So this afternoon I met up with a friend for some coffee at Starbucks. We were just talking about life and whats been going on. After about an hour of this she excused herself to go use the restroom, while I was sitting there the song "Youth Ministarz" popped into my head. There is a line "rollin' to the Starbucks to work on my message..." as I though about this another thing popped into my head. Starbucks Spirituality, or faith. I have been reading the book Ministry Mutiny by Greg Stier. The whole book is about, well Ministry Mutiny. There is a young youth pastor who was about to quit his job because he felt like a failure, his youth group was not growing spiritually and he felt as though it was all his fault and he could do nothing. He ends up meeting another youth pastor named Tony. Tony came up with the ministry mutiny and has been meeting with Ty (the young YP) once a week and has been mentoring him.
In chapter 6, Grow Deep, the two meet at a Starbucks. Ty orders some complicated drink and Tony orders just plain coffee. This gets them into the conversation about how everyone orders different drinks. How everyone tries to "order" their own faith. People try and pick and choose what parts of Christianity they like and ones that they don't and go with it. everyone wants to be an individual.
One of the arguments I love is: Can you be a Christian and not go to church? many would say yes, and explain why. Yet others would say no, I am one of them. I believe that there are certain things that Christians do and don't do, believe and don't believe. Such as, if someone believes that the trinity are 3 separate persons/bodies they are a Polytheist and therefore not christian because Christian's are monotheists. There are other theological things that the church believes that people either don't know, or disagree with. I believe that there are many issues like this that some throw out the window because they "don't like it" and by doing so they are not a Christian because they are not doing/believing what the Church (universal) believes one must do/believe in order to be a true Christian.
Another conversation that some friends and I started a few days ago was on pacifism. And how someone we knew believes that you cannot be a christian if you are not a pacifist. Jesus was one so we must be, or not be called Christian. I myself have a hard time with this. we all presented our perspectives and what we know and believe now. But it is things like this that get me to think about where I stand on such subjects. Because I was never taught what the Church (universal) believes and stands upon.
In the end we all agreed that the church sucks at teaching its people what is and is not christian. Maybe it is because we all want our own special flavor of Christianity. I agree that some topics are gray areas, but others are not.
I don't know about you, but I don't want a Starbucks faith. I think that is something that keeps people naive and not willing to listen or learn other perspectives. Instead of learning they will cop out with "well this is what I believe, you believe what you want" in other words "I like frapichino's and you like moca's, you drink what you want I will drink what I want" not caring that one is (or could be) theologically wrong and against what the Church says. We do not want to offend people and people are easily offended or defencive when it comes to religion. In the end I think a lot of people are sending the message that they are more afraid of people not liking them rather than people calling themselves one thing but living another way. This is how the name Christian became tainted in the first place. People calling them selves Christ followers yet they were not acting, and living the way one who follows Christ does.
Think about it, talking with your pastor's, parents, friends, and whomever else about it. Do you have Starbucks faith?
Friday, November 26, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Relationship
It seems as though i always find myself in this spot.
Longing to love someone in that special way but never getting the chance.
Normally I am able to excuse these feelings when I see myself falling for someone.
Typically I can say something like "we could never be because he is not a christian, and doesn't like me" or "He is intellectually out of my league, I could never catch up, and he doesn't like me"
But this one, this one is different.
Somehow I cannot just let him go.
I talk to my close friends and family about it.
many have said "Just drop it. forget about him"
others say "just pray about it"
or even better "just wait and see what God has planned"
Non of these seem to work for me.
The father I run from him he follows,
in conversation and thoughts.
I pray about it and it seems as though God is telling me "just wait"
for what? HE DOES NOT LIKE ME! what am i waiting for?!?!
I just want these feelings gone, or returned.
Today I was thinking back to try and find out where the "turning point" was. As in when did i start to think of him different, or wonder about him in any other way other than friends. What I found did not help me. Why? because it was the first day that we met. We hung out and after having one conversation with him I knew that there was something different. That he is just not the same as any of the other guys.
