Latest EntryJan 13, 2010 misc Leave a comment
I have a few concerts coming up, Press Releases for them have been sent out…
Chart-Topping ‘Article One’ to Perform at Free D.C. Human Rights Show http://all.org/article.php?id=12460
‘Kids in the Way’ at Human Rights Event in D.C. Jan 22 http://all.org/article.php?id=12459
Hope you can all make it out to the free concerts and take part in the discussions there.
Jan 4, 2010 reviews Leave a comment
Some of you know that I am working on applying for some seminary classes at “Mennonite Brethren Seminary” in Fresno California. Luckily, I am doing accredited classes online, and not having to relocate to Central California.
Since 2005, I have been actively pursuing steps towards Church Planting in the Huntington Beach area; I just launched my “18 month countdown” to plant (visit it online www.huntingtonbeachchurch.org). During that preperation, I felt taking some classes on Biblical Interpretation as well as Discipleship and Ethics wouldn’t hurt.
As I was applying I came to find out, that Logos – the Bible Software company, has some awesome chances for people to win money for Seminary.
Dec 27, 2009 church planting, reflecting 2 Comments
A friend of mine, in his blog, proposed questions on the topic of tithe in his recent post that is looking at the apparent un-sever-able tie between the need of tithe and the costs of operating as a church.
I made a few comments on his blog, how the american church needs to learn to work with less. However, I have been chewing on this topic, all week. As someone who studies to someday Church Plant a “simple church” in “megaland” “Southern California”; I continued to ask my self questions on this topic this week and come to some of reasoning for me on how not only are American Churches needing to work with less, but they need to figure out how to do MORE (then we are now) with LESS (then we are getting and demanding, now).
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Dec 23, 2009 reflecting Leave a comment
The Holiday Season leading up to Christmas is full of mythical diverse characters and well seasoned stories that are designed to remind us of what this time of the year is about. I think that is my favorite part of Christmas and the surrounding Holiday Season is the vintage memoirs and stories that still serve to make this time of the year magical – even in our adult years when we feel the magic we felt as kids, is now beyond us. One of those well reminding seasoned stories full of a diverse of mythical characters is Charles Dickens; “A Christmas Carol”. It has become our family tradition to reflect on the story but to watch the classic George C. Scott movie based on the book. When Charles Dickens first published his enriched child fairytale book, “A Christmas Carol” in 1843, I wonder if that he knew what a timeless inspiration it would become or that it would inspire many other movies, stories and tales based on his beloved writing. One of the reflections that stuck out to me this year in this classic piece is the opening interaction between Scrooge (Uncle) and his nephew.
Oct 28, 2009 reflecting Leave a comment
When I was scrolling through blogs I subscribe to, I came across a recent posting from Steve of the Young Anabaptist Radicals, in which Steve shortly and smartly addresses this issue of “What Does It Mean To Be Anabaptist?” Taking the movement to a deeper level then our Anabaptist Churches have (Mennonite, Amish, etc). It is written in a very descriptive format for those who are not Anabaptist and are merely just asking the questions; “Who are the modern Anabaptists?” and “What truly is an modern Anabaptist?”
Oct 8, 2009 responding Leave a comment
A few years ago I was at a baseball game with my wife and my friend Matt. We were at a Lancaster Barnstormers Game in Lancaster Pennsylvania. I love baseball, always have – shy of Disc Golf and Ultimate Frisbee it is the only sport I like. Sitting just two sets behind the dug out for the New Jersey team was tempting, too tempting for someone like me who can lack filter at times. The Team had ego, and they were playing rough – and the umpires were feeding into their hands. The first innings were already full of sloppy strikes and safes’ at first base that should have been called outs. Then we were up to bat again, and the pitcher delivers a missile like fastball into the clean up batters face. The Batter is down on the ground. Then the next batter is up, he is hit too – our benches stand up and begin to come onto field, ‘Cylo’ the mascot stops dancing on the dugout; I am yelling at the Umpire “Throw him out, Throw him out”. However the umpire does nothing and the Jersey team continues to play dirty and more almost pegging pitches.
Oct 7, 2009 responding Leave a comment
Friends allow me to introduce a friend to you, and allow me to introduce a opportunity to you. I am not one to ask for things or to mass email people in this matter, but as I chewed on this all day I felt the need to.
My good friend and mentor, Jerry Shannon, served as my Pastor in the Lancaster Vineyard Church for over six years. I have always felt a calling to subcultures, missionial movements, community rebuilding and a roundabout journey, to reuniting with my Anabaptist heritage – all which I was given the freedom to follow God in under Jerry’s leadership. I interned under Jerry and served under him on the Church Leadership team – and learned much from his openness to God’s leading through the spirit. I had found a home in my church, after a domino effect of brokenness through church abandonment.
Sep 15, 2009 reflecting, reviews Leave a comment
As I watched a Historian Speak the other Day at a Music Festival I was attending, she addressed the four main “legs” of Christianity, and tried to systematically explain into which leg every mainline and common church denominations fit into. As she broke down where even some smaller church types fit into, she almost purposely skipped over the Anabaptist movement of the church. I watched on from the side stage of the festival; sitting under a large canvas tent as the rain fell harder and harder outside, waiting for her to make sense of our unique pietism and peaceful movement – however no explanation came on which leg we leaned. Was it spirit led? Was it justice based? Was it Sola Scripture? I began to drone out her discussion as I became memorized by the pouring rain and entered thoughts on our movement and the full spectrum approach it took at the time of our succession.
Sep 11, 2009 reflecting Leave a comment
I am committed to living a non-resistant lifestyle. To some of you that is no surprise – and yet to others that might be a shock, bad theology or it might be just confusing on what that means. Perhaps the bigger surprise for some, is that I believe Jesus not only demonstrated this lifestyle – but has called us as the church and as Christians that make up the church to live it out as well.
For some of you, like I said, you are going to view this as bad theology – but regardless please continue to bear a little longer with me as I continue this brief note. I would like to present to you perhaps some of my story, but more a few simple points to “chew on” in your thoughts.
Recently, I had a discussion with a reformed Baptist woman during my travels to California who believed that the ‘tradition’ of non-resistance and pacifism began and ended with the Anabaptist and Historic Peace Churches. She said sometimes she doesn’t know where the Historic Peace Churches (Mennonites, Brethren, Brethren in Christ, Amish, Quakers, etc) get their ‘traditions’ and why they continue to pass down a tradition that has no biblical evidence or mandate.
Feb 22, 2009 reflecting Leave a comment
Historical Spotlight is a special column, where we take some time and anaylze the forebearers of our anabaptist faith, that helped shape and form our foundations. We hope to explore the trials, tests, failures and examples from those who went before us and both be encouraged by them and grow from them. Perhaps one of the biggest issues in the church is the lack of understanding of who we are, and where we came from, this is in response to provide such an education.
This is probably a common picture and name to a lot of us, and then to others it may be completly a new face and a unknown image in dark etching. Dirk Willems was one of the earliest Anabaptist leaders. Dirk lived out his faith to such extremes that he volunteerly gave his life to Christ’s calling for his life to help a enemy, which ended in martyrdom in 1569.
