MISSIONAL OUTREACH NETWORK SEMINAR

On February 19 and 20 Maggy and I plan to attend the Missional Outreach Network Seminar. The seminar is offered free of charge by the Buckingham Road Church of Christ in Garland, Texas. The speaker is James Nored of the High Pointe Church of Christ in McKinney, Texas.

Having had several conversations with James and watching the great things going on at the church in McKinney has me excited about this seminar.

The topics are needed, relevant, and intriguing.

The Biblical Theological Basis for an Outward Focused Church

Developing a Missional Church Strategy

Making Disciples Through Mission

Impacting Every Ministry for Mission

Methods and Messages to Reach Today’s Postmodern World

The Story of Redemption: Evangelistic Bible Study for Postmodern

It seems to me that these topics are right on target for the things we need to be talking about today. James has prepared himself through both education and experience to present worthwhile information for church leaders and others who are interested.

I encourage you to consider traveling to Garland, Texas for this event that is free of charge, but worth much much more.

Follow James Nored on Twitter.

Befriend James Nored on FaceBook HERE.

Thanks for reading,

JD

A great meditation when we feel distracted from God’s goodness.

jd

We recently saw the movie THE BOOK OF ELI. Before you read any further, I have some questions from the movie that could reveal particular plot lines. So I suppose you could consider this a SPOILER ALERT!  However, I waited a while and figure that most people who want to see this movie have seen it by now.

While violent and often profane, I found the spiritual themes running through this film to be deep and very convicting. For those who do not know, Denzel Washington plays the role of Eli, a man walking “West”. He is doing so because he heard a voice from God that instructed him to do so and promised he would be protected in his journey. We join him thirty years after nuclear holocaust. At this time there are few people who remember what life was like “before”. But at some point just prior to the nuclear explosion every Bible was burned. Eli, as we discover, is carrying the last known copy of the Bible. He encounters an evil man who wants the Bible because he wants to use it to control what’s left of humanity and rule over them with the words it contains.

After this profound movie, I was left with several questions that arise from the story.

If I heard a voice that was clearly from God that called me to such a dangerous mission, would I go?

If violent evil and hatred against all that is good were all that were left on this earth, would I willingly walk through it?

Would I have enough faith to follow through with my God-given mission if it took three decades?

Would I excuse myself if I had a disability that would seemingly make my  mission impossible?

Could I be calm and kind in conversation with an enemy who I know would like to kill me?

How do we respond to evil men who use the Bible to manipulate others or to create an authority for themselves? Have I ever done that?

Would I be willing to be violent in order to protect God’s word?

In a post-nuclear world will people be reduced to hatred and murder, or would they bond together following such disaster?

Are the desires for power and control and corruption inescapable parts of the human psyche?

Do our imaginations of a post nuclear existence reveal our real feelings about humanity?

If every Bible in the world were destroyed, of what assistance could I be in helping to recreate it?

Is God really gone when it seems He has disappeared?

How is the world presented in THE BOOK OF ELI any different than the world in which we currently live … aside from appearances?

I’d love to hear your questions, thoughts, reflections from the movie.

Other blogs reflecting on THE BOOK OF ELI

• Interview With the Stars of Eli
• Danny Dodd’s post on the movie

Thanks for reading,

John

…outwardly we are wasting away…

Every day obituaries run in the paper. Most days we receive news of our brothers and sisters in arms who have been killed in service. More often than we would like we hear of family members who have passed away. In our media we see death every day, sometimes dozens of deaths in a movie. Gory, slow, and sadistic deaths get R ratings and sell lots of tickets. Video games where you receive points for killing people disturb me.

I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…

We live so close to death that we either hide it just out of sight so that we do not have to think about it, or make it so common that it loses any importance.

I’ve been thinking that every death has a ripple of consequences that we never consider. For every death there are the grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, friends, cousins, co workers, neighborhoods, churches, acquaintances that are all touched.

…for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.  

 When we hear of a car bomb killing 60 people, we can multiply the pain in the lives of so many who were attached to each life. 60 parents, 60 brothers and sisters, 60 friends … and that’s just the beginning.

I know we can’t dwell on this all the time. But when we hear of deaths, let us remember that one person died – but many people hurt. The ripple effects are much greater than we usually acknowledge.

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

LOST fans, here it is…the beginning of the last season. I LOVE this parody video containing many of the questions we hope are answered this season!

For More LOST stuff check out LOST WEEK at The Blog Prophet’s place located HERE!

When Apple announced their wondrous new product earlier this week I can’t tell you how geeked out I was about it. I mean this is cool, inventive, promising, and did I mention cool? Oh, and expensive. I started formulating plans about how I might acquire one.

Now this is especially tricky since we’re well into our Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University course. Yes, it can be built into the budget, but it can’t be an impulse buy.

My interest in this piece of technology also became a heart problem. On Sunday mornings I’m teaching on the spiritual discipline of simplicity. The iPad represents what is wrong with my overattention to things electronic.

No amount of justification could have me spending $500 for this fancy netbook / eReader. I couldn’t even name anything I could use it for that would be a legitimate use of the funds, the time, and the attention it would take.

This is not a matter of need. It was just an act of accumulation that is driven by a love for gadgets. To have one more electronic thing that no matter how great it is will not leave me fulfilled. And in fact it would rob me of the opportunity to do some good things.

