The Turkey was Bomb!!

So, after a dinner like that I don't know how we will ever look at our Sunday night dinners the same. Jessie did a phenomenal job last night and did so under a great amount of stress, so please keep praying for her and her friend Jen and daughter Tierza (sp?). I haven't gotten an update yet, but will be calling this morning.

After reviewing the night, I'd say it was good. It's a more simplistic outlook than we've seen in the past few weeks but it seemed a more basic concept. Hope works in our lives as a helmet to protect our thoughts and to cover our minds, it gives us that assurance we talked about last night. Of course I'd really love to hear your thoughts about last night or anything that's come to mind since then. And I'd really love to hear something more specific.

I'd love for you guys to share a moment in life where you definitely recognized that the hope you have in Christ has carried you through some circumstance, difficulty, struggle or whatever. So... lets have the stories...

As we work our way through this week, start ramping up for this coming weekend. We are taking on the final two elements of armor the word and prayer, now prayer is not normally considered in this armament but I think that's equally important to what we are called to do. Spiritual warfare without the covering of prayer is like going into battle dressed in plastic armor, it's not doing you much good. So, get your research in... bring it to the table.

Have a great thanksgiving this week, enjoy your friends and family and of course the food. Take time to give thanks to the One who made it all, and gave it all for you.

His
j-

Sunday Wrap... Readiness & Faith

Wow! I just wanted to thank you guys for the discussion last night. I really enjoyed getting into the thoughts of readiness and faith. Digging into what the Gospel of Peace is. I walked away, and of course this could just be my read on things, feeling like we covered a lot of ground last night. So... some feedback if you want... some follow on questions? Let's dig a little deeper, maybe uncover a little bit more. I am wondering if this thing is being read. Either way I will still keep posting.... it makes me feel significant (sad I know)!

So what did you guys think... was there something that got missed that's burning in your heart to cover? Did it meet all your needs? Was it just the most astonishingly profound thing you'd ever discussed so you are stunned into silence?

Let me know.

Plus I'd love some feedback on an idea that was brought up to me to do a Christmas themed video scavenger hunt in December. We would run it and open it up to the whole church. Some of the guys thought this would be great, I'm liking the idea but would like some back up.

PLUS... mark your calendars now... Dec 21st we are having a Crossroads Open House Christmas Party at my place.

more to come this week....

His
j-

song that really touched my heart

It's Friday.... but Sunday's coming

Ok... let me start by saying....
what's with that saying? I've never gotten that. I remember working in a mortgage bank and having one of my christian co-workers say that to me.... Sunday's coming? I think it's some sort of encouragement but I would rather have someone who noticed I was in need of encouragement come up and say... HAVE HEART... the Lord is with you and will never forsake you!! or something poetic along those lines. I sort of detest the idea that we must wait for sunday to somehow reconnect with Jesus. I guess, the thought of the curtain to the Holy of Holies being torn apart for me to relegate His presence in my life to church services on Sunday morning (or of cours in our church's case Saturday nights). If that is ever our attitude.. then we are missing the point, we are selling ourselves short. So... it is Friday... and Sunday is coming, but live for Christ today!!

now on to the point.
Last week we took on Truth and Righteousness and we had a pretty killer discussion... at least I thought we did. So... were there any thoughts we missed? Some words of wisdom from you guys that you felt you didn't get to bring forth? Come on! Bring it!

so this weekend... Readiness of the Gospel and Faith... the boots and the shield. What are their significance, what is real faith? What on earth is the "readiness of the Gospel"? let's hear it.

See you on Sunday night.

j-

Sunday Wrap on Tuesday Morning... Warfare of the Saints

Sunday night,
Well Sunday night was pretty good, the pizza was good, the worship was good, and the talk... well I'll leave that for you guys to decide. But there was something that seemed off. A sort of a sense of fragmentation. I met a new guy, first time at the group and well, I was glad to talk him for a few minutes before, and had a great talk with him after, but no one else seemed to interested in him, nor the other new folks that were with us on Sunday... I am just putting this out there for you guys to consider, reach out... you wanted it when you showed up, and maybe you got it or didn't, but you wanted it none the less. So turn that around and reach out to those coming in for the first time, make that an act of worship each week and see how lives are changed.

On to the talk...
Spiritual Warfare.. or as I found when I was doing the research, Warfare of the Saints. I found that to be a pretty awesome title, much more definitive than just saying "spiritual warfare", it really communicates that it's just understood that it's part of being in relationship with Christ. It was my hope to do the subject matter some justice, and really bring it out from the shadows and into a more prevalent place in our conversations. The whole idea is to become aware of the reality of this particular warfare in our day to day lives. It doesn't mean, necessarily, that you are the person under direct attack, but perhaps it becomes you that is the person who knows when to pray specifically for someone else, or you are able to bring some insight to someone who's being beat down. The point, it's not just about us and us defending ourselves. In the picture we saw Paul painting, the Roman Centurion, we know from history that part of the strength of these soldiers was their numbers and their unity. They fought side by side and depended on the man next to them to fight just as hard as they were. So, since we ended and no one had any input then, how about now?
What are your thoughts on our knowledge vs. awareness of spiritual warfare?
I got some looks when I mentioned why I think we are not more aware (living rightly, hard hearts, lack of convictions) so what are some thoughts around that?

