Christian Adulting
Most of the time it isn't walking on water...it's watering the garden, it's paying the water bill on time, it's advocating for clean water...and even that work--which may seem like exciting justice work--when you get down to it, but it mainly involves sending emails and calling people and setting up meetings...mundane but necessary tasks...doing these tasks as Christ would do them, with integrity and honesty and selflessness, that's Christian adulting.
Christian Adulting:
The practice of behaving in a way characteristic of a responsible follower of Jesus, especially the accomplishment of mundane but necessary tasks.
Following Jesus isn't all about performing signs and wonders. Sure, there may be some of that but most of the time it isn't walking on water...it's watering the garden, it's paying the water bill on time, it's advocating for clean water...and even that work--which may seem like exciting justice work--when you get down to it, but it mainly involves sending emails and calling people and setting up meetings...mundane but necessary tasks...doing these tasks as Christ would do them, with integrity and honesty and selflessness, that's Christian adulting.
Most of the time following Jesus isn't performing miracles surrounded by crowds, it's putting a band-aid on your grandson's booboo; it's walking for a cause like curing breast cancer; it's sitting by your friend as she receives chemotherapy treatment. Not exciting, not glamorous, but necessary...doing these tasks as Christ would do them, with integrity and honesty and selflessness, that's Christian adulting.
Day By Day
Consider what stepping outside of our comfort zones to be led by the Spirit looks like. For some that may mean starting a weekly prayer practice, perhaps with family members, or friends. For others, stepping outside of comfort zones may mean going and talking to someone more about how God is impacting your life.
Consider what stepping outside of our comfort zones to be led by the Spirit looks like. For some that may mean starting a weekly prayer practice, perhaps with family members, or friends. For others, stepping outside of comfort zones may mean going and talking to someone more about how God is impacting your life, sharing the state of your souls w/others.
One way that churches seek to live a day-by-day faith, in addition to the normal pattern of programming and worship is to consider attending various small groups to grow spiritually with one another. Now, these are not the only avenues for us to explore in living out a day-by-day kind of faith. We all have so much to offer in terms of the different gifts we each bring, gifts of leadership, care, spiritual renewal, and more as we grow in faith together.
I truly believe that through God’s grace each one of us has the capacity to be a source of transformative faith, to others, and to ourselves as we follow God in community here and in our daily lives. But, we are encouraged to share that kind of transformation together, being led by the Holy Spirit, who makes it possible for us to be on the same spiritual page. The invitation to live a day-by-day faith is before us, what will our response be?
Becoming Deeply Devoted Disciples of Jesus Christ
I wonder if we pulled out our calendars right now and looked at this past week or this past month, or if we were to keep a running log of the hours in the day and what we did in each hour, it would be a good insight into our devotion...
Now if you have a group of people like those members of the early church whose calendars are for the most part synched, who all live in the same rhythm of life, who all give their time and energy to the same things, oh my the power of that!
Becoming Deeply Devoted Disciples of Jesus Christ
I wonder if we pulled out our calendars right now and looked at this past week or this past month, or if we were to keep a running log of the hours in the day and what we did in each hour, it would be a good insight into our devotion...
Now if you have a group of people like those members of the early church whose calendars are for the most part synched, who all live in the same rhythm of life, who all give their time and energy to the same things, oh my the power of that!
Sermon Notes:
Download "A Rule Of Life"
The Holy Spirit...Here...Now.
The best way we can fulfill the vows we take at baptism as a congregation is to set a heart on fire - and the best way to do that, is have your own heart set on fire.
Seventh grade football games are fascinating! You can see which athletes have great talent and some who will need a lot of work. The great challenge of a middle school coach is to teach the athletes to love the game. The same is true for the next generation of our church. The best way we can fulfill the vows we take at baptism as a congregation is to set a heart on fire - and the best way to do that, is have your own heart set on fire.
A Community Of Friends
God knows we need people whose intention is to become a community of friends and who put it in the plan...God knows if you do this and I do this it is enough to change the whole world.
A Community Of Friends
God knows we need people whose intention is to become a community of friends and who put it in the plan...God knows if you do this and I do this it is enough to change the whole world. It really is...
It is striking to me that washing feet is the last thing Jesus chooses to do with his disciples, and the last thing he says to them is love one another like I have loved you, like he could have spent his last moments with them coming up with a strategic plan, he could have given them written out sermons or a list of do's and don'ts...
He doesn't do that because he knows that fundamental change will come, that the world will change, when each of us loves like he did...when we each do our part to become the beloved community...
Watch the video referenced in the sermon below...
Move The Stone
Jesus wanted everyone to see that death is not something to be afraid of...that there is a way through death, he makes the way for us, I am the resurrection, he says...
Move The Stone
Jesus wanted everyone to see that death is not something to be afraid of...that there is a way through death, he makes the way for us, I am the resurrection, he says...and even more remarkable than that is that Jesus invites us to join him in making the way for resurrection to happen...
To See Or Not To See
The beginner's mind is defined as an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as beginner in the subject would.
To See Or Not To See
The beginner's mind is defined as an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as beginner in the subject would.
Can you guess who in our society best exemplifies the beginner's mind? Children. Of course, right? You only have to be around a child for a few minutes to know what it is to live with a beginner's mind, everything is new to them, so they explore their environment, try things out, question, touch, smell, taste, they discover...maybe you can think of an experience from your own childhood or your children or grandchildren that is a good example of the beginner's mind.
Inclusive Discipleship
God knows…God knows your secret, God knows that thing you don’t want anybody to know, God knows and God still thinks you are worthy of love, yes God knows and still thinks you are worthy of belonging.
Inclusive Discipleship
God knows…God knows your secret, God knows that thing you don’t want anybody to know, God knows, God knows, God knows... and God still thinks you are worthy of love, yes God knows and still thinks you are worthy of belonging.
God knows and God still thinks you are precious. God knows and God still thinks you are a blessing. God knows, God knows, God knows and God’s knowing you fully doesn’t change how God feels about you, doesn’t change what God thinks about you, you are fully known and fully accepted by God, secrets and all.
Is that good news today or what? God knows everything about you and God’s love for you is unwavering, God’s love for you is steadfast.