NoiseTrade Widget

A Bittersweet Evening….

We helped Austin and Alesha load up their Penske Truck this evening for their move to Benton, AR. Sweet, because we know this will be good for them and our business. Bitter, because it seems as though much is ending.

Through the last five years, we have endured many struggles and hard lessons together. We have wept together, played together, eaten hundreds of meals together, prayed many hours together, searched the riches of Christ together, and sat many moments in silence together. We have rejoiced in many victories and dramatic breakthroughs in radical new understandings of our awesome God. We have cringed as lies, gossip, slander, and out-right Satanic attacks have affected our families. We’ve seen highs and lows. We have made many new friends together and seen other friends destroyed by bad choices.

It’s crazy that we are moving in a new direction apart from one another, yet we will always remain great friends and coworkers in business and the Kingdom.

The ministry that started as CrossLife over three years ago, now will spread into a new community. God only knows what will come next for us all.

Prayers, my good friends.

Why do we do it the way we do it….

Though today the places we visit and the conditions we meet may be vastly different from those of the Scripture record, yet in principle the experience of the first apostles may well serve as a our example… Christianity has lost its original purity, and everything connected with it is in a false and confused state. Despite that fact, our work today is still the same as in the days of the early apostles – to found and build up local churches, the local expressions of the Body of Christ.

- Watchman Nee, “The Normal Christian Church Life” 1980.

 

Today if a man ventures to suggest that there may be something in the methods by which St. Paul attained such wonderful results worthy of our careful attention, and perhaps of our imitation, he is in danger of being accused of revolutionary tendencies… All I can say is, “This is the way of Christ and His apostles.” If any man answers, “That is out of date,” or “Times have changed” … I can only repeat, “This is the way of Christ and His apostles,” and leave him to face that issue.

- Roland Allen, Missionary Methods: “St. Paul’s or Ours?” 1962.

The above quotes came from the first chapter of Frank Viola’s latest book, “Finding Organic Church“. In this first chapter Frank writes,

To my mind, it’s a profound mistake to ignore what we find in the book of Acts concerning the manner in which Christian communities were birthed in the first century.

From there, He walks through the four models of planting churches found in the book of Acts. Any serious missional student, church planter, missionary, Pastor, seminary student, Christian, should read this book for the first chapter alone.

Thanx!

Church Reduction 101…..

“As the Preacher of Ecclesiastes saw, “There is a time to break down, and a time to build up…a time to keep silence and a time to speak.” And the second Reformation, if it comes, will be distinguished from the first by the fact that it is a time of reticence, of stripping down, of traveling light. The church will go through its baggage and discover how much it can better do without, alike in doctrine and in organization.”

- John A.T. Robinson, as quoted by Frank Viola in “Finding Organic Church”.

Authenticity, Organic Expression….

True Christianity has no earthly boss, bosses, or layers of bureaucratic leadership. Rather, it has one, heavenly Head Who is made manifest corporately through the Word and the Spirit as each part functions as a body. This corporate identity of the Head, which is none other than the very person of Christ, is made manifest not with ceremonies, traditions, forms, models, services, buildings, programs, structures, rules, regulations, rites, creeds, star performers, or well-crafted speeches, but, rather, through self-sacrificing, obedient love. This is the essence of God, of His Christ, and of His Bride.

Right Answers. Really?

Religion is about having the right answers, and some of their answers are right. But Father is about the process that takes you to the living answer and once you get to him, he will change you from the inside. There are a lot of smart people who are able to say a lot of right things from their brain because they have been told what the right answers are, but they don’t know Father at all. So really, how can their answers be right even if they are right, if you understand my drift? So even though they might be right, they are still wrong. Don’t look for rules and principles; look for relationship–a way of coming to be with God.

This came from a blog post by my friend Jason Duncan, here.

A Great Quote…

“The missionary work of the non-professional missionary is to live his daily life in Christ, and therefore with a difference, and to be able to share the reason and cause of the difference to men who see it. His preaching is essentially private conversation, and has at the back of it a life which explains and illustrates and enforces his words. It is such missionary work that the world needs today. Everybody, Christian and pagan alike, respects such work. When it is so done, men wonder, and inquire into the secret of a life which they instinctively admire and covet for themselves.”

-Roland Allen (1869-1947, Non-Professional Missionaries) as quoted by Warren Cole Smith in A Lover’s Quarrel with the Evangelical Church.

If only every single Christian would come to understand this concept. If only this would be the plea from pulpits, rather than a plea to fulfill the ministers ministry vision. If only Christians would actually be Christians, rather than consumers in an industrialized engine of greed, power, and tax-free monopolies. If only Christians would get out of their Christian ghettos, whether they be living rooms or sanctuaries, and get on with living the life Christ crucified and resurrected!

