Last year I set a personal goal to finish writing at least one book project. I ended up writing two book projects.
This year my goal was to publish at least one of those books. In about a month I will self-publish my first book, "The Gospel:For Here Or To Go?" through Lulu.com.
At the moment, Neil Cole (author of "Organic Church") is helping me to edit the book and he has also promised to write a forward to the book for me, since the idea for the book came from a series of six articles I ran over at his website last year.
The complete book is about a hundred pages long and includes about nine new chapters, in addtion to the previous six articles (which were mostly re-written for the book version).
If all goes to plan, I will soon offer the book online here at my website, as well as to the faithful subscribers of my weekly e-newsletter, [Subversive Underground]. If I can I'll try to offer the subscribers a little bonus above and beyond the regular online purchase.
Later this year, or early next year I will make the second book project available, "The Power Of Weakness: God's Amazing Plan To Change The World" which is largely made up of material that has never appeared online or in print in any form. This book is about 90% complete right now.
Looking ahead to a third book project, it is my intention to compile the current ongoing series of articles, "Top 10 Things Every Christian Should Know (But Probably Doesn't)" into a book eventually, as well as other collections to come of my interviews (with Matt Redman, Todd Hunter, Dallas Willard, John Fischer, etc.), and articles compiled by subject like social justice, spiritual formation, and Christian Culture.
For now, the first book project is enough to keep me very busy. I'm very excited about getting it published and made available to everyone.
Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me and my writing over the years.
I hope this first book can help people to see God's calling on every Christian's life to be a missionary wherever God has planted you, and provide practical coaching on how to fulfill that calling in your actual life, neighborhood and workplace.
More later...
kg
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
SHANE CLAIBORNE'S COMMUNITY DESTROYED BY FIRE
Philly Fire Destroys Simple Way Community Center
"Fabric of our community life changed forever."
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/
DONATION INFO AT
http://www.thesimpleway.org/
**More from Shane's "Simple Way" blogsite-
This morning, a 7-alarm fire consumed an abandoned warehouse in our Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia. The Simple Way Community Center at 3200 Potter Street was destroyed as well as at least eight of our neighbors’ homes. Over 100 people were evacuated from their homes, and 400 families are currently without power. Despite this tragedy, we are incredibly thankful to share that all of our community members and every one of our neighbors is safely out of harm’s way.
This fire will forever change the fabric of our community. Eight families are currently homeless, and in many cases have lost their vehicles as well as their homes. One of our neighbors, the Mahaias Family, lost their three cars as well as the equipment one family member uses for her massage therapy business. Teenager Brian Mahaias is devastated not because he has lost his belongings, but because he fears that this fire will force him to move away from this neighborhood that is his family as well as his home.
*More in link at
http://www.thesimpleway.org/
*thank god no one seems to have been injured - but there's a great opportunity here to help our brothers and sisters in their hour of need.
peas,
kg
"Fabric of our community life changed forever."
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/
DONATION INFO AT
http://www.thesimpleway.org/
**More from Shane's "Simple Way" blogsite-
This morning, a 7-alarm fire consumed an abandoned warehouse in our Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia. The Simple Way Community Center at 3200 Potter Street was destroyed as well as at least eight of our neighbors’ homes. Over 100 people were evacuated from their homes, and 400 families are currently without power. Despite this tragedy, we are incredibly thankful to share that all of our community members and every one of our neighbors is safely out of harm’s way.
This fire will forever change the fabric of our community. Eight families are currently homeless, and in many cases have lost their vehicles as well as their homes. One of our neighbors, the Mahaias Family, lost their three cars as well as the equipment one family member uses for her massage therapy business. Teenager Brian Mahaias is devastated not because he has lost his belongings, but because he fears that this fire will force him to move away from this neighborhood that is his family as well as his home.
*More in link at
http://www.thesimpleway.org/
*thank god no one seems to have been injured - but there's a great opportunity here to help our brothers and sisters in their hour of need.
peas,
kg
Thursday, June 14, 2007
REFORMATION OR REVOLUTION
REFORMATION OR REVOLUTION?
by Keith A. Giles
Many in the House Church movement are calling themselves “Revolutionaries” (mostly due to Barna’s book of the same name, I am guessing). However, this name disturbs me to be quite honest. I mean, I resonate with the sort of images such a word conjures up. I love the rebellious, subversive nature of the word. I love to challenge the status quo and to throw off man-made entanglements in order to get at the meat of the matter.
However, I feel that the term “Revolutionary” also carries the connotation of conflict. I do not want to be part of an uprising. I do not want to join a movement where violence and screaming and conflict rules the day. I’d rather be part of a “Reformation” where we can have an open dialog with those in the organized church about the things we are passionate about. I’d love to see the traditional church have a change of heart in many areas and embrace some of the community and family-based forms of fellowship we enjoy in the House Church, for example.
Still, there are various barriers to this sort of discourse among brothers and sisters in the Church. Here are some of my thoughts about that.
LEAVING THE CHURCH?
We, followers of Jesus, ARE the Church. Church doesn't make us Christian. A Church is a body of Believers, not a building, or an institution, or an organization with a non-profit status. According to the Scriptures, YOU are God’s building (1 Cor 3:9), and YOU are God’s Temple where the Spirit of God lives (1 Cor 3:16), and YOU are an important member of the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27).
So, at the risk of repeating myself, if you are a follower of Jesus, you cannot “leave the Church” if you stop attending a service at a building on Sunday morning. You ARE the Church. The only way to “Leave the Church” would be to renounce your faith in Christ and to go you own way, abandoning your hope in The Way.
Many suggest that those of us in the House Church Movement have “left the Church”, which is of course, impossible. We have simply responded to God’s calling on our lives to “Be the Church” rather than to attend one.
I have been a licensed and ordained minister of the Gospel for over 16 years. I currently pastor a house church called "The Mission" in Orange, California. My reasons for leaving the organized church (but not "The Church") were honestly based on a calling of the Holy Spirit to step out and lead a group of people who would give 100% of their offerings to the poor. The only way to accomplish this was to have a house church.
However, as I've continued forward on this journey outside traditional church, I'm noticing that there are plenty of things that are just "not right" about the way our institutional churches work. As I share this, I know I need to confess that there are scores of very good, Jesus-following, Disciple-making, Social Justice oriented churches out there who are doing incredible work and are surrendered to Christ and are doing awesome Kingdom-building in their community. I admit this. Not every traditional church is broken. However, there are a few fundamental problems inherent in this traditional system which I feel need to be addressed and brought out into the open.
I guess I want to have a Family Talk about our household of faith among my brothers and sisters in Christ.
So, let’s talk.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH TRADITIONAL CHURCH?
We exploit people. We elevate a select group of leaders (and giftings) above everyone else. We have a man-made system of organization that deviates from the family-based group that was inspired by Jesus and promoted and built by the Apostles in the New Testament. We have become a "Sermon and a Song" each week in order to entertain the masses and keep them coming back and dropping money into the plate. We have largely abandoned our calling to care for the orphan and the widow and to remember the poor and instead we have focused our resources inward and spent millions of dollars on carpet and pews and flat-screen monitors and sound systems and designer coffee, etc.
I believe we have to get back to the basics. I believe that if we want the sort of community that we read about in the book of Acts we will have to do what they did; share everything, meet weekly in our homes, allow everyone to speak and teach equally, encourage everyone in their gifting and honor them as our own flesh and blood, read and study the Word of God, make disciples, and share our money with those who are in financial need among us.
At least, that's a good place to start.
OPEN DIALOG?
How do we have an honest conversation about the institutional church without slinging mud or unpacking our garbage from a bad experience?
