Live.Awake

Stetzer & Fitch on Church

// February 2nd, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Church Life, Sunday Recap, Video

This is David Fitch and Ed Stetzer having a great conversation about what it means to be a missional church in the secular West.  The term “missional” and “Miseo Dei” has gotten pretty muddy these days.  It’s become a bit of a junk drawer term that tends to mean “everything we don’t like about modernism and mega-churches”.  But this isn’t just a clarifying conversation for those who are confused about the terms.  I think it’s a pretty forward thinking conversation.

What I found particularly helpful in this video was the discussion about “attractional” vs. “missional”  churches.  I like how they both avoid allowing the conversation to degrade into a rehash of the all-too-familiar culture wars debate between the hymn singers and the head bangers.

Check it out.  It’s worth your time. But, what I’m really interested in is your thoughts after watching it.  This is a topic that the American Church MUST engage in.

Ed Stetzer & David Fitch – a missional conversation from Missional Tribe on Vimeo.

[tags]ed stetzer, david fitch, missional, attractional, video, church[/tags]

You’ve Nothing to Fear

// March 25th, 2008 // No Comments » // Christian Living, Sunday Recap, Video

We had a great time at KCC on Easter Sunday. I’ll post two tidbits from my sermon notes and a video that I used.

We do not worship a dead God. This is not a memorial service. We worship a living Jesus, who is alive and well in this very moment.

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Being a Missional Christian

// January 29th, 2008 // 5 Comments » // Christian Living, Sunday Recap

I’ve just completed a three week sermon series entitled “Being a Missional Christian”. The ‘big idea” for the series was simple:

Jesus came, in the likeness of men, on a mission to reconcile the world to God. (2 Corinthians 5:16-21) That mission was entrusted to us by Jesus just prior to His ascension. (John 20:21) The question for us is whether or not we will enroll ourselves in His mission.

So much emphasis is given these days to “finding your destiny in God” that I fear we have forgotten the starting point. We take spiritual gift tests, read books, hire Christian life-coaches/pastors, and attend conferences to figure out how to live a happy and fulfilled life. And rarely do we ask the question, “What’s Jesus’ mission?”

How are we to discover where we fit and who we are if we don’t begin with Jesus?

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Questions for Uncovering Idolatry

// December 10th, 2007 // 1 Comment » // Christian Living, Sunday Recap

Some questions from Tim Keller on uncovering idolatry in your life.

1. What are you most afraid of?
2. What do you long for most passionately
3. Where do you run for comfort? Anger?
4. What do you complain about most?
5. What angers you most?
6. What makes you happiest?
7. How do you define yourself to people?
8. What has caused you to be angry with God?
9. What do you brag about?
10. What one thing do you want the most
11. What do you sacrifice for? (sacrifice = worship)
12. If you change one thing in your life, what would it be?
13. Who’s approval are you seeking? Is it anyone other than Jesus?
14. What do you want to control or master?
15. What comfort do you treasure the most?

[tags]idolatry, questions, tim keller[/tags]

Come, Worship at the Feet of Santa

// December 4th, 2007 // 11 Comments » // Christian Living, Sunday Recap, Video

I’ve been thinking a lot about materialism, wealth and idolatry lately. I guess it’s the time of year that prompts me. On Wednesday nights I have been holding “round table style” discussions. We have been using the Nooma videos as a jumping off point (topic for another day: I’m getting a little concerned over where Rob Bell’s theology seems to be going). We watched the video entitled “Rich” this week. It’s really good. I’ll put a youtube clip of it at the end of this post.

The more I think about the sin of idolatry and the more I study it in the Bible the more convinced I am that this is the benchmark issue of our time. This is the issue that will either send the Church deeper into impotency or, if overcome, drag it from the shadows as a culture-changing, kingdom-advancing influence. It’s so easy to put other things in the position of preiminence in our lives. We are created to worship and so often we find ourselves worshipping created things instead of the Creator.

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