Continuing the Conversation

Continuing the Conversation recaps some things we talked about on Sunday and invites continued engagement with the conversation.  Hopefully, it’s one more avenue for Beggar’s people to keep engaging as well as an invitation for folks not with us on Sunday to join in.

Last night we finished our discussion of Jonah.  To quote one guy in our community, “what a drama queen!”  An unsympathetic yet understandable statement about this grieving, depressed, yet Godly prophet. 

Here’s one of my favorite quotes from last night, “God is the erasure of lines.”  We talked about how our worldviews provide lines…ways to separate and divide that help make sense of life.  No sooner do we think our lines are right, however, than God erases them to remind us that his love, grace, and compassion knows no boundaries.   

Let’s hear it for God’s movement in south Olathe!  (Sound funny for a church moving to KC’s Crossroads?  IF you were there you know what I mean…)

Continuing the Conversation

Continuing the Conversation recaps some things we talked about on Sunday and invites continued engagement with the conversation.  Hopefully, it’s one more avenue for Beggar’s people to keep engaging as well as an invitation for folks not with us on Sunday to join in.

This post is a little delayed because my wife and I just got back from a trip to the Ikea store in Chicago to pick up furnishings for the new space.  A lot of driving the past two days!

Jonah chapter three contains an amazing repentance story, but what I find most captivating (and what we spent a lot of time on Sunday) is the idea that Jonah comes out of a death and resurrection experience in Chapter two into a “new creation”/changed man.  The thing that changes in him, however, is not his feelings, motivations, paradigms, etc.  In other words, the thing that changes in him is not the thing that we often look at first in our stories of “conversion”.  There’s only one apparent thing that has changed in Jonah – his actions…his obedience.  He now does what God calls him to do.  In fact scripture itself most often equates our “heart” with our actions…not with our feelings.  In response to the question, “how’s your heart?”  – try forgetting about how you’re feeling at the moment…look to how you’re acting.

At first this notion may seem daunting, but I find it quite relieving.  How much unnecessary guilt do I place on myself because I’m not “feeling close to God” right now?  Perhaps God is saying, “who cares?  You’re being faithful to where I’ve called you…you’re loving your wife and children well…you’re doing great…).

I had the opportunity to visit ground zero in NY this summer.  There’s a fine memorial along the street.  I am not an emotional person, but that visit left a pit in my stomach.  I can’t watch broadcasts about this day without sinking into a mild depression. 

My children read a book tonight written by first-grade students at H. Byron Masterson Elementary School in Kennett, MO. called September 12th – We Knew Everything Would Be All Right.  I like the way it ended:

Not the end…

A Grand Summer It Was…

As a self proclaimed movie buff, I want to take an opportunity to simply say that this was a fantastic summer for movies!  I treasure the holiday movie season, and no one enjoys Award winning films as much as me, but I’m not so much of a movie snob that I don’t look forward to the Summer blockbusters.  I am, however, a somewhat critical blockbuster fan.  In other words, I don’t let a movie “off the hook” simply because it boasts a large special effects budget.  It still has to be good.  Having said that – this summer not only featured many good movies, there were also some great ones.  

One disclaimer – this post could easily make me look like an uncritical movie goer who enjoys everything with no discrimination.  This is far from accurate.  I write about a lot of movies here, but you must remember – these are pretty much the only movies I saw this summer.  Although I enjoy a good movie almost more than anything else, there’s nothing I can stand less than sitting through something I don’t like.  My heart sinks at all the people who pay money for and waste good time at bad movies…and don’t seem to care or know the difference.   

I find the superhero genre to be incredibly promising, but I’m usually let down by Hollywood’s interpretation of my favorite characters.  I was thrilled, however, after seeing the marvelous Ironman movie in the early summer, and The Dark Knight was simply remarkable.  The rare superhero movie that not only lives up to its hype, but supersedes it.  Not one but two outstanding superhero movies!  Pure elation to us nerds.  By the way, I find The Incredible Hulk a difficult concept to take seriously – a little too far out there – but this summer’s Hulk film was truly commendable.   

