Now What?

I enjoyed talking with you all this morning as we executed our "year in review"..  It was great to have a visitor (Steve) in the room and I was impressed at the conversation.  What a year we have had... and what a year we have ahead of us.   As it has been, it will always be.
Do you believe that Jesus was born, lived, died and rose from the dead?  That is pretty much the whole game..  So my answer is YES.. I do believe..  Now What?

That is what we talk about each week in the "coolest room in the church".

LOVE IS A CHOICE

Thanks for making the time to study through the open door this am.
jeff

Below are some other links I talked about:

• Circle of relationship not a chain of command. 
• Church is not about assets. 
• Sacrifice for who? by whom.
• Relationships are a blessing. Now if I can just figure out how to keep up with it all.

Peace in Bethlehem?

Open Door Discussion today was focused on the importance of Bethlehem and the role of humility in the Christmas story. After we studied and worshipped together, we continued our fellowship at TK Tripps for great luncheon.  Good times had by all.. Two full tables of kids, and no issues.. Amazing.

Talking Points Summary:

• We are spiritual beings on a human journey, not human beings seeking a spiritual journey. 
• Jesus models the way for us in everything that he does. It isn't about importance, it is about love and a willingness to sacrifice for others' needs.
• Bethlehem's peace story is about inner peace.
• Death is not something to be afraid of. Bethlehem points us on the path toward the crucifixion and resurrection.
• We need to seek to recognize and truly appreciate the value and unique blessings that every person lends to our lives. Every person is special and can do great things.. through Christ.
• There is no such thing as impossible.

If I missed anything, please feel free to add in your thoughts in the comments.

jeff

Below are bunch of links we talked about.. and even laughed about at lunch.. 

Jeff's Quotes that are important to me page: http://web.me.com/jeffp/Jeff_Prillaman/Quotes.html

Alarmi, Alarmi! Are there artists among us?  http://vatenor.blogspot.com/2009/12/alarmi-alarmi-are-there-artists-among.html

Atlas doesn't shrug in my mind even after weeks : http://vatenor.blogspot.com/2009/09/atlas-doesnt-shrug-in-my-mind-even.html

Religious Objectivism http://vatenor.blogspot.com/2009/09/religious-objectivist.html

"Sometimes you have to create that which you wish to be a part of." -- Virginia Tenor: Fit in http://ow.ly/GXZd

command and control doesn't mean what you think it does. http://ow.ly/FB4v

Unity requires a circle of relationships, not a chain of command. http://vatenor.blogspot.com/2009/08/unity-requires-circle-of-relationship.html

Advent Candles with Open Door

If you are looking for a place to study the Christmas story with a twist.. Open Door is the place for you. We begin each Sunday morning at 10am, Huguenot Road Baptist Church, upstairs in the middle building..by the coffee pots. We start where everyone else does, but we rarely end in the same place. ;-)

Hope to see you through the OpenDoor, Jeff

 ======================
How is the birth of Christ relevant to my life?

WEEK by WEEK Overview for Advent 2009:
The first four lessons in this unit draw inspiration from a traditional interpretation of the Advent candles as the Prophets’ Candle, the Bethlehem Candle, the Shepherds’ Candle, and the Angels’ Candle. The final lesson, which occurs after Advent, celebrates the theological meaning of Jesus’ birth as described in the prologue to John’s Gospel.

In the first lesson, taking our cue from the Prophets’ Candle, we delve into some of the prophetic words about the Messiah in the book of Isaiah. As we study these Old Testament prophecies, we will ask ourselves, How is God present in my life—yesterday, today, and tomorrow?

In honor of the Bethlehem Candle, we move in the second lesson to the little town of Bethlehem, a most unexpected place to serve as the birthplace of the King. Through what unexpected sources might God want to bless us? As we think about ancient Bethlehem, we will ponder this question.

The third lesson reminds us of the Shepherds’ Candle. Shepherds were considered untrustworthy and irreligious, so it is surprising that God chose shepherds to receive the news of Jesus’ birth. We also may sometimes feel unworthy of God’s love. The lesson invites us to think about the kinds of people God uses.

In the fourth lesson, we focus on the Angels’ Candle and ponder the angel’s difficult message to Mary. What hard thing might God call us to do?

Finally, in the fifth lesson we explore what it means that “the Word became flesh and lived among us” (Jn 1:14). We conclude our study by asking a practical question: How is the birth of Christ relevant to my life?

Lessons will use Smyth and Helwys Formations as the base for discussion. Outline above comes from their online overview summary materials.

Thankful for Stewardship Summary Sunday & fellow fanatics..

Luke 18 and the story of the young, wealthy, ruler's encounter with Jesus is a powerful lesson for us as we seek to find our way in a world of uncertainty. 

• The illusion of control is enticing and insidious. Wealth, health..
• "Coming to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than putting your head in an oven makes you a biscuit."
• We are commanded to love one another and "keep our kin" by the true King. 
• The problem posed in following Christ aren't as hard as they appear.  We should seek the perspective of a child as we entertain options. 
• Cost of Discipleship: Jesus asks us for all that we are..all that we have and all that we will be in the future..
• Linear problem solving approach to life just won't get it done.  
• We can't solve all of the world's problems nor are we obligated to.. 
• As we journey together to seek the goal, we learn that the goal is actually the journey itself. 
• Our salvation and the results are assured. 
• The price of our failure has already been paid. 
• The young ruler's freedom was respected above all.. We don't know that he didn't return to Jesus at a later date, but Jesus demonstrated his love, respect and compassion.. rather than forcing.
• Peter Pan required a happy thought and some "magic" to fly. 
• Peter Pan's childlike spirit freed him from his "anchors/distraction"
• Our strengths and resources sooo easily become our greatest weaknesses. 
• Fulfilling obligations and accountability/responsibility in a "get it done model" are not the path to Christ.
• Coming to church, and doing all the right things is not the path to Christ.  It isn't enough to present the illusion or facade of discipleship.  Christ asks us to be fanatical.
  

