Double Edged Sword

Granda Pa David

2008-05-25T23:31:00.002-04:00

Grandpa david just died at the age of 95, what a life, full of zest in all he did. I will miss you and your sayings. Give Grandma David a kiss in heaven for me!

Your Grandson, Czechfest

Stone

2008-04-05T15:54:00.001-04:00

Stone on a Saturday afternoon, looking sporty

Sinking Ship

2007-08-04T23:11:00.000-04:00

The real Noah

Prayer

2007-08-04T22:47:00.000-04:00

Can we be the disciples and community of the early church without prayer?What does prayer look like in an emerging church?Do we meditate and do mystic chants?Do we rap our worship?I just think it is a fundamental component and not sure how to approach this other than what I have been taught and shown.I am open to new methods of building my relationship with God so can somebody suggest some.

Convicted and Busted

2007-07-15T22:04:00.000-04:00

I have been convicted lately of showing little love-mercy and not seeking justice. Seems like I am good at following rules at lot of times but that's not what Jesus did nor was it what he taught His disciples. Well thank goodness Jesus gives me more times to pass the test, he said 7X77 I think. I only hope I can get to 7.

WorldView: Another 'Me Generation'?

2007-05-25T11:23:00.000-04:00

WorldView: Another 'Me Generation'?
5/24/2007
By Erich Bridges

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Baby boomers have long taken the rap for being the most selfish generation of Americans ever, but we finally have some competition.

Our children and grandchildren are coming up fast in our rearview mirrors, and they’re about to leave us in their dust when it comes to narcissism and self-absorption.

I’m not just talking about the little thugs and thugettes who run amok in stores and restaurants while their clueless parents ignore them. I’m talking about at least some of the intelligent, ambitious young adults graduating this spring from American colleges and universities. Too many celebrity commencement speakers are telling them what they’ve heard for years from parents and others:

“You are special. The world revolves around you. The future belongs to you.”

In other words, they’re being sold a bill of goods by their indulgent boomer elders, who should know better by now. The world doesn’t revolve around 20-somethings any more than the sun revolves around the earth. Why are we telling them so? It shortchanges them and cripples the mission of the church, which needs a new generation of selfless servants – not a new cult of self-worship.

Don’t get me wrong. I know many young adults who are living out a passionate desire to serve God. Some of them are making history right now on some of the toughest mission fields in the world. But they’re swimming against the tide of our times, not flowing with it.

Before you dismiss me as a grumpy boomer, read on.

Recent studies on parenting and child development by Christian researcher George Barna find that the typical worldview of Americans in their early 20s “promotes self-centeredness, the right to happiness and fulfillment, the importance of personal expression in all forms (and) the necessity of tolerating aberrant or immoral points of view; allows for disrespect of other people and use of profanity; and advances forms of generic spirituality that dismiss the validity of the Judeo-Christian faith. Largely propelled by postmodern thought, [this] worldview … does not facilitate respect for life, acceptance of the rule of law or the necessity of hard work, personal sacrifice, paying dues or contributing to the common good.”

I know, I know. Every older generation complains about the behavior of “kids these days.” But the sense of entitlement on display among many young Americans today actually reflects years of conscious indoctrination by parents, teachers and coaches. These authority figures see their main mission not as educating and developing character in the young but as building “self-esteem,” according to Jeffrey Zaslow of The Wall Street Journal.

“Now, as this greatest generation grows up, the culture of praise is reaching deeply into the adult world,” Zaslow writes. “Bosses, professors and mates are feeling the need to lavish praise on young adults, particularly 20-somethings, or else see them wither under an unfamiliar compliment deficit. Employers are dishing out kudos to workers for little more than showing up. … Certainly, there are benefits to building confidence and showing attention. But some researchers suggest that inappropriate kudos are turning too many adults into narcissistic praise-junkies.”

America’s “praise fixation,” Zaslow warns, “has economic, labor and social ramifications. Adults who were over-praised as children are apt to be narcissistic at work and in personal relationships.”

He cites a multi-university study involving more than 16,000 college students over several decades. They took a standardized “narcissistic personality inventory,” responding to such statements as “I think I am a special person.” The average college student in 2006, according to the study, was 30 percent more narcissistic than the average student in 1982.