I believe there are some very fundamental problems with the traditional church system, although I have friends who are lead pastors and family members and dear friends who are active and vital members of a traditional church. So, how do I critique these problems without it sounding like I'm calling them "false" or attacking the Bride?
There has to be a place where followers of Jesus can have an honest discourse about the very real problems within our organized church, and to do so with civility and clarity.
I think, to begin with, we have to get beyond the idea that we cannot criticize a man-made system for its flaws and excesses. The Church system is separate from The Church Body. We ARE the Church. I am not critical of the people of God, but I am critical of the system and structure of the organizational unit.
I believe it is time for a structural reform and a paradigm shift. I think the Holy Spirit has already begun to implement such a shift as He has called thousands of people to leave the organized church and start House Churches in their community. People are breaking bread with their actual neighbors. They are opening their living rooms up to people who would never go to an organized church service. The Gospel is being preached and lives are being changed. Best yet, we are learning again how to be disciples and how to make disciples, as Jesus commanded us.
For me, house church has been the greatest thing I've ever done with the word "Church" on it.
Watch the video clip below if you want a better picture of the Movement being lead by the Holy Spirit (not Barna or Cole or Simpson) here on my website.
I hope I can share these things without offending someone who is not in a house church. I hope I can be honest about what I see and hear without being accused of "attacking the Bride".
Martin Luther, in his day, saw a church that had strayed from the Biblical framework, adding man-made conventions to what God intended and it pained him to see it keeping the masses from The Gospel, and from Jesus. He spoke out. He criticized the Church for these practices and became very vocal and eventually even lead a reformation of Christians who felt they could no longer find God in the Church, so they left to find God.
I, for one, am glad that Martin Luther had such courage. I wonder if we need another one just like him today? Or maybe we just need a safe place, a neutral ground, to speak honestly and openly about our flaws and admit that some things in the traditional church really are broken.
I confess I struggle with this. I struggle with how to lovingly express these ideas and how to reconcile these thoughts in my own head.
Let the dialog begin…
Kg
by Keith A. Giles
Many in the House Church movement are calling themselves “Revolutionaries” (mostly due to Barna’s book of the same name, I am guessing). However, this name disturbs me to be quite honest. I mean, I resonate with the sort of images such a word conjures up. I love the rebellious, subversive nature of the word. I love to challenge the status quo and to throw off man-made entanglements in order to get at the meat of the matter.
However, I feel that the term “Revolutionary” also carries the connotation of conflict. I do not want to be part of an uprising. I do not want to join a movement where violence and screaming and conflict rules the day. I’d rather be part of a “Reformation” where we can have an open dialog with those in the organized church about the things we are passionate about. I’d love to see the traditional church have a change of heart in many areas and embrace some of the community and family-based forms of fellowship we enjoy in the House Church, for example.
Still, there are various barriers to this sort of discourse among brothers and sisters in the Church. Here are some of my thoughts about that.
LEAVING THE CHURCH?
We, followers of Jesus, ARE the Church. Church doesn't make us Christian. A Church is a body of Believers, not a building, or an institution, or an organization with a non-profit status. According to the Scriptures, YOU are God’s building (1 Cor 3:9), and YOU are God’s Temple where the Spirit of God lives (1 Cor 3:16), and YOU are an important member of the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27).
So, at the risk of repeating myself, if you are a follower of Jesus, you cannot “leave the Church” if you stop attending a service at a building on Sunday morning. You ARE the Church. The only way to “Leave the Church” would be to renounce your faith in Christ and to go you own way, abandoning your hope in The Way.
Many suggest that those of us in the House Church Movement have “left the Church”, which is of course, impossible. We have simply responded to God’s calling on our lives to “Be the Church” rather than to attend one.
I have been a licensed and ordained minister of the Gospel for over 16 years. I currently pastor a house church called "The Mission" in Orange, California. My reasons for leaving the organized church (but not "The Church") were honestly based on a calling of the Holy Spirit to step out and lead a group of people who would give 100% of their offerings to the poor. The only way to accomplish this was to have a house church.
However, as I've continued forward on this journey outside traditional church, I'm noticing that there are plenty of things that are just "not right" about the way our institutional churches work. As I share this, I know I need to confess that there are scores of very good, Jesus-following, Disciple-making, Social Justice oriented churches out there who are doing incredible work and are surrendered to Christ and are doing awesome Kingdom-building in their community. I admit this. Not every traditional church is broken. However, there are a few fundamental problems inherent in this traditional system which I feel need to be addressed and brought out into the open.
I guess I want to have a Family Talk about our household of faith among my brothers and sisters in Christ.
So, let’s talk.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH TRADITIONAL CHURCH?
We exploit people. We elevate a select group of leaders (and giftings) above everyone else. We have a man-made system of organization that deviates from the family-based group that was inspired by Jesus and promoted and built by the Apostles in the New Testament. We have become a "Sermon and a Song" each week in order to entertain the masses and keep them coming back and dropping money into the plate. We have largely abandoned our calling to care for the orphan and the widow and to remember the poor and instead we have focused our resources inward and spent millions of dollars on carpet and pews and flat-screen monitors and sound systems and designer coffee, etc.
I believe we have to get back to the basics. I believe that if we want the sort of community that we read about in the book of Acts we will have to do what they did; share everything, meet weekly in our homes, allow everyone to speak and teach equally, encourage everyone in their gifting and honor them as our own flesh and blood, read and study the Word of God, make disciples, and share our money with those who are in financial need among us.
At least, that's a good place to start.
OPEN DIALOG?
How do we have an honest conversation about the institutional church without slinging mud or unpacking our garbage from a bad experience?
I believe there are some very fundamental problems with the traditional church system, although I have friends who are lead pastors and family members and dear friends who are active and vital members of a traditional church. So, how do I critique these problems without it sounding like I'm calling them "false" or attacking the Bride?
There has to be a place where followers of Jesus can have an honest discourse about the very real problems within our organized church, and to do so with civility and clarity.
I think, to begin with, we have to get beyond the idea that we cannot criticize a man-made system for its flaws and excesses. The Church system is separate from The Church Body. We ARE the Church. I am not critical of the people of God, but I am critical of the system and structure of the organizational unit.
I believe it is time for a structural reform and a paradigm shift. I think the Holy Spirit has already begun to implement such a shift as He has called thousands of people to leave the organized church and start House Churches in their community. People are breaking bread with their actual neighbors. They are opening their living rooms up to people who would never go to an organized church service. The Gospel is being preached and lives are being changed. Best yet, we are learning again how to be disciples and how to make disciples, as Jesus commanded us.
For me, house church has been the greatest thing I've ever done with the word "Church" on it.
Watch the video clip below if you want a better picture of the Movement being lead by the Holy Spirit (not Barna or Cole or Simpson) here on my website.
I hope I can share these things without offending someone who is not in a house church. I hope I can be honest about what I see and hear without being accused of "attacking the Bride".
Martin Luther, in his day, saw a church that had strayed from the Biblical framework, adding man-made conventions to what God intended and it pained him to see it keeping the masses from The Gospel, and from Jesus. He spoke out. He criticized the Church for these practices and became very vocal and eventually even lead a reformation of Christians who felt they could no longer find God in the Church, so they left to find God.
I, for one, am glad that Martin Luther had such courage. I wonder if we need another one just like him today? Or maybe we just need a safe place, a neutral ground, to speak honestly and openly about our flaws and admit that some things in the traditional church really are broken.
I confess I struggle with this. I struggle with how to lovingly express these ideas and how to reconcile these thoughts in my own head.