Keepin our Kin

Talking points from the discussion for those of you that missed today..
Scripture was from Luke 16

• Are you your brother's keeper?  YES
• Kin: is traditionally a relationship imbued by blood or marriage, but can extend far beyond our cultural "norms" how we define it is generally up to us.
  
• The "keeping" part is not simple. requires balance between blind service and control/ownership.
• Is Jesus a communist/socialist?  This was a rhetorical question... but we aren't sure he would be a capitalist. When he was asked, he said render unto Caesar what is his.... studied this last week with separation of church & state ideas.
• Idea that we should use Jesus and Matthew 25 to support a socialist agenda really fired some folks up. We didn't really discuss this in depth, but it stirred a lot of passion. 
• Closing thoughts:  Discernment regarding actions and benevolence are individual choices, and the accountability is ours alone. We should listen to the prophets and read the bible, then decide for ourselves.

MISSED THIS FROM MY LESSON PLAN.. Bonus thoughts: 
1. The price for our failure, and our brothers' failure has already been paid by Jesus on the cross.  Our obligation/imperative is simply to love our "kin" and be God's light in the world.. sharing his love.
2. It is not our obligation to right the wrongs, solve the problems, nor to judge the wicked. We are here to journey together and love one another through good and bad. Sometimes we can help.  We should always want to help. How to help, is ultimately the question. 

That is what " keepin kin" is all about in my "neck of the woods".

Fanatical Focus on the Future through FAITH

What is the cost of discipleship?
time, money, power, attention..

Where is our/your focus? future or past

What is the church's(HRBC) mission?
Our mission at HRBC is to glorify God by being a loving, Christian community that reaches out to all people through worship, spiritual growth, proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ, and ministry to needs in our world. (Acts 1:8)


Where do our resources come from?
God, experience, skills, gifts...

Facilitator Thoughts to interject if/when appropriate.

• The illusion of support is a foundation for failure on a gigantic scale.  If the foundation is false, the "building" will crumble.
  
• We must maintain a fanatical focus on the opportunities available to us in the future.
• We must remember that we are beloved of God and that he will provide for our needs. 
• We cannot OUTSOURCE our ministry obligation via the church, the cooperative programs, the staff, or children.
• The church is a tool to educate, empower, support and embolden individual. It is not the goal in itself.
• Maintaining what we have in the present is an anchor which can distract us. 
• Our past is indeed a base of security and comfort, but it is also a burden and an excuse for inaction. 
• We must remain vigilant as it is the small distractions which are easiest to miss and that have the most impact over the long term. 
  
• A fanatical focus on hope for the future, presents opportunities in every day, minute, meal, conversation, performance...  We begin to see messages and levers for change in everything from movies, to our workplace, to our familes, and yes in our GIVING.  
• time & money matter... resources are required for support and change.
• Stewardship is an important focus for all of us.. A Steward has an obligation to "care for the passengers" on their journey. The job is by its very nature, temporary and is a means to an end.. Remember the end,  and do NOT focus so much on the means.
  

What is our mission?  now THAT is the question we each have to ask... and are we stewards, or do we maintain an illusion of control in place of a stewardship of others awaiting the "return of the king.


REFERENCE RESOURCES:
Luke 9:57-62 (MESSAGE)

  ⁵⁷On the road someone asked if he could go along. "I'll go with you, wherever," he said.
   ⁵⁸Jesus was curt: "Are you ready to rough it? We're not staying in the best inns, you know."
   Jesus said to another, "Follow me."
   ⁵⁹He said, "Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father's funeral."
   ⁶⁰Jesus refused. "First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God's kingdom!"
   ⁶¹Then another said, "I'm ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home."
   ⁶²Jesus said, "No procrastination. No backward looks. You can't put God's kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day." 

Luke 9:23-27 (MESSAGE)
 ^{23 -27}Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat—I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I'm leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn't, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God."

Luke 14:25-27 (MESSAGE)

  ^{25 -27}One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one's own self!—can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple.


Movie reference: Return of the King  ...Tolkien

• The steward was to secure and "keep" the city for the king. He was NOT the king.
• In the face of the real battle, each member had to hold the line and do their part. All were needed.
• Stewardship does not equal control but without the stewards, the city could not have survived.

Fanatic:
a person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, esp. for an extreme religious or political cause. ---- informal a person with an obsessive interest in and enthusiasm for something, esp. an activity

STEWARD:
1 a person who looks after the passengers on a ship, aircraft, or train and brings them meals.--a person responsible for supplies of food to a college, club, or other institution.
2 an official appointed to supervise arrangements or keep order at a large public event, for example a sporting event.--short for shop steward .
3 a person employed to manage another's property, esp. a large house or estate--a person whose responsibility it is to take care of something : farmers pride themselves on being stewards of the countryside.

