I just seen this article (off Yahoo’s games site) this morning. Isn’t it so sad that when Christians cry “foul” or “we’re offended” we are ridiculed and chastised as being intolerant or forcing our beliefs down the throats of people. Or maybe we just do not support our beliefs by our compromising so much and not focusing on becoming “holy as he is holy”? Maybe we are just too scared to say anything? Or maybe we just do not care? Or maybe ……..? Note that my comments are not against the video game, because I do know anything about the game. Nor, is it directed against the Muslim group that protested. Nor am I really complaining about Sony. I guess what I am really doing, is praising the Muslim group for standing up for what they believe. I wonder just what the outcome would have been if we, as Christians were offended by this game’s contents and made such a protest?
The webpage link is: http://videogames.yahoo.com/feature/religious-outcry-sparks-littlebigrecall/1257227
Religious outcry sparks LittleBigRecall
New PlayStation game soundtrack unpopular with some Islamic groups
By Mike Smith
ADVERTISEMENT
LittleBigPlanet, one of this year's most-anticipated PlayStation 3 releases, won't be arriving in stores next week as expected.
The "social platforming" game is already gathering rave reviews, but it hasn't proven popular with one Muslim group, which issued a complaint to the game's publisher Sony concerning one background music track. Performed by award-winning Malian musician Toumani Diabate, the song quotes two verses from the Qur'an. Many Muslims consider the mixing of music and scripture to be deeply offensive.
Although the game is already pressed, packaged, and reportedly sitting in the back rooms of many worldwide retailers awaiting its original Oct. 21 debut, gamers eager to get hold of it will have to wait at least another week while the offending content is expunged. Updated versions of the game are expected to be shipped to stores during the week of October 27.
LITTLEBIGPICTURES
"Sorry for the delay, and rest assured, we are doing everything we can to get LittleBigPlanet to you as soon as possible," commented Patrick Seybold, Sony's US director of Corporate Communications, in a statement on the company's PlayStation blog.
Page 1 of 1
Posted: 17 Oct 2008
Showing posts with label focus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label focus. Show all posts
Monday, October 20, 2008
Saturday, June 30, 2007
I Love My Church
Realizing that there will be several individuals that will read this blog who are attendees of my church, Life in Christ Fellowship, I am tempted to misstate my feelings in this post. However, I will resist buttering up my people and just tell the truth from my heart.
As the title states, I do love my church. I daily thank and praise the Lord for such an awesome privilege of serving them as their pastor. I have been here for almost 1 year now. The days have gone by very quickly and for the most part smoothly. Has it been all a bed of roses? No, it has not. There have been days and situations that have irritated me, as flies do horses on a humid summer day. There have been days in which I pulled the window shades and locked the doors because I needed recovery time.
But, the whole balance of all days has been totally awesome and fulfilling. It is amazing how just a year ago, both Debbie and I were totally drained by the abandonment and rejection that we went through at our previous pastorate, but now we both feel whole. I can truly say, I am now longer just content in the place of ministry but I am truly and completely happy. What an amazing feeling that is!
I have been praying and searching my heart to make sure I am in balance with God’s will for the path of LICF. He has so graciously burdened my heart and soul deeply for these people. The burden goes beyond just those who are a part of our congregation, but I can honestly say without any reserve, it goes to those who WILL be a part of our church. Does that make sense? It is different that the burden for the whole community. I wish I could explain it further.
Because of this burden, it brings me to some restlessness dealing with the ministry of the church. I just want my people to deeply and freshly experience an invigorating moving of the Holy Spirit in their lives. I deeply believe that God wants to pour down upon us and do a mighty thing in our midst. So often through the account of the early church this happened only when the people were gathered together in a central location with their hearts, souls and minds united in focused upon God. I am greatly perplexed by the lack of commitment that people have at times to the gathering together of the Body of Christ. I know God can bless and move in people’s lives in their private times of individual worship, but why is there the abandonment of the Body gathering? I have asked a few other pastors about this, and they too have the same question.
Offer food … and they will come. Have music practice they will come to that, but leave prior to the studying of God’s word. Why?
To my people who read this. Please know and hold on to this thought. I LOVE YOU WITH ALL THAT I AM. I just desire that we all experience together (all of us and those who come along later) the awesome, glorious, refreshing, empowering, cleansing, leading, healing, equipping and so forth power of God! If today, this point of time in the history of our church, we who are the current people of the church do not make a re-focusing desire to the ministry and events of the church, what will that tell those who come along later? If they see us sitting in the second chair instead of the first chair, they will be taught that it is ok to remain distant in their commitment.
It was explained to me this way some time back. Today’s church people (I am not just referring to those who attend LICF) treat their commitment to the church and its ministry like leaving a tip on the table. I ask … how long could we get away with the paying of our restaurant tab by just leaving a tip in the table? Once … twice? NO we have to pay the total of the bill or we will be in trouble.
Why is it so often believers feel they can get away with just leaving a tip and not paying the whole tab? (No I am not talking about paying tithes).
There is a great debate among many church leaders about the church not being relevant to the world around her. But I ask are you as a believer making yourself relevant to the church? Maybe that is the question that should be addressed 1st? If the world could see that the believers believe in the local church and its ministry, they may ask, “What is going on that makes people so committed?” If the world could see the Church excited about being the Church, I believe that they, the world, would get interested and feel that they too need to be a part. You see, it is human nature to go where the excitement is taking place. I am not talking about pure emotionalism. I am taking about the church getting excited about being the Church. Being excited to be the messenger of the Message. The world around the local church needs to experience that is still the tool of God’s design to exclaim the truth to those with out the truth!
Yes I love my church. Because of this love, it brings me to my knees daily as I intercede for them before the throne. I just want us all to experience together; all that God wants to do in our midst. I simply refuse to believe that we have seen, heard or experience it all. I believe the best is yet to come. But are you going to be there to experience it together or will you have to hear about it in the 6 o’clock news report?
I love you, LICF. I am blessed and honored to be called your pastor.
As the title states, I do love my church. I daily thank and praise the Lord for such an awesome privilege of serving them as their pastor. I have been here for almost 1 year now. The days have gone by very quickly and for the most part smoothly. Has it been all a bed of roses? No, it has not. There have been days and situations that have irritated me, as flies do horses on a humid summer day. There have been days in which I pulled the window shades and locked the doors because I needed recovery time.
But, the whole balance of all days has been totally awesome and fulfilling. It is amazing how just a year ago, both Debbie and I were totally drained by the abandonment and rejection that we went through at our previous pastorate, but now we both feel whole. I can truly say, I am now longer just content in the place of ministry but I am truly and completely happy. What an amazing feeling that is!
I have been praying and searching my heart to make sure I am in balance with God’s will for the path of LICF. He has so graciously burdened my heart and soul deeply for these people. The burden goes beyond just those who are a part of our congregation, but I can honestly say without any reserve, it goes to those who WILL be a part of our church. Does that make sense? It is different that the burden for the whole community. I wish I could explain it further.
Because of this burden, it brings me to some restlessness dealing with the ministry of the church. I just want my people to deeply and freshly experience an invigorating moving of the Holy Spirit in their lives. I deeply believe that God wants to pour down upon us and do a mighty thing in our midst. So often through the account of the early church this happened only when the people were gathered together in a central location with their hearts, souls and minds united in focused upon God. I am greatly perplexed by the lack of commitment that people have at times to the gathering together of the Body of Christ. I know God can bless and move in people’s lives in their private times of individual worship, but why is there the abandonment of the Body gathering? I have asked a few other pastors about this, and they too have the same question.
Offer food … and they will come. Have music practice they will come to that, but leave prior to the studying of God’s word. Why?
To my people who read this. Please know and hold on to this thought. I LOVE YOU WITH ALL THAT I AM. I just desire that we all experience together (all of us and those who come along later) the awesome, glorious, refreshing, empowering, cleansing, leading, healing, equipping and so forth power of God! If today, this point of time in the history of our church, we who are the current people of the church do not make a re-focusing desire to the ministry and events of the church, what will that tell those who come along later? If they see us sitting in the second chair instead of the first chair, they will be taught that it is ok to remain distant in their commitment.
It was explained to me this way some time back. Today’s church people (I am not just referring to those who attend LICF) treat their commitment to the church and its ministry like leaving a tip on the table. I ask … how long could we get away with the paying of our restaurant tab by just leaving a tip in the table? Once … twice? NO we have to pay the total of the bill or we will be in trouble.
Why is it so often believers feel they can get away with just leaving a tip and not paying the whole tab? (No I am not talking about paying tithes).
There is a great debate among many church leaders about the church not being relevant to the world around her. But I ask are you as a believer making yourself relevant to the church? Maybe that is the question that should be addressed 1st? If the world could see that the believers believe in the local church and its ministry, they may ask, “What is going on that makes people so committed?” If the world could see the Church excited about being the Church, I believe that they, the world, would get interested and feel that they too need to be a part. You see, it is human nature to go where the excitement is taking place. I am not talking about pure emotionalism. I am taking about the church getting excited about being the Church. Being excited to be the messenger of the Message. The world around the local church needs to experience that is still the tool of God’s design to exclaim the truth to those with out the truth!
Yes I love my church. Because of this love, it brings me to my knees daily as I intercede for them before the throne. I just want us all to experience together; all that God wants to do in our midst. I simply refuse to believe that we have seen, heard or experience it all. I believe the best is yet to come. But are you going to be there to experience it together or will you have to hear about it in the 6 o’clock news report?
I love you, LICF. I am blessed and honored to be called your pastor.
Monday, February 19, 2007
2007 State of the Church Address (Excerpt Part 4)
2007 State of the Church Address (Excerpt Part 4)
This is the final excerpt from this year's address. I trust that these have been a blessing to you in some way as you have read through them. If something has spiked an interest, please leave a comment in the comment sections under each post.
Call To Service
Ministry. What a powerful word. It often brings frustration, anticipation, anxiety, joy, fear and wonder. Sometimes all of these feelings come at once. It produces a sense of inadequateness and a statement such as, “Who, me? What do I have to offer?” While all at the same time a deep peace that only comes from being and doing what the Lord Jesus Christ wants! I believe that ministry is not just a thing we do. It is more than preaching, teaching, singing or serving. I see ministry as a life style, which includes these things along with who we are day by day outside of these activities. So when asked about ministry, instead of asking yourself what I can do, ask, “What am I already doing in my life now and how can I use them to further the Kingdom of God?” There is not one of us that are not already in some form or another, involved in ministry now. However; I believe that there is not one of us, who could not do more for the building of the Kingdom of God. There are so many more people who need the Lord, and God has given to us the opportunity and responsibility to reach them. We are a T.E.A.M.: Together Everyone Achieves More. Let’s lock arms together in prayer, service, worship, prayer, surrender, fellowship, dreaming, laboring, prayer, ministry, reaching out, contacting for an impact to connect and prayer. Most of all PRAYER!
The time has come for all believers in and disciples of Jesus Christ, that we can no longer be consumer based Christians. By this I mean, receiving more from the ministry of the church than we put into it. Sitting back and saying: Feed me, teach me, serve me and meet my needs. This type of Christianity will spiritually and emotionally bankrupt a church. You can withdraw only so much before there is nothing left. Just as the world needs to be an industrialized people, so does the church. By this I mean, just as the world needs goods produced, the church needs to have goods produced. As we minister to lost people around us, we must be producing goods (ministries) for them to consume. In today’s society and culture, whether it is right or wrong, people will not just come to church because it is the right thing to do. Just as people shop at certain stores for various reasons for getting their personal needs met, they also judge their church attendance with in the same criteria. Just as people decide as to their return to a store if their needs are being met or not … they need to know and experience their true need, not felt needs, are being met. What is this need? Are they coming into a personal, vibrant, soul cleansing, life empowering relationship with Christ Jesus? As we reach out and reach in the church walls with the ministries of the church, we must positively answer this question. Once again if we do not ask this question or do not make the required adjustments to do this for our ministry community, we have failed them miserably. To do this, we must be focused on the Kingdom of God.
“A kingdom-focused church is clear on two points: stewardship and ministry. Stewardship is vertical in the sense that a local church is under the authority and commission of the Father. It is His will, His truth and His work that we do. We focus on Him; we serve Him and not ourselves. Ministry is horizontal in the sense that a church focuses on people. We focus not on ourselves but on our stewardship under God to serve his people. We preach God’s Word to God’s people. We equip God’s people for God’s work. We take God’s gospel to the people in our community. It is about Him (God) and them (God’s people).”
“A true focus begins with God and moves to people whom God loves and desires to be in relationship with Him. Methods, programs, worship services, events, activities and the like all come after a kingdom focus in a church. Only with this order of focus will other priorities and programs be successful.”
“A local church is a kingdom community of believers in dynamic fellowship under Christ’s lordship. Its purpose is to establish the kingdom as it fulfills the Great Commission with a passion to see every person complete in Christ through making disciples, maturing believers, and multiplying ministries. While being faithful in fulfilling the Great Commission we must focus on living out the Great Commandment. For through the great commandment those in the church and those outside will display the love that Christ has.”
“Our church is a kingdom agent, placed here at the will of God to be salt and light to people without a clue or a hope. It is a dynamic body of believers who exists to exalt the Lord and labor for his causes. It is a family of God building relationships among people and pointing them to the Heavenly Father.”
“Our success as an individual church isn’t going to be determined by the plans we have. It’s going to be according to the decisions we make and what we do to act upon those decisions.”