Let the dialog begin…
Kg
Friday, June 08, 2007
NON-CON '08
[Subversive Underground] Presents:
The Non-Con 2008 -
"A Conference for people who never want to attend another conference again."
WWW.NON-CON.COM
A two day conference in March of 2008
with facilitators:
*JACKIE PULLINGER (Missionary and author of "Chasing The Dragon")
*DAVID RUIS (Songwriter and author of "The Justice God Is Seeking")
WHAT IS THE NON-CON?
*An intentionally small gathering of 100 people who are curious about living out their faith outside their comfort zone.
*A time for serving the poor in the community together.
*A dialog-driven, interactive discussion with front-line practitioners of Justice and Mercy.
*Shared meals.
*Simple worship with one guitar in the center of our circle.
*Time for Artistic expression and interaction.
WHY "Non-Con"?
*The aim is to create something unlike any previous conference experience. We want this to be small, hype-free, intentional and interactive where everyone who attends is free to speak, to minister and to become involved with our leaders, and others.
FOR MORE INFO:
WWW.NON-CON.COM
The Non-Con 2008 -
"A Conference for people who never want to attend another conference again."
WWW.NON-CON.COM
A two day conference in March of 2008
with facilitators:
*JACKIE PULLINGER (Missionary and author of "Chasing The Dragon")
*DAVID RUIS (Songwriter and author of "The Justice God Is Seeking")
WHAT IS THE NON-CON?
*An intentionally small gathering of 100 people who are curious about living out their faith outside their comfort zone.
*A time for serving the poor in the community together.
*A dialog-driven, interactive discussion with front-line practitioners of Justice and Mercy.
*Shared meals.
*Simple worship with one guitar in the center of our circle.
*Time for Artistic expression and interaction.
WHY "Non-Con"?
*The aim is to create something unlike any previous conference experience. We want this to be small, hype-free, intentional and interactive where everyone who attends is free to speak, to minister and to become involved with our leaders, and others.
FOR MORE INFO:
WWW.NON-CON.COM
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
GOD IS ON THE MOVE
This makes my heart beat faster! It's an awesome look at the House Church Movement around the world. What I love is that this movement is not built on a person's book or because of a personality or a celebrity leader, it is built on the individual calling of each person who has heard the voice of the Holy Spirit to leave the traditional structure of church in order to really "Be" the Church.
Love it!
kg
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
OUR POOR
Poverty in America has once again become a hot topic these days. That's probably because the election campaigns are all in full swing now, I suppose.
As I hear what people are saying about poverty in America, I always have to mention that, although poverty in our country may not be as "severe" as what we see in Africa or India, etc., it is not any less poverty.
For example, if you were to give air conditioning or color television to one of those families living in a cardboard box in the Sudan, would they cease being poor? Of course not. And families in America with color tvs and air conditioning are no less poor because of their level of comfort. They are still poor. And they are "Our Poor".
I belive that there is a Biblical difference between how we are called to serve the poor in other countries and "our poor". The poor in India, Mexico, Ethiopa, etc. are seriously, desperately poor. No one argues that. This is why I've served on the board for groups like Arms of Love (www.armsoflove.org), a ministry that builds orphanages in the poorest nations of the world to provide homes for street children who live in the city dumps and are forced into prostitution, etc.
So, please, let's be clear; I'm not saying don't help the poor who are "out there".
But the poor in your city, in my city, down the street from me, they are "our poor", and what we're called to do, Biblically, is something about it. Not to solve poverty. Not to cure it. Not to erase poverty forever, but to do what we can to help a few, in the name of Jesus and with the compassion of Jesus.
Actually, as I've said before, the point of serving the poor is not to "cure" or "solve" poverty, but to befriend people who are in need and to learn to love and serve them as we would serve and love Jesus. We are the one's who are most changed in that relationship, by the way.
The quote from Jesus in Matthew about "the poor you will always have with you" was Jesus referencing Deuteronomy 15:7-11. You should seriously read this passage. The point is that God, the Father, is commanding the Jews to not have a hard-heart or a closed fist towards the poor, the stranger, etc., but to give generously, freely to the poor among them. At the end of the passage, God say, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land."
That's what Jesus means when he says what he does in Matthew.
Read Matthew 25. At the Judgement Seat of Christ the one criteria is whether or not those who call him "Lord" had any regard for the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the prisoner. The Sheep almost unconsciously care for these poor, not because they think it will get them into Heaven, but simply because they have genuinely been transformed into the people of God. The Goats, who also call Him "Lord", have the same unconscious attitude, but towards the existence of the poor or their needs.
The people of God, redeemed by the Blood, saved by Grace, seem to have an inability to walk past someone who is naked, poor, hungry, thirsty, lonely, etc. and do nothing. They cannot do that. It's not in their new nature.
We have a Biblical mandate (and it's alllll over the Scripture, both Old and New) to care for the poor..."our poor"...and that takes more than writing a check.
Again, this is my very biased conviction. I've been hammered by God on this issue and I cannot let it go because it won't let me go.
Do you know what the sin of Sodom is? Read Ezekiel 16: 49. It's not what you think. "Now this is the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were proud and did detestable things before me. Therefore, I did away with them as you have seen."
Wow.
How about this one?
Galatians 2:10- "All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do." (Paul being sent out as the first missionary by Peter, James and John).
or...
{God is speaking of King Josiah:}
"He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" (Jeremiah 22:16)
Wow.
"Is that not what it means to know me?"
What does it mean to "Know" God? This verse suggests that it means to care for the poor and the needy.
and of course we could also look at, Isaiah 58:6-7, Amos 5:21-24, 1 John 3:17-18, James 2:14-17, etc., etc.
God has called us to care for the poor, not to justify their poverty or our lack of compassion by comparing them to the "real poor" in third world countries.
So..how are we doing with serving and loving and befriending "Our Poor"?
kg
SOLITON SESSIONS 2007
SOLITON SESSIONS INFO
Hello everyone,
This is your friendly reminder that the Soliton Sessions are just 2 months away. Can't believe this is our 5th year together, truly amazing. Read the updated information below. Looking forward to seeing you...
Visit our site at
Soliton Sessions in
August 9-12th
Conversation: "Dangerous Living"
Guides:
Kester Brewin (
Pete Rollins (N IRE)
Christine Pohl (US)
Ched Myers (US)
Barry Taylor (US/UK)
and many others, including you!
Cost:
$100.00 per person (which takes care of evening common meals, and 'gift' to cover guides and hosting)
Two ways to pay;
1. By check. Make check out "the bridge" and send it to
2. By Pay Pal, there will be a $5.00 service charge included. go to website for this www.solitonnetwork.org
Location of SESSIONS:
This year we are sharing times of learning, friendship, conversation at HUSH Restaurant and Lounge in downtown
Check out this amazing space www.hushlounge.com
During the evening we shall dine together in a house.
Any and all questions regarding places to stay, the schedule, or any other inquiries contact Greg Russinger at 805-701-0079...
PS The Soliton site will be under construction for a few days, needing a face lift, will send another email letting you know of its progress...
Blessing...
soliton network
Friday, June 01, 2007
HYBRID? (A Response)
My good friend, Brent Kollmansberger sent this response to me today and it is so brilliant I needed to share it with everyone.
My initial question to Brent dealt with my frustration at seeing so many Christians who attend traditional churches being abused and mislead and basically not cared for or pastored properly.
This is not a criticism, this is a fact. I can give you the names and phone numbers of the people I am speaking of. They are going through severe emotional and spiritual crisis and their churches and their pastors are totally useless and unavailable to help them or disciple them.
This makes me angry. So, I quietly complain to my friend Brent to bounce some of my ideas off of him.
