Nuggets #4 & Christmas

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! We did! It started by taking a walk Christmas Eve afternoon. The kids went to their dad's Monday evening and we went out to dinner. Ahhhh. We did our traditional 'open one present Christmas Eve' then headed for bed. I asked God to wake me up between 2 and 3 in the morning so I could fill the stockings and set out the Santa presents. Exactly at 2:00, I woke up wide awake. As I did my Santa duties, I noticed Mark had sprayed all the windows with snow after we went to bed. I love his Christmas spirit!

The next morning, after sleeping in a little, we got up and did the stockings. Greg and I then made a big breakfast, and then we opened the gifts. Halfway through my mom called to wish us a Merry Christmas. It was our first Christmas without any family. It was so stress free, we had a ball! Greg and I took another walk yesterday afternoon, and I fell asleep after a great filet mignon dinner, while the family watched Pirates 3. Ahhhhh. It was great!

Nuggets #4 An Unstoppable Force by Erwin McManus
Chapter One, Friction Traction

His approach toward us is often to invite us to believe in him and move in his power. God's first choice is to search for a heart that is wholly his and then strongly support it. But many times that is not the condition of our hearts. Often it is God who forces circumstances upon us in which it becomes necessary for us to rely on God's goodness.

For two thousand years Jesus has commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations. We have, at best, given this command nominal adherance.

Meet Your Neighbor
When everyone in the community looks just like you, it is not difficult to justify isolation and exclusivity.

For years the bulk of American Christians who were committed to "missions" could only participate through giving and praying. Today the call to cross-cultural ministry doesn't even require going; it just requires staying with a purpose.

The friction increases as we feel the church surrendering Spirit to technique.

When the Many Become One
If your goal is a diverse church, then you need to ask God to give you love for people who are different from you. People go to church where they have friends or make friends. You can't expect people who are different from you to come to church simply because you want to paint a picture of diversity. This only happens when love actually brings people together.

Seeing the Board Differently
Concede the center - the church is supposed to live on the edge anyway. Send the bishops to the edges - the leaders of the church need to be apostles, prophets, and evangelists, not simply pastors/teachers. And embrace positional sacrifice - no longer hide our weaknesses, but stand in them so that, through them, God can be revealed as our strength.