Now, being a college student and feeling the pressure of being in a relationship, I try to not think about guys as more than friends when we are first meeting and to just keep them there. This normally works out well seeing as out of the 20+ guys that I have met and gotten to know on some level, only 7 of them do i consider close friends and only 2 have i ended up having some feelings for. One of them I knew would never happened and that ended quickly. But this one...everything about it is different and weird. I want to let it go, let him go but I don't feel like I can for some reason. I am at a lose as to what I should do. I am trying to forget about him and move on. But a large piece of me is saying to hang on.
onto what? On top of not liking me he has fallen for someone else. Knowing that makes my heart ache and my stomach turn. He makes me feel sick yet good, not wanted yet loved, not good enough yet just what he needs and is looking for, invisible yet the only girl in the room.
I have written all this to say BLAH BOYS STINK I"MA BE A NUN!
Longing to love someone in that special way but never getting the chance.
Normally I am able to excuse these feelings when I see myself falling for someone.
Typically I can say something like "we could never be because he is not a christian, and doesn't like me" or "He is intellectually out of my league, I could never catch up, and he doesn't like me"
But this one, this one is different.
Somehow I cannot just let him go.
I talk to my close friends and family about it.
many have said "Just drop it. forget about him"
others say "just pray about it"
or even better "just wait and see what God has planned"
Non of these seem to work for me.
The father I run from him he follows,
in conversation and thoughts.
I pray about it and it seems as though God is telling me "just wait"
for what? HE DOES NOT LIKE ME! what am i waiting for?!?!
I just want these feelings gone, or returned.
Today I was thinking back to try and find out where the "turning point" was. As in when did i start to think of him different, or wonder about him in any other way other than friends. What I found did not help me. Why? because it was the first day that we met. We hung out and after having one conversation with him I knew that there was something different. That he is just not the same as any of the other guys.
Now, being a college student and feeling the pressure of being in a relationship, I try to not think about guys as more than friends when we are first meeting and to just keep them there. This normally works out well seeing as out of the 20+ guys that I have met and gotten to know on some level, only 7 of them do i consider close friends and only 2 have i ended up having some feelings for. One of them I knew would never happened and that ended quickly. But this one...everything about it is different and weird. I want to let it go, let him go but I don't feel like I can for some reason. I am at a lose as to what I should do. I am trying to forget about him and move on. But a large piece of me is saying to hang on.
onto what? On top of not liking me he has fallen for someone else. Knowing that makes my heart ache and my stomach turn. He makes me feel sick yet good, not wanted yet loved, not good enough yet just what he needs and is looking for, invisible yet the only girl in the room.
I have written all this to say BLAH BOYS STINK I"MA BE A NUN!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Photography
I love photos. Always have always will. But it seems as though now a days everyone and their mom thinks that they are a photographer and are "amazing" at it. they gather together some friends and crazy cloths (or formal) and go out into the city or middle of nowhere and take photos post them on facebook (or myspace if you still have it) secretly hoping that many people will gush over them and tell them how great of a photographer they are and that they have a real talent.
Honestly I think there are 2 reasons why,honestly, not so talented of people are "great photographers." 1. The new cameras that are being sold. digital SLR cameras are amazing. they can take an average photo of a tree and make it look extraordinary just by changing some settings on the camera itself. and 2. Photoshop. anyone that takes digital photos knows how to use the basics of photoshop manipulating lighting and texture.
I am not saying that there are not talented photographers out there. Because there are. I would just like to give everyone who claims to be a professional photographer, or anyone who has a gallery entitled "Photography" on their online social networks, an old school film SLR tell them to take pictures and develop them themselves and then we will see who has talent. I am sure if Ansel Adams had today's technology when he was in his prim his photos would be 20x better. and he is an AMAZING photographer.
So to all of you who think you are the bee's knees with photography take my challenge see how good you really are.
Honestly I think there are 2 reasons why,honestly, not so talented of people are "great photographers." 1. The new cameras that are being sold. digital SLR cameras are amazing. they can take an average photo of a tree and make it look extraordinary just by changing some settings on the camera itself. and 2. Photoshop. anyone that takes digital photos knows how to use the basics of photoshop manipulating lighting and texture.
