The CLC Blog

New Series!

2009-06-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

We brand ourselves. Other people brand us. But the ONLY brand, the ONLY definition that matters is God's. Throughout history, God has used unexpected people to do remarkable things.

Questions For Further Reflection - June 21st

2009-06-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

As a father, mentor, leader, what can you learn from the example of Joshua?
List some ways you need to get your feet wet. What are some things that God is prompting you to do that you have not acted on?

Questions For Further Reflection - June 14th

2009-06-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

What difference does it make to you that God used Rahab? Why do you think God included the story of Rahab in the account of Joshua? What is the point of her story?
Are there things in your life that you've thought of as holding you back but now you can see those very things possibly being used by God to accomplish something great?

Questions For Further Reflection - June 7th

2009-06-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Why did Joshua have to be moving forward to see God act? How is that also true for us?
What are some ways we become so paralyzed in our Christian life that we cannot move forward? How can we overcome the "paralysis of analysis"?

Further Thoughts...

2009-05-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

"So human life is theology. Virtually everything we do is inherently theological. Almost every choice we make reflects what we think about God. There's no escaping it."

I recently received this eNewsletter from Emergent Village. Check it out!

By Tony Jones

an exclusive excerpt from the book
The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier (now available in paperback):

Some readers might be tempted, at this point, to say, ''All this talk of philosophy and theology is really a waste of time. Why bother with it? The only important thing is that we love Jesus. That's it."

Well, I submit that ''only loving Jesus'' is a theology. It's a paper-thin theology, a reductionistic theology. It's a theology that avoids many things; for instance, (1) two millennia of argumentation over the nature of God, (2) the great difficulties in reading the Bible, and (3) all of the grief in the world. The refrain ''Can't we all just love Jesus?'' uses that unseemly word just (a word that we Christians use altogether too often in prayer: ''Father, we just ask that you would just be here with us tonight ...''). Just is a term of minimization, of diminution, when used in this way. (Ironically, just can also be used to denote justice, which is at the very heart of the gospel.) But Jesus, the gospel, the Bible, theology, they're never ''just'' anything. They're always more, much more, than we might think. These items (Jesus, gospel, Bible) should not be qualified with the adverbs just or only. The gospel is always more than we imagine, the Bible always has something for us greater than we expect, and Jesus is always beyond what we can conceive.

So we must refigure our theology. Too much bad theology has engendered too many unhealthy churches and too many people who don't quite get the whole ''following Christ'' way of life. Too much thin theology is responsible for too many Christians who practice the faith in ways that are a mile wide and an inch deep. The hope of emergents, their ministry, their message is, more than anything, a call for a reinvigoration of Christian theology—not in the ivy towers, not even in pulpits and pews, but on the street. ...

Most human activity is inherently theological, in that it reflects what we believe to be the case about God—who God is, what God wants from us, how involved God is in the world, and so forth. The house I buy—where it is, how big it is, how much it costs—is a theological decision. It reflects what I believe about the following questions and more: Does God care where I live? Does God care how I spend my money? Does God favor the city or the suburbs? Does God care about energy use? Does God favor public transportation? Maybe I believe that God cares about none of these things, in which case my decision to purchase the biggest house I can afford in the nicest part of town reflects my theological belief that God is not concerned with such things. Similarly, decisions that are much more mundane also reflect our beliefs about who God is and how God interacts with us. Some people pray for a good parking spot when they're driving to the mall. Others ask, ''If God is allowing genocide in Darfur, why would he intervene in the traffic patterns at my shopping mall?!?''

So theology isn't just talk, and it's not even just great works of art like The Allegory of Peace and War. Actors act theology and businesspeople work theology and stay-at-home moms change diapers and make lunch theologically. So human life is theology. Virtually everything we do is inherently theological. Almost every choice we make reflects what we think about God. There's no escaping it.

Questions For Further Reflection - May 3rd

2009-05-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

Questions For Further Reflection:

Why did Jesus speak in parables?
What does the metaphor of a "conspiracy" mean to you in your personal life as you follow Jesus?