A New Poll….

I’m not looking to save the world with a question or anything. I’m just wondering what people think about the “eternal purpose” of God. I have in view, for background sake, the following Scriptures: Ephesians 1:9-11 and Ephesians 3:10-11.

I listed three very random answers in the poll, but am thinking that many people will add their own answer. Please feel free to leave comments.

Looking forward to reading!

Thanx!

BTW, on a personal note: I believe the MOST important endeavor of our entire lives is to wrestle with this question until God reveals it not only to us, but in us. Also, this question is not only an individual pursuit, but rather a vocation of His Body when gathered.

My Books

Okay, this is my list of influential books that I would like to pass on to my friends. I have not included a link for each book, but I am sure you can find each of these on Amazon.com if you can’t come to my house and pick them up. I look forward to passing these on in the hopes that they will impact your life and thinking as they have my own.

Title		Author(s)		Type
Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus		Ann Spangler & Lois Tverberg		Alternative/Simple
Roaring Lambs		Bob Briner		Alternative/Simple
A Generous Orthodoxy		Brian McLaren		Alternative/Simple
More Ready Than You Realize		Brian McLaren		Alternative/Simple
The Emerging Church		Dan Kimball		Alternative/Simple
The Monkey and the Fish		Dave Gibbons		Alternative/Simple
Church Planting Movements		David Garrison		Alternative/Simple
unChristian		David Kinnaman & Gabe Lyons		Alternative/Simple
Searching for God Knows What		Donald Miller		Alternative/Simple
Soul Cravings		Erwin Rahael McManus		Alternative/Simple
Seeker Small Groups		Garry Poole		Alternative/Simple
Letters from a Skeptic		Gregory Boyd		Alternative/Simple
Corinthian Elders		Jack Fortenberry		Alternative/Simple
Rethinking the Church		James E. White		Alternative/Simple
Jim & Casper Go to Church		Jim Henderson & Matt Casper		Alternative/Simple
Future Church		Jim L. Wilson		Alternative/Simple
Wide Open Spaces		Jim Palmer		Alternative/Simple
Captivating		John & Stasi Eldredge		Alternative/Simple
Wild at Heart		John Eldredge		Alternative/Simple
Waking the Dead		John Eldredge		Alternative/Simple
Walking With God		John Eldredge		Alternative/Simple
Organic Community		Joseph Myers		Alternative/Simple
Revolution in World Missions		K. P. Yohannan		Alternative/Simple
Confessions of a Reformission Rev.		Mark Driscoll		Alternative/Simple
Vintage Jesus		Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears		Alternative/Simple
Search & Rescue		Neil Cole		Alternative/Simple
Organic Leadership		Neil Cole		Alternative/Simple
Velvet Elvis		Rob Bell		Alternative/Simple
The Irresistable Revolution		Shane Claiborne		Alternative/Simple
The New Conspirators		Tom Sine		Alternative/Simple
The Rabbit and the Elephant		Tony & Felicity Dale		Alternative/Simple
Houses That Change the World		Wolfgang Simson		Alternative/Simple
Re-Jesus		Michael Frost & Alan Hirsch		Alternative/Simple
Pagan Christianity?		Frank Viola & George Barna		Alternative/Simple
Reimagining Church		Frank Viola		Alternative/Simple
The Untold Story of the New Testament Church		Frank Viola		Alternative/Simple
Paul’s Idea of Community		Robert J. Banks		Alternative/Simple
Revolution		George Barna		Alternative/Simple
The Total Money Makeover		Dave Ramsey		Business/Finance
Cashflow Quadrant		Robert Kiyosaki		Business/Finance
Good to Great		Jim Collins		Business/Finance
Coached by Jesus		Alan Nelson		Christian Life
The Best Question Ever		Andy Stanley		Christian Life
Jesus, The One an Only		Beth Moore		Christian Life
Lifetime Guarantee		Bill Gillham		Christian Life
Mere Christianity		C.S. Lewis		Christian Life
Being the Body		Charles Coleson & Ellen Vaughn		Christian Life
How Now Shall We Live		Charles Coleson & Nancy Pearcey		Christian Life
Finding Peace		Charles Stanley		Christian Life
Christianity: The Faith That Makes Sense		Dennis McCallum		Christian Life
Happiness is a Choice		Frank Minirth and Paul Meier		Christian Life
Experiencing God		Henry Blackaby		Christian Life
Created to Be God’s Friend		Henry Blackaby		Christian Life
Fresh Power		Jim Cymbala		Christian Life
Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire		Jim Cymbala		Christian Life
Fresh Faith		Jim Cymbala		Christian Life
An Appointment with the King		Joel Comiskey		Christian Life
The Lie: Evolution		Ken Ham		Christian Life
In a Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day		Mark Batterson		Christian Life
One Thing You Can’t Do In Heaven		Mark Cahill		Christian Life
The Jesus I Never Knew		Philip Yancey		Christian Life
What’s So Amazing About Grace?		Philip Yancey		Christian Life
Life On Fire		Ronnie Floyd		Christian Life
Grace Land		Steve McVey		Christian Life
Grace Walk		Steve McVey		Christian Life
Grace Rules		Steve McVey		Christian Life
Free at Last		Tony Evans		Christian Life
Life on the Edge		James Dobson		Family Life
Bringing Up Boys		James Dobson		Family Life
The Love List		Les and Leslie Parrott		Family Life
Point Man		Steve Farrar		Family Life
His Needs Here Needs		Willard Harley		Family Life
7 Practices of Effective Ministry		Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner, and Lane Jones		Ministry Help
The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry		Bill Donahue & Russ Robinson		Ministry Help
Building a Church of Small Groups		Bill Donahue & Russ Robinson		Ministry Help
The 7 Laws of the Learner		Bruce Wilkinson		Ministry Help
Spiritual Leadership		Henry & Richard Blackaby		Ministry Help
The Word for the Wise		Henry Brandt & Kerry Skinner		Ministry Help
Developing the Leader Within You		John C. Maxwell		Ministry Help
The 21 Indisputable Qualities of a Leader		John C. Maxwell		Ministry Help
The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict		Josh McDowell		Ministry Help
Prison Ministry		Lennie Spitale		Ministry Help
When Prisoners Return		Pat Nolan		Ministry Help
The Purpose Driven Church		Rick Warren		Ministry Help
The Bridger Generation		Thom S. Rainer		Ministry Help
Surprising Insights from the Unchurched		Thom S. Rainer		Ministry Help
High Expectations		Thom S. Rainer		Ministry Help
Breakout Churches		Thom S. Rainer		Ministry Help
Simple Church		Thom S. Rainer & Eric Geiger		Ministry Help
Bruchko		Bruce Olson		Narative
Finney On Revival		V. Raymond Edman		Narative
Bowling Alone		Robert Putnam		Sociology
The End of Poverty		Jeffrey D. Sachs		World Economics
A Framework for Understanding Poverty		Ruby Payne		World Economics