Quickly, my ideas were: A)Build a better traditional church or B)Host a local conference for pastors to kick them in the butt over these issues somehow or C)Morph a house church into a “Hybrid” church (which is basically something between a traditional church and a house church and I’m not even sure what that looks like to be honest).
Brent’s response to me is below. I find it inspiring and dead on-target. Whether you agree or not, I share it with you here.
Kg
***
FROM BRENT KOLLMANSBERGER
TO KEITH GILES
6/01/07
Hey Keith,
"SO...what WOULD help facilitate change?"
I think the real question is not what WOULD facilitate change, but what
IS facilitating the change?
Just a few short years ago there was no house church movement in the U.S., and all the people that are now
gathering together with other believers in the context of house churches were part of traditional churches. So why did you change? What has so completely shaken me and altered my spiritual direction?
What is causing these believers to share with you their stories of abuse and
dissatisfaction with traditional church? The answer is simple. The
Holy Spirit. God is facilitating the change himself. God is drawing
people in directions that cannot be followed in the traditional church.
Everyone I speak to who is now part of a house church has a completely
unique story about their discovery of house church or more broadly -
their spiritual awakening.
We may see the spiritual corruption and the wounded spirits caused by
our religious organizational culture, but to charge right in and try to
fix it may be presumptuous on our part. God is already working on it,
and he is already using us to play a part. I'm trying to learn how to
stop asking and demanding of God what he wants me to do, and instead
simply tell God that I am here and available for him, and listening
should he desire me to do something for him. I think of myself as a
ready reserve. I'm standing by, refreshed and ready to go. If I
already dove in on my own and am super busy waging war, I'll never hear
God tell me what he really wants me to do - or I won't be available to
do it. I think that's the real problem of identifying a need, seeing
that I have the skill set and presuming that I'm supposed to solve the
problem. This is what it would mean if you launched a seminar or
crusade - unless of course God spoke and told you to move.
Before we can honestly talk about fixing a traditional church or
creating a hybrid church we need to clearly articulate what exactly is
wrong with the traditional church in the first place. We then need to
focus on what behaviors and principles do encourage true spiritual
development. If a house church doesn't create an atmosphere where
spiritual life can be modeled and practiced, then it too needs to be
fixed.
I'd like to believe a traditional church can be fixed without becoming a
house church network, but since the professional clergy themselves are a
big part of the problem I don't think many of them will sign up. The
key would be admitting what power, prestige and money do to us humans
and stripping those things away and enabling elders to share in ministry
together with mutual accountability. The next difficult hurdle would be
to recreate the church culture so that all believers are encouraged and
expected to minister to one another. This would be amazingly difficult.
It would be far easier to start a new traditional church with this DNA
from scratch.
Now, concerning a hybrid organizational structure - I'm sure you are
already familiar with cell churches. These are churches where much of
the ministry is conducted in small home groups, but they maintain a
large building for weekly celebration meetings. The large meeting ties
everyone to a common identity and places them beneath the senior pastor.
Their strength over a traditional church is that members may be allowed
and encouraged to minister to one another within the small groups. By
liberating saints to BE saints God is able to get more work done by
working through all of the body. Their weakness is the organizational
bureaucracy that exists solely to maintain control over this partially
decentralized organization, and the inevitable jockeying for position
and power that accompanies it. I believe this whole control, career and
pride thing is poison to anyone who would attempt to lead a church.
I see the current church situation as very similar to that in Jesus day.
Jesus didn't waste any of his energy reforming or fixing the existing
church culture. He didn't spend his time trying to get people to leave
the existing church structure and join him. Instead he went to the
sinners, the poor and the uneducated - those whose needs were not
getting addressed by the existing church system and he planted seeds of
the kingdom - whose DNA had nothing to do with the existing church
system. As his work grew, so did the jealousy and venom directed at him
from leaders of the religious system of his day. In time, the seeds he
planted grew so large that the traditional church of his day became more
and more irrelevant until its destruction 70 years later was just a
formality of what had already occurred in the spirit.
If the house church / organic church system cannot replicate what Jesus
did in the lives of the disaffected - sinners who are not members in
good standing of traditional churches, then I do not believe it is the
answer. We need more than a reformation of how we do church - one more
model of doing church. The church needs to be able to facilitate
spiritual reproduction in the fertile soil of the broken lives all
around us - and to do so naturally without conscious effort - its just
what and who we are. House church may just be the best organizational
vehicle to help facilitate this, but if it fails it will become just
another stepping stone toward the true spiritual awakening God is
drawing us to.
Wow - look what you drew out of me. I'm going to have to meditate on
these things.
God bless. Your friend and fellow adventurer,
Brent
***
My initial question to Brent dealt with my frustration at seeing so many Christians who attend traditional churches being abused and mislead and basically not cared for or pastored properly.
This is not a criticism, this is a fact. I can give you the names and phone numbers of the people I am speaking of. They are going through severe emotional and spiritual crisis and their churches and their pastors are totally useless and unavailable to help them or disciple them.
This makes me angry. So, I quietly complain to my friend Brent to bounce some of my ideas off of him.
Quickly, my ideas were: A)Build a better traditional church or B)Host a local conference for pastors to kick them in the butt over these issues somehow or C)Morph a house church into a “Hybrid” church (which is basically something between a traditional church and a house church and I’m not even sure what that looks like to be honest).
Brent’s response to me is below. I find it inspiring and dead on-target. Whether you agree or not, I share it with you here.
Kg
***
FROM BRENT KOLLMANSBERGER
TO KEITH GILES
6/01/07
Hey Keith,
"SO...what WOULD help facilitate change?"
I think the real question is not what WOULD facilitate change, but what
IS facilitating the change?
Just a few short years ago there was no house church movement in the U.S., and all the people that are now
gathering together with other believers in the context of house churches were part of traditional churches. So why did you change? What has so completely shaken me and altered my spiritual direction?
What is causing these believers to share with you their stories of abuse and
dissatisfaction with traditional church? The answer is simple. The
Holy Spirit. God is facilitating the change himself. God is drawing
people in directions that cannot be followed in the traditional church.
Everyone I speak to who is now part of a house church has a completely
unique story about their discovery of house church or more broadly -
their spiritual awakening.
We may see the spiritual corruption and the wounded spirits caused by
our religious organizational culture, but to charge right in and try to
fix it may be presumptuous on our part. God is already working on it,
and he is already using us to play a part. I'm trying to learn how to
stop asking and demanding of God what he wants me to do, and instead
simply tell God that I am here and available for him, and listening
should he desire me to do something for him. I think of myself as a
ready reserve. I'm standing by, refreshed and ready to go. If I
already dove in on my own and am super busy waging war, I'll never hear
God tell me what he really wants me to do - or I won't be available to
do it. I think that's the real problem of identifying a need, seeing
that I have the skill set and presuming that I'm supposed to solve the
problem. This is what it would mean if you launched a seminar or
crusade - unless of course God spoke and told you to move.
Before we can honestly talk about fixing a traditional church or
creating a hybrid church we need to clearly articulate what exactly is
wrong with the traditional church in the first place. We then need to
focus on what behaviors and principles do encourage true spiritual
development. If a house church doesn't create an atmosphere where
spiritual life can be modeled and practiced, then it too needs to be
fixed.
I'd like to believe a traditional church can be fixed without becoming a
house church network, but since the professional clergy themselves are a
big part of the problem I don't think many of them will sign up. The
key would be admitting what power, prestige and money do to us humans
and stripping those things away and enabling elders to share in ministry
together with mutual accountability. The next difficult hurdle would be
to recreate the church culture so that all believers are encouraged and
expected to minister to one another. This would be amazingly difficult.
It would be far easier to start a new traditional church with this DNA
from scratch.
Now, concerning a hybrid organizational structure - I'm sure you are
already familiar with cell churches. These are churches where much of
the ministry is conducted in small home groups, but they maintain a
large building for weekly celebration meetings. The large meeting ties
everyone to a common identity and places them beneath the senior pastor.
Their strength over a traditional church is that members may be allowed
and encouraged to minister to one another within the small groups. By
liberating saints to BE saints God is able to get more work done by
working through all of the body. Their weakness is the organizational
bureaucracy that exists solely to maintain control over this partially
decentralized organization, and the inevitable jockeying for position
and power that accompanies it. I believe this whole control, career and
pride thing is poison to anyone who would attempt to lead a church.
I see the current church situation as very similar to that in Jesus day.
Jesus didn't waste any of his energy reforming or fixing the existing
church culture. He didn't spend his time trying to get people to leave
the existing church structure and join him. Instead he went to the
sinners, the poor and the uneducated - those whose needs were not
getting addressed by the existing church system and he planted seeds of
the kingdom - whose DNA had nothing to do with the existing church
system. As his work grew, so did the jealousy and venom directed at him
from leaders of the religious system of his day. In time, the seeds he
planted grew so large that the traditional church of his day became more
and more irrelevant until its destruction 70 years later was just a
formality of what had already occurred in the spirit.
If the house church / organic church system cannot replicate what Jesus
did in the lives of the disaffected - sinners who are not members in
good standing of traditional churches, then I do not believe it is the
answer. We need more than a reformation of how we do church - one more
model of doing church. The church needs to be able to facilitate
spiritual reproduction in the fertile soil of the broken lives all
around us - and to do so naturally without conscious effort - its just
what and who we are. House church may just be the best organizational
vehicle to help facilitate this, but if it fails it will become just
another stepping stone toward the true spiritual awakening God is
drawing us to.
Wow - look what you drew out of me. I'm going to have to meditate on
these things.
God bless. Your friend and fellow adventurer,
Brent
***
Thursday, May 31, 2007
BEAUTY AND TRUTH
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BEAUTY AND TRUTH
By Keith Giles
Many of you may already be familiar with the controversy surrounding the work of art known as “Piss Christ” created by Andres Serrano a few years ago.
The scandal took on a fever pitch when protesters discovered that the work had been paid for under a Government Grant to the National Endowment for The Arts. This gave detractors leverage within the political arena to demand it be removed from public galleries, boycotted and banned.
Many in the religious community also maligned the work because of its controversial subject matter, but mostly I suspect because the conservative leadership of their political party declared it to be officious and therefore, “Un-Christian”.
To me, this work is one of the most poignant and powerful works of religious art ever created. It may not be “Politically Correct”, but it certainly is “Spiritually Correct”.
The photograph depicts Jesus submerged into the artist's urine (symbolizing our filth) while on the cross. This is exactly what Jesus did when He humbled Himself, left the splendor of Heaven and submitted His life, even unto death on the cross in order to rescue us.
I can’t think of a more accurate artistic representation of the incarnation than this. What better symbol of the love of Jesus for us than that He would willingly be born into a place that reeked of our filth? Wasn’t his birth in a stable?
What better illustration of God’s love for us than that He would submit to being immersed in our filthiness, our sin, in order to liberate us?
I love Serrano’s work because I think it’s one of the most profoundly evocative works of real art that I’ve ever seen involving the Divine in collision with the corruptible flesh of mankind.
If only a Christian artist could create such a powerful and true work of art…
kg
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
ALL WE NEED IS LOVE
ALL WE NEED IS LOVE by Keith Giles
I've never been a big Beatles fan, but I think they were on to something when they suggested that "All We Need Is Love". According to Jesus, this is our main calling, to love one another. We are to be a people who are known for our extravagant love. We are commanded to go so far as to love even our Enemies.
As you may imagine, love is not an easy thing to do. I've discovered that love is only easy until you start trying to put it into practice and then you suddenly realize that it costs more than you're willing to pay, it asks more than you're willing to give, and it hurts more than you thought possible.
Love is not for the faint of heart.
In 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, the Apostle Paul reveals to us that love is actually the greatest of all spiritual gifts. Without it, we are empty and our efforts are useless. Love, the sort of love we are called as followers of Jesus to share with others, is a supernatural force that we must be filled up with by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Human love is conditional. It is based on the principal of mutual exchange. I will love you if you will love me. But the love of God, the love that Jesus commands us to share, is unconditional love. It is sacrificial love. It is love that is given regardless of attitude or position or what can be gained.
This is the sort of love that is kicking my butt right now.
At the beginning of this year I shared with our House Church a vision for us to walk through "Concentric Circles of Love" where we would begin with our own families, and then radiate outward to our church family, and then our neighbors, our co-workers, and then to the community around us.
I still believe this is God's heart for us, but now I think I realize that, without a sincere miracle from God, none of us will ever get beyond the first circle. I know that I'm quickly realizing my capacity for love is not as deep as I first imagined.
I'm encouraged, however, that Paul's assertion regarding love is that we cannot do it on our own. We are not expected to have within us a love that is equal to God's love. But, if we will humble ourselves and seek His face, and ask God to fill us with His kind of love, He will.
God's desire for us is to be known as people who love like He loves. He has commanded us to live this way. He knows we can't accomplish this by ourselves, so He is faithful to fill us with His perfect love when we admit that we don't have it.
I'm learning now that, every day, I need to ask God for His Holy Spirit to fill me with His Love for others. It's part of the daily surrender, the daily dieing to self, the daily conversion to Christ, that all of us must seek if we are ever to be the people He is calling us to be.
Conversatio Morem!
Peace,
Keith
http://www.MissionHouseChurch.com
I've never been a big Beatles fan, but I think they were on to something when they suggested that "All We Need Is Love". According to Jesus, this is our main calling, to love one another. We are to be a people who are known for our extravagant love. We are commanded to go so far as to love even our Enemies.
As you may imagine, love is not an easy thing to do. I've discovered that love is only easy until you start trying to put it into practice and then you suddenly realize that it costs more than you're willing to pay, it asks more than you're willing to give, and it hurts more than you thought possible.
Love is not for the faint of heart.
In 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, the Apostle Paul reveals to us that love is actually the greatest of all spiritual gifts. Without it, we are empty and our efforts are useless. Love, the sort of love we are called as followers of Jesus to share with others, is a supernatural force that we must be filled up with by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Human love is conditional. It is based on the principal of mutual exchange. I will love you if you will love me. But the love of God, the love that Jesus commands us to share, is unconditional love. It is sacrificial love. It is love that is given regardless of attitude or position or what can be gained.
This is the sort of love that is kicking my butt right now.
At the beginning of this year I shared with our House Church a vision for us to walk through "Concentric Circles of Love" where we would begin with our own families, and then radiate outward to our church family, and then our neighbors, our co-workers, and then to the community around us.
I still believe this is God's heart for us, but now I think I realize that, without a sincere miracle from God, none of us will ever get beyond the first circle. I know that I'm quickly realizing my capacity for love is not as deep as I first imagined.
I'm encouraged, however, that Paul's assertion regarding love is that we cannot do it on our own. We are not expected to have within us a love that is equal to God's love. But, if we will humble ourselves and seek His face, and ask God to fill us with His kind of love, He will.
God's desire for us is to be known as people who love like He loves. He has commanded us to live this way. He knows we can't accomplish this by ourselves, so He is faithful to fill us with His perfect love when we admit that we don't have it.
