The Fellowship of Women

I have really enjoyed the comments pertaining to the need for women's fellowship. There is definitely a need and an interest here. I have also enjoyed talking with different ladies about some of the thoughts expressed on this blog. There is definitely a wide array of perspectives on the current status of women in our congregation and what changes would be beneficial.

After reading Candi's comment, I thought it would be good to make one more post. The purpose of this post is to raise the question Candi asked in her comment: What ideas do you have regarding the rejuvenation of the Women's Connection?

Please comment as to your thinking about activities, times, etc. What support would be helpful from the men of the congregation? Your input will make a tremendous impact on the efforts to build greater opportunities.

P.S. Feel free to express other ideas that do not fit strictly under the umbrella of the Women's Connection.

Japanese Hibachi Grill

A few of us were talking about this last night. We thought it would be fun to go in a big group and eat while enjoying the entertainment of the chefs cooking our food right at our table. If you have never done this, you need to go! It's so fun and the kids love to watch the guy cooking and doing tricks.

Let me know on here if you're family is interested in going and I'll set up a date and time for this to happen. I thinking it will be on one Saturday evening around supper time. I believe it's located in Huntington. Tim and I have been to two different ones (Maryland and Tennessee) but we have never been to the one in Huntington. I look for this experience with you all to be great fun!

Two Prayer Requests

I have a friend who adopted a one year old girl last fall from Russia. The little girl's name is Sophie and she has been having terrible health problems over the past couple of months. She keeps having seizures and she's been vomiting. They don't attend church and are not Christians so their faith in God is being tested at the moment. Please pray that they give their lives to Jesus and that God will heal Sophie! As I find out how things are going in this area, I'll keep you all updated on this blog or just have it announced at church. I hope to have good things happen soon.

My brother in law has a co-worker who has discovered a lump in his throat and is going to have surgery to take care of it. His name is Rob Wyatt. I'm not aware of his salvation, so it would be good to pray for that as well.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Time is a battleground

The thoughts that have been expressed about women and fellowship have highlighted an issue that is paramount to us all. Time. We are all struggling to find the needed time to accomplish anything meaningful within our fellowship. Commitment to anything complex is something we all innately avoid, because of pervasive feelings of being over-extended. We cannot even arrive at a common time to get together. Yet there are many of us who truly desire and believe that we can grow at Sunshine. We believe that our fellowship can rise to new heights and God will work through us to reach our community. So for us, Time is a battleground.

We marvel at how much change has been experienced in the past century. Travel times are reduced, communications are greatly enhanced, and we now have a multitude of conveniences. Yet, despite it all, it seems quality of life is on the decline. We, generally, have accepted this absorption of our time as the result of natural and/or economic forces beyond our control. We complain often and seem to believe that there is nothing we can do about it.

I have a theory. Busyness is a direct function of our culture. Culture has to do with the trends and values of this world. Satan lies behind the trends and values of this world. Hence, Satan is keeping us busy.

What if we refuse to accept it? We may not know what to do about it, but at least we no longer passively accept it as inevitable. What if we start believing that God has a different agenda for us to pursue? Could we not make time a key focus of prayer? Could we not, with God's power, inspire one another to move counter to our culture? Is there not something deeply ingrained in us all that hates mediocrity, that is willing to take some risk in striving for something significant and meaningful?

When I was involved with my dad in racing, I remember being puzzled about a certain class of competitors. These were the guys who consistently finished in the middle of the pack or worse. Their cars were always the same. They made no mid-week adjustments. They loaded up and drove to the track, knowing they would not seriously contend for the win. I could not understand that mentality. In contrast, we won or came close to winning or broke down. Every time we went to the track, our thoughts were on winning the race.

This analogy may not resonate with all of you, but I think it relates to God's statement about the church in Laodicea, "neither hot nor cold...spit you out of my mouth." I believe that if we are to rise above mediocrity as a congregation, we must take the fight to the enemy. I think the battleground is Time.

I will confess that as of yet, I lack the faith to fully grasp the meaning of this common passage:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

NEW CORDLE IN TOWN!!

Ethan John
7lbs. 14oz.
3:15 p.m.

