longevity July 1, 2009

How to avoid narrow, short-term thinking? This week, we discussed our value of Longevity. Here are some notes from our discussion. Enjoy!
SYNOPSIS
God’s plan is eternal.
Our plan for being the Body of Jesus Christ in Chicago should reflect the eternality of God’s plan. Our planning should aim at Longevity wherever possible.
PRINCIPLES
1. Longevity is [...]

meditation: kingdoms February 19, 2009

A question from this week’s sermon: how do the bad guys know that they’re the bad guys? Revisit this scene from my favorite M. Night Shyamalan film, Unbreakable. Caution: This is the film’s final revelation. If you haven’t seen it before and care about that kind of thing, don’t watch the below.
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meditation: survive and thrive February 8, 2009

Sermon on Colossians 1:11-12 (podcast available for itunes here, or as rss here, thanks Mike) + slightly dated music video from the greatest band of all time = legendary world tour?

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks [...]

penn says “proselytizing = love” January 31, 2009

Whenever I am training others for evangelism I insist that in a very short time nothing but absolutely honest friendship and loving good news proclamation will be an acceptable witness in America. No bait. No switch. No gimmicks. No bull.
Although most know Penn Jillette as half of the quirky comedy team “Penn and Teller”, more [...]

time protection vs. missional holisim – part two October 14, 2008

Continued from an earlier post on purpose and life in Christ…

The cross of Jesus Christ is the central purpose of the life of the Believer. For the Christian, life has no other purpose.
Jesus describes life in His kingdom like this:
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and [...]

if your fax machine causes you to sin… August 6, 2008

Last week was my final week at Amazon.com. This week I’ve been doing a massive amount of writing and planning. I have now transitioned into full-time church planting mode.
Well almost.
First, my family and a group of friends from Seattle are taking a much needed two week break. We’ll be packing eight adults, two small children, [...]

the kingdom comes knocking: a reflection May 5, 2008

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will [...]

manna: this desert is just full of the stuff! March 21, 2008

I won’t be posting regularly for the next 3-4 weeks, other than to send the occasional update on my cancer treatment.
We are currently on treatment 10/17. Truth be told, the past week or so has been somewhat physically demanding. The symptoms associated with the radiation treatment I receive daily arrived much earlier than expected for [...]

replies: jesus vs. the moral majority (and other sinking ships) March 5, 2008

Alex From Montreal asked some great questions in the comments section of a recent post. I’d like to answer some of them more fully, and hopefully continue to round out the idea of Christians as a people who see Christ as Lord of everything.
Us Vs. Them
First, as I briefly mentioned in my reply in the [...]

missionaries: public or private? February 20, 2008

The good news of the gospel has relevance for every aspect of society, but western culture would confine it to the private sphere. Arguably, Christians in America have spent too much time making political war on this aspect of western culture instead of laboring to proclaim the beauty, glory and reign of God which redeems [...]