Praise and encouragement are wonderful tools as we love our children and guide them into adulthood. Mindless adulation, however, creates as many problems as condemnation. It deceives young people into thinking any effort at all is their best effort. It prevents them from discovering their true abilities, developing their potential or forming discipline and character. It hurts their chances of building loving relationships with others.

Worst of all, it distorts their understanding of God’s world and their role in it.

American-style Christianity already over-emphasizes the personal benefits of faith and neglects its responsibilities: Jesus loves me. He saved me. He blesses me. It’s all about me. The narcissistic “culture of praise,” as Zaslow calls it, only encourages this tendency. What about loving God, serving Him, following Him – and demonstrating such faith by loving and serving others at home and around the world?

Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, a 2005 book published by Oxford University Press, explored the inner lives of more than 3,000 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17. The study found that in contrast to the rebellious boomers, today’s teens tend to believe in God, listen to their parents and willingly adopt their parents’ religious views. If parents model a shallow faith with few demands, however, their children imitate them.

Biblical faith is about a very different “culture of praise.” We praise and serve a God who lavishes unconditional love and undeserved grace upon us – but He expects our all in return.

Missing

2007-05-09T21:41:00.000-04:00

I am finding that my prayer life both privately and publicly is missing something. I have a hunch it’s the power of the Holy Spirit which comes from spending time with God. I am talking about time spent as the Bible describes in the “secret place” alone. I am having trouble with being still because I am out of sync because of stress. If somebody reads this please ask God for: Shalom-wholeness in life and a fresh anointing of the Spirit in me.

Iron Sharpens Iron

2007-04-21T19:42:00.000-04:00

I hate it and like it when people ask tough questions about my life. It brings me back to the very fact that my sinful nature is full of Pride and Lust.

Letting Go

2007-04-21T18:42:00.000-04:00

I have been learning the lesson of letting go, again. I keep thinking one day that i might make progress in this area but like those people who wandered in the desert for 40 years-they just never got it and that scares me. I like to have stability, predictability, make your plan-do the plan especially in my workplace- I actually like a lot more spontaneity at home,weird huh. I have been in a tough time of testing.I don't like being in the hot fire and that's where I am, I complain, get sad,angry, blame people, pray for wisdom and grace, most of all try to understand why my perspective gets so screwed up.My stress level shows up in 2 ways: I forget conversations from minutes earlier as my brain can process no more and I get severe stomach issues-most call it ulcers. I have come out of these episodes a few times now and look back to see what I learned about myself-and the God i love.

Well He is constant-I am not, thank goodness God loves me all screwed up along with the most awesome wife and 2 sons. They know my flaws and hang ups and still like me for the most part.

I have been thinking about Daniel, from the OT in the Bible. This guy worked for his God and not others, did things for others, was respected and successful-in fact some hated his honesty and character.You know I love how he kept praying to the God of Israel even though he knew it might cost him his life. Being thrown into the furnace will get your attention and yet he lived and came out even more dedicated to give God glory! May it be so with me today, I give glory to my God!

A Shift in Climate

2007-02-26T23:05:00.000-05:00

A lot of talk over global warming has been hitting the airwaves recently.Perhaps we have our own local warming occuring at Wellspring.I am talking about a shift in spiritual climate,perhaps felt but not seen,the kind thats real but hard to describe. Its a stirring in me and I think others that is exciting and scary. This change is moving me forward into unfamiliar ground,no safety net just God and me.Only one thing left to do, PRAY-PRAY HARD-PRAY OFTEN-PRAY WITH PASSION-PRAY GOD'S WORD!

From "A Minute Of Margin"

2006-11-15T22:39:00.000-05:00

Speaking of Community......Perhaps our techno world is anti-community?

Loneliness, Boredom, Stress, and The Media

In the years ahead we will live increasingly in fictions. We will turn on our virtual-reality systems and lie back, experiencing heavenly pleasures of sight and sound in a snug electronic nest. The real world will almost be totally blotted out from our experience.
A quote from "World Future Society"

Life is meant to be participatory and relational. In the past life was "experience rich" but "stimulus poor". Today that ratio has reversed, and much of this trend is due to the pervasive presence of media in our current environment , it is easy to lapse into a media saturated existence. When lonely, or boredom stressed, the first thing we often do is activate our media surroundings,which usually means turning on the television. In a previous era we would have perhaps have visited a friend.

This is not to say that all such media usage for loneliness is inappropriate. But if over used, it will result in more isolation, not less.It is therefore wise to guard against media constituting our only barrier to loneliness.