I am not saying that there are not talented photographers out there. Because there are. I would just like to give everyone who claims to be a professional photographer, or anyone who has a gallery entitled "Photography" on their online social networks, an old school film SLR tell them to take pictures and develop them themselves and then we will see who has talent. I am sure if Ansel Adams had today's technology when he was in his prim his photos would be 20x better. and he is an AMAZING photographer.
So to all of you who think you are the bee's knees with photography take my challenge see how good you really are.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Trust
So this week I am teaching/leading Wednesday night with the middle school students. The topic given to me to speak about is Trust. At first my thoughts were "really trust wow, yeah what am i going to talk about..." then I realized that my life lately has been a lot about trust. Being a college student I have to trust that my school is really educating me for m future in my profession. Not just that but trusting God with everything.
When we really think about it we use trust everyday. On the road we trust that other drivers are going to obey the traffic laws and that they know how to drive. We trust whoever built the buildings we go into that they are not going to crash down on us. When flying we trust the engineers of the plane and the pilots all of whom we have never met. Yet, we say trust is so hard.I think it is and it isn't. When we are trusting someone usually we are giving up control over something and trusting that they will take care of it. We tell a friend a secret or something, we are trusting that they will not go and tell everyone. We cannot control whether they do or not we just trust. When we give up our power and place our trust in God we are giving up control and trusting that He will lead us in the right direction. I believe He always will. Even the Bible says He will.
This last summer I felt like God was calling me to live the summer away from home and work in a different state. When i showed up the first day I still had no idea where I was going to live but I did have a job and a car. All through the summer when it came down to "I need a place to stay" something happened and I had a place for a while. There were many times where I did not know if I would have enough money for food because I had bills and gas to pay for but in the end I always ended up having a meal that day. In July I was told I had to move out of the place I was currently in and I had till Friday to do so. Thursday night came and I had no idea where I would go, planing on sleeping in my car, I got a phone call from a lady at my church knowing little about my situation she invited me to live the rest of the summer with her and her family. When I had nothing left and I just trusted God He provided. It was so amazing and freeing. Yet, I still find myself having a hard time some days.
Even now when I have experienced it. And have seen Him work miracles I find myself wanting to take control. Some will say it is our "Human side" coming out. Its times like this that I think back to the Israelites. People give them a hard time for falling away. I am guilty of thinking "WTF Israel you saw Him split the Red Sea do you think He will not feed you?" I think all of us do this. We see them and God was so evident. He performed miracle after miracle and yet they still strayed. Now I find myself comparing this to me and my life I see all that God has done for me when I had nowhere else to go yet I still end up falling back to my old ways and not trusting like I am supposed to.
What do we, as individuals and as the Church universal need to give up and trust God with?
When we really think about it we use trust everyday. On the road we trust that other drivers are going to obey the traffic laws and that they know how to drive. We trust whoever built the buildings we go into that they are not going to crash down on us. When flying we trust the engineers of the plane and the pilots all of whom we have never met. Yet, we say trust is so hard.I think it is and it isn't. When we are trusting someone usually we are giving up control over something and trusting that they will take care of it. We tell a friend a secret or something, we are trusting that they will not go and tell everyone. We cannot control whether they do or not we just trust. When we give up our power and place our trust in God we are giving up control and trusting that He will lead us in the right direction. I believe He always will. Even the Bible says He will.
This last summer I felt like God was calling me to live the summer away from home and work in a different state. When i showed up the first day I still had no idea where I was going to live but I did have a job and a car. All through the summer when it came down to "I need a place to stay" something happened and I had a place for a while. There were many times where I did not know if I would have enough money for food because I had bills and gas to pay for but in the end I always ended up having a meal that day. In July I was told I had to move out of the place I was currently in and I had till Friday to do so. Thursday night came and I had no idea where I would go, planing on sleeping in my car, I got a phone call from a lady at my church knowing little about my situation she invited me to live the rest of the summer with her and her family. When I had nothing left and I just trusted God He provided. It was so amazing and freeing. Yet, I still find myself having a hard time some days.
