Today I was reading through 2 Timothy. Several verses refreshed deep feelings and thougths within, while others caught me off guard. Each time you read the Bible, depending on your current situation or need, different elements will be brought to light. I was touched today by a couple of ignored lines and phrases. One of those is my topic today.
Author: Chris
My belief is that God has created each of us for a holy destiny. Through biblical teaching and writing I hope to lead souls to find God, learn to apply His Word to their lives, and find opportunities to join in the work of His Body, the Church.
Gospel versus Good News
While reading materials, blog posts and Tweets today, I ran across a familiar word several times. When we talk about the message we have of God’s love, Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection, and the Spirit’s work in our lives, we tend to use the term “gospel.” But are we really doing justice to the term as we use it today? Or are we throwing the Gospel out into the world where it collides with unrealistic expectations and preconceived notions?
Worship Followers
I watched a movie this afternoon about a small military unit trapped under enemy fire. When the officer in charge refused to follow the advice of a subordinate, she soon found herself in the middle of a mutiny. While she regained control of the unit, it wasn’t until after she was wounded, and her most trusted man joined ranks with the mutineers.
Afterwards I was going about my own business, getting ready for work, when my mind started to think about church and other matters floating through my head. (You don’t want to look in there, trust me.) I think that because I’ve been thinking about my next worship leading schedule, my thoughts were suddenly stuck on the worship track. This phrase came to mind, and I think it is something to think about for churches who have more than one worship leader on their teams.
Cheer `Em On
Isn’t it amazing how, regardless of the location, you rarely find empty seats in an Olympic venue? Here we are, a few days into the 2010 Games, and I can’t help but think of some implications the place we make for the Olympic Games versus some of the other elements of life.
Maybe it’s because football season is over, but do you take notice of the efforts spectators make to cheer on the representatives of their own countries? Thankfully we don’t see much of the shirtless, painted face variety that NFL stadiums attract. We do, however, see country colors, flags, and “official” Olympic gear. We hear chantings, screams of joy, and cow bells. We cheer on our favorite individuals and teams, and at times, we cheer on the other guys, too.
Because of “stuff” going on, I am reminded of a scene from a number of years ago. It holds a special place in my heart. It reminds us that sometimes the cheering of the “crowd” can motivate, encourage and breathe life into those in our church who often go unsung.
Sidetracked by “Forgotten God”
If you check the block on the sidebar, you see that I’m reading a book on leadership. Well, I’ve tried not to do it too often lately, but I’m suddenly in the middle of another book at the same time. I picked up Francis Chan’s “Forgotten God” and happened to crack it open while waiting for a vehicle inspection on Thursday. I haven’t been able to stay away from it.
As usual, I’ll have a book review on it when I finish reading it. But the title alone begs for comment. How guilty are we of “forgetting” God?
Lost Hope
Just finished Sunday’s message. I WANT TO LET IT OUT! I’ll try not to blog it early, but no promises.
As a way of getting around that, here are some lines I wrote in my journal today. Only a slice of it made it to the message, but it is definitely worth thinking about…
Chris MacKinnon 