Merry Christmas all. During the holiday rush, Joanne and I would like to ask you to take a minute to pray for my sister Ashley. She's 26 years old, lives in California and is not a believer. Recently she's been asking a ton of spiritually oriented questions and engaged us on Christmas eve with them.
After mush discussion, the gospel was presented to her. She said it "made sense" and she wants to go to church with us (she's moving back east next month). Please keep her in your prayers.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Christmas in the classic movies
I found this very interesting. Thought you might too.
Eternity Is Now: Just Ask Scrooge and George Bailey
By Andrew KlavanDecember 14, 2003 in print edition M-5
To my mind, there are only two truly great Christmas movies: “Scrooge,” the 1951 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” starring Alastair Sim, and Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life,” starring James Stewart.
The first I watch every year. I think “A Christmas Carol” is one of the greatest pieces of wisdom literature the West has produced and, lover of Dickens though I am, I heretically believe this film version improves the original. It takes the story a little more seriously, adding more humanity to the satire and producing more real emotion.
The Capra picture isn’t quite as durable for me but, after half a dozen viewings, I can still watch it with pleasure.
One thing that’s always struck me about these two films is that they’re essentially mirror images of each other. In “Scrooge,” a man grown rich because of heart-shriveling greed is forced by spirits to view the consequences of his existence. In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” George Bailey, a man in financial trouble because of his large-souled generosity, is forced by an angel to view the consequences of his non-existence: what would’ve happened if he’d never been born.
On both sides of the mirror, the results are the same: a revolutionary personal transformation, what the New Testament calls “metanoia,” which is often translated as “repentance” but which means literally “a change of mind.”
After the metanoia, there’s a lot of Christmas caroling and happiness and that sort of thing. Thus movie critics – who frequently confuse darkness with depth – sometimes belittle these films as sentimental. They’re wrong.
Watched carefully, the films are disturbingly realistic. Because, for each protagonist, the change in outlook has absolutely nothing to do with a change in circumstance. They aren’t singing carols and so forth because they’ve won the girl or beaten the villain or made millions or righted wrongs. Scrooge can never bring justice to the people he’s ruined, and Bailey will never become the world-traveling architect he wanted to be. And yet, in the aftermath of their visions, both men are joyous.
“I don’t deserve to be so happy,” Scrooge mutters. “But I can’t help it!” And Bailey lets out a heartfelt “Yay!” when the angel returns him to the dreary town that has been the graveyard of his ambitions.
This hard-nosed realism about the indelibility of sin and failure is precisely the difference between Dickens and Dickensian, between Capra and Capra-esque – between happy endings rich with sentiment and those soggy with sentimentality. It is also, for me, the very best of what faith has to offer.
Scrooge and Bailey, by confronting their mortality, are forced to acknowledge that life is wonderful not because of what happens in it but simply by virtue of being life. They are able, as Scrooge says, to “live in the past, the present and the future,” which is to say they are able to live in eternity.
Which is what faith promises. In eternity, sins are washed clean not by punishment but by inner transformation; success is measured in love, not money; joy rises above circumstance; and dread is a delusion. “And throughout all eternity,” in the words of the mystical poet William Blake, “I forgive you, you forgive me.”
Some attack this sort of thinking as an excuse for passivity or an opiate for the masses. If we can be forgiving and joyous in spite of injustice and failure, why should we dedicate ourselves to justice and success?
But this, as Blake interpreter Northrop Frye once wrote, is to “confuse the eternal with the indefinite.” Eternity is not a lot of time, it’s all time, or more precisely, it’s right now, where all time lives. To be in this very moment as if it were forever is not to stop the work of life but to begin it afresh in celebration.
Scrooge and George Bailey, in traveling through misery to see the eternal born in time, are descendants of those wise men who traveled through the wilderness to see God born into history.
To such a vision – amid failure and sin, and even in the face of death – there is only one response: Yay.
Eternity Is Now: Just Ask Scrooge and George Bailey
By Andrew KlavanDecember 14, 2003 in print edition M-5
To my mind, there are only two truly great Christmas movies: “Scrooge,” the 1951 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” starring Alastair Sim, and Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life,” starring James Stewart.