Even now when I have experienced it. And have seen Him work miracles I find myself wanting to take control. Some will say it is our "Human side" coming out. Its times like this that I think back to the Israelites. People give them a hard time for falling away. I am guilty of thinking "WTF Israel you saw Him split the Red Sea do you think He will not feed you?" I think all of us do this. We see them and God was so evident. He performed miracle after miracle and yet they still strayed. Now I find myself comparing this to me and my life I see all that God has done for me when I had nowhere else to go yet I still end up falling back to my old ways and not trusting like I am supposed to.
What do we, as individuals and as the Church universal need to give up and trust God with?
If We are the Body
While I was driving to meet up with friends for lunch on Sunday the song "If we are the body" by casting crowns came on. Being inspired from previous times of hearing this song and it coming on again when I arrived at Red Robbin I promptly asked for a pen and took a napkin and wrote down some thoughts. After showing the napkin to my dear friend Val. she told me I should really start a blog. So here it is. The first one, written about the topic that started the blogging conversation:
If we are the body,
How many times have we hear this song and just sang along and never really listened to the words? A few weeks ago when I was driving to work this song came on the radio and I, as usual, sang along. While at a red light I looked out my window and saw a guy waiting to cross the crosswalk. He looked like the typical nobody, just being honest, he was over weight had on sweats and the typical bull cut that most boys mothers gave them in elementary school. Just from looking at him one could make the assumption that he is not popular, has little to no friends, may even get picked on, the butt of every one's jokes. As I was listening to the song and looked at him my heart sank a little. I wondered if he knew Christ, if anyone ever attempted to tell him this news that we claim to be so great and that is life changing. If not, why not? Because he doesn't "fit in" with our crowd? The song states " Jesus paid much to high of a price for us to pick and choose..." so why do we? why do we as believers and proclaimed followers of the most high pick and choose who we share Jesus with? Many would answer this question with something like "we are afraid of what our friends would say or think" this is valid...somewhat. If they really are our friends they should be there with us and wanting to reach these people (assuming they are also believers) but even then we have our non-christian friends that we don't have any spiritual conversations with.
We have come to the conclusion that "Bible thumping/mega phone" evangelism was wrong and that the way to go is through "relational" evangelism. I am not going to argue on either side. However, if we say we are doing/more comfortable with relational evangelism why don't we really do it? how long do you have to be friends before you bring up spiritual matters? These are people we care about, yet we don't share with them how to live eternally. I am not perfect I have been lacking in this area too. I have felt convicted about it for the past few years and have been trying to change it.
If we really are the body of Christ. If we believe that and are willing to take on the title we need to step up. Reach out to those that society rejects, and to our friends. If we really want to be like Christ our actions should be screaming about His love for people.
If we are the body,
How many times have we hear this song and just sang along and never really listened to the words? A few weeks ago when I was driving to work this song came on the radio and I, as usual, sang along. While at a red light I looked out my window and saw a guy waiting to cross the crosswalk. He looked like the typical nobody, just being honest, he was over weight had on sweats and the typical bull cut that most boys mothers gave them in elementary school. Just from looking at him one could make the assumption that he is not popular, has little to no friends, may even get picked on, the butt of every one's jokes. As I was listening to the song and looked at him my heart sank a little. I wondered if he knew Christ, if anyone ever attempted to tell him this news that we claim to be so great and that is life changing. If not, why not? Because he doesn't "fit in" with our crowd? The song states " Jesus paid much to high of a price for us to pick and choose..." so why do we? why do we as believers and proclaimed followers of the most high pick and choose who we share Jesus with? Many would answer this question with something like "we are afraid of what our friends would say or think" this is valid...somewhat. If they really are our friends they should be there with us and wanting to reach these people (assuming they are also believers) but even then we have our non-christian friends that we don't have any spiritual conversations with.
We have come to the conclusion that "Bible thumping/mega phone" evangelism was wrong and that the way to go is through "relational" evangelism. I am not going to argue on either side. However, if we say we are doing/more comfortable with relational evangelism why don't we really do it? how long do you have to be friends before you bring up spiritual matters? These are people we care about, yet we don't share with them how to live eternally. I am not perfect I have been lacking in this area too. I have felt convicted about it for the past few years and have been trying to change it.
If we really are the body of Christ. If we believe that and are willing to take on the title we need to step up. Reach out to those that society rejects, and to our friends. If we really want to be like Christ our actions should be screaming about His love for people.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)