10/31: Mission
October 30, 2009
Mission
We have crested the six month hill with First Serve and the road stretches out before us. God is clearly working in our church and in the lives of his people in Bend. So now what? Do we coast? I would like to.
But God has challenged me not to Read more
Trusting God When You’re Afraid of the Dark
October 29, 2009
First Serve, Oct. 31, 8:30 AM
Worship Team: Youth
Speaker: Greg Phillips
Sermon: Trusting God When You’re Afraid of the Dark
An 11-year youth ministry veteran, Greg Phillips is currently the chaplain at Portland Adventist Academy, a coeducational Christian high school in Portland, OR. Pastor Greg has been married to his amazing wife, Sandi, for 17 years. He is the proud father of two daughters, Keeley and Mckenna. When he’s not spending time with students, Pastor Greg enjoys camping and hiking with his family, making music, climbing mountains, landscape photography, and bicycle commuting.
Theology as Music
October 26, 2009
Do you ever feel worn out from living under other people’s judgments? I do.
I woke up this morning and asked God to lift my head, to show me something good and meaningful, just a drop of hope to start my day, Lord, anything. And out of a universe of online possibilities, he directed my browser to this Read more
Christie’s Gift can be Kyle’s Gift
October 23, 2009
It has been a rough week at work for me. Church matters have also been challenging this week. The week cumlminated with the news that Kyle Stevens, a student of Jenny and mine took his own life sometime yesterday afternoon.
My heart aches.
But not nearly as much as his parent’s, his brother’s, and all of his extended family, his friends and classmates, teacher’s, and countless others that have laughed, cried, wrestled, studied, and journeyed with him over his 18 years on this earth. I am left with the question in my heart and mind that says “should I have done something else….was there a word, a story, a hug, more time that I should have spent with Kyle in the two years that I spent 186 days with him? Those are questions that only God can answer for me and for the countless others that are hurting for Kyle. Read more
Life Without Limits
October 22, 2009
ConneXions topic this week: From Life Without Limbs to Life Without Limits!
Facilitator: Angie Bacuyani
Nick Vujicic was born without arms or legs but the love he holds overcomes any physical limitation. Come watch and discuss Nick Vujicic’s inspiring story of Life Without Limbs. 10/24/09, 9:30 AM, Classroom A
The Seeing Heart
October 22, 2009
First Serve Speaker (10/24/09): Dottie Versteeg.
Heat or Eat?
October 21, 2009
Heat or Eat? Imagine facing that question this winter. Do we heat the house, or do we buy groceries? How would you explain that one to your kids?
Every day in Deschutes County, over 650 children go to bed homeless, 1 in 7 go to bed hungry, and more than 6500 children don’t have access to adequate healthcare. Too many parents are faced with deciding: Do we heat? Or do we eat?
For Angie Bacuyani and Nicky Merritt these dismal statistics, growing like weeds in their very own backyard, lit a fire. They felt convicted to do something about it, to answer Christ’s question, “Who is my neighbor”, in clear, unmistakable terms…”forbid not the little children to come unto me.” Read more
The Daily Prayer
October 21, 2009
Last night I asked God to wake me up early. I hate alarm clocks–the blaring, the inhuman beeping–they get me started on the wrong emotional foot. I wanted to wake up naturally and I told God so. I wanted some time to spend in prayer and I told God so.
Well. At 3:30 AM, He woke me up. And I’m like, God is this really necessary? I tried to go back to sleep but I couldn’t. I wasn’t agitated, just awake, serenely awake. So I got up, not sure what to do with myself and said, all right Lord, what do you have for me then? And the answer came pretty quickly, “The Daily Prayer”.
The Daily Prayer is something I saw on John Eldredge’s website about 9 months ago and I had forgotten about it…till now. I downloaded the Word file and looked it over. It came with some directions that you’re supposed to insert your family members names into the appropriate places in the prayer. So I typed them in. And then I sat back and started reading. And reading became a prayer. Friends it was beautiful.
If you want to download the prayer, click here:
http://www.walkingwithgod.net/daily-prayer.htm
Curiosity over Assumptions
October 18, 2009
What would it mean to forge a community that defies all the religiously-driven conflict we see in the News. Between Jews and Muslims, no less! What would it be like for people to be able to speak frankly about emotionally-charged subjects, while also being able to say “We refuse to be enemies”?
This SOF podcast is so timely–with striking applications to daily life inside our own diverse Body of Christ. I urge you to listen! Be challenged and inspired to live in close relationship with all kinds of people, especially people you disagree with. Conflict and honesty are part of normal, healthy human relationships. Unless, of course, you refuse the invitation.
I would pray that all of us are mature and curious enough to count conversations, instead of just counting conversions to our own way of thinking.
Click here to link to SOF and download this podcast.
God the Liberator
October 17, 2009
“Man is born free; but everywhere he is in chains.” (Rousseau)
Egypt, 2560 BC., was the glistening superpower of its day. Not the dust bowl we see now, but a ruddy Kingdom, a civilization of fresh-faced warriors, gilded sunsets, and towering monoliths, a land of stone skyscrapers that remained the tallest man-made structures for 3,800 years, already ancient by the time of Rome. Unbelievable, really. Is it any wonder some people think extraterrestrials built the pyramids?
But no. Sadly. It was not extraterrestrials. But a different kind of alien. A people. A people, caught in the banal and brutal institution of slavery Read more
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