Fall Retreat

Because Betty and Bill and Donna will be gone most of the month of September, I have scheduled a retreat the 2nd weekend in October. I realize this is a holiday weekend, but I was hoping that this would give us a nice, leisurely weekend together.

We had a wonderful retreat in January, made all the more powerful because roughly 90% of our community was involved. I think there are some important decisions we need to make as a community regarding our future, and it will be imperative to have as many of us as possible present for this important retreat.

So, sound off! Check your calendars, and let me know how that date works in your calendars! Then click the picture, enlarge it, print it and post it on the fridge! Make a solemn commitment to be a part of the present and future of our faith community!

Gratefulness

I love being together with the folks in my faith community. First of all because our relationships have been forged in the fires of real life, and I know that I can depend on you implicitly.

Second, because you are some of the most real people I know of. Yesterday at the end of house church, Nathan decided that he wanted to lead everyone in the pledge of allegiance because it was the 4th of July. He was not trying to make a political / theological statement about war or Christians attitude towards war, he simply wanted to honor his country. He didn't even realize their were two veterans sitting in the room with him, rather this was simply something he had learned and we should do. The most powerful part was that everyone dutifully rose as my eleven year old boy led us in the recitation of the pledge.

It is not only the indulgence of those in my faith community that I am thankful for, but the place my son has been granted within that community. He did not fear condemnation for speaking up and sharing his view. Also, he assumed that a rational suggestion would be followed by those who were older than he, even if the suggestion was made by an 11 year old. Finally, he felt perfectly safe and loved to make his request, and then take the lead.

On our recent trip to Colorado, he told his uncle Greg, "these AXIS folks are like my family." I love that. I am so thankful that he is loved for the quirky kid he is in spite of that quirkiness. He brought us all out on the porch Sunday night to set off those little 'poppers' which spray confetti everywhere. Nobody said boo too him. We just all went out on the porch and shared in what was an important moment for Nathan, regardless of whether or not anyone could care less about fireworks.

For the first time in my life, I feel as if I am restoring that first century Church from Acts chapter 2...42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

The Temple Part 2

Since the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70, religious Jews have expressed their desire to see the building of a Third Temple on the Temple Mount. Prayer for this cause has been a formal part of the Jewish tradition of thrice daily Jewish prayer services. Though it remains unbuilt, the notion of and desire for a Third Temple is sacred in Judaism, particularly Orthodox Judaism, as an unrealized place of worship.

It may be hard for us, who now gather in a living room for our weekly gatherings, to understand how important this site was and is to the Jewish people. So, when Jesus said that he was going to rebuild this in 3 days, that was a truly unbelievable statement.

Consider this poem from the rabbinic teachings:

"As the navel is set in the centre of the human body,

so is the land of Israel the navel of the world...
situated in the centre of the world,
and Jerusalem in the centre of the land of Israel,
and the sanctuary in the centre of Jerusalem,
and the holy place in the centre of the sanctuary,
and the ark in the centre of the holy place,
and the foundation stone before the holy place,
because from it the world was founded."

Midrash Tanchuma, Qedoshim.

Image of the Temple

JOHN CHAPTER TWO:
¹⁸ So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?" ¹⁹ Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." ²⁰ The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?" ²¹ But he was speaking about the temple of his body. ²² When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

One of the dominant Biblical images is of the Temple. Jerusalem was a city on a hill, and the Temple was on a mount within that city. It could be seen from miles away. Jerusalem was seen as THE place of worship for all Jews. They traveled to Jerusalem from far and wide on pilgrimage. There were at least two versions of the temple, as the first was destroyed by marauding invaders under Nebuchadnezzar. To build this incredible artifice took roughly seven years of labor by thousands of Israelites. Jesus says He alone will rebuild it in three days...what do you think He was trying to say here? What would you imagine the reaction of the Jews to be who knew the history of the original Temple?

Thinking Eastern Pt. 3

We have been looking at this study of 'thinking Eastern' for the last 3 weeks. It has captured my attention and my thoughts for several weeks now. When I was growing up in Church as a child, we rarely dealt with the Old Testament. As children we were taught the stories of Creation, Noah and the Flood, Samson, and the Boy David slaying Goliath. But we ignored completely the Levitical Law, The Song of Solomon and those little books at the end of the Old Testament.

Perhaps because of this background the fact that Jesus was most often referred to as Rabbi never really struck me until I read "The Jesus I Never Knew" by Philip Yancey. In this book Yancey argues convincingly that we can only truly understand Jesus within his backdrop of Judaism.

