I haven’t done much reading this holiday, in fact I really haven’t done any! Sure I have read the odd blog, newspaper story, and recipe, but no books.

So today I sat down (on the last day of my holiday no less) to read Shane Claiborne’s book called the irresistible revolution. I read 2 pages, skimmed the chapter, skimmed the book and decided I wasn’t reading another on of “these.” What do I mean by these? Well, this book was another one of those “I grew up in church, got converted a million times, was conservative, went charismatic, went on a mission trip, found God, got back and left God, went back to a conservative church, went on staff, realized I was “postmodern” left church staff (remembering to mention how I did it with no money, and a big family), church planted, and now wrote a book. Of course not to forget to mention the ongoing wrestling of why they felt like a round peg in a square hole.” And have the audacity to tell me why I should change too!

Anyway, that is not a fair assessment of Shane’s book, and I am not critiquing him (I never read his book), but I have read way to many of “these” books, and every time realizing that the people I connect with and even my own story doesn’t resemble any of these stories!

Last Thursday I met up with Pernell Goodyear from the FRWY and in passing he made a comment about not reading as much anymore and through that has found that he has come up with an idea or concept for his community without it being overly inspired by “the ways other have done or said it should be done” and I am really connecting with that.

I love reading and my wonderful Mother-In-Law bought me a bunch of new books from my wish list this Christmas, but my reading list is going to change. I am going to read more in areas that interest me outside of the “testimonial church planting” kind and develop a wider educational discipline.

Here’s to 2007, predictions and my ongoing rants.

Originally uploaded by urbanplanter.

Anna and I arrived in Ontario this morning at 6am EST after a 10:40pm PST flight last night from Vancouver. Needless to say we didn’t sleep much and are exhausted!

I hope to write a little here over the holiday, but I am not going to get ahead of myself.

So in the mean time, merry Christmas and happy new year!

hey all

Derek ( a regular at the open house) is going be on the radio (online radio) this evening doing a little interview/performance. It’s on HSB radio, which is a Vancouver based online radio station. The show starts at 8, and he should be taking the stage at around 9. He’d really appreciate it if you guys would tune in!

Here’s all the info you’ll need to take a listen:

Go to www.hotshotbands.com and enter the site. Click the on air button (top right), and it should open in windows media player. If it asks to to save or open, click open and tell it to open with windows media player.
for all of you Mac users, download windows media player (Mac version), and it’ll work.

Derek hopes you enjoy the show!

I had a conversation with a friend last night who jokingly mentioned how he wondered what I did during the day.

He said it with a tone as if he thought I did nothing and got paid for it.

It really bothered me, and as I attempted to answer the question I realized it was no use and made my own joke back. But it made me wonder why it affected me so much. Do I need everyone to understand what I do in order to justify my “job” and allow myself to be content in it?

Church planting/Pastoring can be very ambiguous jobs that are hard to define, and I understand that some people in my line of work abuse it, but I can’t allow those people to drive me into a place of despair trying to justify every minute of everyday as if my secret will be found out, or my manhood taken away.

I realized that my friend was attempting to take my happiness away. What I mean is he was trying to take away what gives me life, joy, and a sense of worth in this world because he didn’t get it. And I let him do that!

What gives you joy? Can you separate your happiness from peoples expectations or understanding?

Why is it we make our happiness dependent on others perceptions, ideologies, and understandings?

My prayer is that my happiness is not dependent on others acceptance and I figure I have a long road ahead of myself.

We had the 3rd annual World Vision Party (of which this was my 2nd) at our place last night. The turn out was outstanding, as we had many friends from all over the city and from all our different circles drop in and donate some money to the cause.

In the end we raised over $2600! Isn’t that incredible.

With the money we raised we put a large portion toward the drilling of a new well in a African village.

What a great example of generosity! I am excited about what other partnerships we can begin to take part in locally and globally, individually and as a community.

I have been troubled recently by the amount of church planters/churches involved in servant evangelism.

OK that is a pretty big statement to make, but i have a point. You see a guy i know recently did such a “program” that involved giving away a large amount of gasoline coupons to people for free. The reason he states is so that people see that his church is a giving church, but i wonder what kind of church that makes them be?

What I have appreciated about the servant evangelism movement (or whatever you want to call it) is the way in which many of the churches giving away “stuff” is how they are doing it and not expecting anything in return…seriously. But I wonder if it’s not what they are asking for in return that is the problem, but the type of people they are creating instead…people who expect the church to give to them.