I'm learning now that, every day, I need to ask God for His Holy Spirit to fill me with His Love for others. It's part of the daily surrender, the daily dieing to self, the daily conversion to Christ, that all of us must seek if we are ever to be the people He is calling us to be.
Conversatio Morem!
Peace,
Keith
http://www.MissionHouseChurch.com
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
MY FIRST BOOK
Yesterday I spent some time formatting my first book project, “The Gospel: For Here Or To Go?” for publishing.
It’s shaping up great!
Today I got confirmation from a good friend, who just happens to be a published author himself, that he will write an introduction to my book and even help me proof it.
It helps to have friends, doesn’t it?
I’ll probably self-publish the book and offer for sale as a link off of this main website.
Details soon.
Keith
Friday, May 25, 2007
PURPOSE?
Sometimes I wonder about my role in the Universe. What is my purpose in the grand scheme of things?
Last night during our
As we prayed for my friend, I began to reflect on what my overall “Kingdom Footprint” looked like. Maybe I assume it must be something epic and world-changing because of my inflated ego? Probably.
Is my major calling to write and publish a book? I’m working to self-publish my first book project sometime this year with another one already finished for next year. Is that it? Or is my calling to pastor people like my friend who are stepping into the National spotlight with a chance to communicate the values of the Kingdom to the adolescent mind? Maybe my calling is just to be a good husband and father who learns humility and finds the Grace to love people the way Jesus did?
I think this speaks to my previous [Subversive Underground] article about my concept of “Greatness” and God’s definition, which are wildly opposite it seems.
I do have aspirations of publishing my books and helping others to really grasp the Gospel of The Kingdom and walk it out in their everyday life. I am blessed that I get to write my little e-newsletter each week and have 150 or so people read it and (hopefully) get blessed by it. I am blessed that webzines like TheOoze.com and Ginkworld.net and SeedStories.com regularly publish my articles.
I do have a calling to continually pastor our
I do have a calling to be a Godly husband and father. I am blessed that my wife and I are cradled in the loving arms of God our Abba every single day. I am blessed that my sons know and love God and that they have such a simple and sincere faith in Jesus. I am blessed that God has continually taught me how to walk daily in the Spirit and that He still has patience with me as I stumble through my walk of faith.
God has been showing me lately that there are Kingdom concepts that I understand but have yet learned how to actually implement effectively. Such as “Loving One Another” and “Blessing Those Who Persecute You”.
Loving others is really kicking my butt right now.
Loving my friends who are caught in adultery has brought a rift in our relationship. Loving my brothers in Christ has meant risk and truth and accountability. I am learning that life outside my comfort zone, although essential for Kingdom Life, is hard and very…uhmm…”Uncomfortable”.
Still, we follow on and seek His face.
“…where else can we go? You have the words of life.”
Kg
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
TOP 10 THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW (But Probably Doesn't)
TOP 10 THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW (But Probably Doesn’t)
By Keith Giles
*The articles published so far on my [Subversive Underground] E-Newsletter and also online as part of a monthly
series over at www.GinkWorld.net
10- The Christian Sub-Culture is not healthy for you
9- The
8- Obedience to Jesus is NOT Optional
7- Work is not a bad word
6 – We ARE the Church!
*So..have I missed anything so far? Anything you think belongs on this list?
I've already established the entire Top 10 in advance, but I'm curious if any of you have an idea for this series that
I might have missed...or that might end up in "Another 10 Things Every Christian Should Know" series to follow?
Let me know...
Keith
EMAIL ME AT: "elysiansky" (at) "hotmail" (dot) "com"
Sunday, May 20, 2007
PROVERB
He who knows not and knows not he knows not; He is a fool. Shun him.
He who knows not and knows he knows not; He is simple. Teach him.
He who knows and knows not he knows; He is asleep. Wake him.
He who knows and knows he knows; He is wise. Follow him.
- Anonymous
He who knows not and knows he knows not; He is simple. Teach him.
He who knows and knows not he knows; He is asleep. Wake him.
He who knows and knows he knows; He is wise. Follow him.
- Anonymous
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
STOP CHRISTIAN CONSUMERISM
I just LOVE this!
http://stopconsuming.org/STOPresolution.html
Join the cause!
I'd love to network with this guy for the upcoming
Non-Con '08 in March.
Check it out and support this, please..
http://stopconsuming.org/STOPresolution.html
kg
FROM THE VAULTS
FROM THE VAULTS
*NOTE: This article is available on my blog at the link below. It originally appeared a few years ago in GQ Magazine and was written by Walter Kirn, who willingly spent several days immersed in the Christian Bubble (or Sub-Culture) which he calls "The Ark". Great insights. Cutting commentary.
Enjoy!
kg
**
"What Would Jesus Do?" by Walter Kirn
(Originally Published in GQ Magazine)
http://subversive1.blogspot.com/2005/01/what-would-jesus-do-by-walter-kirn.html
WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?BUT MORE, IMPORTANT, WHAT WERE JESUS' FITNESS SECRETS? IF YOU WERE ONE OF THE GROWING MILLIONS OF AMERICANS LIVING IN THE MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR CHRISTIAN ALTERNACULTURE
—IN WHICH EVERYTHING IN MAINSTREAM CULTURE GETS CLONED AND THEN
BLEACHED OF "SINFUL" CONTENT—YOU'D KNOW. WALTER KIRN SPENDS
SEVEN STRANGE DAYS WALKING IN THE SHOES OF THE FAITHFUL.
DAY ONE: RESOLUTlONS
Today I will pray for Jewel, the singer-songwriter, "that Jewel's artistry in music and poetry will draw her audience into an encounter with truth." Tomorrow I'11 pray for Paul Allen, the
Microsoft billionaire, "that Allen and others working on the leading edge of interactive media will pursue their objectives with integrity." And later this week, in the manner and order prescribed by Praying for the Worlds 365 Most Influential People: 5 Minutes a Day to Change Your World, I will pray for Michael Crichton, the author/producer; for Jesse Helms, the North Carolina senator; and for Bill Nye, who hosts TV's Bill Nye the Science
Guy.
Today I will start reading Desecration, the ninth installment of the Left Behind series, a best-selling fictional treatment of the Apocalypse that pits the heroic Rayford Steele ("original member of the Tribulation Force3 against the cloven-hoofed Nicolae Carpathia ("self-appointed Global Community potentate3. Today I will dine on foods from What Would Jesus Eat? by Don Colbert, M.D., heeding Dr. Colbert's solemn warning that "eating a diet
high in salt, low in fiber, very high in fat and sugar, and virtually void of nutrients is not the way Jesus ate. Today I will ask my daughter, Maisie, 3, to pick out a video from the Bibleman
series, a live-action superhero saga for kids directed by and featuring Willie Aames of Eight Is Enough and Charles in Charge fame.
Today I will plug in my TVGuardian, a handy electronic chaperone whose "patent pending, award winning technology" filters out "95% to 100% of foul language from TV shows" and replaces objectionable phrases like She's such a #%&#h! and Oh &#!t! with She's such a
nag! and Oh crud!
Today I will leave behind the fallen world of secular American pop culture and enter the self-contained parallel universe of American Christian pop culture, within which I've vowed to dwell, exclusively, for seven days and nights, watching PAX instead of NBC and letting Pat Robertson be my Tom Brokaw. But first, before I do any of these things, I will read from my new prayer book and ask God "to bless Jewel with safety, meaningful relationships" and, of course, "success."
DAY TWO: ADJUSTMENT
I wake aboard the Ark....
