Wow, who would have thunk it? Graphs and bubble charts that really help us understand world health. A statistics guy with humour.
Don't miss the finale of the above video. An egghead with a message that says, The seemingly impossible is possible.
For more diverse, cutting edge thinking like this go to the Ideas Worth Spreading link on the right. Nough stuff to satisfy whatever tickles your brain cells.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Strong Serve the Weak
My wife is back to teaching next week and this propelled these thoughts about the strong serving the weak.
Matt 20:25 (NIV) Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Churches are notorious for having authority figures run roughshod over parishioners. It’s almost epidemic in that the strong demand the weak to serve them. The weak are instructed to show up “weakly” as a religious rite in order for them to know who is over them. Buildings are built to herd the weak together to remind them of their weakness and have them pay for the reminders. In some settings permission is needed to even have people in their own homes. This is done in the name of unity and care but the reality is that it is just another mechanism of control.
How did this happen considering Jesus’ own words that this “lording over” should never exist within His body? The kingdom of God being lived out by us should not remotely look like the natural way of hierarchical leadership that is known in almost every culture.
How then are the strong/great/mature to serve the “weak/young/immature”?
My wife is preparing for her new class of junior kindergartners that are taking their first journey away from mom into the big new world of school. It seems rather ironic to me that the school system required my wife to get two degrees in order to know best how to serve these young uns. Essentially her goal this year will be to help these four year olds to understand routines, getting along and enjoy going to school. Are these valuable principles? Of course. In fact it may be one of the most important years for how these 4 year olds will see themselves for the rest of their lives. To put it another way year 4 will have a greater impact in their lives than say year 28.
What about all the knowledge my wife has? She could become frustrated through not being able to use all that she has learned unless the principle of the strong serving the weak is understood. It’s not about getting them to her level but her humbling herself to get down to theirs. Will Therrie enjoy teaching this year? Absolutely. She knows it’s not about her but about them.
Does the typical church system cater to sons and daughters or does it re-enforce ideas that we are sheep to be managed and herded? It seems to me that one of greatest emphasis is for new believers, if there are any, to fit into the established culture of whatever the strong have established. The strong serving the new/weak is almost non-existent. Pastors generally preach sermons that are either "light" or "deep" but the truth is that its not possible for this type of teaching model to serve the whole. We don't teach that way in our schools or universities and yet religious thinking allows this crime to be perpetuated each and every week. Does anyone ever graduate from the Sunday sermon?Releashing people to grow outside of the established doctrines and practices of any particular group of people is unheard of and would be considered blasphemous. After all, the strong group has it ALL figured out.
Be thankful if the system you’re in strengthens the weak with the intent that as they mature that their greatest joy will be to serve others in a way that is timely, personal and with great respect.
Hopefully the strong will learn that being flexible and responsive to the needs of the “weak” is what it's all about. Jesus definitely modeled this as he sat and laughed with "sinners". Serving the weak will give us an abundant, joyful life. Jesus experienced that joy even as it led Him to the cross. Enter into His joy.
Matt 20:25 (NIV) Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Churches are notorious for having authority figures run roughshod over parishioners. It’s almost epidemic in that the strong demand the weak to serve them. The weak are instructed to show up “weakly” as a religious rite in order for them to know who is over them. Buildings are built to herd the weak together to remind them of their weakness and have them pay for the reminders. In some settings permission is needed to even have people in their own homes. This is done in the name of unity and care but the reality is that it is just another mechanism of control.
How did this happen considering Jesus’ own words that this “lording over” should never exist within His body? The kingdom of God being lived out by us should not remotely look like the natural way of hierarchical leadership that is known in almost every culture.
How then are the strong/great/mature to serve the “weak/young/immature”?
My wife is preparing for her new class of junior kindergartners that are taking their first journey away from mom into the big new world of school. It seems rather ironic to me that the school system required my wife to get two degrees in order to know best how to serve these young uns. Essentially her goal this year will be to help these four year olds to understand routines, getting along and enjoy going to school. Are these valuable principles? Of course. In fact it may be one of the most important years for how these 4 year olds will see themselves for the rest of their lives. To put it another way year 4 will have a greater impact in their lives than say year 28.