Baptist nation?, Christian nation?: Religious Freedom

• We are a nation of Christians, not a Christian nation. yes, there is a BIG difference.
• Two major forms of Idolatry to look out for:  Nationalism/Patriotism,  SELF 
• We are here for the sole purpose of loving one another and letting God's light shine through us. We are called to demonstrate God's love to the world in accordance with the great commission.
• Jefferson was most proud of 3 things:  UVA, Declaration of Independence and the VA Statute of Religious Liberty.
• It is amazing that the founders ratified the first amendment of the constitution.
• Freedom is messy, but it is ordained. Free will, freedom to choose God or not..
• We must maintain a perspective which balances history, present issues and a reasonable/diverse view of the future implications for our decisions/actions.
• We are NOT in control. GOD is.
• Government and all authority exists from GOD. 

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

--- Marianne Williamson.
VA Statute of Religious Liberty Reference:  http://www.vahistorical.org/sva2003/vsrf.htm

Jefferson on Politics & Government:  http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff1650.htm

Constitution 1st Amendment:  Freedom of Religion and Press:   http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1

Roman 8 (Message)--   http://www.Biblica.com/bible/verse/?q=Romans8&msg=yes
v28  ...we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

Jeremiah 29:5-14 (Message)-- http://www.Biblica.com/bible/verse/?q=Jeremiah29&msg=yes
⁵"Build houses and make yourselves at home. "Put in gardens and eat what grows in that country. ⁶"Marry and have children. Encourage your children to marry and have children so that you'll thrive in that country and not waste away. ⁷"Make yourselves at home there and work for the country's welfare. "Pray for Babylon's well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you." ^{8 -9}Yes. Believe it or not, this is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's God: "Don't let all those so-called preachers and know-it-alls who are all over the place there take you in with their lies. Don't pay any attention to the fantasies they keep coming up with to please you. They're a bunch of liars preaching lies—and claiming I sent them! I never sent them, believe me." God's Decree! ^{10 -11}This is God's Word on the subject: "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. ¹²"When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. ^{13 -14}"When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you"—God's Decree—"bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.

Romans 13:1-10 (Message)-- http://www.Biblica.com/bible/verse/?q=Romans13&msg=yes
^{1 -3}Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it's God's order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you're irresponsible to the state, then you're irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you're trying to get by with something. Decent citizens should have nothing to fear.
 ^{3 -5}Do you want to be on good terms with the government? Be a responsible citizen and you'll get on just fine, the government working to your advantage. But if you're breaking the rules right and left, watch out. The police aren't there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order, and he uses them to do it. That's why you must live responsibly—not just to avoid punishment but also because it's the right way to live.  ^{6 -7}That's also why you pay taxes—so that an orderly way of life can be maintained. Fulfill your obligations as a citizen. Pay your taxes, pay your bills, respect your leaders.  ^{8 -10}Don't run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don't sleep with another person's spouse, don't take someone's life, don't take what isn't yours, don't always be wanting what you don't have, and any other "don't" you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can't go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love

Freedom: Gathering at HRBC through the Open Door

Today's lesson was challenging today, as you all know of my general disregard for the "institutional realities" of our modern church.  As I explored the ideas of church freedom I struggled to understand and ground my own freedom and responsibility to participate in the larger congregational polity of HRBC.  This was quite a stretch for me, as I tend much more towards individualized ministry goals. Below are the themes and ideas that I presented as we discussed. (for those of you who made it through the open door)

Church models:(membership)

• Parish model: geographically aligned, baptism upon birth, closely linked to local gov't historically
  
• Gathered church: choose to join, free will tradition

Church models:(governance)

• Episcopal: leadership drawn from apostolic tradition, bishop, clergy
• Presbyterian: leadership decision by council of elders, representatives, session
• Congregational: leadership by democratic process, consensus, each member is unique and voice is critical to the "body"

THEMES: 

• Church is constructed and organized around a shared purpose, mission, vision. 
• I believe that our purpose is to love and to model God's love for our community outside the church while embracing and inclusive approach to the world's diversity and the church's conflicts and messiness. 
  
• That purpose must be active and outward facing, and cannot become consumed by self sustaining objectives. 
• Church exists to support the congregation members as they perform ministry in community and in their communities.
• Mission should arise from/out of the congregation, not be dictated to the congregation.
• In dealing with conflict/dissent, polity and actions must NEVER cross the line to control, manipulation, or violence. individually, or collectively.
• Respect for the priesthood of the believer must remain paramount. 
• God empowers the called, he doesn't just call the empowered. 
  
• Casual engagement, lack of passion and fear of dissent are the enemy of a polity built on the supremacy of the individual's worth.
  

Interesting to review the sequencing instructional parallels between 1 Cor and Romans in these passages:

• 1 Corinthians moves from Gifts/Diversity to Love(Ch13), to Prayer/Orderly worship(Ch14) to Belief & Resurrection(Ch15)
• Romans moves from Gifts/Diversity/Entreaty to Submission to authority(Ch13), to Relationships(Ch14), to Imperative to help others(Ch15).
  

Scripture references:
Romans 12
1 Corinthians 12
Acts 5:38-39  Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

We need a faith community to sustain us and support us through the storms, and ambiguity of our daily lives.
We are needed within a faith community to ensure diversity of ideas, gifts, and blessings. A diverse community is capable of withstanding the onslaught.

