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Chapel by the Sea

My brother in Africa sent me this pict. of a chapel in Robertsport, Liberia.

I absolutely love it.

For more info on my brother, Steph's adventures in Liberia, Africa check out AfricanStephy

I love my Church

As I was sitting in church Sunday morning I realized that I have now attend Shiloh Menn Church for one year. I can hardly believe it's only been that long. Shiloh is an awesome church to go to. They have a way of making stranger feel welcome, and they put all their people to use. Everyone has a way they can help out with our ministry.
The Awesome thing about Shiloh is the have a reason for being in existence. Shiloh was stared wit the express purpose of sharing Christ's love with the people of Reading, Pa. Everyone has a part they play in this mission, whether it's driving van's, teaching Sunday School, teaching Bible Study, bringing the snack... there is something for everyone to do.

It is an extreme privilege and joy to be involved in a church like Shiloh. Even though we have our differences, there is a working together spirit to achieve our mission. The devil may try to distract us, but Jesus said he will build is church, and Hell's gates will not be able to prevail against us.

Judge Not

When I see a person that is in "the wrong" , I don't see it as an opportunity to write them off. I see that they need to grow in a certain area. Which means I now have the responsibility to move into their life and start guiding them toward the truth. This happens in college, at church, and even MD. Just because someone is in error does mean we can write them off... maybe what they need is guidance in the right direction. That's they way I see it. Maybe I'm the one that needs guidance.

Christians and Culture

I read an interesting article this morning regarding Christians and Culture. A quote that stood out to me was this:
The church must be its own culture. Instead of sweating and straining under a supposed responsibility to engage current cultural trends, we should simply yoke ourselves to Jesus, living as radical Christ-followers.

Several years ago we had the opportunity to work for a naturalist/vegeterian coummune. While we worked their we had some interesting conversations. The saw that, just like them, had our own, seperate culture. They thought that was really cool.
What we thought was really cool was the way we could explain that our seperated culture was not based merely on our eating/dressing styles, but instead we had a larger, Spiritual dimension in play.
There will be those who will never get past the initial gawing stage, but there have been time when they ask question such as "Why do those tractors have steel wheels?" And you can take that innocent question and go into a dialouge about how Chritsians should be different from the world.

Salvation

One of the reasons the "being saved" question can be so confusing is because we sometimes get a mixed up picture of what it means to be saved. What were you saved from? Salvation is more than a mere acknowledgemnt of Christ's work on Calvary. It is more than actions to prove one's devotion to Christs cause. it is an enslaving oneself to Christ.
Previous to this, you were a slave to sin. Jesus offered to unslave you from that sin, even though you didn't deserve it. At this point it is a freely offered gift. the catch is, its going to cost you. In order to accept Jesus' offer of freedom from sin, you are going to have to switch your allegiances. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Only those people who turn from their wicked ways and choose to enslave themselves to Christ will have salvation.
There are alot of people out there who would claim that as Christians, we are free.(to do what ever we want) As slaves to Christ, we are, in alot of ways, as free as Adam and Eve. But, like them, we are free only as long as we don't cross the boundaries God has set for us. One of thos freedoms that we have is the freedom to offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God.
Because of my gratitude to God for what he has done in my life, that is something I want to do. Paul doesn't comand that we do this, but he does beseech (beg, plead) us.

Buckminster Fuller

"A lot of people think or believe or know they feel (experience) -- but that's thinking or believing or knowing; not feeling (experiencing). Almost anybody can learn to think or believe or know, but not a single human being can be taught to feel (experience). Why? Because whenever you think or you believe or you know, you're a lot of other people: but the moment you feel (experience), you're nobody-but-yourself. To be nobody-but-yourself -- in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else -- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." -Buckminster Fuller