The first I watch every year. I think “A Christmas Carol” is one of the greatest pieces of wisdom literature the West has produced and, lover of Dickens though I am, I heretically believe this film version improves the original. It takes the story a little more seriously, adding more humanity to the satire and producing more real emotion.
The Capra picture isn’t quite as durable for me but, after half a dozen viewings, I can still watch it with pleasure.
One thing that’s always struck me about these two films is that they’re essentially mirror images of each other. In “Scrooge,” a man grown rich because of heart-shriveling greed is forced by spirits to view the consequences of his existence. In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” George Bailey, a man in financial trouble because of his large-souled generosity, is forced by an angel to view the consequences of his non-existence: what would’ve happened if he’d never been born.
On both sides of the mirror, the results are the same: a revolutionary personal transformation, what the New Testament calls “metanoia,” which is often translated as “repentance” but which means literally “a change of mind.”
After the metanoia, there’s a lot of Christmas caroling and happiness and that sort of thing. Thus movie critics – who frequently confuse darkness with depth – sometimes belittle these films as sentimental. They’re wrong.
Watched carefully, the films are disturbingly realistic. Because, for each protagonist, the change in outlook has absolutely nothing to do with a change in circumstance. They aren’t singing carols and so forth because they’ve won the girl or beaten the villain or made millions or righted wrongs. Scrooge can never bring justice to the people he’s ruined, and Bailey will never become the world-traveling architect he wanted to be. And yet, in the aftermath of their visions, both men are joyous.
“I don’t deserve to be so happy,” Scrooge mutters. “But I can’t help it!” And Bailey lets out a heartfelt “Yay!” when the angel returns him to the dreary town that has been the graveyard of his ambitions.
This hard-nosed realism about the indelibility of sin and failure is precisely the difference between Dickens and Dickensian, between Capra and Capra-esque – between happy endings rich with sentiment and those soggy with sentimentality. It is also, for me, the very best of what faith has to offer.
Scrooge and Bailey, by confronting their mortality, are forced to acknowledge that life is wonderful not because of what happens in it but simply by virtue of being life. They are able, as Scrooge says, to “live in the past, the present and the future,” which is to say they are able to live in eternity.
Which is what faith promises. In eternity, sins are washed clean not by punishment but by inner transformation; success is measured in love, not money; joy rises above circumstance; and dread is a delusion. “And throughout all eternity,” in the words of the mystical poet William Blake, “I forgive you, you forgive me.”
Some attack this sort of thinking as an excuse for passivity or an opiate for the masses. If we can be forgiving and joyous in spite of injustice and failure, why should we dedicate ourselves to justice and success?
But this, as Blake interpreter Northrop Frye once wrote, is to “confuse the eternal with the indefinite.” Eternity is not a lot of time, it’s all time, or more precisely, it’s right now, where all time lives. To be in this very moment as if it were forever is not to stop the work of life but to begin it afresh in celebration.
Scrooge and George Bailey, in traveling through misery to see the eternal born in time, are descendants of those wise men who traveled through the wilderness to see God born into history.
To such a vision – amid failure and sin, and even in the face of death – there is only one response: Yay.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
New Year's Eve
Joanne and I meant to bring up an idea we had about New Year's eve. We were thinking of having a "kid's oriented" evening. Pizza and noise-makers to ring in 2009 around 7pm. Anyone interested in coming over, let us know.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Golden Pipes
Wow!
Joanne and I were thrilled to see Chris walk out on stage by himself for a solo worship song. Having never heard him outside of a group - we didn't know what to expect. We were blown away! You hit it out of the park man! You have a gift!!
Joanne and I were thrilled to see Chris walk out on stage by himself for a solo worship song. Having never heard him outside of a group - we didn't know what to expect. We were blown away! You hit it out of the park man! You have a gift!!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Stony Ground Hearers
The message at Grace this week was powerful and piercing for me. Over the course of the last few years I have become more convicted about this sliding of the Gospel message and Sunday reinforced this belief.
