Galatians 6:9
posted by allie
Overwhelmed? Start with prayer.
By Holly
Cut, Bled and Dry
By Kirsten
Nobody really understands the Holy Spirit. We read about the Spirit's role in scripture, we can recognize overtly supernatural interferences in people's lives, and we get an odd feeling every now and again, which we attribute to the Spirit working through us. One of the quotes that I have clung to in class is that "We are not in the world trying to prove Christianity is true, but we are trying to show the world what it would look like if it was true." What makes Christianity what it is? The Holy Spirit. How would people even know that Christianity was true? If they saw right through people to the Spirit that dwells within them.
The Great Divide
Race is not an issue that can be ignored, especially not by the Church- the people of God called to make disciples of every nation. In his article “The Color of Faith,” David Van Blema remarks on the gravity of the situation: “In an age of mixed-race malls, mixed-race pop-music charts and, yes, a mixed-race President, the church divide seems increasingly peculiar. It is troubling, even scandalous, that our most intimate public gatherings-and those most safely beyond the law's reach-remain color-coded,” (26). God sends the Church into the world to be His image-bearers, living out the unity, peace, and love that exemplifies life in Christ. In order for the church to begin living out its missional identity, it must realize the ways it has been affected by racial segregation and take a biblical approach to embracing reconciliation and oneness in the body of Christ.
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus came proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is here. We are living in the tension between the redemptive act of Christ on the cross and the reconciliation of all things to God when Jesus comes again and the world is made new. As Christians, we are to live into the present truth of the Kingdom and join in the redemptive work of Christ here and now. In Revelations 7:9-10, we are given a picture of what the body of Christ will look like after the Second Coming when all is made right: “There…was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,” (NIV).
This is the true picture of the Kingdom of God as it was meant to be- diverse, colorful, and unified. This is the beautiful future that God calls us to live into now. David Campbell, a professor at Notre Dame, advocates, “If tens of millions of Americans start sharing faith across racial boundaries, it could be one of the final steps transcending race as our great divider,” (Van Blema, 27). The Church has a great role to play.
Enough Sitting Around, Do It
By Nathan
I have been listening my entire life. In classes, to other people, in Sunday school and church, I have always been a listener. I have received numerous blessings from this skill and have learned many things. Without listening I wouldn't be who I am today, but for really the first time in my life, I want to do more than listen.
Listening to the speakers that have come into our class, all of them are making changes in their communities and slowly changing the way church has been practiced for decades, for the better. I see these people that are filled with the Holy Spirit both listening to the Lord and living out the way God intended us to. These pastors are living their faith and have shown the way of Jesus through their words AND their actions.
I have been thinking and praying about what God wants me to do vocationally with my life to honor him. One would think that I already have this planned out since I am going to college and getting my degree, and at one point I thought I knew what to do, but either I didn’t think I was listening to what God had in store for me to do or I wasn’t ready to do what he wanted me to do.
In class we got the opportunity to hear from Bryan Dormaier, a church planter in Portland. During the conversation we talked about the struggles of situations in which we communicate our faith and someone mentioned that they have grown the most in their faith through putting themselves in uncomfortable situations, such as talking with people that you might never talk with – something I would never do. That’s something I aim to change by LISTENING to God and ACTING on it.
To Hell and Back
By Jeff
It struck me recently that our generation may be devaluing a crucial leadership pre-req, we do not demand leaders who bear the scars of Hell.
It seems that our comfortable Christianity that nurtures itself is too afraid of failure. We do not seem to live radically driven lives full of the Holy Spirit. That is not to say that there are not leaders out there who are full of the Holy Spirit, but they seem to be far and few between! I don’t know about you, but I I want a leader who has experienced failure and pain and quite frankly HELL. I do not want to be led by anyone who has not walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.
When did we as a culture forget that Christ did exactly this for us? And, that we are called to take up our cross and follow him! I doubt that means that we are called to be leaders who are so wrapped up in our achievement based culture that we are not willing to bet it all on Christ because let’s face it, that RISK may not promise us fulfillment if we view our lives through the lens of a culture enthralled with achievements. Since when have achievements become a part of our identity? Isn’t sharing in God’s restoration of the Earth enough for us? That should be mind-blowingly exciting, motivating and inspiring! So how have we ended up being leaders who are passive and content with the state of this world?
If we as leaders do not fail to the point of understanding a new depth of humility at some point, I would challenge that we are not leading in a Kingdom manner. If we as leaders have not entirely laid out ourselves for others, I am not sure that we are worth being followed by those seeking to bring about the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit will guide and protect! My self-imposed stability does not guide and protect me.
As leaders, we should walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death to bring God’s Kingdom or die trying.
Entering Pain Intentionally to Bring Hope
By Jannah I really liked how we talked about the tragic gap in class today and finding the middle ground between being a cynic and idealist. It’s too easy to become engulfed by the bad and lose sight of the good, or on the other hand to focus only on the hope and good and ignore the pain that is so real and thriving. One of our visitors in class today talked about entering into the pain and while you keep sight of the hope, it is important to recognize how real the hurting is. This is difficult at times for me. I am in my senior year and don’t know what I’ll be doing after college. It’s not that I don’t have any ideas; it’s just that I have so many of them and I’m not sure where to start. My major is music ministry and while I love being involved, this probably wouldn’t be a career for me. I’d like to work a little in health care, especially assisted living homes. For some time I have also been interested in going into music therapy. I would love to work with both children and adults and help those people who do not have the ability to easily express themselves in writing or through speech. For so many of them, music is something that just clicks. It is remarkable to watch these people who struggle so much in everyday life become truly alive through music. The hesitation is in opening myself up to all the pain. We talked about compassion fatigue and that is a big struggle for me. God is always with us and for that I am daily thankful. I know if this is where He leads me, then He will help me make it through. It’s easier said than done. There won’t always be good results and it might not seem like I’m doing much. Sometimes trust is one of the most challenging things.
Let Go and Let God
By Kayla