I have been mulling this over for several years now, and as we walked through the words of Christ this past year, it seemed to me that there was a hidden key within Judaism that I had overlooked. Now, as I am seeking to put together the pieces of what it truly means to be the community of God, I have returned to these scriptures as a means of understanding the early disciples. As I was studying this week's lesson, I was looking at Mark 2:20-ff., where Christ is discussing the Sabbath. I went to my Early Christian Commentary, and found to my surprise that the early Church Fathers did not deal at all with the Sabbath, but instead focused on the fact that since Jesus was eating he was a real man, and what it meant for his followers to be true disciples. Consider this quote:

"Now every week has seven days. Six days God has given to us for work, and one for prayer, rest, and making reparation for our sins, so that on the Lord's Day we may atone to God for any sins we have committed on the other six days. Therefore, arrive early at the church of God; draw near to the Lord for confess your sins to him, repenting in prayer and with a contrite heart. Attend the holy and divine liturgy ; finish your prayer and do not leave before dismissal. Contemplate your master as he is broken and distributed, yet not consumed. If you have a clear conscience, go forward and partake of the body and blood of the Lord." -- First Century Sermon recorded by the Historian Josephus.

Thinking Eastern, Part 2

OK, tomorrow will be the second lesson on thinking 'Eastern', and I wanted to include some links that you might find helpful!

Click HERE to access an excellent site about the tabernacle...

Click HERE to access a site about the history of the Eastern Orthodox faith...

Click HERE to access a site about icons of the Eastern Orthodox faith...

See you tomorrow!

One of my heroes, Craig Tullis

I sometimes use this space to highlight individuals that I find to be very inspiring. Today I would like to share with you about my friend, Craig Tullis. Craig is the Pulpit Minister at the Pilot Point Church of Christ, just east of Denton. He has been there about 6 years now, and been very faithful in following God's voice. He is a quiet, unassuming man, and you might be tempted to underestimate him. But that would be a mistake. He is a very deep thinker and serious about his desire to follow the Lord no matter where that path may lead.

Many ministers would move on from Pilot Point after a couple of years to a Church closer to the freeway, or where new rooftops are appearing. Who could blame Craig if he wanted to move to a larger Church that could offer a higher salary, more benefits, and other staff members to work alongside?

But instead Craig has been faithful in his ministry to the people of Pilot Point. He brings thoughtful, insightful lessons from God's Word. He reads widely in an effort to be the best minister he can be. He has pioneered a new 'program' called 'Be The Church Nights'. These happen once a quarter on Sunday nights, and this little Church has been able to bring the healing power of Christ to their small community in big ways. They have brought school supplies to nearly 100 needy children as well as provided shoes and diapers for needy children, and cared for shut-ins and orphans.

And Craig delivered one of his greatest sermons a couple of years ago, when he and Jennifer gave up their parsonage because they felt the kingdom needed it more. They have had a steadily growing number of kids attending on Wednesday nights in the last few years, and they felt they needed to have the necessary space, so Craig and Jennifer decided to find someplace else to move and let the youth group use the parsonage as their home base. Thus, he surrendered one of the great benefits

Sunday

Don't forget we are joining the Pilot Point Church of Christ for worship this Sunday Morning, and a fellowship meal to follow!

We will meet at my house at 9:15am and caravan up to the east side of Denton...unless you want to go up yourselves, and if so, click HERE to go to their website (created by the Peripetee Creative Resource Group!) which has a map!

I am headed to Chicago with Kara and Taylor for the next three days (Kara's graduation present!), so I will see you Sunday!

Grace and Peace,

Ryan

Ministry

I was reading a new book this week entitled 'Earthy Mysticism' by Tex Sample. In it he describes his 'choice to pursue a ministry career' in a unique way.

"I absolutely hated the idea of doing such a thing. The very thought that I would have to go through life as some sanctimonious mouther of platitudes drove me crazy. That I would have to tell people things they already knew and fill their ears with a bunch of musts, oughts and shoulds was about as exciting as standing on a corner telling people they ought to look both ways before crossing the street. I later learned, however, that the call to go into ministry is a lot like throwing up. You can put it off for a while, but there comes a time when you have to do it."

This past year I have learned many things about myself. The first and foremost of these lessons is that I am not drawn into ministry for a paycheck or even for more altruistic reasons, but as a call from God. I love people, and I love befriending people and showing them the love of Christ. I am also loud, showy, sometimes downright obnoxious. My quote that has kept Greg Needels chuckling all week was this: "The sad reality is, I'm just not even a very nice person." I could go on and on about the things I can't do or don't do well. But for all my foibles, God has granted me a welcoming heart and a love for His people that transcends where they have been or what they have done. I really do not remember people's lowest moments.

The factor that ties all this together is the book I quoted from above. Actually, it is the bookshop from which the book came. Connections bookstore has resided on Forest Park Blvd in Ft. Worth for almost 30 years. Its current owner, a gal named Peggy, is a retired librarian who has never owned a computer or cell phone. But she knows books. And specifically, she knows religious books. For the couple of years we lived on Forest Park, I frequented Connections and got to know Peggy well. We would have deep theological discussions, share about our lives (her friend Jenny also worked in the store until she had to take care of her invalid husband) and shared wonderful times together.

