Our story, our song

HRBC OPEN DOOR AT A GLANCE
Specific, beloved, first born, children of God.. living and learning life "together, but separate ;-)"

As we finished up our study of Jacob and Esau's family drama this AM, we had a excellent review and discussion of Revenge vs Reconciliation as themes in our own lives and stories.

As always, I'd love to see a continuing discussion in comments on the blog and as always, I'm personally available to talk with any of you... both as a friend and as a Christian brother.

Talking Pts.

• The story of this family resonates deeply with all of us. It is our story. 
• Wounds inflicted are real.. and cause damage
• God's mission can be accomplished even amidst Man's conflict and despotism.
• We are defined by Who we are but also by what we do. 
• A spirit Revenge roots us in a constant state of bondage. Linking us to a moment, event, or an action and inhibiting us from forward motion and growth.
• A spirit of humility and service empowers and encourages us and others. 
• Reconciliation does not come without sacrifice. 
• Reconciliation is practical and requires communication and context to seek resolution.
• We can choose humility and service or... meism.
• Our God is an awesome God of reconciliation and redemption.
• We must choose to join God in his work rather than constantly asking him to join us in our work.
• Is God in your life, or are you in God's life?

For the FALL - Open Door will focus on a Missional Renaissance as a Life Community. We will learn and deal with Life issues first using the Bible and the Holy Spirit to seek out where God is working in our world today, right here in Midlo, around us...

(BE)Key Themes for coming weeks:

• Jobs needed
• Needs vs Wants personally, collectively
• Current roles are related to our purpose exactly how...
• How does our faith intersect with the workplace...
• Listening for simple things, simple solution
• what does ministry mean exactly?

(SERVE) Our Life Community must have an external focus in addition to our collective time on Sunday AM.

• What is your plan for service in ministry?
• How are you equipped for ministry? 
• How and where are we serving in God's mission and God's world? rather than ours...
• Are you willing to document a plan for YOUR service? if you don't write it down, it won't likely happen... work with others, personal accountability. 
• Do you have a scorecard for your personal ministry?

Fernando Ortega's song: Anita's Heart was what I wanted to open with and discuss. The parallels for what Rebekah must have felt when Jacob left... a child leaving home... trust in the Lord for a relationship for each of us... Hope for a future...
I'd suggest a listen along with some personal reflection on how this song resonates with you. Who and what must you leave behind to join God in a "Missional Renaissance" - Reconciliation is the beginning of redemption and relationship.

Back to Be Love Serve Repeat

Had a nice time this morning as I returned to the "facilitator/teacher chair" after almost a full month away.  It was so familiar, and yet special to be among friends, in fellowship.   It is amazing to be reminded of my purpose, and to be able to learn and contribute concurrently, embracing diversity.  All as we, Be Love Serve.. and REPEAT.

From the opening prayer ;-), to the trickle in attendance effect, to the excellent conversations, challenges, and inclusive learning,  to the worship service, it was a reminder of why I do indeed love Open Door and HRBC.

If you are or have been taking a break for the Summer, or simply just traveling... don't forget the comforts of home in Open Door where it depends,  we don't always know the answers, but we still believe. Most importantly, we have a forum where we can think about what we think, talk about what we know and don't know, and practice what we preach as we prepare for the harsh realities of our culture. 

References and materials I used this am came from:

Matthew 23:1-12 NIV
James 3:1 & 13-18
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Galatians 6:1-6


HRBC OPEN DOOR post/class from July 2, 2010 - Thank you sir, we are not worthy...
Virginia Tenor: Circle of peace and love
Virginia Tenor: Fundamentals

==============  Rick Warren's Devotional on Choice

Choices control your calendar by Rick Warren

We are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:5 (NLT) "You have just enough time to do God's will while you're here on earth." Your choices control your calendar and, as a result, your lifestyle. Your choices are far more powerful than your circumstances. You may not like how complicated your life has become yet, with very few exceptions, no one is forcing you to keep your life complicated. You have the power to simplify your life. The Bible teaches, "We are each responsible for our own conduct" (Galatians 6:5 NLT). To me, that means God expects us to assume responsibility for our lives and to carefully choose how we spend our time. That's why I've spent years teaching people to discover why God placed them on this planet: What is your purpose for being here? Ultimately, it will be the donation of your life that will count far more than the duration. In other words, it's not how long you live - or even how much you cram into how long you live - it's really about how you live. Here are three essential steps to simplify your life: First, figure out your purpose, and then let your purpose guide the goals of your life. Second, organize your activities based upon your purpose. Finally, harmonize your schedule with your purpose; that is, bring your activities into agreement with your goals. You have just enough time to do God's will while you're here on earth. You've been given just enough time to fulfill your purpose. When you try to do more than God planned for you, it's only natural that you'll find yourself constantly out of time or stressed over your schedule. If it doesn't fit the purpose of your life, God doesn't want you doing it. In fact, he may be overjoyed that you finally got the message and stopped doing meaningless activities. He may even want you to add "rest" or "have fun" to your to-do list.  My prayer for you is that you will find relief from stress and a new sense of satisfaction as you do only the things God created you to do.

===================== Smyth & Helwys Commentary...


"The Sin of Omnicompetence"
In her memoir Leaving Church, Barbara Brown Taylor speaks of the day she began to clean out her desk drawers in the office of the church where she was pastor. She was amazed and humbled by all that she found there: "Crowded in the third drawer," she writes, "were folders for every one of Grace-Calvary's many parish groups and committees. Children's Chapel. Confirmation Class. Journey to Adulthood. Daughters of the King. Stewardship. Annual Budget. Parochial Report. Buildings and Grounds. A/V Equipment.… The folders went on and on, convicting me by their sheer numbers of the sin of omnicompetence. Who could be good at so many different things? What had driven me to try…a whole file cabinet full of things that would never get done no matter how many hours I spent on them?" (117-18). Taylor had come to the difficult realization that the busy, all-encompassing life she was living in the church had been less in the image of the easy yoke Jesus spoke of and more like that heavy, showy burden of the Pharisees striving for perfection in every tiny detail of life: "My quest to serve God in the church had exhausted my spiritual savings. My dedication to being good had cost me a fortune in being whole. My desire to do all things well had kept me from doing the one thing within my power to do, which was to discover what it meant to be fully human" (127)--one who makes mistakes, who lives not by works but by grace alone, by depending on others to carry us through the places where we do not have the resources to make it on our own.

I wonder for how many people has the sin of the church's omnicompetence become a process by which we "tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others" (Mt 23:4)? We see our churches, in many senses, as one-stop spiritual shopping--we have to have worship to fit everyone's needs, vibrant programs for all ages, study groups in every teaching style and topic. But how often, rather than leading us to spiritual depth, does this lead us to a spiritual dryness like that of the Pharisees--to a place where, as our lesson says, 


"A façade of spiritual vitality covers the emptiness of shallow lives"?

If each church were to focus on its own gifts--having humility to know what it is wise for the church to tackle and what will be too much, to know the places where God is calling them to work and the places where another church may be better equipped rather than competing with other churches for the best in everything--might we learn the humility of a lightened burden? Might we find ourselves freed from endless committees, classes, and projects enough to open up time to actually see others and serve them, as Christ served those he saw as he walked through life with empty hands and open eyes?

Barbara Brown Taylor, Leaving Church (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 2006).

Abby Thornton holds a B.A. in religious studies from the University of Virginia and an M.Div. from Duke Divinity School. She has served four congregations in North Carolina and Virginia, most recently as minister of spiritual formation at Freemason Street Baptist Church in Norfolk, Virginia. An ordained Baptist minister, she presently lives in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia.

Thank you sir, We are not worthy...

Discussion points from today:
Pride seems to be at the root of many things both good and bad.
We "personified" the sins.. in discussion and ideology from Tiger Woods, Hugh Heffner, and Donald Trump to all of the characthers from Star Wars.  Sith or Jedi?  Which character do you identify with?  Who do you idolize?  The individual answers of attendees today were not surprising, but also lined up with our cultures' ideals.

THE TWIST:  We as a society idolize the very things which promise to be the root of a potential downfall.   We must remain focused on service and Christ. but... I posit that we should actually embrace our passions and have pride in who we are.. "fearfully and wonderfully made in God's image"... By doing so, we become the salt and light which the world so desperately needs.

I encouraged the class to embrace their specific uniqueness as first born beloved of Christ while understanding that there is a line which must be avoided.  Pride is a slippery slope, but it is balanced by the dangers of a lack of self esteem, and a collective passiveness to the Christians in a world desperately in need of their gifts.

"God fully expects the church of Jesus Christ to prove itself a miraculous group in the very midst of a hostile world.  Christians, of necessity, must be in contact with the world but in being and spirit ought to  be separated from the world. --- and as such we should be the most amazing people in the world."  A W Tozer 1897-1963

My premise... We as Christians have long embraced a spirit of humility and overempasized this ideal.  We have inhibited generations of evangelists, teachers, disciples, and missionaries by telling them that they must always learn more, know more.. before they can do more. The modern church institutions has a habit of inhibiting its member rather than empowering them.  Ministry must be contained, blessed, controlled by the powers that be in so many cases.  This is baffling to me.
We discussed God's examples of "equipping the called" rather than the, secular, pride filled, humanist model of "calling the equipped."


From Oliver to Wayne's World and back again with a short trip through Proverbs...

• How does a lack of self confidence inhibit your life, ministry, and mission?
• Is it better or worse than over-confidence and hubris run amuck...?
• Where is confidence appropriate? and how?
• Are you abdicating our moral and ethical leadership role as a Christian in today's society due to cultural pressure to conform with "political correctness"? Do you call that humility and is it?
• What do you do when you are right and you know it? with kids, family, friends, colleagues?
• How do you respond when someone affirms/tells you: how great you are, what a great job you did, how cool you are.. or what an amazing role model you are?  Ok.. so probably doesn't happened so much to most of us... but how would you respond if it did.. We will practice ;-)
• Do you affirm those around you or do you more naturally criticize them? Is it because of your pride or you humility that you most often take action?
• How do you decide to speak up or be silent... helping a friends succeed, but risking the friendship.. or allowing them to fail and just being there to support. When are you justified in interfering? 
• Is your pride fierce? Is your humility equally fierce? 

Proverbs 11:2; 16:5, 18-19; 27:1-6
11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble.

16:5 All those who are arrogant are an abomination to the LORD; be assured, they will not go unpunished.

18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit among the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. 2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—a stranger, and not your own lips. 3 A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both. 4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming but who is able to stand before jealousy? 5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love. 6 Well meant are the wounds a friend inflicts, but profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

More References:
Excellent Blog post by Dallas Willard on Humility
"This is the path to humility. Never pretend. Never presume. Never push."


Competition or Collaboration by Dr. Charles Hulin III
"...We compete:
To receive attention . . .
To satisfy the ego . . .
To enable right to win over wrong.
We conclude that we have discovered the secret for the good life, namely, in the word "compete." "

OUT OF UR - OUT OF CONTEXT:  "When our goal of worship is to receive God's help to be successful, pride is taking over. Then we are just using God to further ourselves. Could it be that we want church-growth secrets, or even God's Spirit...for the wrong reasons? Have we slipped into a proud and competitive mode? Is this part of the reason why the American church seems so crippled right now?"

Just a little more please... Slippery slope of greed and envy

GREED: intense and selfish desire for something, esp. wealth, power, or food.
ENVY: a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck

Greed is rampant in our society and psyche. The culture which blesses us so fully is a dangerous and powerful force in our personal worlds.. motivations, ideas, decisions, and plans.

Giving is the solution for solving the problems created by getting!!!!!

Are these questions a slippery slope for you personally, how about collectively? I/We need....

• More/Better time?
• More/Better space?
• More/Better motivation?
• More/Better education?
• More/Better friends/members?
• More/Better stuff?
• More money, more money, more money?

Proverbs 3:27-28; 11:24-28; 23:17-18
-- 3:27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it"--when you have it with you.
-- 11:24 Some give freely, yet grow all the richer; others withhold what is due, and only suffer want. 25 A generous person will be enriched, and one who gives water will get water. 26 The people curse those who hold back grain, but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it. 27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to the one who searches for it. 28 Those who trust in their riches will wither, but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.
-- 23:17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD. 18 Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

10 COMMANDMENTS are relevant here in particular: Check out #10

More DISCUSSION QUESTIONS---

• How does greed manifest itself in our personal decisions?
• How does greed influence our decisions in the workplace?
• Does the church as an organization experience greed, envy?
• What is the difference between greed and striving to get ahead in life? What are the results of experiencing one without the other?

Jokingly, we say, "Money isn't everything, but it's way ahead of whatever is in second place." Read James 2:1-13. Why do you think the prosperity gospel puts so much emphasis on material things?