The church must lead by example both inside and to a thirsty world.  Showing the Love of God in our actions. not just our words. as individuals and as a group... LOVE tells the success, not size of buildings, number of members, nor the depth of our financial reserves, nor the amount of giving.

Bible Freedom

What does freedom mean?  

• What is required to maintain it?
• Is it the easy path?
• What role does personal responsibility, accountability play in securing and maintaining freedom?
• How are individuals responsible and accountable for those same ideas when they are part of a group. How is freedom for the individual secured by the control, governance of a larger assembly/body?
  

What are the foundations of our "lens" for freely viewing the Bible.  (People, Time, Culture...)

• Others Views: history, scholars, commentaries, preachers, teachers...
• My View: Personal study, life experience, meditation, cross referencing with other sources
• Jesus Christ, our personal relationship
  
• Holy Spirit, working within us, individually and collectively.
  

What do we do with the Bible after we interpret it "freely". Can/Should our interpretations change over time?

• We control, and we choose to be prescriptive of actions or descriptive of actions. 
• Control is applied individually or collectively how?
  
• Do we use it to coerce others, under the guise of influence, manipulation, politics, leadership, and management? (Creeds)
  
• Do we use it to build self confidence, self control, self governing actions which then showcase the righteous paths for others through results and actions. (Confessions, Statements of Faith)
  

How is it different when the bible is interpreted and applied to or for a group rather than an individual?

The reference scriptures are:

 Hebrews 1:1-2,
 Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words!
Hebrews 4:12-13 
God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what.

I vouch for...

Today's lesson was from 1 Kings 1.. We reviewed themes of power, influence, advocacy, and even what some might consider manipulative, political posturing.  The theme which stood out to me was that Nathan and Bathsheba were simply standing up for what was true and right.  Solomon was Jedidiah, he was chosen.  God selected the next King just as he had David and Saul before him.  When David made his proclamation, he was simply vouching for Solomon with the people. 

I posed a lot of questions today. Among them were:
What is Power?  Affluence and Money, Influence, Ability, Confidence, Action, Production, Knowledge, Strength?
What ideals will you vouch for and why?
Who will you stand up for and why?

You don't have to agree with everything that someone else believes to advocate for them. Love them, serve them and go forth into your world with humility.

Just think what a difference you can make if you stand up for your friends, neighbors, and fellow Christians in their action and yes, even in their failures.  David was NOT perfect, but he was King.  Jesus is perfect and is King.  We choose how and who we follow.

Do you know who you are?
Do you remember whose you are? 

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.   I can vouch for Jesus.(not that he needs it)

Window open or are curtains closed?

Great class this morning as we studied 2 Samuel 12. The profiles of David and Bathsheba give us a window into their lives.

God's interactions with them should also provide us a window into our own lives.

• We aren't perfect and our actions have consequences, but those consequences don't change the fact that we are "beloved of God"
• It is okay to be a non-conformist. David was, Jesus was...
  
• The entrenched ideology of our culture is interesting, but it is not a replacement for our own personal relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
• Think of this image. God is outside the window looking in, you are inside looking out. The Bible is the window. In this role, Scripture provides a window into the nature of God and his love for us.
  
• He is always out there just waiting for us to open the shades, lift the sash and "live" with him.
  
• We need to open it wide open and live in full ecclesia/community with God.
  
• We tend to close the window, put on a reflective coating, draw the shades, and even install curtains. God is still there.
  
• We choose the blocking, not him.

Open Door... At a glance...

With the Fall 09 "activity" season upon us, HRBC will host its annual back to church night on Sunday evening Sept 13... all around the church. come on over to the courtyard for food, friends, and fellowship. Come on over and if you see a big man, sitting in a "big boy" chair, come say HI!

If you are visiting HRBC on a Sunday AM here is an "at a glance" view of the Life Community which calls itself Open Door.
Disclaimer:Admittedly, this is Jeff's view of the class, but I figure as the teacher I am best positioned to prime the pump with ideas and lay it out there. If you all have other ideas, comments welcome.

Requirements to visit/join:

• Not really much, as we talk about the Bible and the implications of scripture in our daily lives, in plain english, no nonsense kind of approach.
• Can't say that I regularly even take roll. We are there for one another, whoever is there, each week.
  
• Bible knowledge not really required, this is an OTJ training environment.

Fun Facts:

• We are interested in "churches without walls" but that isn't practical, so we always leave the door open. seriously...We talk a lot about going to people instead of asking them to come to us...still trying to solve this one.
  
• We are the "coolest" class in the church. (especially in the Winter)
• We actually talk about things that many people in churches just think about.
• We have a lot of fun outside of church, from Pool parties, to Meat Night, to Ladies Nights Out, to our annual "men provide/cook gourmet dinner and serve it to the ladies"

Who we are:

• We are mostly married 30 somethings, 40 somethings, and 50 somethings. We tend to have children of differing ages in elementary school, but not necessarily.
• We enjoy thinking about current issues, and talking about how to actively use the gospel in our every day lives/applications.
• We aren't afraid to discuss and even question entrenched ideology and theology in a safe, inclusive, environment of friends.
• We care about one another and we act accordingly, going beyond the "traditional" expectations. We strive to sacrifice for one another, to make a difference.
• We ALL want to learn more about loving one another through regular study of the Bible, and further through regular fellowship and study. (in ecclesia)

Whose we are: GOD's period.
We are believers and searchers. A few of the favorite saying of Jeff are

• "I don't know the answer, but I still believe"
• "Every day is an opportunity"

Meat night 2009

Lots of fun was had by all the guys last night.. Unfortunately, most of what was said is subject to the overriding rules:

RULE 1 "What happens at meat night, stays at meat night!"

