Lakeland Florida, and Todd Bently…. « Ranges Community Church

An even handed reply to the Revival in Lakeland.

EXCLUSIVE: Obama Campaign will Launch ‘Joshua Generation Project’ - The Brody File: David Brody Blog - CBN News

Obama will have to clearly express himself on the abortion issue for me to be a part of the “Joshua Generation!”

I am not a one issue voter, but Partial Birth Abortion is a hard hurdle for me to jump.

I have been an INFP all my adult life.  I think in my current context, all my personality tendencies are coming to the forefront.

While I was in the Coast Guard, it all leaned the other way.  I think God used my experience in the Military to sharpen my “otherness” that is the things on the other side of the divide.  God wanted all of me to grow, not just the natural tendency.

Now, I think God is redeeming all that and has put my in a position in life where my personality is allowed to SHINE.  It is strange.  I think I took the MEYERS/BRIGGS several times over the last 15 years and this is the strongest I’ve seen my results lean to the RIGHT.  God is up to something there I think.

Casting out demons.

Many of the people I run with are readers.  They are educated beyond their years.  They read and read and read - and then read some more.

I read on the internet.  I read magazines.  I read books.  I read articles on theological topics.  I trace rabbit trails all day long - reading.

I read the bible.  A LOT.

I encourage people to read the bible a lot.  They don’t!

I have begun to wonder lately if reading the BIBLE is a spiritual gift.  As in one directly imparted to those who follow Jesus by the Holy Spirit.

What really makes me wonder this, is a particular young man in my congregation who has had a transformative experience with said Holy Spirit in the last week.  And, when I mean transformative, I mean, he has been zapped in that good ole charismatic way - a la Baptized in the Holy Ghost!  Delivered from some messy stuff and set free to more completely follow Jesus.

As a result, the young man is DEVOURING the Word of God.  Before this experience, I would have put this young man’s reading level at about 7 or 8th grade.  I’m not bangin on him, but he didn’t have the desire and probably didn’t have the education or the will to crack a book.  He didn’t read for pleasure or for school.  He is currently finishing an Associates Degree in Auto Mechanics.  He has very little need to read in his public life.

I was look at this comparison chart for bible translations on Christianbook.com:

It made me wonder if its about readability, or reader-ability?  I think the Holy Spirit can supernaturally enhance your skill level and your desire and will to read the Word of God!  But, I am a charismatic.  Most people have been taught to read, right?  So, if its in your brain, and you just aren’t accessing the needed brain power, the Holy Spirit can surely do that as we grow in Christ.

My Caffeine Addiction

I finally went for it! I hope it has as much of an impact on me.

Out On a Limb: Do they need “the Word” given to them?

I would say the answer to the question is YES.

I have struggled with the same things Mike struggles with.

Models and Methods are not the issue.

The Man-God is the issue.  He quite clearly said, “GO! Make Disciples.”  It is extremely difficult to do that without asking people to follow him.

Now, the argument is, we are, we just aren’t using words.  True, my question is, who are they following?

And, where?

I want people to follow Jesus.

I use Alpha as my primary example.  We have been doing Alpha - granted, a very programmatic ministry, to introduced people to Jesus.  Almost everyone who participates believes they are following Jesus.  Many, if not all, do not believe Jesus is God and are confronted with that reality in the first two weeks of Alpha.

My question then, is, how in these communities where we are not using words to invite people into the Tangible Kingdom, are we inviting them into relationship with the Living Christ - the Triune God?

Throughout History, all communities of God, have had processes to help people catechize into the beliefs and doctrines of the Church - to give them the Word.  The New Churches must figure that out!

The End of Trickle-Down Education « Tony Jones

I have tried to say something along these lines for the last few years.

As I read Brian McLaren - I chuckle.  He popularizes writers like NT Wright, Leslie Newbiggin, and Michael Polanyi.  There are several more that peak out from the pages of his writing.  As Tony puts it, they write for the University presses though.  Brian’s books get overpublished and it looks like he is coming up with “new” ideas.  Therefore, he is a “heretic.”  Meanwhile, locked away in a Seminary library, I am forced to read Newbiggins books and I have these “lightbulb” moments in my first year of seminary.  “Wait a minute!”  McLaren is saying nothing new in “A New Kind Of CHRISTIAN!”

He is just making Newbiggin and C.S. Lewis sound really cool!

What is this all about?

What I began to realize is that the reformed theologians just don’t like Newbiggin or C. S. Lewis that much.

A Jesus for Real Men | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

I haven’t read the whole article yet, but there you go.

Eugene Cho has some thoughts and a lot of comments already:

http://eugenecho.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/ultimate-fighting-jesus/

I am being drawn into a deeper, more intimate relationship with Jesus right now.  I don’t really know how to explain it.  It is He that is in me, not I.

It is being manifested in a love for the Word and for Worship - through music.  Specifically, a style of worship that I know as Harp and Bowl, Worship and the Word, or Prophetic/Spontaneous Worship.

I have been listening to the following artists.

Jason Upton

Misty Edwards

Kari Jobe

Klaus Keuhn

Something I am realizing.  The Word of God - that is, Scripture, can not come out of you, unless it goes in you.  It has to go in you in excess, to come out of you in excess.  You can not, and I mean can not hear it in your thoughts moment by moment as you take those thoughts captive unless you have soaked in it.

These worship leaders have soaked in it.

Misty Edwards has a song called “Garden” that is about Song of Songs 4 and 5.  Song of Songs is admittedly Intimate - Sexually and Sensually Intimate.  The debate?  Is it about our relationship with God - in Christ - or just about Solomon and one of his young virgins?  I vote for the former.  Unabashedly, I think Jesus is after his Bride and wants an intimate relationship with us!  And, He began that Union on the cross and he will ultimately consummate it at the Eschaton.

But, my flesh was fighting the words of this song as I asked within myself, “Jesus, do you really want this intimate of a relationship with me?  Do you really want to be alone with me?  Am I really your Garden locked up?  Are you really in me?”  It was so intimate.  I was laying in bed next to my wife, who I have been that intimate with and I had my hands raised and I was letting him into the Garden.  I want Him in there!  He is relentless.  He wants it ALL.  I’m going to give it to Him.