Questions For Further Reflection - April 26th, 2009

2009-04-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Questions:

What does the term "Christian Ghetto" mean to you? Do you think churches can sometimes become like a ghetto?
What kind of environment or "sacred space" do you think Jesus created? What are it's chief characteristics?

Questions For Further Reflection - April 19th

2009-04-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Questions:
Why do you think the angel warned the disciples to not stand around "staring into heaven"? (Acts 1:10-11)

Why do you think the Christian church has often forgotten to emphasize the "further instructions" of Jesus after His resurrection?

Do you think there is too much emphasis today on "doing" instead of "being"? Or vice versa? Why or why not?

Easter Sunday 2009

2009-04-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

"To Be Continued..."

"You have been called to one glorious hope for the future." -Ephesians 4:4 (NLT)

When Jesus returned from the dead, He revealed to us that the story was not over.

Not only does God continue what He started, but He has called us to participate in this continuation of the Resurrection Story, by going into all the nations, telling people His story, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We are excited to be a part of this Great Co-mission with God!!

Easter Sunday 2009 - Questions For Further Reflection

2009-04-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Questions For Further Reflection:

What is it about God's dream for the world that you find energizing? Is your passion a clue to how you're to continue to dream God's dream?
As you look around, how can you "keep hope alive"? How can you make a difference?
What does the quote: "a better world is possible, a better world is already here": mean to you?

New Series! Starts Sunday, February 22nd...

2009-04-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

They say a dying person utters the inarticulate truth of what lies hidden in the depths of their heart. Contemplating the 7 sayings that Jesus uttered on the cross will profoundly change your understanding of who God is.

Questions For Further Reflection - April 4th, 2009

2009-04-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Questions for Further Reflection:

What do Jesus' words of trust and commitment even in death say to you about your own struggles and trials?
What is it about your faith that gives "confidence" to your hope, as Hebrew 11:1 says?
What is it about hope that keeps you from fearing? How do you "keep hope alive?"

Questions For Further Reflection - March 22nd

2009-03-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

Questions For Further Reflection:

Reflect on, and respond to this quote from Mother Teresa: "Jesus is God, therefore His love, His thirst is infinite. He, the creator of the universe, asked for the love of His creatures. He thirst for our love with these words: 'I thirst' - Do they echo in our souls?"
Jesus' thirst on the cross was a spiritual and physical thirst. Have you ever thought of Jesus thirsting for you? How does this knowledge affect your journey of faith?

Questions For Further Reflection - March 15th, 2009

2009-03-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Questions For Further Reflection:

What do you find is the most troubling and disturbing aspect of "the cry of dereliction" of Jesus from the cross? Why?
Have you ever felt completely forsaken, abandoned, alone? If so, what does Jesus' cry on the cross say to you?

Questions For Further Reflection - March 8th, 2009

2009-03-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Questions For Further Reflection:

In your opinion, what is the most amazing element of the new community Jesus brought into existence through His death?
Even though there are many ways we all have failed miserably in honoring Jesus' wishes as communities of faith, how have you been positively impacted by this new community in Christ? Explain by sharing a part of your personal story

Questions For Further Reflection - March 1st, 2009

2009-03-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

Questions:

What do you think it means for you as a Christ-Follower to follow Jesus "outside the camp"? Explain.
What does Jesus' fulfilling prophecy and being "numbered with the transgressors" mean to you? Is it significant? Why?

Question For Further Reflection - February 22nd

2009-02-22T14:35:00.001-08:00

Questions For Further Reflection

How does contemplating Jesus prayer while on the cross for forgiveness impact you in your daily life?
Why do you think we tend to downplay the severity and "implement of torture" aspect of the cross and instead have made it into a religious, almost pop culture symbol?

New Series - Starts Sunday, January 11th

2009-02-15T12:17:00.000-08:00

Re-dis⋅cov⋅er –verb: 1. to see, get knowledge of, learn of, find, or find out; gain sight or knowledge of something again 2. to notice or realize again 3. to make known; reveal; disclose again

Things change and times are uncertain, but the wisdom and insight contained within God's Word is our guide and source for inspiration, courage, and hopefulness as we head into a New Year. This will be a series of talks based mostly on ancient wisdom literature and some poetry of the Old Testament: Job, Ecclesiastes, Psalms (to name a few) as well as Scripture from the New Testament.

