The more i read scripture and listen to those who dissect it better than myself, the more i realize that we are the church. I was listening to Brad Bell on a podcast last night, you should podcast him by the way, and he was saying that this is just a building we come to worship to, that is all this place is, he said i don't care if we are in a massive chapel or someones backyard, he said church is not a place, and beyond that church is most likely you grabbing a cup of coffee with your buddy and doing life together. I agree with this kind of thinking, i am going through acts right now, again, and the early church blows my mind at the way they can and do adapt to their circumstances. Acts 8:3, "But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison." As Saul was destroying the church he wasn't going after a building, he was going after the people that made up the church. All of Paul's epistles are riddled with this truth, that Church is not about what, but who. The church as a whole would be more upset to see a kid smoking on our property rather than rejoicing that he is on our property. Church isn't about what, or where, but who.
I want to be intentionally relational, with everyone regardless of circumstance. I mean everyone, including the poor and needy, the widow, the orphaned, the rich young ruler, the woman at the well, the prodigal son, Jairus, Mary, tax-collectors, big wigs of the porn industry, homosexuals, heterosexuals, bisexuals and cross dressers. The gospel of the Lord, the power of God supersedes our sinful decisions. I am no better than any of those people, but i want to beat myself into submission like the tax collector in the temple who beat his chest saying God be merciful to me a sinner. I am no better, I am the worst of these because I am a pastor, because i know what i should do but refuse to do it. I give in to sins of the eyes and of the flesh (1 John 2:16). My boastful self, my envious eyes, my lustful flesh, GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER!!!
It is funny that when we get back to a place of being truly broken about your sin that you begin to realize how small you are, but that doesn't automatically mean we realize how big God is. I want to have a moment where I sit on a boulder in the back country of Yosemite, God's playground, and weep and sob and realize how big God is and how small i am. i think we come broken to the Lord and realize we are minuscule but seldom do we understand that He holds the world in His hands, and regardless of that he died for my iniquity (Psalm 25:11). Who am I that I should be worthy of a God that is all powerful, all knowing, all loving and truly concerned about my sin, about my love for Him?
Beyond all that I see a lack of leadership in the church today, people are scared of the word and because of that we diminish our pool of volunteers more rapidly than juice in a communion cup. t is ridiculous how ragged we run our people, there will always be few serving many, but as the church, but we being the church, leaders should step in the way the Lord has for them. I am sick of wasted potential that sits in a pew. Give me a blue collar man willing to be broken and ready to be used before the Lord before you give me a white collar billionaire who wants to build me a new building. The church lacks leaders.
These things are a sad reality to only a few of the problems in the church.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Sugar Pine 2007
This is James, at camp, singing... kind of
Camp Sugar Pine 2007 was a kick in the pants, I had a great time and I know all of the Youth did too. We did everything from Mountain Biking, my personal favorite, to bocce ball, Marisa's personal favorite. The boys team did defeat butterscotch thunder in the volleyball tournament but I accredit that victory to LAME rally scoring. I lost to a girl in the Ping Pong championships, that was embarrassing, but in my defense i beat her 8 times in a row after that, I needed to have my pride. Granted this is out of date, i wanted to get this amazing video of James up so everyone could see who he really is/was.
Reality YM Welcome
You found the right place, welcome to Reality Youth Ministries, I am Peter Anderson the Youth Pastor of Reality YM.
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