Loneliness and boredom are often traveling partners. While loneliness can motivate to move toward community,boredom can motivate us toward creativity.

We should not fear boredom as we do, it can be useful. If we tolerate a bored state for long it can become a seedbed of imagination and to short circuit boredom is to short circuit creativity.

The temptation is to immediately solve boredom with media. When children are bored, we usually rescue them with television,videos,or computer games. Instead, if we allow boredom to build with no possibility of electronics, imagination will begin to surface. This is called play.Play is the business of childhood. It is healthy for kids to get bored and to have to play their way out of it.

In addition to loneliness and boredom,stress is another factor that drives us to a relaxing media respite. This is acceptable from time to time.But when a media respite becomes a media overload,turn off the television. When media saturation becomes physical sedentary and socially isolating,move to restore appropriate levels of physical and social activity, where real healing is found.

THE RX

Allow boredom to nourish the imagination rather than consume and reenergize participatory exoerience. Dont live a vicarious virtual-reality existence create a personal-experience reality and in doing so, you will increase physical exercise,connect to others,and build community.

What Did Jesus Say Last Sunday?

2006-10-30T21:13:00.000-05:00

We completed a small meditation exercise this past Sunday. Those who were there know this, those who were not,well come over and see us at Wellspring. This is how my exercise went:

Jesus: (Laughing out loud)"Robert, you worry too much. Look at me-Trust me.Let go, just let go.Drop the material things in your hands so you can pick up My spiritual things, eternal things,significant things, wonderous things.

Robert: "Oh Jesus, I love you and how little I show that to others each day.Shalom.

The Sign Of The Cross

2006-10-23T22:20:00.000-04:00

The Father
Where is the awe and reverence of God in me, in the church?
As a young boy I can remember walking toward the alter and upon reaching it genuflecting in awe of God. As a child I did not have the baggage nor the routine that the priest must had and so this small but important act was genuine. My lungs would hold my breath in until I had passed by. This is God after all He created me and everything else. Does the emerging church care?
The Son
Where is the authenticity and love in me, in the church?
I did not start my quest to know Jesus until I found myself in Waco Texas in the mid 80’s. Young ladies whose fathers were Protestant pastors interrogated me poolside about my faith. Statements like “you are the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me” alarmed me at first. Was my mother, the Our Lady of the Lake nun, really going to hell? Should I remove the bumper sticker on my Camaro “Speed on brother hell ain’t half full”? What I did do was to buy a Bible and started to read it. I realized these Baptist whacko’s had more knowledge about their faith than me so if I learn more then I could argue my case just as they did. Funny thing was that people talked one way and acted out in daily routine completely opposite. I had to move to Houston to actually find a young guy, a peer living out a life with power who caught my attention. OK this guys different, he talks and walks this Jesus thing. Is there a seminar on Discipling Power and Conversion say WC 102-surely Hybel’s must have one and under 60 minutes! Does the emerging church care?
The Holy Spirit
Where is the power and authority in me, in the church?
About 3 years ago I expanded my worship experience to something called Intercessory Worship, a mix of prayer-intercession and worship. These folks are bonafide worship hounds and I started to see and hear terms like “angelic portals”, prophetic prayer encounters, and others. Having experienced a couple amazing signs and wonders I could not help but think that this was the missing ingredient in my walk-it was not. I happen to love Benny Hinn! Not even the juggernaught Joel Osteen ever packed 1.1 million people per day (in India) into a 3-day healing event with miracle after miracle. Who do I call to cast out demons or heal the sick in the church of 3 songs, prayer, sermon, offering and 1 song? Does the emerging church care?

The next time I make the sign of the cross and I don’t know when that will be I want it to be different, with awe, special, with power and authority, love and compassion. The right word might be wholeness.

Shalom
RCK

ABOUT PEACE

2006-10-16T23:05:00.000-04:00

I seem to be always crying out for the storm to let up and all the while forgetting that the Creator God is with me in the boat.My wife and Wellspring community reminded me that the waves and storms are part of the crossing and that my attention should be on how am I investing into the lives of the others in my boat, not whether robert's but will be saved.

matthew 8
23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a terrible storm came up, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went to him and woke him up, shouting, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" 26 And Jesus answered, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he stood up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly all was calm.

Room With A View

2006-10-16T21:02:00.000-04:00

And On The 7th Day The Creator Rested