Ever since I disconnected my iPhone and went back to a regular cell phone I notice a big difference in how much time and attention I could pay to other things.

I want to be sure that anyone reading this does not feel judged. This is a reflection of my thoughts about me. I’m not writing down thoughts to create any new religious restrictions on anyone!

But don’t get me wrong. I really do want an iPad. I also want to not want it. Of course if someone gifts me one, how could I refuse? :)

But somewhere there has to be a recognition that we have enough stuff. Too much already. My technological needs are more than fulfilled. The truth is that every waking moment is filled with loudness and busyness and a feeling of never being able to get it all done. I’m constantly connecting with others electronically which leaves less time to connect with the Creator spiritually. It’s time to make choices that reflect satisfaction and contentment with Christ.

And that’s something that even Steve Jobs can’t make an app for.

Thanks for reading,

JD

You know.

Job is not the only one who asks this question. David did (Psalm 73), Jeremiah did (Jeremiah 12), and so did Malachi (Malachi 3).

So, I suppose I’m in good company when I wonder where God is sometimes. Have you ever been in the assembly singing The Lord Has Been Mindful of You, He Blesses and Blesses Again? Have you ever thought, “Yes, except when I needed Him more than ever.” Have you ever had a time in your life when you would like to ask him about that?

If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling! I would state my case before him … But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. Job 23

As Job mourns the loss of his health, the loss of his children, the loss of his wealth, the loss of support of his wife, it appears he also mourns the loss of God. The wicked have plenty of God’s blessings, but this righteous man is suffering.

No, Job hasn’t lost his faith. He feels like his faith has lost him. When he feels he has covered every angle, Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. Job 38.

You can read that on your own, but ultimately God asks us to believe in Him because of who He is, and not because of the events of our lives. When we think we could have arranged things differently, done things better, attended His duties better than He did, we are mistaken. We will confess along with Job, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” Job 42.

My hurting friend, no matter what has happened to you, you have not lost God. In spite of the pain and deep hurt, He is near. In all of your attempts to love Him and be faithful to Him, you are under His watchful care. If I dared to advise Him, I would have asked for something different. True. But ultimately I need to believe in someone who doesn’t need my advice, who sees beyond my perspective.

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised. Job 1

Thanks for reading,

john

Click here to view the embedded video.

His Glory Appears from the Hillsong recording Faith+Hope+Love

You gave me hope
You made me whole
At the cross
You took my place
You showed me grace
At the cross where You died for me

And His glory appears
Like the light from the sun
Age to age He shines
Look to the skies
Hear the angels cry
Singing Holy is the Lord

We need Jesus for so many reasons … and we reject Him for such silly and immature reasons. In spite of our professed devotion and our efforts to be righteous, we make the same mistakes over and over. We are a hopeless bunch. The success of the psychology of our culture in ridding us of guilt and setting us free to explore our world without restriction has left us thirsty and broken.

And though I do not think we ought to live there, I do think it healthy to visit our guilt. Not because we find any comfort there, but to remind ourselves of the reality of what Jesus has done for us. Hope. Wholeness. Grace. The willing sacrifice for us.

In our hurry to escape guilt and the true story of our lives past, let us not leave behind the truth about us. Only from the darkness of our lostness does the Glory appear … and we can then join the angels in praising the holiness of God.

I hope this song becomes a staple of our generation…and those to come.

Thanks for reading,

john

]]> http://johndobbs.com/?feed=rss2&p=1764 2 http://johndobbs.com/?p=1761 http://johndobbs.com/?p=1761#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 04:41:12 +0000 John Dobbs http://johndobbs.com/?p=1761 Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?

It is true that Scott Brown’s election in Massachusetts is historic. Although it was fairly close and not quite the mandate that some are touting, it is a real win.

I’m disenchanted with politics and politicians. As campaigns progress totals are kept on how much money is spent and what lobbyists candidates hang out with. Unions back candidates and so do large corporations. The rich and powerful have the means to be self-serving in whom they fund. Those same people owe them in terms of votes and attaching pork to bills.

There was a little part of me that really hoped that President Obama would be different. That all the talk about change and transparency would bring about the needed direction in Washington. But I do not see anything different from one administration to the other. The faces change but the tactics remain the same. When the Democrats are doing it the Republicans howl, and when the Republicans do it the Democrats cry fowl.

Somewhere along the way the governing of our land has very little to do with the average person. Pity the below-average person, because the promises flow to them only long enough to garner a vote.

Yes, important legislation does make it’s way through the halls of our lawmakers. But unrelated bills are attached that contain favors and paybacks. And so if there are any honest legislators, they vote for the important pieces while holding their noses at the pork that stinks up the place.

What kind of scenario would it take to bring about a tilt toward a more righteous political system? Whatever answer is offered would seem to be impossible.

I think everyone has a right to express jubilation over Scott Brown’s election.  And I’m sure some are downhearted over the loss of his opponent. In the end of the day he may swing a vote one way or another, but being a freshman on the scene I doubt his power and influence will be of much effect.

As the early disciples, many still look for political solutions to kingdom problems. The government will never care about the poor and uninsured as much as Christians should. Neither should we await them to fix a problem that is beyond their control.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

My hope is not in a Republican nor a Democrat. My only hope is in the King of Kings who reigns forevermore.

Any kind of political talk can be inflammatory … I’m just ruminating over some things going through my mind tonight.

Thanks for reading.

John