Interesting article

Click here to read the article.


An article on the differences between organizational and organic church.  I found it fascinating.  I could write a lot, but I'm not going to.  


E.T.A.  I started thinking about the myriad of ways me posting this article could be taken...  So.  (1) Super glad there is a sort of renegade house church movement happening.  I think it's crucial that there are people out there willing to be radically different than the Christian status quo.  Sometimes when a system is corrupt, it takes the polar opposite to bring moderation. (2) I think our church, Hub City, doesn't fully qualify for either category.  I think it could be called an Organized Organism.  While I am mildly jealous of the "revolution" of the house church movement... I am more challenged where I am, and am almost hilariously ok with the organized part of the organism.  (3) I just really enjoyed the article.  I have lots of different thoughts about it, but this little blurb should clear up any thoughts of evil intent : )

Flat and Plain.

I was reading in 1 Corinthians 5 yesterday and came across this passage:

Our true identity is flat and plain, not puffed up with the wrong kind of ingredient.  The Messiah, our Passover Lamb, has already been sacrificed for the Passover meal, and we are the Unraised Bread part of the Feast.  So let's live out our part in the Feast, not as raised bread swollen with the yeast of evil, but as flat bread---simple, genuine, unpretentious.

I know "flat" and "plain" may not sound incredibly appealing.  But I think of it this way... food that is largely untouched by people... not messed with, processed, stripped, enriched... whatever... "whole food"... is some of the best food because it just is what it is.  I think when our attitude as a church is simple, genuine and unpretentious... flat and plain in a way!... people notice... as with food, simple and honest are refreshing characteristics.  It's sad, but I think that kind of real-ness is rare amongst "church people."  Just got me thinking that's all.

On Purpose for a Purpose?

Galatians 3:11
The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him.  Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you.

Help me to recognize Your arrangements.  I don't want to miss an opportunity.

What's up with me anyway?

So.  No, it's not "Weird Illness Awareness Month" or anything.  However, having just gotten over/getting over one of my bizarre "spells," I thought I'd take a moment to explain.

I hate saying I have migraines.  Please do not tell me to take a tylenol!  It could be hazardous to your health!  (Not the tylenol, but my reaction to that statement).  My head does not hurt.  And the only thing that helps sometimes is 3-4 glasses of wine (which probably just makes me not care) and a good night's rest, and quiet, which is in short supply around my house!

It starts with a virus or infection... a cold, flu, sinus infection... Shortly after contracting said virus, depression hits.  At this point I have no idea an "episode" is coming.  Why?  I'm just not that bright apparently!  So if you ask me what's wrong, I don't know.... I'm just down, moody, and annoyed (particularly if you have a loud voice and don't respect my "space")  Along with the depression comes sensitivity to sound, i.e. 4 really really loud children talking over each other and making demands, etc.  This all usually lasts about a week.  OH, and I usually will find myself running into things during that time as well... Door frames in particular, dropping things more frequently, making stupid mistakes, forgetting things, feeling confused... So during that week, not only am I overly sensitive, taking things personally and annoyed by lots of things that wouldn't ordinarily annoy me, I am also a hare brained idiot!  I also may find it difficult to make a fist with my left hand during this time or I may drag my left foot a bit.  This, I instantly push to the back of my mind though, because I am in denial.  I may even slur my speech.  No, I'm not inebriated (unless I've just had those 3-4 glasses of wine!)  These can all be symptoms of a very special type of migraine.  Usually after about a week or so, I start feeling like I need to make the noise of everybody stop... because of the red hot pokers that have been inserted into my ear canals.  My ears feel hot and painful, like I have a sunburn from the inside out.  Sometimes I have horrible vertigo spells and might have to take meds to stop the spinning and vomiting... fun times!  Also at this point, I may lose all or some use of my left arm and leg.  Or I may have extreme unrelenting pain in my arms like I am lifting a heavy weight and can't put it down.  This doesn't happen so often anymore, which is great, but when it does, it is extremely scary.  I can look like I've had a stroke and have a hard time talking or making sense.  In recent months, I have also begun breaking out in boil-like blisters on my legs and back with some of these "episodes."  They seem similar to shingles and have gotten infected before and leave nasty scars.  I've had gall bladder attacks along with these episodes as well.