TAIT at Winterfest

I just got back from Walmart with my film only to find that Tim is quite the photographer when it comes to Michael Tait. So here is the best shot of him at Winterfest 2006.

Enjoy!

What to do with women?

So it seems that any initiative to promote spiritual fellowship for women at Sunshine is a good thing. Many efforts have been undertaken in the past and currently activities are underway.

There definitely seems to be some barriers to female fellowship. Many women have a near impossible schedule. How can you plan something that fits into everyone's schedule? What about energy? What can be planned that would sufficiently motivate women to attend when they are already worn-out? Of course, this is not just a woman thing, it seems we all are too busy to sustain any significant change in our congregational culture.

But, the greatest barrier might be a religious one. The economic crunch most of us feel, leads to the need for mothers to work. Or, we are too materialistic and faithless to make it on one income. This issue is unresolved in the hearts of many mothers. How much does this complex issue play into a division of women within our fellowship?

I'm just kicking around some thoughts here. What do you think?

Sunshine's untapped subsystem

Due to my participation in a recent conversation, one that I was blessed to be apart, and one that did not directly address the subject I am raising, I acquired a hint of insight into one of Sunshine's subsystems. For a large family system like the Sunshine Church of Christ to function at full capacity subsystems within the larger unit must also be functional and healthy. Subsystems need to have some measure of autonomy (life of their own), yet must contribute productively to the whole (the larger system).

For example, obvious subsystems within Sunshine would be 1) Elders, 2) Deacons, and 3) Ministers. Signs of system health would be that each of these groups are capable of functioning independently (not dependent on outside support to survive) and can relate to the other groups in a manner that serves the whole.

However, there are other groups within Sunshine that are important. One, such, important group is the fellowship of women. Women perform critical roles in the on-going functioning of our congregation. Due to our emphasis on male leadership, we tend to inadvertently devalue the leadership capabilities of the ladies. Throughout the years, there have been various efforts to build fellowship among Sunshine's ladies, as well as efforts to reach out to ladies of other congregations. Currently, there are various formal programs (e.g. Secret Sisters) and informal get-togethers (e.g. Scrap-booking parties) that take place.

Being male, I'm somewhat handicapped in my ability to discuss this subject. I am interested in what you think. Should we strive to develop more opportunities for ladies to experience fellowship together? Are we too focused on the development of male leadership that we do a disservice to our ladies?

I am not trying to initiate a debate about women's roles in the church, I am attempting to focus on more pragmatic concerns such as fellowship and spiritual development.

What do you think?

Winterfest 2006

There are those of you who decided not to attend Winterfest this year with the rest of us. We all missed you! We all had a great time and gained alot of insight while hearing some great lessons and preaching.

For those of you who decided to go this year, I have one thing to say to you.

You know where Saskatchewan's at!


Stein Alf!

So fun! Let's do it again!

The comments regarding Sunshine's position within Joe Beam's model were very interesting. Mr. Beam's article is also good because it gives the reader a grasp of the dynamics of our brotherhood sociology. These things might at first seem trivial, but I have for a long time found an understanding of these dynamics to be very helpful.

So where do you see yourself on the model? How do you feel about where you see yourself? And do you think Mr. Beam is on-track with his article?

Again to see the article click here.

You might find this interesting

I wandered across a site by Joe Beam. He describes, from his own perception, what is going on with Churches of Christ. You might find this reading very interesting. Read through it and comment back here as to where you see us in his model.

Click here.

Small Groups- a discussion

There has been a lot of talk lately about small groups. The oft-quoted catch-phrase is, "To get bigger, you must get smaller." There has been some discussion of the small group concept among the Sunshine leadership. Feedback from home groups has always been mixed. Nobody seems to have a clear vision of how small groups might become integral to our congregation.

I bring this up now, only, because Mike Cope has a discussion of small groups running on his blog (HERE) . I invite you to check it out. This is one of the great values of blogs. We can learn so much from others who are striving for the same goals.

Do you think small groups will play a major role in our continued growth at Sunshine?

-Announcement-

If at all possible, I would like to get some folks together immediately after services, Wednesday night, to pray for the benevolence efforts. I will be on-call, without back-up, so I might not be able to be there. My intent is to keep it short, so as not to be a problem for those who need to get the kids to bed.

