like a fire

TallSkinnyKiwi: What Must We Learn and Unlearn?
I just read this blurb for a new article from the Kiwi and I thought about what I need to learn and what I need to unlearn. I have been studying the parable of the prodigal son and this comes at me from that context.

I need to learn:

To accept grace
To be alright with my brokenness
To be alright with other’s brokenness
To love well
To apologize without qualifying
To love myself

I need to unlearn:

That I am an object of wrath
That I fool people into thinking I have it “all together”
That people are good because the know the Bible

There are more that I could write but that would require a post about ten times as long.

Thanks Andrew. I can’t wait

Jonathan Martin Creative Online Gallery

For a long time I have been on a crusade to change the perception of the church among teens and their families. The real change I desire is for them to see that we care more about them than about their attendance, money or lifestyle. To get their, I have often tried to start their change of perception with environment. I don’t want them to walk into a building that would look like a doctor’s office only very run down.

I thought that I was mostly alone in my views. Sure there are others who are doing this here and there, but few rarely commit to it and fewer actually do it well. That’s when I came across this company that is taking it places I never imagined. It really is design that inspires and tells stories. If you’ve never thought about how a building can be a testimony to faith or about how that is a big part of Christian heritage, then I encourage you to take a look at this site and these designs.

When all around has fallen your castle has been burned
You used to be a king here now no one knows your name
You live your life for honour, defender of the faith
But you’ve been crushed to pieces and no one knows your pain

Come, come lay your weary head be still my friend
Come, rise I’ll place my sword upon your shoulder
Come, rise with me

When tomorrow has been stolen and you can’t lift your head
And summer feels like winter your heart is full of stone
Though all your hopes have fallen your skin is now your only armour
Wear your scars like medals defender of the faith

Come, come lay your weary head be still my friend
Come, rise I’ll place my sword upon your shoulder
Come, come lay your faithful head, be still my friend
Come rise with me

Written by Martin Smith ©1995 Curious? Music UK

This may be my new favorite book. Built off of the premise that you can’t be spiritually health unless you are emotionally healthy, this book makes a case for the inclusion of emotions in our spiritual lives, as well as our thoughts.

The tag-line A Strategy for Discipleship that Actually Changes Lives is exactly what I have been seeing in my own experiences over the past ten years. Most of what actually changes lives is what hits the heart as well as the head, instead of just the head. Sadly, most of the views of discipleship that I see only target the head as if correct thinking will equate correct being.

This book is also an indictment on pastors who are theological giants, or just advanced, but who are also emotional babes. They have an emotional health test that was very revealing (read convicting) for me. I have seen that in areas I am an emotional infant. Wow, I’m really excited though. Now I can see some of the things that drive me into really unhealthy relationships.

If you work for a church, with a church or just want to mature a bit emotionally, I would highly recommend this book.

Considering my previous post, I heard about this company from a friend who used to work there. They have a unique product placement service called pay-per-post. Basically they have opportunities to make money blogging about products that they are trying to push. There goes the blogoshpere, I guess. But actually I don’t have a problem with this. People who blog are the same people who give bad advice and promote other things as well, so it doesn’t really make that big of a difference. I would do it, if they had a product that I like and one I could write about.

ads on blogs

Plus, I can start funding my “buy Paul a Mac” campaign.