Several years ago I listened to a message titled Hell’s Best Kept Secret by Ray Comfort, an evangelist from New Zealand. In the talk he speaks of his evangelical frustration of seeing upwards of 85% of the “decisions for Christ” he led people in, turning into what he called “backsliders”. After reading others and conducting his own research he discovered this was all too typical, with major denominations reporting tens of thousands of conversions leading to mere dozens of new believers who could be found in fellowship a year later. Instead of questioning the initial decision, he believed we misfocused (I love to create new words) our efforts on follow up and discipleship.
The revelation of Comfort’s message is that the church in the 20th century shifted focus from salvation to life-enhancement. We’ve all heard (and said) it…..Jesus has a wonderful plan for your life….Come to Jesus and he’ll clean you up…you have a God-sized hole in your heart….you’ll never know true peace, love, joy and happiness until you give your life to Jesus….etc. What we commonly call backsliders are people who never slid forward in the first place. They accepted the invitation in sincerity because who doesn’t want meaning and happiness? They’ve tried drugs, sex, Buddhism, money…why not give this Jesus-thing a go and see what happens.
Instead having never repented of their ways, never having seen their sin as exceedingly filthy, not holding themselves up to the light of God’s perfect standard they come not for the King and his grace – but for the benefits (peace, joy, purpose) of the King’s table. Using the text of Mark 4 and the parable of the sower, Comfort shows that Jesus foretold of these “stony ground hearers” who receive the word with great joy but, having no root, quickly fall away in the face of any hardship. These are not struggling, carnal, or backslidden believers, rather they are still unbelievers - goats among the sheep that “go out from us, because they were never of us”.
Comfort’s solution to this is to use the Law, the 10 Commandments as a means to show unbelievers their state before a holy God. That they are by nature enemies of God, rightly deserving punishment and hell for their deeds. As I listened to the message Sunday, I was reminded that we present only a “get out of hell free card” and a story of life enhancement with our witness. By not focusing on how awesome the gift of grace, we produce “Christians” with no real commitment because they don’t understand how great the price paid by Jesus and the cost of discipleship.
On the off-chance that you are still reading and I have not bored you to tears….let me know what you think. There’s been no discussion in weeks and I feel like Andre and I are drifting apart without a good blogument!
Several years ago I listened to a message titled Hell’s Best Kept Secret by Ray Comfort, an evangelist from New Zealand. In the talk he speaks of his evangelical frustration of seeing upwards of 85% of the “decisions for Christ” he led people in, turning into what he called “backsliders”. After reading others and conducting his own research he discovered this was all too typical, with major denominations reporting tens of thousands of conversions leading to mere dozens of new believers who could be found in fellowship a year later. Instead of questioning the initial decision, he believed we misfocused (I love to create new words) our efforts on follow up and discipleship.
The revelation of Comfort’s message is that the church in the 20th century shifted focus from salvation to life-enhancement. We’ve all heard (and said) it…..Jesus has a wonderful plan for your life….Come to Jesus and he’ll clean you up…you have a God-sized hole in your heart….you’ll never know true peace, love, joy and happiness until you give your life to Jesus….etc. What we commonly call backsliders are people who never slid forward in the first place. They accepted the invitation in sincerity because who doesn’t want meaning and happiness? They’ve tried drugs, sex, Buddhism, money…why not give this Jesus-thing a go and see what happens.
Instead having never repented of their ways, never having seen their sin as exceedingly filthy, not holding themselves up to the light of God’s perfect standard they come not for the King and his grace – but for the benefits (peace, joy, purpose) of the King’s table. Using the text of Mark 4 and the parable of the sower, Comfort shows that Jesus foretold of these “stony ground hearers” who receive the word with great joy but, having no root, quickly fall away in the face of any hardship. These are not struggling, carnal, or backslidden believers, rather they are still unbelievers - goats among the sheep that “go out from us, because they were never of us”.
Comfort’s solution to this is to use the Law, the 10 Commandments as a means to show unbelievers their state before a holy God. That they are by nature enemies of God, rightly deserving punishment and hell for their deeds. As I listened to the message Sunday, I was reminded that we present only a “get out of hell free card” and a story of life enhancement with our witness. By not focusing on how awesome the gift of grace, we produce “Christians” with no real commitment because they don’t understand how great the price paid by Jesus and the cost of discipleship.
