Do you think it was ever far from the minds of the people people being taught by the disciples that one of the twelve had actually betrayed Jesus?
posted by Stephen at 8:32 AM | |

 
If Christianity is really about believing in Jesus and living a good life so that we can go on to a pleasant existence in heaven rather than a painful existence in hell, then the Bible doesn't make sense.
posted by Stephen at 2:53 PM | |

 
Surely the God who created the universe, with all its diversity, would expect the people made in His image, those who are the representative Body of Jesus, to be more creative with the communal process of reconciling the world to that creative God than we are.

Instead we prefer to conform ourselves two or three well marketed ideas about what Christian community should/could look like, rather than wrestle with what it actually means to be the likeness of God. We're like a bunch of teenage kids, dressed alike, listening to the same music, quoting the same movies, and talking about how all of it helps us to express our individuality and uniqueness.

(for my faithful, patient, and encouraging friend, Judd)
posted by Jimmy at 9:08 PM | |

 
I shared this thought recently with some new acquaintances:

Putting on a "great" worship service is like putting on a "great" Thanksgiving meal. You can make the food taste great, the layout can be great, the photos with family can look great...the perfect Thanksgiving. But what really matters is the issue of "do you get along with your dad?" If your family loves each other then even balogna sandwhiches on paper plates makes for a great Thanksgiving.

Interpret as you will.
posted by Jimmy at 6:17 PM | |

 
the rule of God is like a computer virus that started out as a few small lines of code hidden in a document but eventually controlled the whole network.
posted by Jimmy at 7:44 PM | |

 

My comments on this conversation that was a response to this thought:

Look, I'm going to be real here, (cue lighting, side shot camera 2, sit casually on stool), I struggle with all of this.

(cut to front camera 1, pause, look at audience...er...congregation, cue camera shot of congregation, back to camera 2, begin background music) I've said this before, and I'll say it again, the last thing our disconnected culture needs is a local expression of the Body of Christ that is nothing more than representation, where strangers sit next to strangers and listen to "great" messages delivered by strangers...and yet they all feel like they "know" each other and have "fellowship" with one another. When it comes to the screen pastors and "authenticity", it's like watching American Idol and deciding that you're somehow "close" to a certain contestant.

It's creepy.

(lights down, exit stage right, bring up music)
posted by Jimmy at 7:50 PM | |

 
Some thoughts to remember about the Church:

• It's is bigger than your church.
  
• Like it or not, you don't get to control it by the rules you like to apply to your brand of it.
• You don't get to define the type of people whom Christ says belong to it.
• All your efforts don't determine the success (or failure) of it.
• The good news of the kingdom for the world (you know, including the people outside of church) is the core of its message and its life.

(see, I told you that we would post something.)
posted by Jimmy at 6:07 PM | |