 

Pixar’s annual summer offering was not only up to their usual standards but was one of the best animated movies I’ve ever seen.  Wall-e was beautiful, heartwarming, and provocative - a sermon in and of itself.  Indeed, the amazingly redemptive messages of Pixar films continue to be more and more poignant.       

 

Hellboy IIseemed overlooked this summer, but it was every bit as good as the first one (imo).  I rarely have as much fun at the theater as watching the amazing story telling and visuals of Guillermo Del Toro, and I think he is currently at the peak of his creative genius.  If you missed this gem (and enjoyed the first one) be sure to rent it. 

 

I know there was criticism regarding The X-Files: I Want to Believe, but I thought it was great.  Eerie and spooky – just what I want from Chris Carter and the gang.  A lot of the criticism seemed to pertain to the fact it wasn’t about aliens or government conspiracy, but the X-Files series wasn’t always about aliens.  It often merely dealt with the abnormal and bizarre framed in a continual conversation of faith vs. science.  The movie captured this brilliantly. 

 

I’m not a huge fan of the cinematic serializing of books like Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia mainly because I love the books so much.  You know the age old argument that movies rarely do justice to books, etc. etc.  I’ve got to admit, however, that the Prince Caspian movie was an excellent re-telling and a worthy movie in every way (although I’m not taking my kids to it…it’s too much fun reading the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to them right now and seeing their imaginations work as they sit attentively on our couch at night.  Palmer actually said he was glad we were reading the book and not watching the movie – wow). 

 

If you like comedies, I think this summer had some great ones.  I had absolutely no interest in Get Smart based on the previews, but when I saw it (mainly because of good reviews), I was pleasantly surprised at a wonderful example of good comic movie making.  Pinapple Express is on my list of best movies of the year so far, and Tropic Thunder was hilarious. 

 

This summer even had a new Indiana Jonesmovie, which – admittedly – wasn’t very good, but it sure was fun to go to the theater, buy popcorn, and see an Indiana Jones movie again…

I’m sure this summer had its share of clunkers (I make it a habit to try and only see good movies/ones I’ll enjoy), and I certainly won’t try and defend The Happening.  The argument isn’t that every movie this summer was awesome – but this summer had proportionally an abundance of good, and sometimes great, movies.  There were enough good movies to provide a reason to go to the theater every couple of weeks, and that’s all I ask for.

Continuing the Conversation

Continuing the Conversation recaps some things we talked about on Sunday and invites continued engagement with the conversation.  Hopefully, it’s one more avenue for Beggar’s people to keep engaging as well as an invitation for folks not with us on Sunday to join in.

Last night we engaged the prayer of Jonah from inside the belly of the fish.  Beautiful poetry as well as a tremendous example of prayer.  Here are some of my favorite thoughts from our discussion:

• Many people who have sunk into deep depression by constantly defiling their conscience (doing what they know to be wrong) truly believe that they are beyond redemption. 
• Jonah’s prayer is amazing because it’s not limited to his immediate context.  He is able to pray adequately to the largeness of God because he is able to claim God’s promises in the midst of travail.  (i.e. thank God for deliverance before he experiences it)
• Jonah’s prayer is pretty much pulled directly from the Psalms which reflects his amazing knowledge of his peoples’ songbook.  When we know scripture well, it helps us to react rightly in the midst of crisis. 
• Death is a condition God deems necessary in order to bring new life out of.
• The apparent theme of death and resurrection runs throughout scripture and is a pointer to the ultimate death and resurrection of Jesus.  Salvation comes from the Lord!

I found a wonderful quote from a GK Chesterton novel that succinctly describes my feelings regarding obtaining our new church space:

“I have been used so long to uncomfortable adventures that comfortable adventures knock me out.”