Most of you know that I am not the biggest fan of former President Bush. But that is purely related to policy. I also know that he is a good man, a brother in Christ, a devoted husband and now, as you’ll see by this below, a wonderful father. Just as Chelsea Clinton is such a credit to her parents, the “Bush twins”, Jenna and Barbara, are quite obviously a credit to their parents as well.
This is a recording of the letter that the girls wrote for Sasha and Malia Obama. It’s powerful. May it remind us that no one is just a caricature…
He is OUR father.
Not the sketch in the paper or a part of a skit on tv.
Many people will think that they know him.
But they will have no idea how he felt the day you were born.
The pride he felt on your first day of school.
Or how much you both love being his daughters.
Remember who your dad really is.
An excellent post from Brian McLaren this week. It connects the recent US Presidential election and the shift it signifies to the shift that the emerging church has been undergoing lately.
- Connections to the past … without being tied up in the past, or, continuity without conformity
- The realities of crisis
- Call to unity and collaboration rather than polarization and petty squabbles
- Call to honest repentance, bold risks, and big dreams
- Proclamation of a new era … launched by new questions and new answers
- A new attitude toward “the other”
- Three top priorities: Poverty, peace, planet
- Responsibility – not blame
Release your women, Church. Release your women.
Dr. Cho, who, shocked by the small size of churches in another country, said, “I told them to release their women, but they insist that’s not the problem. They ask me “What’s the key to your church?” I tell them again, “release your women…” She then observes,
“if, as Scripture suggests, God gives spiritual gifts to all Christians (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:7 ff, and Ephesians 4:11-13) regardless of gender, education, class, or ethnicity, then one would expect to find healthy, vibrant, growing churches where the spiritual gifts are given their fullest breadth of service.”
Would you consider Europe a “mission field” in the traditional sense?
Ed Stetzer is wondering if you’ll go to Europe.
Negative “religious experiences” in Europe have made atheists out of many. In one breath, someone might say, “I’m Catholic, but I don’t believe in God.” Catholicism is largely a cultural, rather than a religious, identification.
He is primarily talking about Rome, France and Spain. Here in Canada, we have been undergoing a similar shift for the past thirty years. Maybe we’re not quite as traditionally Catholic (at least those of us not in Quebec) but the shift has taken place here already as well.
I haven’t purposely ignored the Israeli-Palestinian battle that was underway. The peace underway in Gaza is tenuous at best right now. The images that came out of Gaza – at least the ones not sanitized by the media – were horrific.
I have spent many years amongst the belief that Israel is God’s chosen people and therefore, above reproach. These notions have left me. I still have great respect and love for Israel. But I struggle with many aspects of Israel’s decisions such as their disproportionate response to Hamas that resulted in the bombing of a UN school, killing many.
Great article from Ed Gungor over at Relevant Magazine about this. Money quote below:
I’m for the nation of Israel and for the Jewish people, but aren’t all nations supposed to be judged by standards of justice and fairness no matter who they are? It’s true that God called Israel to be a special nation, but how? Referring to the future nation of Israel, God told Abraham, “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). To say that Israel is to “bless” implies people groups should be better off by encountering them. It implies that God had a destiny in mind for Israel where it would be a demonstration of God’s goodness, justice and kindness to the world. Imbedded within the Jewish story over the centuries was a higher cause, not just for the Jews, but for all of humanity. The Jewish people were chosen to be God’s laboratory for humanity—the people to whom God revealed His commandments in order to show what a full human life can be. Israel was to be a light to the Gentiles, attracting them to the one true God and a new way of living.
The state of church planing as presented by Ed Stetzer. Very interesting to us, obviously, given that we are leaning towards doing this ourselves at some point.
The run down is pretty positive and encouraging (much like K-Love…)
We’re Starting More Churches Than Ever
We Are Cooperating More Broadly
We Are Less Denominationally Governed and More Networked
We Are Learning to Be More Evangelistically Effective
One of the great things about the Internet is being able to get to know authors a bit better. Turns out those smart people are a lot like us! I’ve quite fallen in love with Claudia Mair Burney lately (she has tattoos! she loves luci shaw! she writes!) over at Ragamuffin Diva.
I’ve often thought it would be nice to have an attachment parenting book that is specific to those of that are followers of Jesus. I get very sad by the state of most Christian parenting books – they focus so much on control and behaviour modification, often resulting in mild (and in some cases, severe) forms of abuse.
So these gals are seeking to change that. They’re working on a book that I’m looking forward to buying. Here’s a link to the parenting philosophy. I loved it.
Our overall message, though, is one that encourages not so much method, but mindset, one that encourages consistent response and an attitude of servanthood, and one that we believe is modeled after the very heart of God the Father.
Antique Mommy writes with humour about being put “in a box” in a church based on your marital status or age. I’ve often struggled with the idea of keeping everyone separate from each other, like they are classes instead of a family. I saw this especially when we were Youth and College & Career Pastors…no one wanted the teenagers around. But they needed us and we needed them. I think we all missed out on some great opportunities there.
Next Wave eZine has done an impressive ten year retrospective on the Emerging Church (does that deserve capital letters?).
One of the best posts from MckMama EVER about mother guilt (yes, we all have it!).
I decided once and for all today that I do want that child. That I accept average. Down with mother’s guilt! Unlike opinions that I held strongly before having children, there actually is nothing wrong with allowing my children to enter a public establishment with a drool-stained onesie, an outfit that doesn’t match, or behavior that is less than adorable. That it doesn’t display bad things about me as a mother when my children act like children.
You all know how I love Ann at The Holy Experience. It’s like reading poetry every time she posts.
Patience is only a possibility when we mindfully invite this moment to rest here, and not hurry on. And we can, because we know that this moment brings us something, something yet hidden, that will reveal itself as a gift for which we can give thanks.
These posters were created to help define words that we use a lot in the missional/emerging church conversation. Loved. Them.
