cre8edtoworship's Xanga

For the Unaware

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:15:51 GMT

In case you hadn't noticed, I almost never post here anymore. I blog over at blogspot: http://abeautifulcollision.blogspot.com Come on over and join the conversation.

Woo Hoo!

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 16:30:17 GMT

I'm going to be a father!

Ash Wednesday

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 14:25:46 GMT

Last night, I participated in a service of ashes marking the beginning of Lent. If you are not aware, Lent is the period of 40 days (not including Sundays) before Easter. It is a time of repentance and preparation to celebrate Christ's resurrection. In the service of ashes, participants are reminded of their own mortality; "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return". The participants receive a mark of ashes on their foreheads, roughly in the shape of a cross, a reminder of our dust origins and destiny.

The service last night was good. In thinking of my own mortality, I found myself also reflecting on the hope of the resurrection. Thank God for the death, but more importantly the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, it marks the beginning of my fast. Many people fast during Lent from various items that are important to them (for me it is caffeine), and in doing so they attempt to identify with the Suffering Servant. As Paul put it, "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:10-11)

What do you think about Ash Wednesday? Have you participated before? Do plan to fast during Lent?

Puritan Prayers

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 19:54:40 GMT

Who says the Puritans weren't passionate about their faith?

O God of the highest heaven,

Occupy the throne of my heart,

take full possession and reign supreme,

lay low every rebel lust,

let no vile passion resist thy holy war;

manifest thy mighty power,

and make me thine for ever.

Thou art worthy to be

praised with my every breath,

loved with my every faculty of soul,

served with my every act of life.

Thou hast loved me, espoused me, received me,

purchased, washed, favoured, clothed,

adorned me,

when I was worthless, vile, soiled, polluted.

I was dead in iniquities,

having no eyes to see thee,

no ears to hear thee,

no taste to relish thy joys,

no intelligence to know thee;

But thy Spirit has quickened me,

has brought me into a new world as a

new creature,

has given me spiritual perception,

has opened to me thy Word as light, guide,

solace, joy.

Thy presence is to me a treasure of unending peace;

No provocation can part me from thy sympathy,

for thou hast drawn me with cords of love,

and dost forgive me daily, hourly.

O help me then to walk worthy of thy love,

of my hopes, and my vocation.

Keep me, for I cannot keep myself;

Protect me that no evil befall me;

Let me lay aside every sin admired of many;

Help me to walk by thy side, lean on thy arm,

hold converse with thee,

That henceforth I may be salt of the earth

and a blessing to all.

-From "Valley of Vision"

I've been reading this prayer for about an hour. In a sense praying it for myself. One part especially stands out:
Occupy the throne of my heart,
take full possession and reign supreme,
lay low every rebel lust,
let no vile passion resist thy holy war;
manifest thy mighty power,
and make me thine for ever.
May God indeed take full possession of our wills.

Hope this encourages you.

Where am I going?

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 16:38:47 GMT

Isn't it funny how some things just stick with you? Sometimes I just can't seem to get a phrase or idea out of my head. This is happening now.

Last Sunday, Dr. Jones pointed out that in the book of Nehemiah, when the people gathered to have the Law read to them, they asked Ezra to do it, a scribe who had been living among the people for quite some time (I forgot exactly how long. 20 years maybe?). The point being made was that "there's something to be said for longevity in ministry". We briefly discussed how the average tenure for a Southern Baptist pastor is 3 to 4 years. The problem is just as bad among church members as among clergy. Church hopping is quickly on its way to being considered an Olympic sport.

What I took from all that is that the concept of longevity in ministry is not just for vocational ministers, but for everyone who is in Christ. Of course there are times when, for various circumstances, a person would need to relocate his life (and thus his ministry), but this relocation should be the exception, not the norm.

This idea is just one more on top of a pile of ideas that are weighing on me as I try to figure out the things of life. Given my view on God's will, and my view on "callings" (especially the "call" to ministry), and thinking through Alan's writings on the Church, and Lew's writings on pastoral qualifications, I'm no longer certain of where or how I want to invest my life. All I'm really certain of at this point is that I want to remain with my adopted family at Wake Cross Roads. I want to build others up there and have a long term ministry, though not necessarily as a vocation.

I guess my questions are: Why am I continuing school after my Bachelor's degree, and do I need to be in a paid church staff position in order to be satisfied in His will?

A Little Internet Humor to Brighten Your Day

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 18:09:38 GMT

Courtesy of my Dad

My name is Billy Evans. I AM A very sick little boy.
My mother is typing this for me, because I can't. She Is crying. The reason she is so sad is because I'm so Sick. I was Born without A body. It doesn't hurt, Except when I try to breathe.

The doctors gave me an artificial body. It is A burlap Bag filled with leaves. The doctors said that was the Best they could do ON account of us having No money OR Insurance.

