Owner: ginkworld URL:http://ginkworld.blogspot.com Join Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2006 16:31:36 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: you are about to ‘cross the line.’ when you do, you will find yourself in a safe place to explore your faith in connection to culture. we are an emerging/evolving site exploring what it means to be an apprentice of the jesus in today's world. we are st Site statistics:Click here
and so i run 2007-09-05 10:03:00 not too long ago i started to run; now i am not a big running fan so i just run about a mile and a half - which is actually just jog. i use to ride the bike at the gym, but as of late money is tight so the gym is out - and so i run.
now, the cool thing is i get too spend time running and just thinking to myself - running and thinking - i like that - it is my "zen time" - where i can envision
ministry placement up 2007-09-29 16:03:00 we know it took longer then we figure, but we did it - given coding issues, design issues and just dealing with the time to do it, along with living our lives and keeping our families happy - but the ministry placement is up and running - in beta. while we have received a great number of comments from people saying "about time" we have also received emails from people saying "why?" well, to
an idea of trust 2007-10-26 11:35:00 trust is a very interesting thing. in the modern world you "earn trust" or you "lose trust." trust is not "a given" as the basis of many modern relationships. it seems many people have a natural order to "distrust" others. no matter what is shared, no matter what is "proven" some people just do not trust others - and in many cases they do so without any reasons - as one person once told me, "it Read more:trust
the blame game 2007-10-24 16:43:00 i am not a "political" person; i do not like politics. i mean politics does not impress me and those who run the country do not impress me - but i can tell you, they sure do strive to impress themselves. they see themselves as something important, but the reality is many people see them as "bags of hot air" who have lost connection with the people they are suppose to serve. they forget that we
catching up 2007-11-10 13:11:00 i have been lazy in my duties as a blogger - not because i do not like blogging, i do, but because finding the time between life and life gets hard. so, here is a "catch-up" of things i have been planing on blogging about:
BOOKS:
two books i wanted to bring to your attention:
living under jacob's ladder by grey mariposa [self published on lulu for $6.25 download and 15.95 paperback]. this is
the witch hunt 2007-12-06 22:27:00 as many know, i am not a big fan of televangelists or pastors of "megachurches" who make more money then the national income of many small countries - mainly because i believe they use and abuse people, while actually bringing a bad name to a ministry they claim centers on christ - so, i have no great love for such abuse - but i found something i have even "less love" for - and that is "power
more pondering 2007-12-15 01:21:00 with all the stuff flying around about the episcopal church, i just wanted to add my two cents - well, half a cent - i am not that important. i need to start out saying that i know katherine jefferts schori from when she was the bishop in las vegas. i was talking with the episcopal church about planting and worked with them - katherine was great, but there were a whole lot of very old closed
thoughts in process 2007-12-09 23:18:00 i have been thinking about a few things as of late; that is not to say that i normally do not think of things - well, kind of, i guess. but i digress..... sometimes, for me, things are never as "clear" as they may seem for others - i tend to have more questions then most - i tend to look at things with a "different view." here are a few things i am processing:
my first ponder: with the Read more:thoughts
words that guide my faith journey 2008-02-26 16:07:00 over the past few years i have been processing a great deal of life - some great, some good and some not so good - but life never the less. in that processing, i have been thinking a great deal about my faith journey and what God is doing to refine my faith walk. when i think of my faith journey some very important words come to mind, and help me in the process - let me share with you a few of
were do we find common ground? 2008-02-25 16:56:00 before i start, i want to explain that i believe Jesus is my Lord and Savior - while i have never had an issue with that, i have to say i am very uncomfortable thinking i need to say that before i go on - and why is that? because i am going to write about "common ground
s" between christianity and islam - and i know, if i did not "qualify my words" some would take them out of context - and that
changing the world 2008-02-24 16:15:00 do we as followers have a faith that can change the world? i often wonder, because if i hear many evangelicals right, our faith is not enough to change us - never mind the world we live in. if, our faith is unable to cause in us a new life, what makes us think we can make a new world? what makes us think we can bring something to the world that will change the direction? if, our faith just "saves
what part of love don't we understand? 2008-02-22 17:09:00 i am amazed at how many people desire to "qualify" love in different ways. we stretch it, we mold it, we sell it - but we always seem to discount it when it comes to loving those who are different then us. we find reasons not to love, and that to me is amazing.
why do we discount love? why do we make excuses for not loving? why are we seeking something we are unwilling to give to others?
a stranger in a strange land 2008-02-15 14:07:00 one of the greatest, if not the greatest, sifi book i have ever read in my entire life is called "stranger in a strange land," it is the best-selling 1961 novel by robert heinlein. of all the books i read in college, this book had the most profound influence on my life and future actions. if you have never read the book, i suggest you buy it and read it - it is amazing. why is it amazing? because
emerging and methodists 2008-02-11 20:53:00 it might be best to start out with a disclaimer, i attended a umc seminary called drew and pastored a few umc churches in my day. now, that being said i still think a great deal of my theology is based more on the wesleyan traditions and less on other traditions. wesleyan theology connects for me - it allows me to develop a flow on information in my walk of faith that keeps me centered on Christ.
crash, burn and heal 2008-02-09 16:41:00 i have been dealing with some very deep personal issues as of late. the kind of issues that change your life and make you take a deep look at some of the mistakes you have made along the way - and i have made some pretty big mistakes - but i am thankful God is there, and that i am able to learn from the lesson.
you see, i am a sinner - no, i am not saying this so people can say "look, even a Read more:crash
"selflast" 2008-02-07 14:27:00 i will admit i am still in process over this idea, but it is one that struck me the other day. ever since i became a christian i have heard people say "we need to be selfless in our actions to others." i was talking with a great friend and he mentioned the same thing, "we need to be selfless" - when he said it i did not hear "selfless" i heard "selflast" - and i think i like that view of life.