Just a few of the Dinner Rules:
nothing sauteed
nothing "mild"
name of the dish cannot have female name in it
no girly drinks
sweet potatoes and sweet tea are allowed due to geography only(we are in the South)

Movie was Transformers 2:
absolutely nothing redeeming about this movie.. other than fun.
Lots of stuff got blown up.
One line remains in all our minds.. sorry can't fully quote it here. "I am directly beneath...."

RULE 2: Remember Guys.. if you had fun last night.. it is now our obligation to plan and present a wonderful meal for our Ladies in the Fall!

Nineveh, Jonah, Grace to all

Well, I had a great lesson plan queued up for today.. largely due to my lack of administrative prowess. That is a fancy way to say that I forgot that the facility committee and staff were presenting the new strategic facility plan to the church this am..

I missed you all so much over the past few weeks that I was back on autopilot and preparing.. So I decided to go ahead and write down these thoughts so we don't lose them. I'd love to hear your thought or comment as well.

The book of Jonah is a quick read, but worth every word. One of my most profound theological learning experiences came from a study that Rev Scott Erwin and I undertook using Eugene Peterson's "Under the unpredictable plant". For me Jonah represents so much of the reality of vocational ministry and call versus the ideology that most see. Ministry is about doing God's will where God puts you with whatever he gives you. When you couple God's call to a servant leadership model, it creates a condition where you are often forced to be an outcast in today's culture. (or you should at least be willing to be outcast) The message is not likely to merge well with today's culture or values. Of that we can be sure.

We were all set to focus on our personal mission fields, our personal and group obligations(our calls to ministry).

Where do we serve?
Who are we and how do we serve?
How do we decipher God's call to us when he does speak?
Are we remaining open to the Holy Spirit or have we locked in instead on our vision for the future?

and now for the tough ones..
What happens when God loves everyone, even the people we don't like, agree with, or even want to be around?
What happens when our friends or colleagues embark or are already on a path that we don't believe is correct? How far do we push? How much obligation do we have?

Where is your Nineveh, could it be Midlothian, and maybe even HRBC?

Identity and Heritage

Who are you you? We spent Sunday talking about identity as it relates to heritage, choices and our future. We will wrap up this topic on Sunday 6/14 with an attempt to "hang out our shingle" in writing.

Jeff's challenge to Open Door:
Spend a few minutes thinking about what defines us in OpenDoor and what it is that draws you personally to class each week. When you invite someone to visit, what do you tell them?

Thoughts and/or questions:
lots of things define us and we are each a unique mix
God loves us no matter our actions or intentions
It is easy to embrace "high level" ideological principles. much harder to make the daily decisions that flesh out the action and the future.

Verses referenced and used:
Joshua 24:14-18
Jeremiah 29:11
James 2

Homeostatic Happiness

Today at HRBC was all about Next steps.. from the graduates in worship to our closeout of the story of Esther.

Few of my thoughts/bullets are below summarizing the stuff we talked about... Was great to see you all today. (post your comments/thoughts on the blog)

• Commanding generals Lee and Grant "chose" a path to reconciliation and unity at Appomattox. Check out (Appomattox County) for more on this.
  
• Esther and Mordecai "won" and chose a path which allowed the Jews to massacre over 75,000 people as a result of the persecution. Was this revenge or justice?
• There is no linear solution to "happyeverafterness", no matter what Hollywood says
• Willy Wonka told Charlie "remember what happened to the man who got everything...he was happy"
• Perhaps by focusing on what God wants for us, we can be happy.. perhaps not.
  
• We should live in JOY, and joy is not same thing as happiness.
  
• God was at work through Easter and is at work in our lives every day.
• Holy spirit is with us and will help us anytime we ask.
• Revenge and Justice are dangerous for us. They present a lot of problems which we can't easily reconcile. Perhaps they are best left to God to deal with..
• People: both adults and children should never raise ourselves up by putting others down

CLASS ACTIVITIES TO PLAN:
Ackerman assistance (come through Jeff, assessment is underway)
Fun in the Son 2009???
Meat Night
Ladies nights continue..
Remember Open door has a group on Facebook.
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Friday nt forums are ON!.. Prillaman house on Friday nights.. bring enough food for your crew to eat, kids welcome.. we eat from 6-7 and talk from 7-9ish.
on June 5: we will continue with the 912 principles & the Declaration of Independence

Future topics for the forum are likely to include: the Church & the government, Influence of Arts on world, Obamanomics, The Great Depression, Raising kids in our entitlement society, Universal Healthcare, Gay Marriage and embracing diversity, Rich v. Poor in U.S.A. , Green future... Socialism, Fascism in Our time/town... who knows we may even have some guest experts..

Brotherhood vs Benevolence via Relationships

Memorial day was a special memory for the Prillaman clan today. With my mom and dad here, and in response to a great children's service last week, Josh decided to make his public profession of faith. It was a good day.. to quote Fernando Ortega, "this good day, it is a gift from you. The world is turning in its place because you made it too. I lift my voice to sing a song of praise, for this good day. "

In class today, we continued the saga of Esther, focusing on the people in the story and their relationships and choices. We recognized that there are different levels, expectations, filters and even capacities for different relationships in both their lives and ours. I shared my vision for our class as a true "life community" that lives as an active part of each others' lives while at the same time recognizing the development cycle which we have to continually traverse. Group dynamics are indeed an interesting and constantly evolving reality for a family/community like ours.