I'm not trying to whine.  But when someone asks how I'm doing, this is not the response I want to give.  This is not the response they want to hear.  I can't say "I'm not feeling good, I have a migraine."  See the difference?  And whatever you do, to preserve your safety... do not tell me to go to the doctor.  Preventive migraine meds make this worse for some reason.  And psychotropic drugs treat mental disorders, not this odd conglomeration of symptoms.  I've been to ENTs and neurologists.  I'm done with that.  So if I say I'm not feeling well, or that I'm having "health problems," please just tell me you'll pray for me and then do it, and understand that I'm not just whining about having a headache or feeling sad or neurotic.

I know everything doesn't happen "for a reason."  I live in a fallen world and something happened to screw up my genetics, and somewhere along the road I picked up a virus that likes to periodically reactivate and cause me grief.  God didn't give this to me, but He's definitely big enough to use it because I love and obey Him and am called according to His purpose.  So that's cool and a relief and worth it in the end.

Come to Dinner.

I was reading in Mark 14 today, where Jesus and the 12 were eating the Passover together.  Jesus gives them each bread from the loaf, telling them that it was His body.  Then he passes the cup around and they all drink from it, His blood and the beginning of a New Way of Life.

I've read this passage many many times before.  In most churches you hear it every time communion is celebrated.  I don't know... Today the "community" aspect of it just hit me.  I had a dream a long time ago about "communion" and so this sort of resonated with me (I wish I could just "attach" the dream so you could click on it if you want but not be overwhelmed by it, but alas no... or I just don't know how to do it)

Anyway, I just think it's so neat how we are really all dependent on the same food and drink for life... or we should be rather.  I think it's interesting how "communion" celebrated in churches is a very independent, solitary, reflective thing.  I'm not saying that's bad, but it is strange how much focus we put on the individual's response to God, often overlooking our interdependence on each other...  There is something about eating a meal together (like the disciples did at Passover) that puts us all on the same playing field.  We all need food/drink to survive.  We all need Jesus as our sustenance.  It's good to remember that we are all creation.  That we all come back to the same fountain, that we all NEED.  I don't really have the words to describe my feelings on the whole deal... but it's something I think about a lot and I think there are some very real, deliberate things we can do to put our perspectives right... but I'll save that for another time!

You're not really my friend until you've put your feet under my table.-- a saying

Always see your visitor as hungry, lonely, and tired.-- Navajo saying


E.T.A:  More than this:  "often overlooking our interdependence on each other," our equal station to each other... people in need, before God, the only One who gives us real LIFE, movement and breath, not only as individuals, but more importantly and to His glory, as His Body, The Church.  

Free. Who, me?

I wasn't sure I was going to blog about this.  And truthfully, it will just be a little blurb.  The other day on Facebook, there was a status floating around which asked for 1 word to describe the person.  I succumbed in a moment of weakness and went ahead and copied/pasted the darned thing.  I got some interesting responses.  Most were nice, a few were even true by the grace of God.  But the one that has really stuck with me is the word Free.  I believe that about me.  And it's something I never could have done for myself.  I'm grateful for that.  And I hope it makes God happy to see me (an unlikely candidate) characterized in that way.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Get over yourself.

I don't think much about matters of theology anymore.  I used to love to work out the details and get into fiery debates.  The thrill of "proving my point" behind the guise of "proving God's point" was so exciting and the power of persuasion has always fascinated me.

I guess I'm just not interested.  I read three articles this week that made me cringe, all by people I at one time held in high esteem.  One was on the validity (or not) of the clergy/laity divide, another on child training and yet another (and boy was this titillating) on the authority of the KJV Bible.  Eeek.  I don't know.  I just can't go there anymore.  Maybe we need people who concentrate on the finer details of things?  I'm not so sure though.

I wonder what The Church would look like if we all just kept our eyes on Jesus and lived a life of serving each other and the world around us.  I think maybe all those little points of contention which just seem to escalate into huge matters of importance are just dividing, distracting and discouraging us as a whole.  It's shameful really.  Sometimes I wonder how it all got so messed up.  So far away from the only important thing.  JESUS.  If we could all just get over ourselves.


Colossians 3:14-16 (Amplified Bible)

¹⁴And above all these [put on] love and enfold yourselves with the bond of perfectness [which binds everything together completely in ideal harmony].
    ¹⁵And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ's] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].
    ¹⁶Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts.