Monday, April 30, 2007

I have listened to this sermon and I actually got chills down my spine when Rob talked about the failures in Rwanda in the late 80's. I had always assumed and blamed the people and the government.

I am amazed and somewhat frightened by his contention that the problem was that the entire Gospel was not taught to the 80 % Christian population.

When you hear Rob talk about it you definitely see his point. We took the easy way out. We told people that they could just be Christians by believing in Jesus and they would go to Heaven. We forgot to do the hard work by showing them what it meant to be Christian. To Love one another and the sanctity of human life.

We need to remember this Case Study, and press to teach the whole Gospel not just the Evacuation theology that all will go to Heaven, and that is what you should work towards.

Friday, April 20, 2007

The Power of Parishioners

A great example of how the Church reaches out to help those in need. Rick Warren's final thoughts can be summed up as lets just get it done!!!

The Power of Parishioners

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Virginia Tech Comments

I thought these were very good discussion about the tragedy.

Sorrow that makes us better not bitter
Virginia Tech-What can we do?
When Violence Kills itself
The Silence of a murderers motherr

My prayers go out to the families of the victims and the family of the perpetrator.

Rob Bell Again

I found this tidbit in an article on Rob Bell Titled : Congregations tap power of their people


In January, Bell closed his conference with a dramatic display of a crowd's power to make a difference. He revealed that he had designed the no-frills conference to spend very little of the nearly $200,000 raised in registration fees.

After paying expenses for the meeting, Bell said, Mars Hill was donating the remaining $155,000 to programs to help poor people in Grand Rapids, bring clean water to schools in Rwanda and to expand a project providing small loans so poor people can start businesses in Burundi.

Bell told the conference: "Because you came here and paid a fee that you didn't think twice about paying, thousands of families will move out of poverty in Burundi next year."

The potential for this kind of religious reorganization is vast, he said.

"Let's aim this movement of people somewhere," he urged. "Let's focus the power of this thing like a laser beam and make a real difference in the world."

On Easter Sunday Mars Hill raised $250,000 for those same causes.

This is the type of Christianity I can feel proud of!!

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Matthew 28-Rob Bell Style

I can't wait for each Monday to come ,so I can download the sermons from Mars Hill. What awaited me this week was more than I could have imagined.

Everything I had been thinking for the past 15 years came across through the speakers. Being a Christian isn't about following the rules. You make disciples by being Christlike not by making a sound argument.

My Favorite was Rob's point about we are already telling people about God, we just don't know it.

His great question was, What are you telling people about Jesus in your everyday life?

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Great Book- The Only Road North


For anyone who has ever wonder what a calling from God is, and what to do when he changes the "Plan" this book is amazing.

A hard story about the loss of a brother and the mos unexpected time. A courageous young man who asks the tough questions, and comes out the other side as a modern day Job.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Does anybody hear/see the lost

Check out this video. It's worth it!

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Easter Message


Rob Bell's Easter Message is wonderful. He concentrates on the power of the resurrection. And for his critics, Yes he does believe, maybe more than anyone.

The "Influencers"

Who do you think are the two most influential Christian spiritual leaders today (in North America)?

1. Rick Warren xx
2. Joel Osteen x
3. T.D. Jakes
4. Joyce Meyers x
5. Jim Wallis xx

6. Bill Hybels x

7. Rob Bell x


Who do you think are the two most influential emerging Christian spiritual leaders today (in North America)?

1. Brian McLaren xxx
2. Rob Bell xxxx
3. Todd Hunter
4. Tony Jones x

Which two Christian spiritual leaders (in North America) do you think are most worthy of being influential?

1. Eugene Peterson xx
2. Ched Myers
3. Rich Nathan
4. Diana Butler Bass
5. Jim Wallis xx
6. Brian McLaren xx
7. Rob Bell xx
8. Richard Foster x

9. Obery Hendricks x

Which two churchy or theological blogs do you think are the most influential?

1. The Jesus Creed xxxx
2. Real Live Preacher x
3. Tall Skinny Kiwi xx
4. Jollyblogger
5. God’s Politics x
6. Beliefnet.com x

Which two churchy or theological blogs have influenced you the most?

1. Reclaiming the Mission
2. Leaving Munster x
3. Internet Monk x
4. The Kinglings Muse
5. Jesus Creed xxx
6. Dylan’s Lectionary Blog x
7. Conversation at the Edge
8. The God Hungry x
9. The Radical Pastor xx

Which two North American church communities do you believe are the most influential?

1. Willow Creek xxxx
2. Saddleback xxxx
3. Lifechurch.tv
4. Vineyard Columbus, Ohio x

5. Mars Hill-Grand Rapids x

Which two self-described emerging/missional (North American) communities do you believe are the most influential?

1. Solomon’s Porch xxxx
2. Mars Hill (take your pick) xxxx
3. Imago Dei, Portland
4. Vintage (Santa Cruz) x

5. Cedar Ridge Community Church x

Which two North American church communities do you think are most worthy of being influential?

1. Church of the Savior (Washington, D.C.) x
2. A Catholic Worker house…take your pick
3. Oscar Romero Catholic Worker, Oklahoma City
4. Koinonia, Georgia
5. Apostles Church, Seattle WA
6. Vintage Faith
7. St. Sabina (Chicago, IL) x
8. Mars Hill, MI xxx
9. the simple way, Philadelphia PA
10. Irving Bible Church x

11. Cedar Ridge Community Church

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Mutombo uses NBA stardom to build off-court legacy

A great article on a true humanitarian

Dikembe Mutombo will in July open his Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center, named after his late mother, in Kinshasha, the capital of his African homeland. The facility is the culmination of a monumental, decade-long investment of Mutombo's time, energy and $15 million of his own money.


Theologian urges a new way of looking at Jesus

Interesting Article on "Emerging" thoughts before there was emerging conversation

His story begins:

Borg sees Jesus differently.

As a historian and biblical scholar, Borg was a member of the Jesus Seminar, a scholarly group that spent years evaluating historical evidence of Jesus' life and sayings. Borg emerged from the process with deeper faith in Jesus and a different understanding of Scripture.


You can find out more here.



Two interesting quotes from Professor Borg

Faith, Borg says, is a matter of living in relationship with Jesus and working politically, first for justice and then for peace.

Jesus "is for us the decisive revelation of God — of what can be seen of God's character and passion in human life," Borg says. "But for followers of Jesus, the unending conversation about Jesus is the conversation that matters most."