On the off-chance that you are still reading and I have not bored you to tears….let me know what you think. There’s been no discussion in weeks and I feel like Andre and I are drifting apart without a good blogument!
Friday, November 7, 2008
Sunday pm
Anyone interested in going to Grace in the evening to see the rest of the movie they showed last week and staying for the open forum?
Monday, November 3, 2008
One way?
OK - Reaction to Mark's talk...
1- Do you find the exclusivity of Christianity a problem personally?
2- Have you faced this when discussing spiritual issues with others?
3- Do you believe there will be anyone in heaven who has not "accepted Christ"? (Excluding babies, mentally handicapped, etc)
1- Do you find the exclusivity of Christianity a problem personally?
2- Have you faced this when discussing spiritual issues with others?
3- Do you believe there will be anyone in heaven who has not "accepted Christ"? (Excluding babies, mentally handicapped, etc)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Just a thought.....
Saw that you guys were interested in 'truth', and talking about worldview. I wanted to let you all know that Chris and I had gone to a seminar for a small group study called 'The Truth Project'. It is also a DVD small group series, it is 10 weeks long, each DVD is lasts 50 minutes or so. It is a really great study, all about truth and what it means to have a Biblical worldview. Just thought I would put a bug in everyone's ear, just in case we wanted to explore that in the future.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Mike's e-mail of 10-25
Ladies and Gentlemen...I hope that all is well... Here are some thoughts and verses to look into prior to our study next week.Enjoy the time, and I look forward to seeing everyone.I hope not to be hearing any voices next week. : )
Talk to you soon.Mike.
1. Who are some of your friends that may have a negative impression of how the church views women?
2. What makes them come to that conclusion?
3. Are women smarter than men?
4. What do you want to instill in your children in regard to what roles men and women should have in a marriage partnership?
5. See the following... How might you explain these verses to a well-educated, 25 year old woman who is a non-believer? -1 Cor 14:34-35 -1 Tim 2:11-126.
see the following verses in regard to women who were mentioned within Scripture in various roles... - Ex 15:20 - Judg 4:4-7 - Acts 21:8-9 - 1 Cor 11:5 - Rom 16:7 (Typically listed as a male name, though scholars now lean toward this being a female... Junia) - Rom 16:1 - Acts 18:24-26 (Who is listed first...) - Acts 12:12 - Acts 16:14-15
PS... The answer to number 3 is yes...
Talk to you soon.Mike.
1. Who are some of your friends that may have a negative impression of how the church views women?
2. What makes them come to that conclusion?
3. Are women smarter than men?
4. What do you want to instill in your children in regard to what roles men and women should have in a marriage partnership?
5. See the following... How might you explain these verses to a well-educated, 25 year old woman who is a non-believer? -1 Cor 14:34-35 -1 Tim 2:11-126.
see the following verses in regard to women who were mentioned within Scripture in various roles... - Ex 15:20 - Judg 4:4-7 - Acts 21:8-9 - 1 Cor 11:5 - Rom 16:7 (Typically listed as a male name, though scholars now lean toward this being a female... Junia) - Rom 16:1 - Acts 18:24-26 (Who is listed first...) - Acts 12:12 - Acts 16:14-15
PS... The answer to number 3 is yes...
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Can of worms......
OK – let’s open a can of worms here.
Mark’s message this morning. I must admit that this is an issue that I struggle with – women in leadership positions in the church.
Maybe it’s because I have worked for many strong and intelligent female leaders (and let’s face it, breathe in a near toxic level of estrogen just sitting in my house) but the idea of keeping women out of the pulpit and off the elder board just doesn’t always sit well with me. Why are women not suitable for these? The bible speaks of man being created first and the woman being the one deceived in the garden – does this imply that women are more susceptible to poor spiritual judgment/leadership?
Your thoughts?
PS
Mark spoke about the “complementarian” view that we complement each other and I see the logic of one “head” of household In a family – I am interested in your views on church leadership for this post.
Mark’s message this morning. I must admit that this is an issue that I struggle with – women in leadership positions in the church.
