Body of Christ – Week 1
February 12th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Tonight we began our Body of Christ community group. The goal of this group is to train a core team of leaders to function as the body of Christ. After eating together we passed out a slip of paper with two spiritual gifts on each slip. Everyone received the gift of tongues or interpretation and one other gift. Later in the evening we passed another set of gifts. The goal of the evening was to “use your gifts” throughout the course of the meeting. During the course of the evening we prayed for one another and talked about two passages – one from Matthew (the calling of the 12) and one from Luke (the sending of the 72). All along, the goal was to act out your gifts without telling anyone what your gift was. At the end of the evening we shared our gifts and what we thought and felt about those gifts. It was a very eye opening experience.
Over the next 11 weeks we will continue to learn what it means to function as the body of Christ as we meet together, eat together, pray together, study together and live life together.
Jiu-Jitsu Promotions
December 21st, 2009 § 2 Comments
Last week the four oldest kids each received a stripe or a belt in jiu-jitsu.
Wesley received his fourth white stripe on his white belt. He has been doing jiu-jitsu for about 9 months now.
Kaeli received her fourth white stripe on her white-yellow belt. She has been doing jiu-jitsu for about a year-and-a-half.
Hannah received her first yellow stripe on her yellow belt. She has been doing jiu-jitsu for two years.
Zaccai received his orange belt. He is now the highest ranked kid in the school – even higher than the teenagers! He has been doing jiu-jitsu for 3 years and he won’t receive another promotion for three more years! Black Belts don’t come easy in jiu-jitsu.
This is the kids jiu-jitsu and judo class. I instruct them in jiu-jitsu on Tuesdays and Thursdays and in judo on Wednesdays. The guy on my left is the head instructor’s son, “Little” Magid, and he helps me teach the kids. The guy on the far left, Ron, helps when he isn’t doing paramedic things in San Diego. The head instructor who is sitting in the center, Professor Magid Hage, only teaches if someone is going to receive a belt promotion.
The Almost Christian
December 7th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
John Wesley preached “The Almost Christian” on July 25, 1741 before the Oxford University community. In this sermon he outlines the difference between the Almost Christian and the Altogether Christian. Being filled with God’s love and living life in Christ makes all the difference.
Preaching on Your Feet
December 3rd, 2009 § 1 Comment
A Presbyterian Pastor looked forward to his sabbatical. Week after week, studying, writing and delivering sermons was beginning to take its toll on him. During his seven-week absence from his pulpit he attended a more charismatic church than his own. On the seventh week he met with the pastor afterward and told him how much he appreciated his messages.
“Your sermons are so full of life. How do you prepare your messages?”, asked the Presbyterian.
The charismatic pastor answered, “When I step into the pulpit I simply pray, ‘Holy Spirit, what would you have me share?’”
The next week the Presbyterian pastor stepped into his pulpit, highly refreshed and ready to engage his people once again. He prayed, “Holy Spirit, what would you have me share?”
The Holy Spirit answered, “You should have prepared a sermon.”
Fred R. Lybrand, in Preaching on Your Feet, makes the argument that preaching from a well-meditated and thoughtful heart is better than preaching from a manuscript or from thick notes – for both the preacher and the listener. In the ever constant argument – manuscript or no manuscript – Preaching on Your Feet supports the pastor who preaches extemporaneously. « Read the rest of this entry »
What Good is Faith?
December 1st, 2009 § Leave a Comment
I’ve started a new series at church called Foundations. During Advent I will be preaching a series of sermons that are adaptations of John Wesley’s first four sermons (in the Standard Sermons): Salvation by Faith, The Almost Christian, Awake, Thou that Sleepest (this is actually Charles Wesley), and The Scripture Way of Salvation. Preaching Wesley is not plagiarism for at least three reasons. First, I’m telling you that I’m doing it. Second, John Wesley had his sermons recorded (especially the 52 in his Standard Sermons) so that they could be distributed to his pastors for preaching. Third, I am not simply reading his sermons. I am preaching from a well-meditated and thoughtful heart with direction from John and Charles Wesley. This past Sunday’s sermon was “What Good is Faith?”
John Wesley’s original sermon, “Salvation by Faith.”
If you want a solid resource that brings Wesley’s sermons into modern English then try Dr. Kinghorn’s three-volume set: John Wesley on Christian Beliefs, John Wesley on the Sermon on the Mount, and John Wesley on Christian Practice.
Three Rules
November 27th, 2009 § 1 Comment
Our family has been working on following three rules. Whenever someone breaks the rule we are able to give a gentle reminder that rule # … was broken. We’re not fully following these rues yet but I am confident that the more we speak these rules into each other’s life we will be on track. So what are the rules?
1. Do no harm.
2. Do all the good you can do.
3. Stay in love with Jesus.
It’s the third rule that keeps us from falling into legalism. Do you know where these rules came from? « Read the rest of this entry »
12 years and ready for more
November 23rd, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Call me a glutton for punishment….. we just celebrated our 12 year anniversary and we are ready for more. Some wonderful friends from church cared for our children so George and I could have Friday and Saturday together.
We enjoyed the quiet and the sleep and the time together. We were able remember life before babies and why we started this circus in the first place. We’re best friends and I’m so thankful!
We went to SanDiego’s SeaPort Village and enjoyed the harbor and the hubub….and the hats!
I’d always wanted to see the Star of India… the oldest iron hulled ship still afloat. Turns out it ran salmon from Alaska to other harbors, no wonder we were kindred spirits.
We had greek food while we watched the ships sail by. We’ll try not wait a whole year to spend some concentrated time together… my husbands a really fun guy!
My Bubbly Tub
November 14th, 2009 § 1 Comment
My Mom recently sent me a book titled “Five Minutes Peace”. Its about this elephant momma who is trying to have just five minutes peace… all to herself. Her kids end up following her everywhere … even jumping in the tub with her, jammies and all…and she ends up back in the messy kitchen with a piece of toast and the newspaper. I am very much familiar with this hide and go seek that happens with mothers and small children.
This morning I tried to take a bubble bath. Aravis had been up since 4:20 with molars coming in and neither of us had gone back to sleep. I poured a generous amount of high quality peach scented bubble bath to create a warm and fragrant froth. The sweet aroma and roar of the hot water attracted a crowd. Little sleepy heads popped into the bathroom like crocus flowers at the first hint of spring.
Their glee at the big tub of bubbles was more irresistable than my desire to soak. I quickly stripped them and slipped them into the bath. And for me?… delicious pictures to relish as I sit in my jammies…still.