I haven't been in Connections for years, but this past Thursday, Jonathan and I went to the Colonial Golf Tournament in Fort Worth. We passed Connections, and I saw a 'Sale-Going Out of Business' sign in the window. So, after the temperature became unbearable, we left the golf tournament and headed over to Connections. I was very surprised to realize that after not having been there for nearly ten years, Peggy still remembered me. And our 'deep theological discussions' as she termed it; and our common love for Madeleine L'Engle. I reminded her that she was the first to introduce me to the wonderful Catholic writer Edward Hays, and Jonathan and I looked together at Henri Nouwen books we both love.

I was reminded of the good things that can happen when people love God, His words, and sharing life together. That a shopkeeper is not only a shopkeeper, but can be the voice of God in your life. That no interaction is unimportant - we must be aware of our each of them, as the writer of Hebrews points out in Chapter 13, verse 2: "Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!"

First Importance

In the beginning of I Corinthians 15, after alternately ranting at the Corinthians and defending his honor for many chapters, Paul switches gears. He wants to remind them, he says, of the gospel which is their salvation. This prompts him to say in V. 3: 'For what I received I passed on to you as of FIRST importance.' He then goes on to detail the facts regarding the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

But those words: 'first importance' they keep ringing in my head. If a teacher tells you something is of first importance for an upcoming test, what will you do? Of course, you will focus on those subjects above other areas.

Is it possible, then, that certain scriptures or commandments or statutes or principles carry more weight than others? Is that why John tells us in the 20th chapter of his gospel...that Jesus did many other signs and wonders than are recorded in his gospel, but that he wrote these particular stories down 'so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the Living God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.' Does that mean that those other stories or signs or wonders are of no account? Certainly not, but John has chosen those which, by the prompting of the Spirit, seem to be the most convicting...

Read Matthew 22:34-40...what do you think Jesus is trying to say here? And what does it mean for how we study the rest of scripture?

Upcoming Calendar!

Gibbons House Church Spring 2010...

* Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 9th

-- We will meet at the Elliott’s on this day at 10:30am, and there will be no common meal, so that we can enjoy some family time.

* Sunday, May 23rd

-- We will be heading to the Greenville Oaks Church of Christ to help them care for their kids during ‘Vision Sunday’. We will meet to leave at the Gibbons at 9am...all hands will be needed this day. They need 30+ folks in order to take care of the number of children they have and are counting on us...so WE NEED YOU!

* Sunday, June 6th

-- We have been invited to join the Pilot Point Church of Christ, just outside of Denton for worship and dinner on the grounds down on the lake. We will meet to leave at 9:30am at the Gibbons, and be back around 5pm. Each family needs to bring a covered dish to share...

* Friday, June 18th - Saturday, June 26th

-- AXIS trip to Colorado. We will leave at 8am, Friday morning the 18th and head to see our friends the MacKenzie’s in Colorado Springs, for a couple of days. On Sunday we will head over to Vail, Colorado and spend some time with the Trappist Monks at Snowmass as well as enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Rocky Mountains.

A MINISTRY INTERN!

-- JP and I have an intern coming this Summer named Megan MacKenzie. She is currently a student at York College in Nebraska, and is the daughter of some of Amy and I’s oldest friends in ministry. In addition to her work with Peripetee, we are allotting a certain number of her hours each week to help with house church. Megan is a very capable gal who has a heart for ministry and people. More info to follow on her specific duties...

Studying the Bible Wisely

So, I think the question for me has to become...how can I study the Bible wisely and profitably? For a long time in my life, I have read the Bible because it tells me about God, and because it teaches me how to live.

But, as we have studied more deeply the scriptures, things seem more complex to me. I realize that even when Jesus is teaching or speaking, things seem murkier at then end of his talk than at the beginning. And I have known for a long time that many, many conscientious followers of Jesus disagree about certain passages of scripture and what they mean for our lives. (Consider I Corinthians 14)

So, I have gone back to the basic building blocks to understand what role scripture needs to play in my life. I am considering two questions: 1) How should I read the Bible and what role should the Bible play in my life?

For the next few weeks at House Church I am going to us some materials to prod our thinking in this direction...for those of you who are readers, you may want to access these materials:

* Reading the Bible Wisely, by Richard Briggs

* How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart

* Word Pictures, Brian Godawa

I believe we will profit from challenging one another to consider the role God's word should play in our lives...