Mental Defragmentation…

Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. I have been getting adjusted to Facebook and Twitter. They will not replace my blogging, but I have enjoyed getting in touch with folks I haven’t seen or talked to in years. Though, a few I could have done without.

Anyway, I just want to unload my mind now:

• I hate computers. It seems like I have faced computer difficulties around every corner this summer.
• I love what we do for a living. I have enjoyed the summer to chill out and get ready for what we hope to be a VERY productive and busy Fall.
• I can’t wait to see our new website for All Star Fundraising. We have a final logo, and should have the site up within the next month.
• I love simple church. I love our friends we do life with. These folks challenge me and encourage me. See some pics here.
• Kacey and I are getting ready for trip to Orlando, FL, to meet Frank Viola next week. Should be a great time to hang out and meet new people.
• I am supposed to have a conversation today with a guy who emailed me from Memphis a couple of days ago regarding a network of folks in Memphis who are interested in simple church.
• Kacey and I are praying about starting a new church. We believe it’s close.
• Some friends of ours are about to make some huge changes that will effect us in a big way. Good changes we believe. Can’t share too much yet.
• We are trying to help another new church get started on the other side of the city.
• The CrossLifewebsite will be going through some major changes over the next several months. It will become way less of a “church” website, and more of a network training portal for simple/organic church. We aren’t really sure what that means yet other than the fact we believe this is what God wants us to do with it at this time.

Finally, I have been reading a lot this summer. I will be reviewing some books, but for now, I will just list them:

• “The Monkey and the Fish” by Dave Gibbons
• “The Rabbit and the Elephant” by Tony and Felicity Dale
• “The Stewardship of the Mystery” by T. Austin Sparks
• “God’s Spiritual House” by T. Austin Sparks
• “Prophetic Ministry” by T. Austin Sparks

I am currently reading and very much enjoying “The Normal Christian Life” by Watchman Nee.

That’s about it for now. I am still planning on getting on a blog “schedule” for posting book reviews, meditations, website reviews, and random stuff. Just haven’t figured it out yet…

Thanx!