We must keep praying with confidence that God will truly work through us. It is not that we have any profound ideas or plans, but that God will bless His people. Consider these words of Moses found in Psalm 90 (The Message):

Let your servants see what you are best at-
the ways you rule and bless your children.
And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us,
confirming the work that we do.
Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!

We also need to come up with some name for this effort that does not include the word, benevolence.

Baptists Need Basketball Lessons!

You are all cordially invited to Porter Free Will Baptist's Fellowship Hall (new building beside their church building) for basketball. This will be this Tuesday. I am not certain of the time, see Shaun McCray for further details (776-2362-Gampp's).

Look Outside!

WOW! I just got up and I went to look out the window because my curtains seems to look alot brighter than usual. When I looked out the window, I felt something inside of me for a short period of time, that I havn't felt since I was a kid. In my head it sounded something like this: IT SNOWED!!!!

I went to wake Tim up so he could see and I said "It snowed last night! You need to get up and look out the window because this snow is 'kid get excited snow'!" So he got up and went to look out the window with me and as he did, he also said "WOW!".

Too bad I'm not still in school so I can be hoping we don't have to go tomorrow. ;) What a beautiful snow!

Centennial Anniversary

1906 was the first year the US Census listed Churches of Christ separately from Christian Church/Churches of Christ. The key difference between the two being noninstrumental vs. instrumental music in worship. The origins of this division are related to the tensions that marked our nation during the Civil War. Following the war, our nation was formally united but emotionally divided. Emotional tensions can still be felt today. Folks of the noninstrumental persuasion were typically of southern congregations, and vice versa. It is hard to separate the passion that has characterized the instrumental debate from the intense emotions of postbellum America.

2006 marks one hundred years of division. Of course, there are other differences besides instrumental music. Today's CofC leaders are progressively looking to bridge the gap that has separated these two strands of the Stone-Campbell Movement. Mike Cope has an interesting discussion on his blog. He recently attended a joint conference in Hawaii. You should check out some of the comments to his post--here.

Can you see a future in which the Sunshine Church of Christ might work hand in hand with say... Dry Run Church of Christ or Central Church of Christ? What thoughts have I provoked?

Tainted Communion

I ran across this scary news item while trolling the weird news sites this evening. Thought I'd pass it along for what it's worth. Somebody spiked the communion grape juice with an unknown substance at a church in Connecticut. Nobody was seriously injured but 5 were taken to the hospital and about 40 folks got sick.

Voice of the Martyrs

I get regular emails from Voice of the Martyrs as well as a free magazine. Here is what my email from today says.....


A Pakistani Teenage Christian Barely Escapes Death at the Hands of Her Own Family!

Diana grew up in a strict Islamic family in Pakistan. Her life was pretty typical until she met a girl named Mary who was a Christian. Now Diana is also a Christian and on the run.When Diana's family learned that she had become a Christian, they repeatedly beat her and insisted she return to Islam. But Diana refused. She was then forced to a local canal where her uncle put a pistol to her head and gave her one last chance to return to Islam. Diana replied, "You can kill me if you want. I will not leave Christ."It was then that Diana's uncle noticed an extremely poisonous black cobra swimming in the canal. Believing he could escape any prosecution for his niece's death, he threw her into the path of the cobra. He also knew she could not swim.Diana miraculously escaped from the canal and is in hiding today. She is a new Christian but has already learned what it means to suffer for Christ. She recently told The Voice of the Martyrs, "Jesus was crucified for us. Can we not endure some of the same for Him?"


Every month The Voice of the Martyrs reports on what is really happening around the world where our brothers and sisters are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Now you can receive a free subscription to The Voice of the Martyrs award winning monthly newsletter. You will be inspired, you will learn to pray and even discover practical ways to get involved. Subscribe today.

Click here to receive your free subscription to The Voice of the Martyrs monthly newsletter:
http://etools.ncol.com/a/jgroup/bg_wwwpersecutioncom_conservativealerts_9.html

John Mark Hicks writes,

"Jesus reminds his disciples to "lose" their life in his kingdom in order to find it because when we seek to find our life in this world we will lose the life God intends for us."

