students of grace

rebirth of a dying breed

definition of a dying breed:

                                            irrelevance, if not dead yet, death is on its way...

    well, that's a working definition for now...

        throughout history, throughout scripture, we are reminded that the call of Christ is a call to die to the world.  to kill off our worldy desires, thoughts, schemes, plans... not in exchange to live in a world of self-deprecating, self-inflicted depravation of all things pleasurable... but to hold on to the only thing of eternal substance, the only thing of real joy.  we subscribe to hope that tells us that last is really first.  that we are a part of kingdom that is bigger than political systems, and encompasses all earthly kingdoms.  we point not to ourselves, but to those moments in time where God is at work in this world and heaven and earth seemingly collide, where God makes himself known and seen and we do our best to get out of his way.  this is the life of a follower of Christ, the savior of the world. 

to live is Christ... to die is gain.  - paul, a part of a dying breed.

this call, this life is alien... foreign...

to the world we are less like prophets, more like vcr repairmen...  irrelevant, if not dead yet, death is on its way.  in the eyes of the world we are a dying breed.

reality... as alien as it may seem to the world... the gospel is the only living thing in this dying world.

the answer isn't to bring the gospel into the 21st century

its the only relevant substance out there... we just have to get out of the way of it...

let us lift up these eternal beings around us... in our networks, schools, and workplaces... above the mess of this world so they can see the hope of a savior who died so that we my live...

join the rebirth of a dying breed.

put on your karate pajamas

what happens in the life of "experienced" christians in today's world is extremely dangerous to the kingdom work of the church of Jesus Christ.  By experience, I don't mean maturity.  Unfortunately, after a few years in the faith, we spend more time learning from other "experienced" christians, than getting caught up in the rush of wind ofJesus that causes radical change and action.  After a while, excitement is translated to naivity.  Real action is left to the "radicals."  Faith is reduced to faithful attendance.  Fighting for the oppressed and needy turns into fighting over the order of worship (incidentally some of the most worshipful experiences I have ever had could not be described as orderly.) 

On a regular basis as a child I watched the movie, The Karate Kid.  By the end of the movie I would have gone to my room, found my karate pajamas, and would be running and jumping around the house, kicking everything in sight.  I was inspired, motivated.  I couldn't stop from inserting myself into the story, the excitement of The Karate Kid.  As Christians, we have the most subversive, riveting, inspiring story of a God who loves us.  This is a story, though we know the ending, of which we are a part.  At some point, we stop tuning into the Spirit as He leads us through the scripture, and we act as if we have heard it all before.  Our "experience" allows us to recline as we hear the story that should put us on the edge of our seat.

The challenge of the experienced follower is to quit listening to ourselves saying "I've heard it all before," and to feel the excitement again.  We must find a way to get so inspired that we put on our karate pajamas and insert ourselves into the story of the gospel. 

May 7th is the national day of prayer.  On this day, Christians all over will be praying that God will do something big in our country.  I believe that God wants to move in a big way in our country, and I will pray that He will do so.  Even more so, I pray that God inspires His people to respond to the hope they have been given.  May this response be child-like, naive, and radical.  May we not lean on our "experience," but may we run, and jump, and kick everything in sight.

Here is a link of "inspired" ideas that could change a nation, one child-like step at a time. 

http://blog.sojo.net/2009/04/14/50-ways-to-make-a-movement/

icarus wind

say what you want

i say your a bird

waxened wings unfirled

on an icarus wind

your icarus flight

into the perilous night

bright with lights

hope you have fun

your journey's a bust.

 

this is an excerpt from a song that i wrote.  when i wrote this i was thinking about the story of icarus from greek mythology.  icarus, in a haze of his own confidence, crafted wings of wax so that he could fly.  he flew alright.  he flew so high that he got too close to the sun and his waxened wings melted and he fell.  despite warnings from his father, icarus felt he knew best, he felt untouchable.

the book of ecclesiastes refers to similar pursuits as chasing the wind.  how often do the pursuits of this world... the pursuit of happiness...wealth...companionship feel like we are chasing the wind.  sometimes we are like icarus and we are quite good at our pursuits.  we know that the lures of the world are dangerous yet we feel, like icarus, untouchable.  we fly alright, but eventually we get burned.

this icarus wind that we get swept up in will surely lead to failure.  it can only carry us so far before our own wings of wax... our own strength melts under the heat.  even spiritual pursuits can feel similar if we are trying to acheive righteousness for ourselves... by our own merit. 

in this easter season, let's not get caught up in the current of the icarus winds of this world, but may we jump into the slipstream of the power of the ressurection.  the life-giving, death-defying power of the ressurection will carry us to where the restoring love of Christ is present and working.

happy easter... john

practice resurrection

what does it mean to practice resurrection?

last Easter season a friend of mine wrote me a very simple note.  it consisted only of two words: "practice resurrection."  these two words have now sparked a journey in my mind that has moved me more than two words ever have before. 

to practice.... to act out... to pursue... with purpose.

resurrection... restoration... death to life... with purpose.

to act out "death to life."  to see death, to give life.

scripture is very clear about death.  sin leads to death. that means if we are living with sin there is real death present as well.  this death manifests itself differently with different sins.  in the sin life of an alcoholic, death presents itself in a very physical way.  one is physically a slave to his sin, absent of freedom... absent of life.  for those of us whose sin is a bit more subtle, it can creep in almost unknowingly.  that means that death is just as sly, just as discreet.

to practice resurrection we must seek out the death that sin has brought into our existence and ask God to breath his life-giving air into us. 

to practice resurrection we must seek out the death found in the lives of those God has put around us and ask Him to restore life into them as well.

this is gospel work... God's restoration... death to life.

practice resurrection.

peace and love, john

welcome students of grace

welcome students of grace.  sure, this is a blog for grace church student ministries, but we are all students of grace.  sometimes we grow, sometimes it feels more like we are wilting under the pressures of the world, but as students of grace we are always learning how to lean on the grace that we are given through our Savior, Jesus Christ.  i hope to use this site to keep students, parents, and any one else interested in what grace church student ministries is up to.  shalom, john