Maybe it’s because I have worked for many strong and intelligent female leaders (and let’s face it, breathe in a near toxic level of estrogen just sitting in my house) but the idea of keeping women out of the pulpit and off the elder board just doesn’t always sit well with me. Why are women not suitable for these? The bible speaks of man being created first and the woman being the one deceived in the garden – does this imply that women are more susceptible to poor spiritual judgment/leadership?
Your thoughts?
PS
Mark spoke about the “complementarian” view that we complement each other and I see the logic of one “head” of household In a family – I am interested in your views on church leadership for this post.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Theology Course (self study)
If anyone is interested in this, I'll be signing up for it soon.
http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/ttp/courses/IT/00
It comes highly recommended by some leaders at Grace
let me know.
Dennis
http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/ttp/courses/IT/00
It comes highly recommended by some leaders at Grace
let me know.
Dennis
Took me while...
OK I'm in.
Something I've been thinking about lately came from what the young adults will discussing later. Sunday morning, a clip was shown in church asking the question "What is truth?". Some of the answers were scary (truth coming in through many windows...) but if you stop to think, it is a hard question to answer. So that's my warm up question to you guys.
What is truth?
To make it harder, try to keep it simple and to the point so we can use it conversations with others.
Something I've been thinking about lately came from what the young adults will discussing later. Sunday morning, a clip was shown in church asking the question "What is truth?". Some of the answers were scary (truth coming in through many windows...) but if you stop to think, it is a hard question to answer. So that's my warm up question to you guys.
What is truth?
To make it harder, try to keep it simple and to the point so we can use it conversations with others.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Update
OK I finally got around to inviting everyone onto the blog.
Great conversation last week! Very thoughful and honest. Reallly looking forward to this study together.
Dennis
Great conversation last week! Very thoughful and honest. Reallly looking forward to this study together.
Dennis
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Mike's e-mail
Hey there... I hope that all are having a good week... (It's only Sunday night, so if you aren't, it is going to be a long one...)
Check out the following verses and thoughts prior to Wednesday if you have a chance.
They are in no particular order... as a matter of fact, they are particularly out of order.
Galations 5:22-23
Would Jesus be a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent?
Matthew 7:11 Corinthians 5:12-13
How do you rate in regard to the fruits of the spirit... do people see any of them in you?
Matthew 18:15-20 Luke 19:41
What kinds of things do you dislike about other people you meet?
Remember to pay attention to context as you look at the verse snippets... and don't spend too much time making a list about that last question.
I look forward to seeing everyone in their most obnoxious and offensive T-Shirt on Wednesday Night... -
Mike.
PS... My wife has neither seen, nor approved this email... so I apologize in advance.
Check out the following verses and thoughts prior to Wednesday if you have a chance.
They are in no particular order... as a matter of fact, they are particularly out of order.
Galations 5:22-23
Would Jesus be a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent?
Matthew 7:11 Corinthians 5:12-13
How do you rate in regard to the fruits of the spirit... do people see any of them in you?
Matthew 18:15-20 Luke 19:41
What kinds of things do you dislike about other people you meet?
Remember to pay attention to context as you look at the verse snippets... and don't spend too much time making a list about that last question.
I look forward to seeing everyone in their most obnoxious and offensive T-Shirt on Wednesday Night... -
Mike.
PS... My wife has neither seen, nor approved this email... so I apologize in advance.
Our Blog
folks
after a thoughtful conversation with Mike (translation - a 5 minute phone call) I am setting up a blog for our Growth Group.
Much like the one set up by Grace for the Open Doors series, this is meant to enhance but is not required for our study. The thought would be that we can post any thoughts, prayer requests or follow up comments from anyone. Additionally whoever is leading the discussion may post and e-mail any questions or readings for our time together.
We'll also post the schedule, locations and snack responsibilities.
thanks
Dennis
after a thoughtful conversation with Mike (translation - a 5 minute phone call) I am setting up a blog for our Growth Group.
Much like the one set up by Grace for the Open Doors series, this is meant to enhance but is not required for our study. The thought would be that we can post any thoughts, prayer requests or follow up comments from anyone. Additionally whoever is leading the discussion may post and e-mail any questions or readings for our time together.
We'll also post the schedule, locations and snack responsibilities.
thanks
Dennis
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