I'd love to hear.. let's talk.

His
j-

I don't MIND at all...

So.. now we've covered the mind of the community that is rooted in the kingdom, and has a heart to build that community...

What does the mind of that community look like?

I need to know, I was playing hookie from Crossroads this week (darn mission field) so... comments away people!!!

j-

Typhoons and stuff

So I am flying home... sitting on the internet in a cafe in the Taipei airport... I'm such an american. Anyway.. things are ok so far. There is a typhoon happening right now... which is interesting. It's my first. No one seems to be sweating it around here though, it's business as usual. Flights are on time, I have cool stuff for the fam, I look touristy. Oh well. That's really all for now, I have a plane to catch... and one more update to do. Catch you guys this weekend.
Pray for me if you see this today.

j-

after dinner thoughts

WOW... what an adventure. Today was sort of a crazy day considering I am in a third world country. We (that is the family that I am staying with & I) went to church and it was an interesting experience... they attend an international fellowship and one of the teachers at the International school gave the sermon today. It wasn't Bridgeway, but... really what is? It really didn't matter, I just wanted to hang out with some of the kids, so we (that is, me and some of the students) went to lunch... at KFC of all places. It was crazy... there's a KFC in Salatiga Indonesia and it's pretty good. The crispy recipe chiken is spicy so YUM. But that's not the best part of the day. It was great hanging out with some of the kids and just talking over a meal outside of the retreat. It was good. It got even better. After getting home from KFC we decided that we would go swimming, but it just so happened there was a spa at the pool... so for $10 I got an hour massage then went swimming in an incredible pool. Then the real adventure started. I got to drive my first Moped in Indonesia... what a rush. We rode back from the spa to the house.. then I got to take the scooter back out for dinner. Anyway... dinner was phenomenal and incredibly spicy. Well, it was a much different Sunday evening than I've had all year. But I will say, I still miss you guys a ton. See you next week.

His
j-

Sunday on Saturday

So I'm here in Indonesia and it's Sunday night just before 6:00 normally we'd be preparring for Crossroads right now, but instead I am preparing to go and have authentic Indonesian food. More later

Sunday wrap... from Salatiga, Indonesia

Well... the prayers worked! I made it safe and sound and it was pretty dang smooth all the way around. So all in all we got ourselves established as on the road to community, but I would love some more of your feedback on the night and the discussion. Plus don't forget... any ideas for the remodeling of the room would be excellent. So I will see you guys in 10 days... I will post an update on the trip later this week. Keep praying...

His
j-

the heart of the matter

This Sunday leads us to the next question in the community series....

what is at the heart of community?

If we are rooted in the Kingdom... how does that shape our heart? I think it's pretty significant.

let's discuss.

j-

Kingdom... in the bag?

Well....
I'm not sure I would say..."in the bag" necessarily but we certainly got a glimpse. I would really recommend reading Rick McKinley's book Beautiful Mess, and you might be able to get a better picture of what I was alluding to. If you read it, you definitely want to soak it in, it's a good read, but it's also study worthy. So... if you have any more thoughts on a community that is "Kingdom minded" I would love to hear them. Or if there are thoughts on any of the other crazy things I said... feel free to leave some comments or shoot me an e-mail.

See you next Sunday...

j-

my kingdom for a horse?

so we are diving in this week and to get you guys thinking I wanted to pose the question...

What comes to mind when you think of a kingdom?

No right or wrong answer on this one of course... but what comes to mind?


This weekend we are eating Tacos... and they are going to be excellent, mostly because I am not cooking them... and any food I can eat that I didn't have to prepare is excellent in my book.

See you all on Sunday @ 6:00

j-

sunday night wrap.... but on monday afternoon

Well we made it through a good night of discussion... but I am pretty sure there were some more thoughts that didn't get voiced. So I would love to continue the discussion here or through e-mail... what about last night's talk got you thinking? What challenged you?

one question that was brought up was a matter of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness reconciling with what James writes in the verses we talked about last night (James 1:13-14) read it and tell us what you think.

Don't forget to be in prayer for Phil, the young soldier in Iraq who was severely injured, and we will try to get updates on the situation as we go.
A huge thanks to After Sunday for giving us a great night of worship, and thanks to all those who came out and took part.

His
j-

getting off the ground...

What do we need?
where do we go from here?

you tell me....

I'll make the adjustments...


j-