the other day i was talking to someone at church. he explained to me that he "almost did what i am doing. (meaning vocational ministry), but he could not take a vow of poverty." i really did not know how to respond.
there were however to reactions in my head.
1. am i living in poverty? i have everything i need plus stuff i could live without. i dont drive a mercedes. but even if i had money i would still drive a honda. even if some students do have a nicer car than i do. i dont shop at banana republic or wear other designer clothes. but i enjoy the clothes i have. sure i live over a garage. but hey it is a nice garage. and in a few months i will be moving into a 4 bedroom parsonage. i do shop at aldi's (a generic food store) but seriously is it any different then marsh or p&c?
im not really quite sure what poverty is. by this guys view i am living in it. but personally i really do not feel that i am . i am comfortable. i am clean (sometimes). i eat pretty well. and when it is all said and done jenny and i are saving money. in a couple month we will both have our college debts paid off. both drive nice vehicles that should last us quite a while (both honda civics).
i have viewed at least what the world views as poverty. i have been in villages where the houses are made with mud and the roofs with bamboo. i have been in their 1-2 room house. where if you had two rooms you were extremely fortunate. i have sat at their tables where they offer us enough food for them to live off the next week. i have seen and smelled the open sewer. this could definately be seen as poverty.
i have also driven around the area here in ny, and i see these houses that are falling apart and these small little trailers that have 10 people living in them and i wonder if there mom or dad used to work at the steel plant that was closed about a year ago.
i have been to a church down the road and see the poor, hurting crowd that attends there. and notice that they are doing samaritans purse operation christmas child and found out that they sent out about 300 boxes.
i have also attended care and share which our church opened up for people to bring in new and used stuff to share with the community (see blog below) and smelled the stench of the people there.
do i live in poverty? by all means no. am i rich? no.
2 i thought... did you feel called? did you run away from your call? ouch.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Monday, November 21, 2005
thanks
thankful- attitude in which one has gratitude
thanksgiving- action in which one shows gratiude
maybe this will be a typical blog for many this week. the showing of thanks that many people really skip over during the year to show their thankfulness during this time of turkey, pie and football. i know their are many who are thankful for the things around them. i get many thank you cards or words of thanks. but it seems that something significant has to happen to require those thank you's.
when one can go quite a while without feeling appreciated. it seems that during this week many people really show what they are thankful for. but why is it that we wait until this week to put our thankfulness into action by showing thanksgiving for lifes pros.
here is just a few things i am thankful for
1. religious freedom ( i do not have to hide what i believe.)
2. jenny (she keeps me somewhat level headed.)
3. family (even though they are a few hundred miles away.)
4. community (friends and a church where i feel at home.)
5. friends (all over the globe doing some amazing things.)
6. communication (internet, cell phone in order to keep in touch with 3-5.)
is there anybody else out there who is thankful? let's put some action to the thankfulness.
thanksgiving- action in which one shows gratiude
maybe this will be a typical blog for many this week. the showing of thanks that many people really skip over during the year to show their thankfulness during this time of turkey, pie and football. i know their are many who are thankful for the things around them. i get many thank you cards or words of thanks. but it seems that something significant has to happen to require those thank you's.
when one can go quite a while without feeling appreciated. it seems that during this week many people really show what they are thankful for. but why is it that we wait until this week to put our thankfulness into action by showing thanksgiving for lifes pros.
here is just a few things i am thankful for
1. religious freedom ( i do not have to hide what i believe.)
2. jenny (she keeps me somewhat level headed.)
3. family (even though they are a few hundred miles away.)
4. community (friends and a church where i feel at home.)
5. friends (all over the globe doing some amazing things.)
6. communication (internet, cell phone in order to keep in touch with 3-5.)
is there anybody else out there who is thankful? let's put some action to the thankfulness.
Monday, November 14, 2005
wesleyan conventions
in a month and a half i am leading a trip to go to logos5 (wesleyan youth convention) i have only been to one in my lifetime and that was back when i was in 8th grade. what i remember from this trip was skipping half the seminars and making fun of ray boltz. this was exalt 94 and some of you might remember this back in the day. obviously wesleyan conventions have come along way since then. instead of the slim pickings in christian music we have multiple good quality christian bands. the convention that we will be attending will feature pillar. we will also hear from efrem smith. i am looking forward to this convention. but i question to why they are so expensive? it will cost my teens about $300 each and we are only 5 hrs away from Boston. is it possible to throw a quality convention for less?
indiana wesleyan throws a youth convention every year and offers it for about $35.
bethany bible college has their booster for about the same cost.
now i am sure that the university offsets alot of the cost. but would it be possible for the wesleyan church to do the same with the youth convention.
i have mentioned barn bash ( a day long festival that our youth group sponsors.) this event takes alot of the youth budget for the year but we think it is worth it to have 1500 people come to this outreach and hear the gospel.
now what can we do about the cost before the next national convention in 2 years when it is in orlando? i realize these conventions are worthwhile. but is it possible to lower costs? what are your thoughts?
indiana wesleyan throws a youth convention every year and offers it for about $35.
bethany bible college has their booster for about the same cost.
now i am sure that the university offsets alot of the cost. but would it be possible for the wesleyan church to do the same with the youth convention.
i have mentioned barn bash ( a day long festival that our youth group sponsors.) this event takes alot of the youth budget for the year but we think it is worth it to have 1500 people come to this outreach and hear the gospel.
now what can we do about the cost before the next national convention in 2 years when it is in orlando? i realize these conventions are worthwhile. but is it possible to lower costs? what are your thoughts?
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
eternity
What must I do to inherit eternal life?
There are two times this question is asked of Jesus that I would like to specifically address.