I would like to have A body transplant, but we need More money. Mommy doesn't work because she said nobody Hires crying people. I said, " Don't cry, Mommy and " and She hugged my burlap bag. Mommy always gives me hugs, Even though she's allergic to burlap and it makes her Sneeze and chafes her real bad.

I hope you will help me. You can help me if you Forward this email to everyone you know. Forward it to People you don't know, the too. Dr. Johansen said that for Every person you forward this email to, Bill Gates Will team up with AOL and send A nickel to NASA. With That funding, NASA will collect prayers from school Children all over America and have the astronauts take Them up into space so that the angels can hear them Better.

Then they will come back to earth and go to the Pope, And he will take up A collection IN church and send All the money to the doctors. The doctors could help Me get better then. Maybe one day I will be able to Play baseball. Right now I can only be third base.

Every time you forward this letter, the astronauts can Take more prayers to the angels and my dream will be Closer to coming true. Please help me. Mommy is so Sad and and I want A body. I don't want my leaves to rot Before I turn 10

If you don't forward this email, that's okay. Mommy Says you're A mean and heartless b****** who doesn't Care about A poor little boy with only A head. She Says that if you don't stew IN the raw pit of your own Guilt-ridden stomach, she hopes you die A long slow, Horrible death and then burn forever IN hell.

What kind of cruel person are you that you can't take Five freakin' minutes to forward this to all your Friends so that they can feel guilt and shame about Ignoring A poor, bodiless nine-year-old boy? Please Help me.

I try to be happy, but it's hard. I wish I had A Kitty. I wish I could hold A kitty. I wish I could Hold A kitty that wouldn't chew ON me and try to bury Its turds IN the leaves of my burlap body. I wish that Very much.

Thank You,
Billy " Smiles " Evans

Book List 2007 (Goals Progress Report)

Sat, 13 Jan 2007 03:31:07 GMT

In my attempt to achieve my goals for the year, I have started making a list of the books I want to read. It is not yet complete, so feel free to offer suggestions.

Novels:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Rowling)
Out of the Silent Planet (Lewis)
Perelandra (Lewis)
That Hideous Strength (Lewis)
-12. ?

Non-Fiction:

Decision Making and the Will of God (Friesen) - This is a re-read. I'll probably read it every year. Excellent Book.
What Jesus Demands from the World (Piper)
Financial Peace Revisited (Ramsey)
-15. ?

Today's Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-6

Today's Theological Conversation (this one was in my head): Does writing off my giving to my church on my taxes constitute an ethical dilemma?

I also walked for an hour today with my dog. Killed two birds with one stone.

Any book suggestions? Questions?

Goals 2007

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 20:11:49 GMT

I don't make New Years Resolutions, but I am trying to become a goal setter (and a goal achiever). So here are my goals for 2007:

Meditate on God's Word and pray every day
Love my wife (in action, not only in word) more.
Do ministry. Encourage and edify. Help make some disciples.
Get my finances in order, including going through Financial Peace University
Lose 20+ pounds
Read 12 novels
Read 15 non fiction books (at least 5 theological and 1 personal finance)
Write daily about something, anything.
Have a theological conversation every day (even if it's just in my head)
Play with my dog more
East sushi more (maybe once a month?)
Go to New York City

Any advice? Am I missing something important?

What's So Corporate About Our Worship?

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 14:53:24 GMT

I've been reading Alan Knox's "Mutual Edification" series over at http://assembling.blogspot.com/ . Thinking through that and some conversations I had with a good friend last week, and I've come to the conclusion that in most evangelical churches, corporate worship isn't really corporate.

My friend and I were discussing how people tend to think about worship as, "It's just me and God". You might ask me, "Are you saying it's not just me and God?" That's exactly what I'm saying. So often we go to church, sit in our seats (or pews), and quickly forget that there are other believers around us. We forget our obligation to one another to build each other up. That ought to happen in our songs as well as in our speech and actions. That doesn't mean that you don't sing to God. It means you do both. You sing to Him and to one another. You speak truth into each others' lives. That's a huge part of what God's will for your life is. That's what it looks like to be filled with the Spirit. Paul put it best in Ephesians 5:15-21:

15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Did you catch that? Understand what the will of the Lord is; be filled with the Spirit; speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. If we're not doing that, then there's nothing corporate about corporate worship. You can sing to God at home or in your car. If I had to pick a root cause for this problem, I'd say it's selfishness/self-centeredness. It's probably the thing we struggle against the most as Christians, and even when we think we're doing to right thing it can creep in. If Rick Warren got one thing right, it's this: It's not about you!

For those who are interested

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 03:02:02 GMT

My ankle is mending well. I can walk just fine. The swelling is almost all gone, and the bruises are fading. Still have a dull ache pretty much constantly though.