Read more on Form, Storm, Norm, and Perform here: http://changingminds.org/explanations/groups/form_storm_norm_perform.htm

Here is another interesting point on this.. might surprise you. http://judesmith.blogspot.com/2007/09/form-storm-norm-perform.html

As we mature and constantly navigate this cycle I want to encourage each of you to think about not only what you can/will do but also what you expect. An honest discussion is key to our continued growth.

Stuff we talked about today:

• Who are the people in our lives. Don't forget our adversaries, enemies in addition to teachers, friends, colleagues, etc..
• What is the definition of a BFF and how do you make one?
• House and Wilson and whether they are really friends.
• Risk and Reward concepts abound in relationships. To mature and grow we need trust. Trust is developed through shared experiences both positive and negative.
• Esther and the King.. using position, power, and savvy negotiating to get good results.
• Helping one another as brothers not benevolence.
• Anyone interested in helping "tactically" with the Ackerman's needs, should work through me. I am and will be coordinating a property assessment and plan of action.
• Other people in the class need to also queue up requests for help for our "life community to help with", from carpentry, to childcare, to coaching, and beyond. (This should come to Jeff as well for coordination)
• Boundaries and the danger of communications context in generating good will vs ill will.
• Being careful not to manipulate the sympathies of others just as Esther did with King Ahasuerus.
• There ARE consequences for good choices and poor choices. Adults should be constantly vigilant.
• Reality that many people just want a list of things that they can do to make a difference "locally". This is okay. By starting and working through conflicts and challenges together, openly, and honestly, we will all grow and we can "be one in Christ"
• Open Door is not in the business of benevolence. I EXPECT us to be in the business of brotherhood. My vision for this class is for us to constantly grow as Christians, while we study, change and deal with the conflict that is LIFE.

To quote my mom, we are all blessed but the blessings are not for our benefit alone. They are gifts from God to be shared with our world... one relationship at a time.

Love you all.. Have a great day.
jeff

The FEUD

Continuing episodes in the saga of Esther found us in "conflict" between two authority figures. Haman and Mordecai definitely didn't get along, to say the least. The "FEUD" ends up okay but at this point in our story, things look pretty bad.

If you couldn't make it today, please know that I missed you and the class wasn't the same without you.

Ideas discussed today:

• Bowing, when, how and why
• Warning signs: if your identity is tied up with being against someone or something, that can be dangerous. It isn't bad by definition, but it is very risky.
• Cost benefit analysis on keeping up the "hate" or just letting it go
• Betrayal: Jeff's personal reaction to it, and ideas on how to look to the future and move ahead.
  
• Reminder: God is working in and around you all the time.
• Forgiveness and reconciliation: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do"
• Turning the other cheek means? bowing down, choosing not to fight back, demonstrating an all encompassing "love" for your enemy/adversary. It doesn't mean ceding the "right" position, but it does mean that Love and the relationship must remain paramount.

THE ONE THING: It is not enough to be right. More action is req'd and loving your brother in spite of his actions, maybe even "because of" his actions is critical. Honesty and integrity in the face of crisis coupled with loving actions will "get you through it".

As always, I would love to hear commentary on these ideas and I hope and pray that each of you is actively participating in our life community outside of class. Dinners, dates, discussion, hanging out, and maybe even a few "diapers".. (I threw that one in for you Forrest/Lori). Please remember and don't hesitate to reach out to one another for the little things... help around the house, babysitting, video game tips, shoulder to cry on, someone to talk to, and someone to laugh with.. Relationships matter, and they don't just happen. They take work and continuing action/dedication.

MOVIE Recommendation: Go see Star Trek.. great entertainment, without any real "agenda" just fun, fighting, feuding, and photon torpedoes.. this one is worth seeing in the theater.

Class business:
We need a class secretary/secretary team to check the role, and pass around the announcements. (if you are passionate about that sort of thing, please step up)
Activities Coordinators/team: plan the Spring/Summer/Fall events and actually "make them happen"
Teaching Assistants/Facilitators: I need a break once in a while, please let me know if you are interested in taking the lead for any of the coming segments.. even for just a week or two..

The teaser:upcoming lessons/Themes:

• Lessons for May will continue on the soap opera of Esther ;-)
• June is about Prayer on the go.. will be interesting to see where exactly it goes...
• July is all about God's messages for cities. Jerusalem, Nineveh, Nazareth and Sodom.
• August wraps up all of this mess with studies of "Adjusted Attitudes"...

Happy Mother's Day to all. Hope you enjoy the beautiful weather and remember the blessings bestowed upon you by your Mom.

Read your lesson before Sunday AM.. it helps!

Jeff

Ms California, Tea parties and the evil bankers - Open door notes 050309

Well now, I came to church this am thinking that the lesson would be pretty boring standard fare. Come on now.. like Don said, going through each day could just be about being "practical". That is certainly what I think Mordecai was doing. We DO need to be practical and think about when to speak up and when to be quiet.
Our actions should speak for themselves. I wonder if they do?

I enjoyed studying with you all this am. It was much more fun than I thought it was going to be. Ooops, not sure if I should have said that.