You should read the entire post -- Professing Professor

When I was graduating high school and working through college, the greatest thought for me was that God had a unique purpose and plan for my life. It consumed me to where I could make educational/career choices without concern for the financial implications. I remember being excited about biblical studies and lectureships and anxiously anticipating what God would bring to fruition in my life.

Looking back on those days, I now am able to acknowledge that with great faith was mixed naivete and pride. But God is good. He has patiently worked out some of the pride. His presence through the years has alleviated much of the naivete. Through it all I have come to a much deeper appreciation for His graciousness. I would have probably given up on me, but He carries on.

Nowadays, I am happy to report that some of those youthful tendencies to think big and smirk at obstacles is returning. I smirk at obstacles no longer because I am proud of the abilities God has given me, but rather, I am confident in what God is willing to do through us. Our ever increasing focus on prayer, as step one, will wash out lingering naivete. God is good.

My dream for all of us at Sunshine is that we would identify less and less with the culture of our society and allow ourselves to be assimilated by God into His Kingdom. I am not just talking about going to Heaven when we die, I am talking about the Kingdom that Jesus said is at hand. Many folks have given up on this society and are just sitting back biding their time until they go on to Heaven. I believe that until we hear the trumpets and see Jesus in the sky, God is still at work. If God is at work, then we can rightly expect Him to channel great power through us as we obey His will. "The Harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."

Anyone experiencing similar feelings?

How God Works!

As I'm writing this post, the funeral of Coretta Scott King is on CNN in the background. Now, I've always thought of myself as a God fearing conservative because surely all Godly principles in the US were borne from the right. It's amazing to me that in celebration of a Godly life lived, those of the left, especially those of the news media are participating in, and broadcasting to the world an honorable worship to The One and Only GOD and lifting holy hands in praise and honor of Him. Presidents of the right and left stand side by side in awe of a God that blessed Coretta Scott King and her family to make great strides to correct injustices in our country, as the world watches God is exhaulted.

Something you should see!

And this wise man said: stop.

He said, stop asking God to bless what you're doing.

Get involved in what God is doing - because it's already blessed.

Bono (an excerpt from his speech at this year's National Prayer Breakfast)

You can read the speech at Larry James' blog. I was surprised at the depth of conviction and the sophistication of content.

I love the thought of getting onboard with what God is doing. I have always appreciated Luke's strategic use of the words of Gamaliel--

"Therefore in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if there purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men: you will only find yourselves fighting against God." Acts 5:38-9

Have a good day!

Salvation

I've been thinking about baptism alot over the years and I'm sure you've read my other posts on here in the past, concerning it. I've discovered that the Church of Christ places a great deal of importance on baptism being necessary for salvation. I agree with this whole heartedly. Something that has recently made itself known to me is the fact that baptism is only 1 part of salvation. Now at this point, you have every right to say to me "DUH!" but what I've discovered recently, seems to go further in my mind than just simply saying the words. I have talked to someone in my family in recent years, who doesn't believe that baptism is part of salvation. They believe that it's something good to do and that it's "an outward showing of an inward work". I told them that I wanted them to be baptized and they told me "Baptism doesn't save you!" To which I replied "NO, not by itself!" That statement seemed to stun and quiet this family member down. I have to say, also, that those were not my words. I was quite stunned myself considering the fact that I had never thought about baptism not saving you. People tend to believe that's what the Church of Christ teaches and believes......that baptism saves.

What has recently come to my attention is this.....

Believe
Confess
Repent
Baptism

If any one of these is left out, I believe we are not saved. Each "step" has equal importance and one cannot be left out.

For example, if I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins and rose from the dead on the third day and is coming again to take me home.......and if I Confess His name to others; telling them openly that I believe in Him........and I am baptized............BUT do not change the way I live, then I do not believe I am saved. You cannot leave out any of the 4 "steps" that I have listed above and expect God to welcome you on into Heaven with open arms.

Feel free to disagree. This is what I believe. ;)

Where Is Everyone?

Are Jason and I the only ones "allowed" to post on here now? I am assuming everyone is very, very busy as of lately. You're all making me feel bad 'cause that means that I'm sitting at home on my butt in front of the computer every evening while the rest of you are out accomplishing something. HAHAHA