Five Second Theology Without Meaning - Living the Church Organic, Part 2 2008-02-01 11:48:00 Ever had your guts ripped out? Ever had your spin ripped from your body with such force you fall to your knees in shock, wondering what just happened? Ever had your world explode around in with such force you are left deaf from the noise and numb to the results for days? Ever had fear over take you in such a way that you had no idea where to turn, how to move or even if you should? Ever been so Read more:Second
, Meaning
, Living
, Church
, Organic
The Only Way 2008-01-29 10:10:00 Faith to me is a journey, it is not a destination; it is not “where I am going,” it is “how am I getting there.” To me, my walk in faith has been an interesting adventure, and is often filled with times of great stress, followed by times of rest and relaxation. It has been a journey that has brought me through some very hard times, and some very good times. In my faith journey I have met people I
living the church organic 2008-01-27 10:25:00 [thoughts in process]
what does it mean to be "church organic?" what value does being a "church organic" have in relation to being "church inorganic?" the reality for me is that most churches have started with the desire to be "church organic" but have added so many artificial flavors and ingredients that they can claim, at best, being "church inorganic." is "church organic" healthier for you
searching for grace 2008-01-13 21:47:00 where do you find grace? where can we, as humans, find grace and unconditional love? where can we find a place that welcomes us for us? where can we be loved for who we are and not what others demand of us? where can we find a place where we are acknowledged as having value? where can we find a place that helps us over come the pains of life? where can we find a place that simply will help take Read more:searching
welcoming and inviting? 2008-01-09 22:48:00 some questions:
how do you define feeling welcomed into a "church?" what would make you never step foot in a "church" again? how would you define feeling "invited" to a "church?" what do you think are the core realities of feeling welcomed and invited? would you feel welcomed in a "church" if you could not find it? would you feel invited to a "church" if there was no one around who could tell you
predictions for 2008 2008-01-01 12:20:00 let me pretend i talk with dead people and see if i can predict the future. well not really "dead" people, like in the whole "oh no, my heart stopped and i'm dead and either going to heaven or hell" thing going, that would be too freaky. i am talking about "dead people," you see i do speak with a great many people in a great many churches and most of them seem dead, and that counts. in my
year end reflections 2007-12-31 20:37:00 well, it is getting late on the west coast and the new year is about 5 hours away. i have to admit that things have been pretty crazy this year - i have been riding an emotional roller coaster, while dealing with some pretty crazy things in my life - but all is good and God is leading, i pray. as i look over the past year i can point to some pretty hectic stuff, and i can point to some pretty
an unpopular gospel: 2007-12-30 23:11:00 the idea that the american church "sells" a gospel is not that hard to grasp, because it spends millions on trying to make the gospel message popular. well, actually they spend billions, not millions. in my opinion, the american church spends more on trying to get people to "swallow" a palatable gospel message, that it has lost connect with what the gospel message is all about. it has spent
method or message, or both? 2007-11-16 16:09:00 which is more important? do you think it is important to change the message? do you think it is important to change the method
we deliver the message in?
what do YOU do? 2007-09-26 10:16:00 i had lunch with a good friend yesterday and we were talking about church- and what needs to be done in and about churches today. here are some of the things i think the church needs to confess, and seek forgiveness, as they strive to walk closer to where God desires them to be.
i believe that the american church has lost its true call: i see the church concerned with numbers; members, money
the fallen 2008-03-12 11:13:00 i am not impressed with political leaders or religious leaders who take a "hard line" stance for any topic - because they always fall from grace. it is the "speck and beem" thing Jesus told us about. spitzer is just the latest in a long line of "leaders" who have stood hard on what they saw as a moral issue, only to fall to that same moral issue. when i was a kid my grandfather taught me that, "
torn bibles 2008-04-01 17:06:00 recently, i have the pleasure to attend a "black church" - a church in the historical african american tradition - and i was amazed. i was not amazed by the music, which was great - nor was i amazed at the preaching, which was fantastic - what amazed me was that in each pew they had pew bibles - now, that may not seem like a big deal - after all, many churches supply pew bibles - i have been in
boundries 2008-04-07 18:36:00 ever get friends requests on your myspace? i get some, about 50 or so a month. i accept some, and i reject many others. if, for what ever reason you have, you desire to be a friend on my myspace, keep in mind some very simple guidelines i use to determine who is and is not a friend - here goes:
1. you need to be someone i would send a birthday wish to. now, that may not seem like a big deal
spirit and truth 2008-04-12 13:56:00 where is God's word in our life? for most, it is on the self behind the fake flowers we got a few years ago at a yard sale for 10 cents. but really, where is God's word in our life? if, as followers, we claim to be walking in the light of Christ - i ask again, where is God's word in our life? now, i have to be honest and say that this is kind of a "trick question" - because, in reality [for Read more:spirit
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