God's blessing are poured out on his people. Your needs will be met and he has plans to "prosper you not harm" Jer 29:11  - While this doesn't mean that you will be free from trials, it does mean that there is no need to hoard in a way that deprives your fellow man of opportunity.

Blessings and belongings are not EVIL. 
Success in competition is not SIN.  

• Romans 8:18-28 --MESSAGE
• James 2:1-13 MESSAGE
• Matthew 25:31-46 MESSAGE

I believe that blessings and prosperity are given to be shared.

• If you have a big house - use it to entertain, share ideas, study and rejoice with many
• If you have a great kitchen - use it to cook meals for others
• If you have a nice yard - use it to meet your neighbors, cookouts, games, sprinklers
• If you have a nice front porch - invite a friend/neighbor over just to talk.. share a beverage ;-)
• If you have a nice vehicle - use it to take someone to work, school, or church.. other than your family
• If you have a beach or lake house - revel in the glory and power of the ocean with friends, invite others to share
• If you have a cabin - take your neighbors, friends, even "enemies" on retreat and share the splendor of smores and a campfire as you love.
• If you know something, tell someone else. 
• If you have time - use it to serve, create, and make a difference!

Sin, Sex, Salacia, and the Slippery Slopes

Tomorrow, we begin a series of lessons on Sin and in particular the "Seven deadly sins".. Our texts for 6/6 focus us on Lust and Gluttony.  

In case you are wondering, one of my favorite restaurant experiences was in Va Beach for a wedding anniversary celebration where Tracee and I enjoyed a phenomenal meal at Salacia.. Excellent restaurant.

Below are some reference notes and ideas to get you started.. on our own slippery slope.. Lets all hope that we will spend the next few weeks climbing.. rather than digging... that is assuming you understand that we are already in a hole with our lifestyles and culture of "meism".

Little Sins/Big Sins... separate us from God and put our feet firmly on the "proverbial" slippery slope.

Proverbs is a book presenting the Wisdom of the Sages where the goal is to provide a roadmap to "live well and right"

Proverbs 1:1-6 These are the wise sayings of Solomon, David's son, Israel's king— Written down so we'll know how to live well and right, to understand what life means and where it's going; A manual for living, for learning what's right and just and fair; To teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality. There's something here also for seasoned men and women, still a thing or two for the experienced to learn— Fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate, the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women.

Seven Deadly Sins: is a human construct/interpretation of SINS that lead to... death and eternal separation from a God who loves us and sacrificed himself for us to pay our ever accumulating debt.

• What exactly is SIN? yep, answering that question is the most central issue for us.  If you don't know, then that should be your focus. 
• Do you respond to positive reinforcement or judgemental punishment models? and how do you believe that the guidances for wise living set forth in Proverbs, should be dealt with... Are they laws, should they be?
• What is the punishment for not obeying this wisdom? What is the punishment for SIN?
• Why do we continue to sin even if/when we know that it is both wrong and bad for us?
• Do you know what the "seven" things are that God despises?  
• Do you know the Seven Habits of highly successful people?
• Do you think regularly about your personal "Tools of the trade"?  Benjamin Franklin used a table to track his personal progress and regular practice of 13 Virtues.  

What is your PLAN for LIVING WELL AND RIGHT?  Perhaps... it starts and ends with Love and an occasional trip through the Open Door.  I would also suggest a regular review of the Wisdoms of the Sages presented for us in Proverbs.

The Dilemma small church vs big church

Here is a nice mid week article to help you think about "what you are doing?" this week.. and where your ministry obligations/accountability come into play.  

For Open Door on Sunday... We will continue talking about church with the same leading questions from last week...   what are you doing?  Then add in: what do you expect others to do? And what do you do when others "do" ?

I read the linked article just now... and I'm thinking.... Maybe the supposed future is a series of "small churches", one might even call them life communities... intertwined and active within the construct of larger assisting fellowship organizations, or even traditional churches... Maybe the "small churches" of our future are already here in our traditional church model, and just need to be engaged and activated/empowered in their own missions... 


Questions: What changes if we think about HRBC as an association of 15-20 small churches all working together for a common cause of "kingdom work".. What is our mission then? Would we do things differently, meet on different schedules, etc... 


I'm just sayin... We need to think and then ACT...

