting people free from their bondage, things that trip them up and hold them down (more than sin but the grip of it over their lives). Get them to understand the truth of the gospel in who they are as believers - SAINTS. Therefore we need to equip them to live as saints. Not just prayer warriors but people who fully believe that sin and death have been conquered.
As in Matthew 9 and 10, Jesus has given us, as He did then, authority (this is not a faith doctrine but truth) to do the things He calls us to do. The way to teach it is to live it. Let them see the freedom, power, and authority of the Kingdom in your life. If they just see you talking they will be talkers, if they see you praying, they will be prayers, if they see you loving, they will be lovers, if they see you setting people free, they will be people who pray and love people to freedom...
The way of the Kingdom needs to leave our blogs and enter our hands, feet,... lives. If we practice that what we read Jesus doing in the Gospels and the disciples in Acts and make it our lives instead of Academic conversations, I believe we will see the Church come alive. But if we stay in the shadows of our computer monitors we will never see an emerging anything.
I believe...
Invited to instead of running from...
I heard a guy say this morning that he got tired of the protestant-evangelicals because they rarely stand for anything. It is more about what they are against than what they are for.
I tend to be against more than I am for these days. I am frustrated with the church but am not really doing much toward implementing change. I provide a ten-week experience that hopefully models my heart but for the rest of the year, I am lonely and painfully bored with meetings that perpetuate meetings that don't bring people together in unity and faith, but mediocrity and fear. Fear to be different, ...to question, ...to struggle, ...to miss anything, ...to believe.
I am thinking that maybe this summer will be a thesis of sorts as to what I truly believe the church should be. Try to actively participate in the questions of why gather and what should be done in the time of meeting. I won't call it church, that is confusing, but The Meeting. The body is still the body, but what do we do outside of the Meeting as a body instead of basing the body on The Meeting. We will look at our beliefs and program out from scripture and early documents what it means to gather as the body of disciples instead of just have meetings because it is what we do in a schedule.
I want it to have an effect on the daily practice so that a disciple would leave with the beginnings on how do I live as a disciple. Judge it by does it work in November. It will be sad if the only camaraderie is from the week instead of an ongoing gathering and conversations of the local community to strengthen the faith.
We are breeding shallow people. What would happened we didn't pay our commenting bill of $29.00 a year or a terrorist group attacked all the blog sites. To whom would we talk? Heaven forbid we meet someone at the Traditional service to share our hearts and listen to theirs. What will it take for us to see the Spirit that gave words in scripture so that we would live in step with Him rather than debate over the meanings.
I read blogs more than I read His word. I type more than listen to His Spirit. I bitch more than rejoice.
I tend to be against more than I am for these days. I am frustrated with the church but am not really doing much toward implementing change. I provide a ten-week experience that hopefully models my heart but for the rest of the year, I am lonely and painfully bored with meetings that perpetuate meetings that don't bring people together in unity and faith, but mediocrity and fear. Fear to be different, ...to question, ...to struggle, ...to miss anything, ...to believe.
I am thinking that maybe this summer will be a thesis of sorts as to what I truly believe the church should be. Try to actively participate in the questions of why gather and what should be done in the time of meeting. I won't call it church, that is confusing, but The Meeting. The body is still the body, but what do we do outside of the Meeting as a body instead of basing the body on The Meeting. We will look at our beliefs and program out from scripture and early documents what it means to gather as the body of disciples instead of just have meetings because it is what we do in a schedule.
I want it to have an effect on the daily practice so that a disciple would leave with the beginnings on how do I live as a disciple. Judge it by does it work in November. It will be sad if the only camaraderie is from the week instead of an ongoing gathering and conversations of the local community to strengthen the faith.
We are breeding shallow people. What would happened we didn't pay our commenting bill of $29.00 a year or a terrorist group attacked all the blog sites. To whom would we talk? Heaven forbid we meet someone at the Traditional service to share our hearts and listen to theirs. What will it take for us to see the Spirit that gave words in scripture so that we would live in step with Him rather than debate over the meanings.
I read blogs more than I read His word. I type more than listen to His Spirit. I bitch more than rejoice.
13 March 2004
The blog as a camp tool...
In the conversation generated by "I thought I should post this since I don't have..." many brought up, ok it was Sean and I, about the place the blog would have in a camp setting. It is taking the place of real conversation - face to face, so that you don't know what someone is truly thinking until you read about them in your blog. This cannot be righteous.
So what is a blogger to do? There is so much pressure on us to keep up a blog that maybe we can't waste our thought and opinions in real time because the only one to hear it is the one in front of us and they are probably not paying attention anyway because they are thinking of what they are going to blog later about that person...
I know my daughter is still in conversations with people she met at camp many years ago. Emailing back and forth, IMing, text messaging... In my day we would be pen pals. Now it is instant. Eliacin from Puerto Rico can be a part of a conversation with many people from like Marco at Boundary Waters Experience in Minnesota, Sean Oldroyd, a chef at Calvin Crest Conferences near Yosemite, Billy E, a pastor in Texas to an African American Presbyterian congregation, James, a student in Fresno, Timbo, another student in Biola, Rudy, a busy person... all interested in what he has to say without licking a stamp.
The blog can be an incredible follow up tool as was shared. It could continue a speaker or a counselor has with the new people they encountered (a 70's term) during the week or weekend at camp.
I just have a huge concern as does others that we would isolate ourselves.
I like being with you with even if I never get to see you.
So what is a blogger to do? There is so much pressure on us to keep up a blog that maybe we can't waste our thought and opinions in real time because the only one to hear it is the one in front of us and they are probably not paying attention anyway because they are thinking of what they are going to blog later about that person...
I know my daughter is still in conversations with people she met at camp many years ago. Emailing back and forth, IMing, text messaging... In my day we would be pen pals. Now it is instant. Eliacin from Puerto Rico can be a part of a conversation with many people from like Marco at Boundary Waters Experience in Minnesota, Sean Oldroyd, a chef at Calvin Crest Conferences near Yosemite, Billy E, a pastor in Texas to an African American Presbyterian congregation, James, a student in Fresno, Timbo, another student in Biola, Rudy, a busy person... all interested in what he has to say without licking a stamp.
The blog can be an incredible follow up tool as was shared. It could continue a speaker or a counselor has with the new people they encountered (a 70's term) during the week or weekend at camp.
I just have a huge concern as does others that we would isolate ourselves.
I like being with you with even if I never get to see you.
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