rhythm+hue
My musings, writings, observations, ideas, & thoughts about God, Life, and following Jesus in Suburbia.
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Archive of "church planting" Category
Intellectualising the Gospel
Over the course of my academic career and church life - ok - let me narrow that down to the past ten years, I have noticed that there is a trend to romanticise the clergy, whatever you call them - pastor, minister etc. We tend to hold these folks up as being the way we should live - and I think that on the whole, many of these folk are wonderful people, something tends to happen to many people that study theology, whether for a degree or for “ordination” - the gospel message and what it means tends to move from being heart felt to head felt. What do I mean by that?
Well, this is not saying that it is common, but I have many friends and acquantices that I feel who have done this - taken the gospel, they know it inside and out, can quote scholars and verses, but the message, the central feel, the call to action or the love-motivation from following Jesus tends to become known very well in their heads but very little in their hearts. Oh sure, they are church goers and such, but sadly I feel that they have the knowledge and think that that is it, without putting that knowledge to use.
It’s like having the core message - the simplicity of the love of God - covered, criticised, talked about, debated, ripped apart and put together again, and clouded by too much talk and thinking. I would call this a knowing the Gospel in the head but not the heart. And I fear that many of our churches today are producing clones of these people, who while they may not know the same as the PHD lead Pastor, intellectualise the Gospel to Sunday and the latest popular authors book - more than likely telling them that knowign Jesus will bless them financially!
Enough!
Posted in Australia, Church, Jesus, Kingdom, church life, church planting, life, prayer |
No Comments »Loosing my Religion, or I believe in a Better Way
To help set the mood for this post and the title, here are a couple of songs and their amazing videos to enjoy.
The first is REM - Loosing My Religion
Secondly, Ben Harper - I Believe in a Better Way
(more…)Posted in Australia, Blogging, Church, Grace, Jesus, Personal, Social Justice, book, church planting, croydon, oikos, prayer |
No Comments »Little Kingdom’s Part Two
I hope you had a chance to read my rant about the different welfare agencies working in the immediate area and the ineffectiveness that this can cause in helping those who need it the most.
I met with a mate today and some of his tribe that he is travelling with today for lunch. It was a wonderful time, two of the folks were actually interns in the training program that they have initiated. It is quite exciting and lots happening. It was also encouraging to hear that a number of the churches in the area are co-operating and working together not just in welfare issues, but identifying that they share the same purposes and mission afterall, as well as are part of the same Kingdom and serve the same King!
We shared that we both are aiming to unify more of the churches to work together too. Not just the big churches but the emerging ones, the Forge inspired ones! If anything they may be working, but they seem to all be working in almost isolation and silence apart from their immediate team! How wonderful it would be to hear of the stories of others and share our own, how great it would be to shed a tear of joy or sadness with others travelling similar paths! We just have to make an effort!
I will be writing more on this as I think about it, as well as the church plant we’re undertaking in the area - but it’s not a church plant at the moment, more a church seed, and it’s not a plant we believe should grow, but a movement! More on that soon too.
Posted in Australia, Forge, Jesus, Kingdom, Personal, Politics, church life, church planting, missional |
No Comments »Reflections from a new Victorian drivers licence
Well, a couple of days ago my wife and I renewed our Victorian drivers licences. This gave thought and pause for reflection on a number of fronts. Do I mention that my wife was given a 25% discount for three years of exemplery driving with no tickets and fines! I didn’t mention the fact that I most of the driving! But, regardless I am proud of her and the discount!
Anyway, firstly it gave me pause to think about the past three years. Yeah, not long you might say but that was the last time I renewed my licence, or should I say that was when I changed back from a Queensland licence to a Victorian one - and the three years? Well it was cheaper than the ten years and at that time we were skint from the move back here! But that is besides the point (hey, I do have a tendency to become distracted!) - what gave me pause to think was about the period of three years. (more…)
Posted in Australia, Family, Grace, Jesus, Kingdom, Personal, Uncategorized, church life, church planting, failure, life, prayer |
No Comments »From little things big things grow…
I am reading a great book at the moment about the Church and getting back to it’s first love - Jesus, the book is Reimagining Church by Frank Viola.
I have been wating to join or form an organic church since reading Neil Cole and going through Forge.
So, I am at a loss as to where to begin besides Prayer - and I ask for you all to keep this in prayer too!
I will try an update tomorrow.
Posted in Australia, Jesus, Personal, church planting, croydon, prayer |
No Comments »How many members of a committee does it take…?
Sorry for so many posts today - I am having a quiet day and have been reading my News reader and reflecting on where things are going for me and the family. Anyway! This video was on a blog I read by someone employed to help produce media for a church in the US. I laughed so much throughout, relating to the poor designer the whole way through. My past in advertising, marketing and graphic design was so much like this video it is scary!
You guys wander why many things look as they do… behold and wonder at the creative process! LOL! (more…)
Posted in Media, church life, church planting, humorous, prayer, youtube |
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