Sunday's talk - 8/23/09

I enjoyed being back at home and with my friends at aplacetotalk. I am really enjoying what we do together. I wish I knew how to get more people involved in the weekly conversations though.

Today we looked at a passage in Acts 5 – where Peter says we would rather obey God than men, and then Gamaliel says that the other Pharisees should let the disciples alone, and then the disciples continue to teach and preach in the name of Jesus.

Over the next few weeks we are going to discuss as a group how a person could grow by participating with us and aplacetotalk. I would like for a visitor to be able to simply attend one Sunday and walk away knowing what his or her journey might look like if he or she allowed us (the people of aplacetotalk) to be a part of his or her journey in faith.

For example – they might first attend searching for some answers for his or her life

-they might first attend searching for some answers for his or her life

-then they might realize their need for a personal Savior or a relationship with Jesus Christ

-may decide to make that decision public through Baptism

-often new believers attempt to mimic the behaviors or practices of other believers

-then they begin to notice how others live and they may even begin to attempt to convince others to behave differently

-eventually we hope that believers learn that Christianity isn’t about following men, pastors, priests, or religious institutions

-freedom from following men – should set a person free to really walk in and know Jesus personally

-later that person will realize that Christianity isn’t about following rules but is about following the Spirit of God

-following the Spirit is sometimes frowned upon by others who are following rules, and you are sometimes tempted to try and convince everyone to follow what you believe you have learned through the Spirit of God

-eventually some grow to the point that they can follow the Spirit of God and allow others to follow God too, hence not judging others and attempting to be the religious police

-at this point I believe witness takes on another facet because you begin to have people ask you why you are different – you aren’t pushing Jesus or a church on anyone but instead you are allowing people to live

As you are being formed into a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ, He (Jesus Christ) starts allowing you to be a part of helping others learn to follow Him – it is at this point that people begin wanting to follow you (earlier in your journey you would have longed to have people following you) but now you want people to stop following you and begin a relationship with Jesus Christ. Because watching someone find the freedom and joy that comes in really walking in Jesus is the greatest thing on earth.

Well I don’t know what I just said – I am not proof-reading or correcting anything – if I said something stupid please reply to this blog or join this discussion in the aplacetotalk.net forum.

Just to be clear – we are trying to come up with a catchy easy to remember, and easy to explain way to set out a path ( of spiritual growth ) for those who will consider participating with the people and ministry of aplacetotalk.net.

We are trying to build a place where:

1.Christ is exalted

2.Talking is normal

3.The Journey is Celebrated

4.Priesthood is Practiced

Maybe it is something like – exalted, talk, journey, practice and the idea is that people meet the exalted Lord, talk through beginning a relationship with Him and get Baptized (which is another way of telling people that you have chosen to follow Jesus, then the journey takes you from following rules to following the Spirit, and finally you practice the priesthood by hosting home groups and disciplining people…

Let’s work on this together….

We may need to include a new believer day now and then or a new member dinner now and then… whatever we need to think it through…

can I set a blog to post in the future?

I mean if I change the post date and time - on the bottom right here to say January 1, 2010 at 5:00am will my blog not post until then... I am testing with this post, but I want go that far into the future - let's try maybe sometime later today.

Well the new web site is up, not complete, but up

Since the blog is now attached to the web site, and the web site is up.... I thought I would let the millions (acutally 3 - not 3 mil, but 3 LOL followers, my wife and kids aren't even following) of blog viewers know that aplacetotalk.net is up and running - not complete, but up!

the new church - aplacetotalk and my roller coaster of thoughts...

Every other day I have a new thought about whether or not advertising and starting a new church is right, practical, and honoring to God.

Some days I wonder if advertising something like a "church" or a movement of God is just silly, (thinking about advertising a church reminds me of this picture - http://www.greetingcardsresource.com/miracle-healing-services.html) because if God is really doing something then people will just show up, because they are drawn to what God is doing. On other days I believe as strongly as anyone that God doesn't just randomly bless people or groups of people. Instead we discover God's will and recieve blessing (or the natural fruit of our labor) as a result of our work.

Today I thought I would take a moment to write down what I think - when I think I am thinking clearly. I will continue to do all that I can (to promote, advertise, and start the new church), without taking too much time and attention from my primary role as a husband and father of four, and at the same time I will remember that advertising, promotions and events are not the goal but just a tool to tell people about Jesus Christ.

So I will roll on with the public opening of aplacetotalk. Our first advertised public service will be Sunday, September 27th. Hope to see you there.

twitter?

I am not sure I get this whole twitter thing.... is it just short posts about what you're doing?
Sorry - I just don't get it.
But since all the cool people are doing it.... I'm in!

Death

I am sad today, but I know that death for a believer, a friend of Christ like Jenni Wallace Cornwell isn't a sad thing. It is sad though for those of us who know and love her but are still here. For Josh, Judy, Layne, Amy, Jim, Debbie, and the rest of the family I am sad; but for Jenni I should be very happy. Jenni - congrats I will see you in eternity when it is my turn. I know you are having a wonderful time now.

Isn't it shocking when you are slapped in the face...

Isn't it shocking when you are slapped in the face...

As I was growing up we never gave money to people asking, I want to say that never is a strong word and that surely we did sometimes. The problem is - it may not be true. We nearly never gave money to the Salvation Army bell ringers, the girl scout collecting money, the churches selling trinkets outside of Wal-Mart, the blind selling light bulbs door to door, nor most anyone else. In fact I often remember hearing and making the statement "we (or I) gave at the church."

The other night I had a conversation with a friend who I believe grew up never giving at the church. I never even considered what his family might do with those we told "no, we gave at the church," until Sunday night. A third party made the comment about how my friend gave to everyone who asked. He may have never given or rarely had given at the church but he gave and maybe his way of giving was more much more Christ-like than mine. I am certainly not implying that his type of giving or anyone's giving would make them right with God - hopefully we understand that being right with God is all about grace and relationship with Jesus.

Well that was my slap in the face... so how will I apply that slap in the face in my life?

BALANCE - it seems that this is so often the answer in the Christian's life. Not legalistic or liberal but balanced, not a street preacher nor a mute when it comes to sharing Christ but a balanced Christian who follows God's leading in sharing, neither lazy nor a workaholic but balanced hardworking and willing to rest!

Well here again I want to be balanced... I pray that I will continue to give to a storehouse like a local church but I also want to participate in a church that isn't so financially bound that her members can't give to needs outside the local church as well!