Here are some topics that we will be covering:

Community, Exploration, Creativity, Play, Having a Christ-Centered-World-View, and more!

"One" by U2

2009-02-15T12:10:00.000-08:00

Is it getting better?

Or do you feel the same?

Will it make it easier on you now?

You got someone to blam

You say

One love

One life

When it's one need

In the night

One love

We get to share it

Leaves you if you

Don't care for it

Did I disappoint you?

Or leave bad taste in your mouth?

You act like you never had love

And you want me to go without

Well it's

Too late

Tonight

To drag the past out into the light

We're one, but we're not the same

We get to

carry each other

One

Have you come here for forgiveness?

Have you come to raise the dead?

Have you come here to play Jesus?

To the lepers in your head

Did I ask too much?

More than a lot.

You gave me nothing,

Now it's all I got

We're one

But we're not the same

See we

Hurt each other

Then we do it again

You say

Love is a temple

Love is higher law

You ask me to enter

But then you make me crawl

And I can't keep holding on

To what you got

When all you've got is hurt

One love

One blood

One life

You got to do what you should

One life

With each other

Sisters and my

Brothers

One life

But we're not the same

We get to

Carry each other

One..

One...

Can you hear us coming Lord?

Can you hear us call?

Feel us knocking

We're knocking at your door.

Questions For Further Reflection - February 15th, 2009

2009-02-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Questions For Further Reflection -

Ecclesiastes 4:9 says "two are better than one". What do you think the implications of this statement might be for our individualistic, self-reliant North American culture?
What do you think about Jesus' use of the word 'symphoneo' ("symphony") as a metaphor to describe "agreeing together"? (Matthew 18:19) Does this change your understanding of unity and agreement in the Body of Christ? What does it say about praying together?
Why do you think "unity" is sometimes confused with "uniformity"? How are they different?

Questions For Further Reflection - February 8th, 2009

2009-02-08T18:49:00.000-08:00

Questions For Further Reflection:

· What is the hardest thing to accept about the reality that God allows trials and tests to our faith?

· What do you think about the Three Sources where trials come from, mentioned in the talk Sunday? = From God, From ourselves, From this fragmented and sin-sick world.

· “God can show us from which source our trial comes. Sometimes it’s a combination of all three. And sometimes it remains a mystery.” What do you think about this statement?

Questions For Further Reflection - February 2nd, 2009

2009-02-01T08:25:00.001-08:00

Questions For Further Reflection:

John G. Stackhouse, theologian and author, has said there is a renewed interest in poetry in North America. Why do you think this is?
What is your understanding of the importance of Biblical poetry for Christians?

Questions For Further Reflection - January 25th, 2009

2009-01-28T10:31:00.000-08:00

Reflect on these Scriptures that illustrate the "meditation" practices of Jesus. What can you learn from them? How have some of these been refreshing to you?

Matthew 4:1-11; 14:23; 17:1-9l; 26:36-46
Luke 5:16; 6:12
Mark 1:35; 6:31

Questions For Further Reflection - January 18th, 2009

2009-01-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

Richard Foster's "10 Principles of Simplicity":

Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.
Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.
Develop a habit of giving things away.
Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry.
Learn to enjoy things without owning them.
Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation.
Look with a healthy skepticism at all "buy now, pay later" schemes.
Obey Jesus' instructions about plain, honest speech.
Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.
Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God.

Reflect on the 10 Principles for Cultivating Simplicity. Which one(s) resonate with you? Which one(s) are the most challenging for you?

Questions For Further Reflection - January 11th, 2009

2009-01-11T23:37:00.000-08:00

Questions For Further Reflection

Instead of "resolutions", can you name some of your personal "explorations" for this year?
How does the idea of "exploring God" resonate with you? How does it relate to your understanding of who God is?
What are some ancient wisdom "practices" that you are working toward this year?