MORE IN THE LINK:
http://subversive1.blogspot.com/2005/01/what-would-jesus-do-by-walter-kirn.html
*NOTE: This article is available on my blog at the link below. It originally appeared a few years ago in GQ Magazine and was written by Walter Kirn, who willingly spent several days immersed in the Christian Bubble (or Sub-Culture) which he calls "The Ark". Great insights. Cutting commentary.
Enjoy!
kg
**
"What Would Jesus Do?" by Walter Kirn
(Originally Published in GQ Magazine)
http://subversive1.blogspot.com/2005/01/what-would-jesus-do-by-walter-kirn.html
WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?BUT MORE, IMPORTANT, WHAT WERE JESUS' FITNESS SECRETS? IF YOU WERE ONE OF THE GROWING MILLIONS OF AMERICANS LIVING IN THE MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR CHRISTIAN ALTERNACULTURE
—IN WHICH EVERYTHING IN MAINSTREAM CULTURE GETS CLONED AND THEN
BLEACHED OF "SINFUL" CONTENT—YOU'D KNOW. WALTER KIRN SPENDS
SEVEN STRANGE DAYS WALKING IN THE SHOES OF THE FAITHFUL.
DAY ONE: RESOLUTlONS
Today I will pray for Jewel, the singer-songwriter, "that Jewel's artistry in music and poetry will draw her audience into an encounter with truth." Tomorrow I'11 pray for Paul Allen, the
Microsoft billionaire, "that Allen and others working on the leading edge of interactive media will pursue their objectives with integrity." And later this week, in the manner and order prescribed by Praying for the Worlds 365 Most Influential People: 5 Minutes a Day to Change Your World, I will pray for Michael Crichton, the author/producer; for Jesse Helms, the North Carolina senator; and for Bill Nye, who hosts TV's Bill Nye the Science
Guy.
Today I will start reading Desecration, the ninth installment of the Left Behind series, a best-selling fictional treatment of the Apocalypse that pits the heroic Rayford Steele ("original member of the Tribulation Force3 against the cloven-hoofed Nicolae Carpathia ("self-appointed Global Community potentate3. Today I will dine on foods from What Would Jesus Eat? by Don Colbert, M.D., heeding Dr. Colbert's solemn warning that "eating a diet
high in salt, low in fiber, very high in fat and sugar, and virtually void of nutrients is not the way Jesus ate. Today I will ask my daughter, Maisie, 3, to pick out a video from the Bibleman
series, a live-action superhero saga for kids directed by and featuring Willie Aames of Eight Is Enough and Charles in Charge fame.
Today I will plug in my TVGuardian, a handy electronic chaperone whose "patent pending, award winning technology" filters out "95% to 100% of foul language from TV shows" and replaces objectionable phrases like She's such a #%&#h! and Oh &#!t! with She's such a
nag! and Oh crud!
Today I will leave behind the fallen world of secular American pop culture and enter the self-contained parallel universe of American Christian pop culture, within which I've vowed to dwell, exclusively, for seven days and nights, watching PAX instead of NBC and letting Pat Robertson be my Tom Brokaw. But first, before I do any of these things, I will read from my new prayer book and ask God "to bless Jewel with safety, meaningful relationships" and, of course, "success."
DAY TWO: ADJUSTMENT
I wake aboard the Ark....
MORE IN THE LINK:
http://subversive1.blogspot.com/2005/01/what-would-jesus-do-by-walter-kirn.html
Saturday, May 05, 2007
GOOD TO ME
GOOD TO ME
I just wrote a new worship song this Thursday called "Good To Me" that's based on Zephaniah 3 where it says that "God delights in you. He sings over you. He will quiet you with His love"...which always blesses me.
Anyway, for some reason my [Subversive Underground] is being delayed by the fine folks at Feedblitz, I think. This week's article was written and posted on May 2nd and as of today, May 5th at 9:44pm PST it has still not been sent out to our 150 faithful subscribers....sorry.
I've done a few little tricks of my own to jump-start the feed. Hopefully those work and tomorrow morning the latest [SU] will send. If not, people will assume I've flaked off a week, which I most certainly have NOT!
(ahem)
Anyway, for those of you who have been praying for me (and you know who you are)...I've FINALLY got a full-time job!!
YIPEE!!
Today I accepted a full-time sales position at a company in Fullerton that designs, manufactures and distributes high-pressure cleaning systems for professional-grade industries and carpet cleaners.
Yes...very, very sexy isn't it?
So, if I do well in this new job (and I pray that I will) the potential is that I could make some very serious money. (Oh please, oh, please, oh please!!)
Don't stop praying!
I've got about 4 different [Subversive Underground] articles brewing at the moment...wanna hear what they are?
OK!
One is on "Lopsided Community" and how the modern/traditional church in America has misunderstood what true community should look like and the dangers of doing so.
Another is on my personal struggle with Constantinian Models of Church and balancing this with grace and love towards my brothers and sisters in the Traditional church model. *This is a tough one to write about since I admittedly struggle with my feelings and opinions on this very issue.
Another is on "Real Forgiveness" as Jesus teaches it and let me warn you in advance, the teachings of Jesus on forgiveness would make your Sunday School teacher explode into tiny pieces. No...seriously.
And the other one is Part 6 in my ongoing series "Top 10 Things Every Christian Should Know (But Probably Doesn't)" over at Ginkworld.net right now. Parts 10 through 7 are online now...at least I was told that part 7 posts this weekend.
I'll probably be posting a lot more over at TheOoze.com in the coming months. They seem to like my writing and I get a LOT more response from readers over there too. I like feedback. It's really one of the main reasons I started this blog and the [SU] newsletter...and the [SU] Forum (which only Martin G. and two other guys in Africa ever post at...but that's another story.
So...this post is also a test to see if the new blogger feature of email posting actually works or not. My first test from my hotmail account came out wonky so I'm trying another web-based email account for this one.
Cross your fingers.
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Peas,
Keith
I just wrote a new worship song this Thursday called "Good To Me" that's based on Zephaniah 3 where it says that "God delights in you. He sings over you. He will quiet you with His love"...which always blesses me.
Anyway, for some reason my [Subversive Underground] is being delayed by the fine folks at Feedblitz, I think. This week's article was written and posted on May 2nd and as of today, May 5th at 9:44pm PST it has still not been sent out to our 150 faithful subscribers....sorry.
I've done a few little tricks of my own to jump-start the feed. Hopefully those work and tomorrow morning the latest [SU] will send. If not, people will assume I've flaked off a week, which I most certainly have NOT!
(ahem)
Anyway, for those of you who have been praying for me (and you know who you are)...I've FINALLY got a full-time job!!
YIPEE!!
Today I accepted a full-time sales position at a company in Fullerton that designs, manufactures and distributes high-pressure cleaning systems for professional-grade industries and carpet cleaners.
Yes...very, very sexy isn't it?
So, if I do well in this new job (and I pray that I will) the potential is that I could make some very serious money. (Oh please, oh, please, oh please!!)
Don't stop praying!
I've got about 4 different [Subversive Underground] articles brewing at the moment...wanna hear what they are?
OK!
One is on "Lopsided Community" and how the modern/traditional church in America has misunderstood what true community should look like and the dangers of doing so.
Another is on my personal struggle with Constantinian Models of Church and balancing this with grace and love towards my brothers and sisters in the Traditional church model. *This is a tough one to write about since I admittedly struggle with my feelings and opinions on this very issue.
Another is on "Real Forgiveness" as Jesus teaches it and let me warn you in advance, the teachings of Jesus on forgiveness would make your Sunday School teacher explode into tiny pieces. No...seriously.
