Here's what I'm thinking about today:

1. My heart aches for people who, practicing their faith outside of a faith community, don't have the support and blessings that such a family of faith can offer them when a loved one dies or all hell seems to break loose in their life.  I also ache for those who are within a community of faith, but one whose people fail to "be there" for the one hurting or facing a loss.
2. Benjy  -- a good friend -- emailed me about something new his faith community (in the greater Dallas area) has launched -- it's a group called (pub)lic theology.  They meet in a local pub every Tuesday night to discuss.... theology, of course!  This week, they got onto the topic of whether or not anyone can "sin" in ways that only affect them, or does sin always end up affecting others?  That's a pretty important topic, especially in today's culture, don't you think?
3. The docu-movie, Jesus Camp, was released at nearly the same time as the Ted Haggard scandal broke (who appeared in the movie).  The timing couldn't have been much worse.
4. America seems to have sent Congress and the President a very clear message by way of this year's election results: our strategy in Iraq has failed; let's bring our troops home.
5. I'm looking forward to getting inspired and also making some new friends at the inaugural conference on The Call to an Ancient Evangelical Future. Only 27 more days!

Blessings.

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image credit: © Nicola Vernizzi, iStockphoto.com

Here's what I'm thinking about today:

1. Looking forward to attending the inaugural conference on The Call to an Ancient Evangelical Future. Despite Robert Webber's battle with cancer (please pray for him), it promises to be an important event.
2. At a gathering of area Free Methodist Pastors two weeks ago, bishop emeritus Kevin Mannoia, told us that he has begun a dialog with Orthodox Church leaders, pondering how they might increase their evangelical efforts and how we might benefit from the richness of their tradition -- a fascinating exchange in the works, no doubt.  I'll keep you posted.
3. Even after 3+ years of using Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Readings from the Northumbria Community, I am more amazed than ever at how this daily prayer guide is so frequently aligned with exactly what I happen to be going through, and how the Holy Spirit uses this to speak so clearly to me. I had tried a number of other resources in attempting to faithfully pray the offices on a daily basis, but nothing was as successful at helping me to develop the rhythm of prayer as this resource from the Northumbria Community.
4. iPod is celebrating their 5th birthday today.  I sure am enjoying mine, as well as the weekly video podcast I download feathuring Erwin McManus at Mosaic.
5. Regrettably, I haven't been blogging nearly as much over the past few weeks as I normally would. This is mostly due to a rise in pastoral demands within my congregation, and subsequently, a rise in my level of fatigue (no comments on how old I am, k?).
6. I'm still praying, searching, and believing for an associate pastor to move to the high desert of  Southern California and partner with me in the exciting things God is doing in this corner of the world (and I'd still very much appreciate your prayers in this).
7. I haven't forgotten my commitment to share my thoughts on how radical egalitarianism continues to mess with our faith and how we live it out.  It's coming along. Stay tuned.

Hoping that your week has been blessed thus far,

- Chris

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image credit: © Nicola Vernizzi, iStockphoto.com

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. The majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range -- that's where I've broken away to spend a few days with the Lord, and do some hiking.  It snowed here yesterday, but the weather man says it'll stay clear through the weekend.  I've been looking forward to this for months.
2. We recently found out that my mother-in-law has cancer throughout her body.  She's undergoing chemo and radiation treatments.  Please pray for her (and the family) if you would.
3. I spent the past two days with my fellow Free Methodist pastors from Southern California for what we simply refer to as our annual "Learning Community."  It was a powerful time of hearing -- not from "Christian celebrities", but from our own family of faith.  God moved among us in a powerful way. When our superintendent and bishop-emeritus finally spoke and encouraged us, it was very affirming and even confirmed that much of our own congregation's direction and vision has been on-target.
4. I'm still giving a lot of thought to the ways in which radical egalitarianism has messed with the Church (and continues to).  Be looking for a post in the coming days.
5. I'm thinking that all which is claimed to be the "organic multiplication" of small groups just isn't. My fear is that our desire to see small groups multiply ends up getting corrupted by a misunderstanding of how to administrate our small groups. Where is the balance between encouraging an expectancy within small groups for organic growth and multiplication which eventually takes place, and the need to administrate so as to avoid in-grown unhealthy groups that never seem to produce disciples, leaders, or other groups?

Hoping that your week has been blessed thus far,

- Chris

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image credit: © Nicola Vernizzi, iStockphoto.com

Here are some of the things I'm thinking about today:

1. My feet ache.  Really ache. I've been hiking 4-8 miles each morning in the hills up behind my home.
2. To what degree has our culture's pushing of radical egalitarianism left its mark on the Church (both IC and EC) and how we tenaciously defend its various "expressions"?
3. In two days, our congregation will put on the first in a series of events, entitled "Sunday Sandwiches and Sports" -- a come-one-come-all invitation to make sandwiches and watch sports together after our worship gathering concludes.  In doing so, are we "caving-in" to our entertainment-addicted society, or are we simply becoming more missional?
4. The emphasis on music-oriented worship during the 70's, 80's, and 90's was a corrective within the greater body of Christ, recovering from a prior lack thereof.  The pendulum has been swinging the opposite direction in recent years, and I wonder:  how far it will swing? How long will it swing? And when will this swing eventually reverse directions again?