(Gene Mims)
“We can make our church an infirmary in a sin-sick world. But the goal of this church is not to be the infirmary. I’m glad the army has field hospitals where we can take our wounded and take care of them. Maybe you have been wounded and somebody has taken care of you in a field hospital. Still, the point of the army is not to have field hospitals but to have soldiers engaged in battle. The point of a church is not only to be a Christian critical care center but a spiritual army teeming with well-trained soldiers of the cross doing battle in the world.”
(Gene Mims)
This is the final excerpt from this year's address. I trust that these have been a blessing to you in some way as you have read through them. If something has spiked an interest, please leave a comment in the comment sections under each post.
Call To Service
Ministry. What a powerful word. It often brings frustration, anticipation, anxiety, joy, fear and wonder. Sometimes all of these feelings come at once. It produces a sense of inadequateness and a statement such as, “Who, me? What do I have to offer?” While all at the same time a deep peace that only comes from being and doing what the Lord Jesus Christ wants! I believe that ministry is not just a thing we do. It is more than preaching, teaching, singing or serving. I see ministry as a life style, which includes these things along with who we are day by day outside of these activities. So when asked about ministry, instead of asking yourself what I can do, ask, “What am I already doing in my life now and how can I use them to further the Kingdom of God?” There is not one of us that are not already in some form or another, involved in ministry now. However; I believe that there is not one of us, who could not do more for the building of the Kingdom of God. There are so many more people who need the Lord, and God has given to us the opportunity and responsibility to reach them. We are a T.E.A.M.: Together Everyone Achieves More. Let’s lock arms together in prayer, service, worship, prayer, surrender, fellowship, dreaming, laboring, prayer, ministry, reaching out, contacting for an impact to connect and prayer. Most of all PRAYER!
The time has come for all believers in and disciples of Jesus Christ, that we can no longer be consumer based Christians. By this I mean, receiving more from the ministry of the church than we put into it. Sitting back and saying: Feed me, teach me, serve me and meet my needs. This type of Christianity will spiritually and emotionally bankrupt a church. You can withdraw only so much before there is nothing left. Just as the world needs to be an industrialized people, so does the church. By this I mean, just as the world needs goods produced, the church needs to have goods produced. As we minister to lost people around us, we must be producing goods (ministries) for them to consume. In today’s society and culture, whether it is right or wrong, people will not just come to church because it is the right thing to do. Just as people shop at certain stores for various reasons for getting their personal needs met, they also judge their church attendance with in the same criteria. Just as people decide as to their return to a store if their needs are being met or not … they need to know and experience their true need, not felt needs, are being met. What is this need? Are they coming into a personal, vibrant, soul cleansing, life empowering relationship with Christ Jesus? As we reach out and reach in the church walls with the ministries of the church, we must positively answer this question. Once again if we do not ask this question or do not make the required adjustments to do this for our ministry community, we have failed them miserably. To do this, we must be focused on the Kingdom of God.
“A kingdom-focused church is clear on two points: stewardship and ministry. Stewardship is vertical in the sense that a local church is under the authority and commission of the Father. It is His will, His truth and His work that we do. We focus on Him; we serve Him and not ourselves. Ministry is horizontal in the sense that a church focuses on people. We focus not on ourselves but on our stewardship under God to serve his people. We preach God’s Word to God’s people. We equip God’s people for God’s work. We take God’s gospel to the people in our community. It is about Him (God) and them (God’s people).”
“A true focus begins with God and moves to people whom God loves and desires to be in relationship with Him. Methods, programs, worship services, events, activities and the like all come after a kingdom focus in a church. Only with this order of focus will other priorities and programs be successful.”
“A local church is a kingdom community of believers in dynamic fellowship under Christ’s lordship. Its purpose is to establish the kingdom as it fulfills the Great Commission with a passion to see every person complete in Christ through making disciples, maturing believers, and multiplying ministries. While being faithful in fulfilling the Great Commission we must focus on living out the Great Commandment. For through the great commandment those in the church and those outside will display the love that Christ has.”
“Our church is a kingdom agent, placed here at the will of God to be salt and light to people without a clue or a hope. It is a dynamic body of believers who exists to exalt the Lord and labor for his causes. It is a family of God building relationships among people and pointing them to the Heavenly Father.”
“Our success as an individual church isn’t going to be determined by the plans we have. It’s going to be according to the decisions we make and what we do to act upon those decisions.”
(Gene Mims)
“We can make our church an infirmary in a sin-sick world. But the goal of this church is not to be the infirmary. I’m glad the army has field hospitals where we can take our wounded and take care of them. Maybe you have been wounded and somebody has taken care of you in a field hospital. Still, the point of the army is not to have field hospitals but to have soldiers engaged in battle. The point of a church is not only to be a Christian critical care center but a spiritual army teeming with well-trained soldiers of the cross doing battle in the world.”
(Gene Mims)
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