And the other one is Part 6 in my ongoing series "Top 10 Things Every Christian Should Know (But Probably Doesn't)" over at Ginkworld.net right now. Parts 10 through 7 are online now...at least I was told that part 7 posts this weekend.
I'll probably be posting a lot more over at TheOoze.com in the coming months. They seem to like my writing and I get a LOT more response from readers over there too. I like feedback. It's really one of the main reasons I started this blog and the [SU] newsletter...and the [SU] Forum (which only Martin G. and two other guys in Africa ever post at...but that's another story.
So...this post is also a test to see if the new blogger feature of email posting actually works or not. My first test from my hotmail account came out wonky so I'm trying another web-based email account for this one.
Cross your fingers.
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Peas,
Keith
Friday, May 04, 2007
RECOMMENDED READING LIST FOR NON-CON '08
I've just posted a list of articles and books for our reading list as we await the Non-Con '08 with Jackie Pullinger and David Ruis over at the website:
http://www.non-con.com
Take a look!
kg
http://www.non-con.com
Take a look!
kg
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
To Believe
Sometimes I've been so focused on discovering what it means to die to myself, and to take up my cross, and to endure suffering as a means to humility, that I forget that God is good and that He loves me and that He takes delight in me.
Somehow both things are true. I need to endure suffering. I need to humble myself. I need to discover the power of Christ in the depths of my own weakness. Yet at the same time, God's love for me is legendary. It is beyond imagination and expression.
Because I can become numb to God's amazing love for me, I sometimes also forget that He loves to bless His children. He loves to give them good gifts. He loves to make them smile.
I've been out of full-time work for about ten months now. Because I've been so fixated on dying to myself, I've started to assume that God really doesn't want to bless me with a great job. When people pray for me and ask God to bring me a job beyond my imagination, or better than my wildest dreams, I unconsciously smirk inside. I seriously doubt those words. I appreciate the sentiment. I am grateful for their kindness. But I doubt the truth of the words in the prayers about God's intentions toward me.
I suspect that God will give me a job that just barely covers rent and bills. Something mundane and possibly even painful and uncomfortable. I mean, the whole reason my family and I have been enduring all of this pain and difficulty and challenge for these 10 months now is all to teach me how to carry my cross and humble myself, isn't it? So, why would my job, whatever it is, whenever it comes, be any different?
I don't know. But, this morning, around 4am I couldn't sleep and I got out of bed. I walked to our den and knelt down in front of the sofa. I prayed and asked my Abba, my Daddy, to please provide a good job for me, soon. I prayed and I asked Him for a job I would really enjoy. I prayed for a place where I could use my gifts and talents and still provide for my family here in Orange County.
As I prayed I began to take courage. I began to feel hope rise up within me again. I recalled a verse from James that says, "You have not because you ask not" and so I started to ask God, from my heart, for what I really hoped for; A new job, a good job, and soon.
I wish I could say I am now totally convinced that all will work out for the best. Right now I think I do. I have a small hope. But, still, something inside me isn't so sure that my season of enduring pain is really about to be over so soon...
Excuse me, I think I need to go back and pray a little more.
peace,
keith
Somehow both things are true. I need to endure suffering. I need to humble myself. I need to discover the power of Christ in the depths of my own weakness. Yet at the same time, God's love for me is legendary. It is beyond imagination and expression.
Because I can become numb to God's amazing love for me, I sometimes also forget that He loves to bless His children. He loves to give them good gifts. He loves to make them smile.
I've been out of full-time work for about ten months now. Because I've been so fixated on dying to myself, I've started to assume that God really doesn't want to bless me with a great job. When people pray for me and ask God to bring me a job beyond my imagination, or better than my wildest dreams, I unconsciously smirk inside. I seriously doubt those words. I appreciate the sentiment. I am grateful for their kindness. But I doubt the truth of the words in the prayers about God's intentions toward me.
I suspect that God will give me a job that just barely covers rent and bills. Something mundane and possibly even painful and uncomfortable. I mean, the whole reason my family and I have been enduring all of this pain and difficulty and challenge for these 10 months now is all to teach me how to carry my cross and humble myself, isn't it? So, why would my job, whatever it is, whenever it comes, be any different?
I don't know. But, this morning, around 4am I couldn't sleep and I got out of bed. I walked to our den and knelt down in front of the sofa. I prayed and asked my Abba, my Daddy, to please provide a good job for me, soon. I prayed and I asked Him for a job I would really enjoy. I prayed for a place where I could use my gifts and talents and still provide for my family here in Orange County.
As I prayed I began to take courage. I began to feel hope rise up within me again. I recalled a verse from James that says, "You have not because you ask not" and so I started to ask God, from my heart, for what I really hoped for; A new job, a good job, and soon.
I wish I could say I am now totally convinced that all will work out for the best. Right now I think I do. I have a small hope. But, still, something inside me isn't so sure that my season of enduring pain is really about to be over so soon...
Excuse me, I think I need to go back and pray a little more.
peace,
keith
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
A LETTER FROM JACKIE PULLINGER
A Letter From Jackie Pullinger
I got this email today from my hero, Jackie Pullinger. She's our main keynote speaker for next year's NON-CON '08 (http://www.non-con.com) and the author of "Chasing the Dragon" from Regal Books. She's a missionary to street children and drug addicts and prostitutes in Hong Kong.
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Dear Keith,
Thank you for your email. Yes, I am still planning to join you next year. I will be in San Jose 14th - 17th September and Fesno 21st and 22nd September.
Here is some of our news.
I have a frequent dream. I mean it is really a dream. At least twice a month I dream of the Walled City. It is never quite like the Walled City was but similar, as the whole place looked like a parody of a film set. I always seem to be walking down yet more dark lanes and I'm always doing the same thing - looking for rooms or little apartments to rent. This is either for me to live in or for poor people to live in or some of our teams to live in to reach the poor or a place for people to meet in. My latest one was last night when I was in a very dark place and for the first time I was rather afraid it might be filled with cockroaches, but it was so dark, I wouldn't be able to see.
My fortieth anniversary and the musical dance production of Chasing the Dragon have stirred up many of these Walled City memories, so I did a count. Since I've been in Hong Kong I have personally lived in 29 different places and the last one is nearly 10 years so you can see how often I moved. We then did a count up of how many my friends and I have rented to help addicts get off drugs or rehabilitated families or send teams out in this country alone, we've counted up 159 and we may have forgotten a few.
The latest one is we need to move our factory. As you know we have up to 65 teenagers with us at any one time called 'GoGetters'. They are called non-engaged youth in Hong Kong. That means they have fallen out of the school system and no school will take them. They are considered delinquent, but have actually been neglected and certainly disparaged. They come to live with us and after a few days will all believe in Jesus and then they want to stay for a long time. When they have settled down, and have started to feel safe enough, we send them back to our own school programme, as the Hong Kong system has not helped them. Right now our lease is up and we cannot continue to rent that place, so we are looking for a new place, factory or warehouse. Pray that we'll find the one.
Tenders for the construction of the next phase of Shing Mun Springs should be going out in the next month or two. You know Government wheels move extremely slowly, but we desperately need more places for these teenagers to live in. We've got Probation Officers and Social Workers queuing up and as yet have not been able to take many girls.
Our India team set off last Thursday for Mumbai, where they'll start by learning Hindi and getting to know people and seeing what Jesus develops. Eventually we hope to have teams placed in the countries that go along the Opium Trail to China. On the China front we can't report any official news still, but unofficially there are some wonderful openings and stuff going on and lives being changed. So maybe we'll never be officially within the system but we are still hoping and praying.
This comes with much love
Jackie
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