Have a blessed weekend.
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image credit: © Nicola Vernizzi, iStockphoto.com

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Ever felt like this?

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Well...never give up!

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* I took this photo this morning atop "Obsidian Dome" in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  It was striking, because there was NO vegetation or animal life anywhere in sight, and yet...

...probably not earth-shattering to most, but for the past two days I've been preoccupied with the relationship between rest and trust. (see what happens when the guy takes a vacation!) It all started while praying through the morning office yesterday, and reflecting on this passage:

Isaiah 30:15 (NRSV) 
    For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
    In returning and rest you shall be saved;
        in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.
    But you refused.

It was the parallelism that first caught my eye, drawing attention to the relationship between rest and trust.  Rest. True rest -- is somewhat elusive for many of us.  We take a few days or a couple of weeks off, and often can't wait to get back home again.  It's almost as if we end up needed a vacation from our vacation!  Or... we return from our "getaway", dreading our return and feeling as stressed as when we left!

Maybe our rest is not deep enough, not effective enough, because we're not trusting enough.  Trusting who?  Trusting God.  Maybe if we were to trust God more deeply, we would find ourselves resting more deeply.  Maybe then, what's behind our rest-deficiency would be seen as a trust-deficiency.

I've had ENOUGH of the 108°+ temps, high humidity, and afternoon thunderstorms!  Our part of the Mojave is just supposed to be hot.  Hot, I can handle.  But not what the weather man has been dishing out the past few weeks.

So... THIS (pictured) is where I'll be chillin' for the next week!  Actually, it's across the road from the condo we're staying in -- deep within the Sierra Nevada mountain range and fairly close to the Ansel Adams Wilderness, where we'll be doing some hiking.

My wife and daughter and I are SO ready for this!  And with laptops in hand and our favorite Deli (with free wireless) just around the corner, we're looking forward to some serious blogging, and relaxing, and blogging, and hiking, and blogging,  and reading, and blogging, and fishing, and blogging, and exploring, and blogging, and swimming, and blogging, and eating, and blogging, and long naps, and blogging!

a 'lil bit o' heav'n!

I'll definitely keep you posted.  ;)
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Oh! And by the way -- BIG THANKS to Mark Galli for visiting us yesterday here at Paradoxology and talking with us about his new book.  And THANKS to all of you who stopped by and left questions or comments for Mark.  I enjoyed every post, and hope you did too!

Earlier this evening, CNN anchor Paula Zahn presented as her top story, the growing debate over whether or not the current Israeli-Lebanese conflict is pointing to a far greater conflict -- namely the apocalyptic battle of Armageddon.

With the help of CNN's faith and values correspondent, Delia Gallagher, Zahn immediately drew attention to the huge divide among Christians over the interpretation of the Book of Revelation and whether or not today's Middle East conflict should have all of us concerned.

Representing one end of the spectrum, was Pastor Craig Treadwell of North Cities United Pentecostal Church in Dallas, TX.  Treadwell made it clear to CNN that

"we're either in or near the final seven years leading up to Armageddon.  Just look to Revelation, chapter nine, if you have any doubts."

Representing quite a different view, was The Reverend Kevin Bean of St. Bartholomew's Church (Episcopal) in New York City, who responded to all the hoopla by stating,

"There is a fiction being created here, like a Stephen King horror movie. [Revelation] is part of our church, it's a part of our tradition, but we don't read it the way that a lot of people do -- which is to make that false correlation with present day events.  That is a crock."

I'm a little behind this week in getting the next couple of blog posts up. Things have been unusually busy in the church office as I prepare to take some much-anticipated vacation time (only 18 hours away!).  Although I'll be staying at home for a good deal of two-week vacation, I'm really looking forward to three things:

1. Exclusive time with my wife and daughter.
2. Lots of blogging.
3. Cleaning my garage!

A final question:
Did any of you watch CNN's interview today with the Marcionite Patriarch (Cardinal) from Lebanon?  He is in Washington, DC today, to meet with President Bush. What chances do you think he has for impacting the escalating conflict in the Middle East.  AND... how much influence does the Marcionite Church have in that part of the world anyway?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

During the twilight years of your life, what would you like to see yourself doing?

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I guess I'll start:  I pray that 1) I look better than that guy on the left (hehehe); and 2) that I'll still be learning, growing, and blogging; and 3) that I'll be a welcome support to some young, whipper-snapper, maverick pastor with passion and vision.

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Okay, okay!  So where did I get that ridiculous time-lapsed-computer-generated-aging photo of myself?

Well, all the kudos and credit go to Bald Man -- a regular poster here at Paradoxology (you'll find the photo-altering link on his site).

Your turn!