The rich young ruler asked this question. Jesus answers this man. “You know the commandments,” and lists off some of the commandments. After this he tells the young man “there is still one thing you lack. Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
The second is asked by an expert in religious law trying to test Christ. Jesus responds by “what does the law of Moses say?” With this asked the man answers Love you God with all your hear, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind. And, Love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus then tells the story of the Good Samaritan.
In another teaching by Christ he separates the people on the right and the left; the righteous from the unrighteous. He the talks to those on the right and says this “come you who are blessed by my father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you invited me into your home. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you cared for me. I was in prison and you visited me… These righteous will go into eternal life.”
All these stories revolve around eternal life. They also revolve around helping, goodness and gentleness to your neighbor. I wonder how much of loving your neighbor is important to attaining eternal life. I wonder why there is a lot of emphasis on this concept in the scriptures.
Of course I do not want to take away the factor of belief and John 14:6. That is essential first and foremost. In fact all of these stories address following Christ and loving the Lord. But I do also know that faith without deeds is dead. It is definitely important to help your neighbor. I also want to stress the idea of loving your neighbor. Sometimes we do these things out of duty and the commands put on us by Christ. Is that loving your neighbor or is it just out of obedience.
Thoughts?
There are two times this question is asked of Jesus that I would like to specifically address.
The rich young ruler asked this question. Jesus answers this man. “You know the commandments,” and lists off some of the commandments. After this he tells the young man “there is still one thing you lack. Sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
The second is asked by an expert in religious law trying to test Christ. Jesus responds by “what does the law of Moses say?” With this asked the man answers Love you God with all your hear, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind. And, Love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus then tells the story of the Good Samaritan.
In another teaching by Christ he separates the people on the right and the left; the righteous from the unrighteous. He the talks to those on the right and says this “come you who are blessed by my father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you invited me into your home. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you cared for me. I was in prison and you visited me… These righteous will go into eternal life.”
All these stories revolve around eternal life. They also revolve around helping, goodness and gentleness to your neighbor. I wonder how much of loving your neighbor is important to attaining eternal life. I wonder why there is a lot of emphasis on this concept in the scriptures.
Of course I do not want to take away the factor of belief and John 14:6. That is essential first and foremost. In fact all of these stories address following Christ and loving the Lord. But I do also know that faith without deeds is dead. It is definitely important to help your neighbor. I also want to stress the idea of loving your neighbor. Sometimes we do these things out of duty and the commands put on us by Christ. Is that loving your neighbor or is it just out of obedience.
Thoughts?
Thursday, November 03, 2005
respect the past
last saturday i went to a syracuse football game. for those of you that do not know about su football this season let me bring you up to date. they are 1-7 with a new coach; george robinson. . this year the 2 quarterbacks alternate drives.
i received these tickets from one of the many people in our church that have season tickets. i guess he didnt want to see another loss. on the way to the game i looked at the tickets and saw in big print "respect the past." i started laughing and andy ( friend who went with me) asked me why. i told him what the tickets had on them. there really isnt much to respect about their present team.
now i do not now a lot about su football. i have only live here for three months. i did find out that jim brown used to play for su and donovan mcnabb played qb for them not to long ago. also back in 1959 they won the national championship. i can definately respect those three things. i wonder though how much "respecting the past" will get them into a future national championship in football.
switching respect over to the church. the universal church has has alot to respect with many people like martin luther, john wesley, john calvin, mother theresa. they have done many things for the church today. but i wonder how far we as the church of today can get just "respecting the past."
the church i used to work at has a storied past. they did great things. a former pastor was a gs in the wesleyan church. they had done many great things in the community. but for the past few years they have disconnected with that community and the former pastor is now dead. but yet the church still lives in the glory days of the past. i wonder where we draw the line of respecting the past but being active in the present to prepare for the future. how much of what we do is just to get by?
at the same time i think it is very important to respect the past. a lot of people have gone before us to get us where we are today. many countries before us were very evangelical at one time but have become very secularized. i heard a stat that only 1% of people in england go to church and the same stat can be said for a majority of european countries. the u.s. is headed in the same direction. how can we respect the past enough to change the decline and have a positive future. how can the local church and the universal church do this as a whole united.
i received these tickets from one of the many people in our church that have season tickets. i guess he didnt want to see another loss. on the way to the game i looked at the tickets and saw in big print "respect the past." i started laughing and andy ( friend who went with me) asked me why. i told him what the tickets had on them. there really isnt much to respect about their present team.
now i do not now a lot about su football. i have only live here for three months. i did find out that jim brown used to play for su and donovan mcnabb played qb for them not to long ago. also back in 1959 they won the national championship. i can definately respect those three things. i wonder though how much "respecting the past" will get them into a future national championship in football.
switching respect over to the church. the universal church has has alot to respect with many people like martin luther, john wesley, john calvin, mother theresa. they have done many things for the church today. but i wonder how far we as the church of today can get just "respecting the past."
the church i used to work at has a storied past. they did great things. a former pastor was a gs in the wesleyan church. they had done many great things in the community. but for the past few years they have disconnected with that community and the former pastor is now dead. but yet the church still lives in the glory days of the past. i wonder where we draw the line of respecting the past but being active in the present to prepare for the future. how much of what we do is just to get by?
at the same time i think it is very important to respect the past. a lot of people have gone before us to get us where we are today. many countries before us were very evangelical at one time but have become very secularized. i heard a stat that only 1% of people in england go to church and the same stat can be said for a majority of european countries. the u.s. is headed in the same direction. how can we respect the past enough to change the decline and have a positive future. how can the local church and the universal church do this as a whole united.
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