I do hope to get to see more of you, more regularly over the next few months/units. I know it is hard, but please do all you can to make it out on Sunday AM. Our time together is important for each and every one. I believe that we have something special going on, and that we need to try and reach out to our church, and our community with our fellowship, families, and faith. If we can't be disciplined in making our time together and in worship a priority, how can we expect to impact our community and neighbors. God will bless our offering of time and resources, but we must make an offering first. Please think about how and what you might do to sacrificially follow Christ and do kingdom work over the next few months..

SPRING/SUMMER FUN:
Lessons for May will continue on the soap opera of Esther ;-)
June is about Prayer on the go.. will be interesting to see where exactly it goes...
July is all about God's messages for cities. Jerusalem, Nineveh, Nazareth and Sodom.
August wraps up all of this mess with studies of "Adjusted Attitudes"...


Notes:
1. Open door now has a "group" on FACEBOOK for any of you that are addicted like me.
2. Ladies night fellowship is tonight at Tripps. This is a great opportunity to come out and praise your wonderful and virtuous husbands & children in public or... you could just get to know the other ladies in the class. I am really proud of you all for doing this sort of thing.
3. 2009 Fun in the Son. where, when, how.. pool? beach?, lake anna?,

How about a class party soon? I have heard good things about Dave & Busters and there is now one open up in Short Pump.. sounds like it might be a fun date night for all of us adults.

Other ideas: any chance of a Spring camping trip or even a beach weekend for any/all of us to go together?

Remember, we all do what we want to do. I pray and hope that you will "want" to be with your friends at Open Door no matter where we go...

jeff


--
Jeff Prillaman
Executive Director, Da Capo Virginia
http://www.dacapoinstitute.org

Success at community?

What would Jesus think of?
Us, Our church, Our familes, How we use our time... OUR DISCIPLESHIP

I deeply enjoyed learning and worshipping with you all this morning. I got myself all worked up as I listened to Bert speak and at the same time realized how busy my family would be at "church" today. The ideas that were laid before me were oxymoronic. This isn't the first nor likely the last time I get into situations where the Holy Spirit speaks to me and I don't understand. I may not know the answer, but I do believe.

We are truly committed to the business of HRBC, but we are more committed to the mission that Jesus laid out for us. I had some revelations in the last 24 hours as I studied Mark 8:34-9:1. Ask me one on one and I'll be glad to share some of my own insights. They are a bit personal, so I won't write them there, but I would like to talk with you more about them and learn about your own journeys, with their successes and failures. We don't have time for that on Sunday mornings, but I would like to offer up a regular discussion time at my house, if anyone is interested. We as a life community, can choose to prioritize and spend time together supporting one another in our homes, and outside of the expectations of HRBC. Perhaps, we might find a new language or tone to our discussions if we are open. We can talk more about this after I ask Tracee if it is okay.. ;-)

I know and can speak to the elements in my life of denying self and sacrificing for the ministry and mission that Jesus has laid out for me. I follow blindly, and I trust in the future. I love my neighbors often to a fault.


Assignment: (yes this is a test and written answers would be best)
1. What sort of Church do you want to be a part of? (answer in paragraph form)
2. Does HRBC and our OPEN DOOR class fulfill on those dreams? (yes or no)
3. How are you helping your church to bridge the gaps?

EXTRA CREDIT!!!
4. Are we successful as a class based on the criteria laid out in the video?
passion, work, focus, persistence, ideas, good, push, serve
5. What are we good at?
6. What can we improve on?

Meet Who? where, when, how, why

Hi all, Scripture for tomorow is

Isaiah 12:1-6 NRSV
You will say in that day: I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, and you comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted. 56 Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth.

Isaiah 12:1-6 MESSAGE And you will say in that day, "I thank you, God. You were angry but your anger wasn't forever. You withdrew your anger and moved in and comforted me. "Yes, indeed—God is my salvation. I trust, I won't be afraid. God—yes God!—is my strength and song, best of all, my salvation!" Joyfully you'll pull up buckets of water from the wells of salvation. And as you do it, you'll say, "Give thanks to God. Call out his name. Ask him anything! Shout to the nations, tell them what he's done, spread the news of his great reputation! "Sing praise-songs to God. He's done it all! Let the whole earth know what he's done! Raise the roof! Sing your hearts out, O Zion! The Greatest lives among you: The Holy of Israel."

Since I won't be there.. I need each of you to think about how you can contribute to the class' journey through Meeting God. Look to the Holy Spirit to work within you and treat this as a bit of a test for one another.

on accountability, resourcefulness, encouragement.. are you role models for one another?

Proposed discussion plan and starter sequence: whoever is there.. this is your "ASSIGNMENT"

When you come to church.. Who exactly do you intend to meet?
How exactly do you "MEET" God? write up some practical examples.. maybe even personal stories. reviewing the last few weeks..

How do we worship.. review the scripture for guidance.. what else can we do?
Why do we worship.. review the scripture for guidance.. what does it say.. What else is the Holy spirit telling you right now?

Others: What role does discipline and boundaries play in your life, sports, arts? What are some of the big boundaries for Christians? How do we deal with them and what role does the worshipping community play in supporting one another through our collective failures?

Is worship between and individual and God or is it the "collective" offering of the church honoring God? is it both? and what does that mean.

I am so sorry that I won't be there to talk with you and learn from you tomorrow. I will probably miss you much more than you miss me.. ;-)

Reminder, this is what we have talked about through January..

