"Die to the dream of being a success and live to be a blessing…”
(M.Barnett)
I am wired to setting goals and achieving them. Success is sth that is visible to many.
Being a blessing can be much more of a hidden thing.
Am I still attached to the idol of pride?
Showing posts with label thought. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thought. Show all posts
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
reflections from Soma
Craig and I returned in the end of last week from Soma school in Tacoma, WA.
It was a great time. Definitely very stretching.
There were 11 international guys attending Soma School (+ around 10 americans)
Most lasting impression on me was left by Jeff Vanderstelt and his talks about the Gospel, what is church, and the identities of church/christian. It was specially powerful to me cause trying to understand the Gospel has been an area where God has working in my heart the most. I am convinced that the understanding of Gospel (and the full gospel) has to be the foundation of everything that we do, and everything we are.
I am still trying to process some of the things Jeff said about the gospel. For example the full gospel (means+purpose):
Means of Salvation (Gospel power): God-Sin-Jesus-Faith not works
Purpose of Salvation (Gospel story): Creation-Fall-Redemtion-Restoration
It was great to see how their church model worked. Instead of "come to us" (attractional model) they are definitely hard-core "lets go out to them" (missional model). They are really gospel based. people in their communities really get that the church is the people. And it was also interesting to observe their dialogical story-based teaching style. People in Soma really know the Story (their term for the bible, more specifically for the redemptive arc of bible stories).
Missional communities (small groups) are really on mission, that can be the specific neighborhood or target-group specific mission. Besides that very many people had their own personal mission projects. That was really great to see.
We are starting to process everything that we heard during that week to see what can we learn from it for our local context.
Seattle skyline
Appart from everything I learned there, it was hard to be away from Anna and Emma. But I have to tell you, NW seems to be a great place to go back to. I love the nature there. Totally my type! Maybe one day I can go riding the bikes in the mountains with my family there
It was a great time. Definitely very stretching.
There were 11 international guys attending Soma School (+ around 10 americans)Most lasting impression on me was left by Jeff Vanderstelt and his talks about the Gospel, what is church, and the identities of church/christian. It was specially powerful to me cause trying to understand the Gospel has been an area where God has working in my heart the most. I am convinced that the understanding of Gospel (and the full gospel) has to be the foundation of everything that we do, and everything we are.
I am still trying to process some of the things Jeff said about the gospel. For example the full gospel (means+purpose):
Means of Salvation (Gospel power): God-Sin-Jesus-Faith not works
Purpose of Salvation (Gospel story): Creation-Fall-Redemtion-Restoration
It was great to see how their church model worked. Instead of "come to us" (attractional model) they are definitely hard-core "lets go out to them" (missional model). They are really gospel based. people in their communities really get that the church is the people. And it was also interesting to observe their dialogical story-based teaching style. People in Soma really know the Story (their term for the bible, more specifically for the redemptive arc of bible stories).
Missional communities (small groups) are really on mission, that can be the specific neighborhood or target-group specific mission. Besides that very many people had their own personal mission projects. That was really great to see.
We are starting to process everything that we heard during that week to see what can we learn from it for our local context.
Seattle skylineTuesday, February 19, 2008
Journey with the Message
Both Anna and I started this year a journey through the Bible using the Message. It is the first time for me to read the Bible through in english.
For my simplified verbal english skills the Message "translation" is a great thing. I love the richness of the language.
One sentence that has been haunting me for a week now:
"..., for by this time the name of Jesus was on everyone’s lips." (Mark 6:14)
Wouldnt that be great! Thats what i desire for Tartu and Estonia.
The other great verse is from the Psalms 84
"And how blessed all those in whom you live, whose lives become roads you travel"
I love the missional foundation of that verse!
For my simplified verbal english skills the Message "translation" is a great thing. I love the richness of the language.
One sentence that has been haunting me for a week now:
"..., for by this time the name of Jesus was on everyone’s lips." (Mark 6:14)
Wouldnt that be great! Thats what i desire for Tartu and Estonia.
The other great verse is from the Psalms 84
"And how blessed all those in whom you live, whose lives become roads you travel"
I love the missional foundation of that verse!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Our Greatest Need
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator;
If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist;
If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist;
If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer;
But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.
Source unknown
If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist;
If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist;
If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer;
But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.
Source unknown
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