The Burning Question

Most of you do not sit around reading Bible Commentaries...I know this. However, if you have spent any time teaching the Bible to people you may have spent some time comparing commentaries...it is an occupational hazard to those of us who teach the Bible 'professionally.' And the choice of a good commentary series is very important, because the price tag for such a set is typically very high. A few years ago, a 'new' series came out that quickly became my favorite. It is called the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Series, and features the writings of Augustine, John Chrysostom, Gregory of Nyssa, Athanasius and many other writers from the first few centuries of Christian thought which have been collected in these volumes.

There is something I find very comforting about hearing from these writers, who were so much closer historically to the time of Christ. Somehow I can't get as excited about someone's perspective from my own generation. Because most of these writers only left scraps of writing behind, the editors of this commentary series have grouped their writing by chapter and verse, which offers an excellent overview from a variety of early scholars.

One of the things I find most interesting from our recent discussions is this...I Corinthians 14, which today would be viewed as a much more controversial chapter than I Corinthians 15 is left virtually untouched. While the early Fathers offer almost no commentary on I Corinthians 14, they go to voluminous lengths in discussing I Corinthians 15. While we might file the questions addressed in this chapter under that deep theological category of 'I Don't Know', these early scholars go to great lengths to discuss such things as...what version of ourselves will be resurrected? Will we be 'with' our spouses when we are resurrected? What is the difference between our physical bodies and our spiritual bodies (v. 44)? How long is the twinkling of an eye (v. 52)?

Things that we might simply throw up our hands and say 'I don't know' to, Paul and the early Church Fathers spend lots of time addressing. So instead of throwing up our hands, lets spend some time looking through their eyes...why might this have been so important to them? Why spend so much time discussing things which seem to be so minute? See you next Sunday as we ramp up toward the end of I Corinthians...

A Quote from St. Augustine

OK, so I thought I would put the quote out there that seemed to capture everyone's attention this past Sunday...

"Those who make dissensions and disturbances in the church are the ones who seem to be what they are not." -- St. Augustine

Prophecy, Interpretation, Tongues?

OK, so before our discussion on Sunday, you might want to read Acts chapter 2, especially the first 13 verses, and consider...

* What was the power of hearing the words in their native tongue?

* Why didn't God pull out this particular stunt again in the course of the New Testament narrative?

Then, go over to I Corinthians 14, and consider verse 18...what is Paul trying to say here?

* Look at verse 28 - is interpretation necessary? If there is not an interpreter, what should the speaker do? Why?

Then look at verses 29-33...how is prophecy different than what we typically call preaching?

Awakening

In those days,

we finally chose to walk like giants

& hold the world

in arms grown strong

with love

& there may be

many things we forget

in the days to come,

but this

will not be

one of them.

- Brian Andreas

As I was trying to look ahead in regard to our house church, I looked around the room at folks who have a lot on their plates right now. Facing grave illnesses to themselves or close family members, starting new seasons in their lives, beginning jobs or looking for jobs, seeking healing and wholeness of mind and body, dealing with nests that are rapidly emptying. It seems as if perhaps this is a time to remember to hold on tightly to one another with arms grown strong through loving embrace.

Grace and Peace

Ryan

Book Club Schedule

For my regular book club people and others who might want to join us (you are ALWAYS welcome!), here is our upcoming schedule...

Because several have read Donald Miller's Book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, we will look at that coming up on March 30th, April 6th and April 13th. I think it is a wonderful book, and I know several have ready it on their own!!

We will then take a one week break and pick up with a new book entitled The Year of Living Like Jesus ISBN: 0310247772. The author, Ed Dobson, is a pastor has been diagnosed with ALS and been given 2-5 years to live. He decides to embark on a year long quest to truly live like Jesus. His book is a memoir that chronicles that year. You can check out more about Ed Dobson here...

www.livingjesusly.com

We will pick that book up on April 27th...we meet at 6:30pm and would welcome one and all...

Writing has been scarce

Sorry that my blog posts have been few and far between lately...God and I are doing a lot of business, and a lot of things have been running through my head. But they haven't necessarily been things I was ready to put down on 'paper'. Let me say that I love being with this group of people, and I thought Sunday in particular was a deeply enriching day...

I will have more things to say in the coming days, but for now, let me say...you are much loved!

A Possible Retreat

So I am thinking about having a planning retreat May 14-16th...how many folks would be available?

Waiting??

So, I was thinking this week (happens occasionally, no matter what Earl tells ya!) :-)

Jeremy was reading from I Corinthians 11 before Communion and asked us all to wait to eat the common meal until we all had our food. Wouldn't you know that people were sneaking bites and hollering to find out if everyone was through the line (oh, wait, that was me!). That scripture came alive for me this week!

I have begun to look at spiritual practices very seriously and try to decipher which ones really do benefit my spiritual life...and coming to some interesting conclusions!

This week at mentoring group Micah introduced Jonathan and I to a new spiritual practice called 'A Church of Two.' I will introduce all of you to it this Sunday! I hope it will be beneficial...but be ready, it calls for you to share!