SUGGESTIONS for some things TO DO...
-- "be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 
-- Use two gifts.. Speak and Serve... It is really that simple, but it sure isn't easy...

Small Churches are the Next Big Thing -- http://www.outofur.com/archives/2010/05/small_churches.html

PERHAPS We should also be... 

• "Celebrating small churches because they are better positioned to reach people at the margins, better equipped to empower the laity for the work of ministry, and more inclined to cooperate, rather than compete, in ministry"
• Recognizing the value of the existing "big church" institutional ministry assets.. people, patterns, facilities, brand, systems of action...
• Bridging the gap between the two to come together and do Kingdom work.. one person at a time..

Using your gifts...Looking for gifts

Our journey in Open Door continues as we begin to wrestle with who has what, does what , is expected to do what, and gets credit for exactly what? 

Discussion Questions?

• What are our gifts and how are we using them?
• Are you committed to your beliefs and ministries or do you just show up?
• Are you hiding your gifts so that you won't be asked to commit?
• Do you recognize the service you see in others and encourage it?
• Are you offended when leaders within your circle step up and lead? How do you know their intentions and guidance are right?
• How do you feel about the idea of paid/vocational staff members in churches? How does their role and obligation to serve others differ from yours?
• What do you do when they blow it?  What do you expect others to do when you blow it?
• When it comes to churches... How big is too big and what happens with small?

Guiding Thoughts

• We need each other in community.  Our continuing ministry is built upon our wiring for service and love to one another. Each of us has a role to play... We cannot play one anothers' roles as we are each specific, beloved children of God.
• Faith and its associated works is associated directly with sacrifice and suffering.  We must be fearless, gentle and reverent as we ACT not just speak about the love of Christ. This means holding one another accountable, celebrating successes and openly discussing failures. The community succeeds or fails together and all its members share the burden. 
• Leadership positions in a faith community are a tremendous responsibility and burden. Not an opportunity to showcase and build yourself up.  Service to a life community is just that.. It is a life of humility and service.. 

LINK TO ARTICLE:  THE DIRT ON ORGANIC CHURCH from LEADERSHIP JOURNAL

NOTES on ORGANIC CHURCHES and response article on Out of UR.

BOOK LINK: Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens - Neil Cole

This feels right to me.. our evangelism becomes about gentleness, reverence, and accountability to each other through deeper personal relationships with one another.. both inside and outside of the "institution". Evangelism becomes a part of who we are every day, in everything that we do.. it is NOT a task to be checked off... Our life community becomes about transforming both our own lives as well as those around us through Being, Loving, and Serving.. Repeatedly!!!

http://www.outofur.com/archives/2010/05/defending_organ_1.html
1. Make disciples, not organizations, and let Jesus build the church out of changed lives. A disciple is one who follows Christ and learns at his feet. Allow them to learn to follow Jesus. They will make mistakes along the way, but that is how we all learn. Protecting people from mistakes is to keep them from learning.
2. Lower the bar on how church is done and raise the bar on what it means to be a disciple. Look to invest in what’s proven rather than in potential. As people are faithful with small obedience present them with the opportunity for more. Start slower and smaller and let the growth generate by reproducing new life, rather than trying to grow something too quickly through attraction.
3. Life Transformation Groups (LTGs) are a simple method of empowering ordinary people, even brand new Christians, to connect to God’s word and obey without creating a dependency upon others who will tell them what to think and do. When the disciples are connected to Christ and following him, then the church that is gathered is strong and able to stand on its own without the unhealthy dependency that Mr. Hofmeister felt was needed. In an LTG people are reading a lot of Scripture repetitively and in context. They are also accountable to one another for confessing their sin weekly. Finally, they are identifying and praying for the souls of lost friends that need Jesus as well. I can trust people who are in such a relationship, and in a church made up of such people has the strength to grow, reproduce, and endure. (Search & Rescue is a book that explains how LTGs work and why.)

==============================
1 Peter 4:7-5:5
The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers.
8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. 11 Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

Suffering as a Christian
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice in so far as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or even as a mischief-maker. 16 Yet if any of you suffers as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name. 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinners?"19 Therefore, let those suffering in accordance with God's will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator, while continuing to do good.

Tending the Flock of God
5:1 Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you 2 to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it--not for sordid gain but eagerly.
3 Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away. 5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."