Meeting God in Renewal Isaiah 2:1-6, 13, 20-22
Meeting God in Judgment Isaiah 5:1-13
Meeting God in the Temple Isaiah 6:1-8
Meeting God through the Spirit Isaiah 11:1-9
Meeting God through Worship Isaiah 12:1-6

BONUS ACTIVITY: What do you remember from our study this month... fill up those boards.. with thoughts, ideas.. maybe even action plans.. would love to see comments, emails on this for discussion.

Our first Make a difference Sunday is still set for April 26th but we may not be able to partner with Julie's class since this is Youth Sunday.. I am feeling convicted that we should stick with the date and find something to do.. even if it means coming to church and then "hitting the road" with our familes for service.. Wasn't my original plan, but it might be what God's plan is.. I am still praying on that one.

Sorry I won't see you tomorrow.
jeff

The LISTS: Kooky with Big Ears, are you?

It was great to be back at HRBC today. We had a low attendance day today.. FYI to all, we noticed and missed you. Glad we had Jill, Jon, Veona, Don, Tracee, Heather and myself..

MAKE A DIFFERENCE SUNDAY will be April 26. mark your calendars, and start preparing.. We are partnering with Julie's class and ideas are coming soon...

Study today was on Isaiah 11:1-9(full text is at the bottom of this post from the NIV)
Sermon in worship service was on :

We began our exercises today trying to come up with the characteristics we would list to describe people in our lives who are "led by the spirit".. real people, real examples.. not ministers or church leaders..

Our Role models, Encouragers, Accountability Partners, and Resources were:
Bruce, Cassandra, Pat, Ed, Liss, Dee, and Nancy.

The Spirit LIST: Humble, Faithful to God, Trusting, Compassionate, Honest, Encouraging, Servant, Positive, Respected, Kooky, Helpers, Charitable, Available, Big Ears, Big Hugs, Persistent, Fair, Objective, Prayerful.

For us this list defined values that are Old and TRUE... these should be the keys to success. It is unfortunate that in most cases in today's world, we tend to attribute value to individuals who exemplify the opposite of these things all too often. The list above perfectly exemplifies the ideas we have been focusing on for: Perspective, Opportunity, followed by Action. That is how we meet God in my book. We should all strive to be a little more "kooky" and we should definitely spend more time listening with our "Big Ears".

We then dove into our Bible study and created the following lists to try and make sense of the poetry and message from the prophet.

vs 1-5-- The new king as defined by Isaiah will be: fruit-bearing, filled with wisdom, understanding, counsel, mighty, powerful, full of knowledge, fearful of the Lord, will delight in the Lord. he will judge by righteousness and not just by sight, just, righteous, faithful,

vs 6-9-- The new kingdom as defined by Isaiah will be: non-conformist, child-like, calm, peaceful,trusting, smart and safe

The Branch From Jesse

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -

and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;

but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.

The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.

They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

QUESTIONS for YOU!
How would you score on our spirit filled, spirit led 10 point scale?
Under pressure, do you look to the Lord first or do you first lean on your OWN understanding and experience?
Who is in control? the president, the pastor, the church, the individual, the parent? or......

Accountability: Perspective, Opportunity, Action

I have been so busy lately, that I haven't maintained a very healthy example of keeping perspective, finding opportunities or actions. I wonder if maybe you all might be feeling the same. Seems like things are kind of hectic right now despite our "deep freeze".

Had an interesting thought that while my personal focus is a little frenetic right not, my "systems of involvement" and relationships have kept me on track. Other people and my regular committments have helped to hold me in line despite myself. Coaching in Upward with the practice on Monday and then games today has made a difference in reminding me and keeping me accountable to my own plans. Preparing for SS lessons is always a challenge and praying with my family at meals is a constant baseline of attention. Think about what your grounding points are and what the contexts are that keep you involved in each others' lives. Telephone calls to one another, maybe meals together, studying together and even playing Wii together are all opportunities. Sports, Music, Choirs, etc.. each presents chances already in place that we just need the courage to embrace and commit to.. Not always necessary to reinvent the wheel. Aren't we lucky that God is always there and just waiting for us to ask for help, or even just waiting for a simple conversation.

How is your personal God time going these days? I would like to hear and help and hope we can all help each other as the devotion below mentions..

Tracee and I will be at First Baptist Ahoskie way down in NC tomorrow but Ken will do a great job facilitating and teaching as he always does. Pray for safe and fast travel for us.. We will be booking it back up the road and hope to see some or all of you at Family Movie Night tomorrow night. See you soon!

jeff

==========================================
Spiritual Growth Is Not a Private Matter
by Rick Warren

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)

*** *** *** ***

Some of us hesitate to commit ourselves to developing an intentional plan of growth that requires accountability or relationship with others because we believe spiritual growth is a personal and private matter. We choose to believe each person develops in his or her own way at his or her own rate.

This is an aberration from the truth.The idolatry of individualism has influenced even the way we think about spiritual growth.So much of the teaching on spiritual formation is self-centered and self-focused without any reference to our relationship to other Christians.

This is completely unbiblical and ignores much of the New Testament. The truth is that Christians need relationships to grow. We don't grow in isolation from others. We develop in the context of fellowship.

Over and over again in the New Testament we find this basic truth: Believers need relationships with each other to grow! Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another …" (NIV).

God intends for us to grow up in a family.

© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches.