Thoughts I'm Thinking In My Thinker

1. Stiff necks suck. I've had one for several days now and it's rather annoying...and painful. I look like a freaking robot turning my head to the side.

2. Community goes beyond something that we get to participate in; it is something that is absolutely necessary for our survival as disciples. You can't live without it.

3. Too many people try to live without it.

4. They won't survive.

5. I just cut the remaining black out of my hair (actually the blond at "Great Clips" cut it) and discovered that patch of gray that looks like a bird pooped in my hair has grown. It's like my body heard that I'd turned thirty and wanted everyone else to know it as well.

6. I'm not sure that I care about gray hair.

7. My son, who is currently moonlighting as Spider-man for Halloween, becomes funnier every day he is alive.

8. I'm looking forward to being in Arizona again. It feels like home.

9. I'm learning more and more what it means to live the kingdom life...and am starting to succeed in living it out.

shalom, matt

And One For All You Acoustic Hacks...

...which includes me and everyone I know. Justin King is ridiculous. Came across this clip several years ago and just found it again. Insane. No one should be this good.

(By the way, I know these have nothing to do with the kingdom, but I thought it would be a nice break from all the kingdom talk around here. Just a little entertainment for you.)

Proving That All Other Bass Players Are Hacks...

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Victor Wooten. Take 5 minutes and have your face rocked off by this mind melting version of Amazing Grace. Insane.

And Furthermore...(Other Thoughts on Lesson 7)

If we are to be light to the world, instead of purveyors of darkness, something has to change in our way of living. We can't continue to live the same way. I've noticed a rather alarming trend recently that frankly has started bothering me. It seems like the language and attitudes and, um, gestures have gotten out of control and have been less than light-producing and glory-reflecting. I really began noticing it a couple weeks ago, but just shrugged it off. Then this past week things have just seemed to escalate to out-of-control proportions. Look, I'm not a prude. I understand that some joking and jesting and poking fun is part of any relationship. That's not what I'm talking about. But when our first response is to make fun of someone, something they've said or done, to exclaim, "Your mom" when someone says something to us, then we've got problems.

There seems to me to be an attitude abounding right now that runs counter to that of someone who is seeking the kingdom life, which is a life walked "in the light." Things have gone beyond joking at this point and entered into a very dangerous realm where new people to our community of faith won't see love and grace. They'll see and hear bitter, mean-spirited attitudes, talk and actions. This is not the way of the kingdom. Time and again the Bible warns to guard our tongues carefully, what we say and think. How we talk and act and treat one another is an indicator of what is in our hearts.


What's in your heart?

shalom, matt

Audio Message Posted on Myspace

The new message, number 7 in the series, is posted at the kingdom project. Download it now.

shalom, matt

Lesson Posted on eSnips

I'm on top of things today. Got done earlier with the lesson so I'll post it now for you early birds who like to look ahead. You can find it here.

shalom, matt

Audio Lesson Posted on Myspace

The new lesson, lesson 6 in the series, is now posted on Myspace. Sorry it took so long. Sometimes there are glitches in the emailing department that delay the posts. Anyway, you can find lessons 3 through 6 at www.myspace.com/thekingdomproject. Lesson 3 will disappear forever this week, so download it now.

Check out the video section as well for a fun announcement video we made for church. It's a giggly good time.

shalom, matt

Lesson 6 Posted on eSnips

I just posted lesson 6 on my eSnips site. You can find the lesson notes from last nights message here.

shalom, matt

Missing the Point

Read this article before reading any further.

600,000. I don't care what your politics are, who you voted for, would've voted for, or will vote for: that figure (or any of the other figures given, all of them in the tens of thousands or more) should sadden you and make you stand up and take notice that something about our pre-emptive strike policy isn't right. We claim to have "set the Iraqis free," yet we have neglected to notice, or worse, have turned a blind eye to, the human toil that so-called "freedom" has cost the people of Iraq. Do we realize that they are not the enemy? To illustrate how badly we miss the significance of this figure take note of the argument in the article. The discussion didn't center so much around the cost the Iraqi people have paid, but instead centered around whether this was a political move to swing votes in the election coming up Nov. 7. Way to miss the point by focusing on your stupid political agenda.