What about all the knowledge my wife has? She could become frustrated through not being able to use all that she has learned unless the principle of the strong serving the weak is understood. It’s not about getting them to her level but her humbling herself to get down to theirs. Will Therrie enjoy teaching this year? Absolutely. She knows it’s not about her but about them.
Does the typical church system cater to sons and daughters or does it re-enforce ideas that we are sheep to be managed and herded? It seems to me that one of greatest emphasis is for new believers, if there are any, to fit into the established culture of whatever the strong have established. The strong serving the new/weak is almost non-existent. Pastors generally preach sermons that are either "light" or "deep" but the truth is that its not possible for this type of teaching model to serve the whole. We don't teach that way in our schools or universities and yet religious thinking allows this crime to be perpetuated each and every week. Does anyone ever graduate from the Sunday sermon?Releashing people to grow outside of the established doctrines and practices of any particular group of people is unheard of and would be considered blasphemous. After all, the strong group has it ALL figured out.
Be thankful if the system you’re in strengthens the weak with the intent that as they mature that their greatest joy will be to serve others in a way that is timely, personal and with great respect.
Hopefully the strong will learn that being flexible and responsive to the needs of the “weak” is what it's all about. Jesus definitely modeled this as he sat and laughed with "sinners". Serving the weak will give us an abundant, joyful life. Jesus experienced that joy even as it led Him to the cross. Enter into His joy.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Yesterday
Why would anyone trade in a vital friendship with the creator of the universe for a predictable ritual that can be manipulated at the hands of mere mortals on a weakly basis?
The answer is best said through the words of the most performed songs of all time (7 million times in the 20th Century), written and first sung by Paul McCartney on the Beatles album “HELP” in 1965.
Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe
In yesterday
Suddenly
I'm not half the man I used to be
There's a shadow hanging over me
Oh, yesterday
Came suddenly
Why she
Had to go I don't know
She wouldn't say
I said
Something wrong now I long
For yesterday
Yesterday
Love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe
In yesterday
Why she
Had to go I don't know
She wouldn't say
I said
Something wrong now I long
For yesterday
Yesterday
Love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe
In yesterday
Simply change the word she to he and that pretty well sums up that religion is really all about yesterday.
The answer is best said through the words of the most performed songs of all time (7 million times in the 20th Century), written and first sung by Paul McCartney on the Beatles album “HELP” in 1965.
Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe
In yesterday
Suddenly
I'm not half the man I used to be
There's a shadow hanging over me
Oh, yesterday
Came suddenly
Why she
Had to go I don't know
She wouldn't say
I said
Something wrong now I long
For yesterday
Yesterday
Love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe
In yesterday
Why she
Had to go I don't know
She wouldn't say
I said
Something wrong now I long
For yesterday
Yesterday
Love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe
In yesterday
Simply change the word she to he and that pretty well sums up that religion is really all about yesterday.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Living Relationally
A paradox for a motto was seen on the billboard of a church.
It seems that in modern times that a church that is emphasizing relationships can actually use that idea as a selling point for new attendees. (What's going on in all the other churches? Aren't they supposed to be about friendships as well?)
I guess it isn't that surprising since religion tends to focus on four things that completely destroy any chance of growing in a loving relationship: control, obligation, fear, failure. COFF
So what does it mean to live relationally with God's love as the foundation? Here is a simple story that I heard from Wayne Jacobson about something he experienced in a small group in Australia that is learning to live relationally.
On a Friday evening, a gathering of fellow pilgrims took place. As in many times of gathering together, a time of prayer was entered into, when a young man (Bill) made known a specific prayer request. This group was different than other groups Wayne had experienced in that they didn’t feel obligated to have to pray for the requested need. Instead each one paused to see if they felt a witness inside them to agree with the young man in prayer. None felt such a witness and therefore didn’t enter into a prayer of agreement with Bill. The focus of the group moved on from the request making Wayne feel a little uncomfortable for Bill fearing that he might feel rejected or having failed at making a proper prayer request.
The next morning the group once again gathered to hear from Father. Bill blurted out something which he felt was of prophetic importance to the group. Again no one in the group was able to bear witness in agreement and moved on to something else.
Wayne was more than a little uncomfortable with the group’s failure to walk in obligation to Bill’s expressions of faith. At lunch time Wayne had a chance to speak with him privately in order to find out if he felt offended or rejected by the group.
Bill was quite surprised by Wayne’s concern. His answer regarding the two small incidents was more than a little insightful. In fact, it revealed a maturity that is well beyond many long time Christians. Bill said that he had been a Christian for only six months and was looking for help from the body to understand the subtle voice of the Spirit of God. He said that if they simply mollified him with pleasantries because of obligation or fear that he might feel failure or rejection, then he would never be able to grow in his love affair with Father.
He knew they were not judging him but they were carefully weighing within themselves what they felt they were hearing from the Spirit. It wasn’t about who was right or wrong but responding in a truthful way of what they were sensing.
There was no desire to control or be controlled, no fear of failure and no performance for the sake of obligation to be given. As each member of the body took responsibility for what they were sensing at any one moment, mistakes could be made without judgment and when things were done it was because they really wanted to do them.
It was almost like they understood what it means to let your YES be YES and your NO be NO. REAL honesty is at the foundation for living relationally.
Romans 12:2 (NIV) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Victory Centre
"A Relational Church"
It seems that in modern times that a church that is emphasizing relationships can actually use that idea as a selling point for new attendees. (What's going on in all the other churches? Aren't they supposed to be about friendships as well?)
I guess it isn't that surprising since religion tends to focus on four things that completely destroy any chance of growing in a loving relationship: control, obligation, fear, failure. COFF
So what does it mean to live relationally with God's love as the foundation? Here is a simple story that I heard from Wayne Jacobson about something he experienced in a small group in Australia that is learning to live relationally.
On a Friday evening, a gathering of fellow pilgrims took place. As in many times of gathering together, a time of prayer was entered into, when a young man (Bill) made known a specific prayer request. This group was different than other groups Wayne had experienced in that they didn’t feel obligated to have to pray for the requested need. Instead each one paused to see if they felt a witness inside them to agree with the young man in prayer. None felt such a witness and therefore didn’t enter into a prayer of agreement with Bill. The focus of the group moved on from the request making Wayne feel a little uncomfortable for Bill fearing that he might feel rejected or having failed at making a proper prayer request.
The next morning the group once again gathered to hear from Father. Bill blurted out something which he felt was of prophetic importance to the group. Again no one in the group was able to bear witness in agreement and moved on to something else.
Wayne was more than a little uncomfortable with the group’s failure to walk in obligation to Bill’s expressions of faith. At lunch time Wayne had a chance to speak with him privately in order to find out if he felt offended or rejected by the group.
Bill was quite surprised by Wayne’s concern. His answer regarding the two small incidents was more than a little insightful. In fact, it revealed a maturity that is well beyond many long time Christians. Bill said that he had been a Christian for only six months and was looking for help from the body to understand the subtle voice of the Spirit of God. He said that if they simply mollified him with pleasantries because of obligation or fear that he might feel failure or rejection, then he would never be able to grow in his love affair with Father.
He knew they were not judging him but they were carefully weighing within themselves what they felt they were hearing from the Spirit. It wasn’t about who was right or wrong but responding in a truthful way of what they were sensing.
There was no desire to control or be controlled, no fear of failure and no performance for the sake of obligation to be given. As each member of the body took responsibility for what they were sensing at any one moment, mistakes could be made without judgment and when things were done it was because they really wanted to do them.
It was almost like they understood what it means to let your YES be YES and your NO be NO. REAL honesty is at the foundation for living relationally.
Romans 12:2 (NIV) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
