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Stories can change us
Picture this. You’re about to leave on a trip to Vegas, and two people stop to give you advice. The first says “Be careful who you talk to. You can’t trust everyone you meet. It’s a crazy place!” The second stops and tells you this: “A friend of a buddy of mine went to Vegas…
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Students! Think before you ask that!
Found a GREAT chart on goingtoseminary.com. Here’s the deal. I love a questioning spirit. Ask your questions. Explore the options. But there are some people in classes – seminary classes especially – who ask so…many…questions. Most of the time, they aren’t even really related. I’m all for discussion, but there’s a place for it. Next…
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Random Thoughts
4 Maccabees is a weird book. Hope that doesn’t offend anyone. But it is. It’s easy to take life too seriously. If everything’s a big deal, then nothing is. I’m constantly having to learn to let some things go and just relax. Been thinking a lot about the tension between absorbing and producing. That may…
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Lifting that sail and catching the winds of destiny
Let’s be honest. Poetry is a little too heady and cultured for this blog. It just is. I write in three-word sentences. I don’t write poetry. But there’s this poem that Edgar Lee Masters wrote in his Spoon River Anthology that I think about every few months or so. The book is filled with poems…
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I love LA
It’s a crazy place. You just never know who you’re going to run into. I posted an ad on Craigslist selling a keyboard stand. The guy shows up, we start talking. Turns out, he plays keyboard for Iron Maiden. So my old equipment just may be going on a world tour sometime soon…
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Challenged by action
I’m glad I am taking the time to go through seminary. It’s a chance to ask the big “God questions” before someone else asks me. It gives me the time and tools to consider what I really believe. It gives me a background and perspective on the Bible that enriches my ability to follow God…
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Partner for impact
I mentioned Elevation in an earlier post. In my “research” (aka googling “Elevation Church”), I also found a site that tells how you can connect with the church. They’re doing something cool for outreach… “Instead of replicating ministries already doing a great job reaching out to meet specific needs in our community, we’ve identified the…
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Filling the pantry with couscous and pasta sauce
Wild Oats, a small grocery chain that was recently bought out by Whole Foods, was having a 50% off the entire store sale today, so Grete and I ventured on over and stocked up on some great “this is healthy and good but normally too expensive for us to buy” food. It’s a crazy atmosphere…
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Multiplication is messy. That’s ok. (part 3)
We’ve talked about the challenge of multiplication and how sending seems more natural. What if, in addition to groups sending others to start new groups, those connected groups formed a network, or a hub, that got together periodically? It could be for a time of worship, for a party, or for service. Our group meets…
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Multiplication is messy. That’s ok. (part 2)
So it’s time for our group to multiply. But multiplication is messy and hasn’t really worked in our context. What do we do? Well, last week I introduced the idea to the group. We talked about how we value being open and open – to new people and with each other. I explained how multiplication…
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Something I love about mega churches is …
… that they do the communication thing really well. Great pastors. Great teaching. Great media and videos. Like the piece at the end of this post from North Point. Like almost anything LifeChurch(.tv) does. Even cool stuff from Granger. Newspring. Elevation. Mosaic does some amazingly creative stuff. Because of where I am and how God’s…
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Multiplication is messy. That’s ok.
There is no perfect small group system. I wish there was, but there’s no one formula that will work for every church, meet everyone’s needs, and grow an active, healthy, outward-focused ministry. That little confession leads us to today’s discussion. I’ve read lots of books on small groups, but I haven’t found “the” way to…
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“Hey! Move it!”
I never carved pumpkins before marrying Grete. Now, this is my third year to dig in. Look at the corrupting influence she’s been on my life :).
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Christmas. Already?
Well, sort of. Grete’s side of the family is an on-the-ball bunch. They do a gift exchange each year and are already asking for gift ideas. What you see above isn’t one of them (I WISH I could get one of these for $25!), but it got me thinking about the inevitable “what I want…
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The words we use matter
“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit – you choose.” – Proverbs 18:21, as translated by Eugene Peterson in The Message
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Jon Sampson 