You see when you give away stuff for free (water bottles, gasoline, coffee, mouse pads, etc.) to people who already have lots of stuff, they are in a sense encouraged to want more. They see themselves as the reason for your generosity and are instilled with a value that they should be given anything they want.

Sure not all people see it this way, but even if a few people see it this way have you lost your point?

What if we took the give away a step further and gave the “stuff” to people who really needed it and can’t do anything in return? How about the people who can’t afford gasoline, or the people who are unable to get to the store for bottled water when BC runs out of drinkable water again.

I’m not saying abandon the servant evangelism, but perhaps rework it so the people who receive aren’t the ones who can pay you back.

A famous person once said:

“When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

This article is really sad. Basically Franklin Graham is trying to make money on his future parents death by not burying them in the place they want and bury them instead in a place where he could make some cash on it.

The building is not a library, she says, but a large barn and silo — a reminder of Billy Graham’s early childhood on a dairy farm near Charlotte. Once it’s completed in the spring, visitors will pass through a 40-foot-high glass entry cut in the shape of a cross and be greeted by a mechanical talking cow. They will follow a path of straw through rooms full of exhibits. At the end of the tour, they will be pointed toward a stone walk, also in the shape of a cross, that leads to a garden where the bodies of Billy and Ruth Graham could lie.

via

Hey Everyone, come and enjoy the 3rd Annual World Vision Christmas party!

The way it works is everyone gives (anonymously) to the Christmas catalogue on the night of the party and together we decide how we want World Vision to spend the funds.

If you provide over $20 you will receive a tax receipt. It is a wonderful way to give thanks for everything we take for granted and to celebrate the holidays.

There will be appetizers and Christmas baking, but please BYOB!

• Host: Sonja, Paul, Anna & Kyle
• Location: The Martin’s House
  • 2541 William Street, Vancouver, BC (map)
• When: Saturday, December 16, 7:00pm
• Info: link

Feel free to bring your friends!

What might be the most interesting point of the whole passage we are reading over tomorrow night at church (Luke 2:1-40), might be the significance of the manger.

Yes, the small water trough that baby Jesus (8 pounds 6 ounce baby Jesus, according to Ricky Bobby) was born in, that can brings a certain significance to this story of Jesus coming to earth.

The manger you see is a sign. It’s a finger pointing to the bigger story of a King coming redeem the earth, in a way never expected. In a time where Caesar Augustus had declared himself the son of god (through announcing his father Julius as Divine), and that he would restore justice and peace (without necessarily being peaceful) from his throne, we have a small boy who was born in a manger, the possible king of Israel and perhaps king of the world, born in Bethlehem.

And yet it was Augustus who required a census that caused the traveling of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem to fulfill the prophecy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. So before us we have a confrontation of Kingdoms: Augustus and his worldly kingdom, and Jesus in His Kingdom of God.

Then the shepherds enter the scene, led by an angel, they see the manger and it clicks:

"You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Then it hits them, this is very similar to when David was revealed as king of Israel in jewish history, as a young boy in Bethlehem. And now the true king is now identified, and Mary and Joseph can now breath a sigh of relief that someone else also has been informed about the incredible situation at hand. God is here, He has been born in a manger, and has been revealed to shepherds.

Now we have been introduced to the outline of Luke’s gospel, that Jesus is the true world leader and Caesar Augustus is not. We are introduced to a story about suffering, specifically in the lives of Simeon and Anna, and eventually in Jesus’ death and resurrection. We see that salvation is not just for Israel or Rome, but for the whole world even though it was not what Israel wanted or expected. And this passage invites us to enter the story of God through all the different characters to figure out where we fit in God’s story of redemption.

What is your role in Gods plan?

Are you active publicly in active, obvious ministries, or practical care? Or maybe you are involved in more private prayer for God to fulfill promises, and systems of justice? Most likely it is both, as our roles are encouraged and defined by people like the characters in the story.

So it begs the question of us: How has understanding the different gifts, roles of people in your community allowed you to be more of who God created you to be? How has this increased your worship or fellowship of God and His community?

Interesting thoughts to come tonight…

There are a group of guys at voteforrory.com who are attempting to get a career 7th defencemen voted to the all star game.

“Trying to vote the journeyman defenceman on to the Western Conference team for the NHL all-star game has become a trend like reality TV. A spark that began with an Internet website (www.voteforrory.com) has taken hold like wildfire. Fitzpatrick, who has played only 16 games this year after fracturing a bone in his heel, has garnered 144,819 votes!”

I’ve voted twice, how many times can you vote? Vote here.

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