Look, I'm not pushing any agendas or political parties here. I'm about the kingdom of God, nothing more. But, until America stops living in a self-important, self-centered bubble of isolationism, realizes that they are not superior to the world, and that non-Americans are human beings made in the image of God, nothing will ever change and we will continue obliterating lives and calling it a political ploy to win votes.

My question is this: what should the church's response be to such a thing as this?


shalom, matt

And Furthermore... (Other Thoughts on Lesson 5)

So I've been painting for a family in our church while they are out of town. To be more specific I've been painting all the doors in their house. There are a lot of doors. More than one would think by just looking at the fairly modest-sized house (not to be confused with modest-sized mouse, or Modest Mouse). Like I said before, I've been painting, mostly in the evenings, but I spent all day today (my day off) painting. I've really been struggling to find a good work flow and it's been frustrating trying to feel like I'm accomplishing anything. After about an hour of frustration today, I finally got into a good flow, treating each door with the same pattern of painting and thusly establishing a good rhythm to my work.

I would start with a brush, painting the detail work first: the inlays, the edges by the floor, all the places my mini-roller would get very well. I then turned to the roller, starting at the top or bottom and working my way north or south, depending on my starting point. I would finish off the inlay panels and touch up anything that looked too thin.

I knocked out several doors today in a fairly short amount of time (I'm nowhere near done, mind you, but it was something). It came down to rhythm. Once I established a good rhythm, the work flowed naturally, more easily. It was still hard work and demanded care and time, but it flowed toward a consistent conclusion.

The rhythm of the kingdom, once established in our life, will produce a more natural flow to our life. It will still be difficult, demanding at times, and will require much effort, but, as Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is life." It's far easier to find a rhythm than trying to just paint willy-nilly and expect to get anything done.

shalom, matt

Audio Lesson Posted on Myspace

Check out the Kingdom Project on Myspace for the new lesson just posted today called "Someone Find the Rhythm."

shalom, matt

Lesson 5 Posted on eSnips

I just posted the lesson for Wednesday, October 4 on eSnips. Here's the direct link to it. I know I'm posting these prematurely, but I figure two scenarios are possible: 1) No one checks this blog until after Wednesday; 2) You read them early and are ahead of the thought process so tonight will make more sense to you. Remember to check out the audio for the lessons on www.myspace.com/thekingdomproject

shalom, matt

Community

I've really come to believe recently that community may be the most important aspect of our discipleship under Jesus. For years I was told to read my Bible, pray, journal, etc., as these things would draw me to God and help me be a better Christian. No one really spoke of community. It was present, but it was never talked about as something necessary to our discipleship, at least, not to my recollection. More and more, though, I've come to see that community is essential to our discipeship because it is where we experience the risen Christ most accutely. The Bible, prayer, etc. are all important and necessary as part of our discipleship, but in true Christian community I believe we experience the risen Christ most powerfully and completely.

My three and a half year old loves the kids in my ministry, from the junior high through the college age. There are a number of them who have baby-sat him, who regularly come by to visit us and end up playing with him, and who stay with us and have become part of the family (almost like an older sibling for him). The students really care about him, interact with him, treat him as important. I don't think it's just because they feel like they should. I think they want to, because it's who they are at the core of their being: caring, loving, communally-oriented. Nothing could please me more than to have my son grow up as part of a true Christian community. They are actively helping raise my son, showing him what it means to live as Jesus on earth. What else could a parent ask for?

Below is a picture of Donald reading Curious George to my son, Elijah. It's just one example of the kind of love the students have for my son, and one example of why I love Christian community so much.


shalom, matt