What's going on?

Well, it's been a while since I last posted...and yes, new thoughts go through my mind every day I just don't post them here all the time.

This week at school we had Middle School Spiritual Emphasis Week. It's a three day event where we bring in a band and a speaker and the kids get class off for those three days and it's just a fun time for them hearing the word and worship.

We had a band here called Station2 and they were a great band. They did looping and stuff so they sounded like they were a full band even though it was just two of them. I had the priveledge to do sound for them and that was fun as I feel like doing sound for a band could be something I could possibly do in the future if I wanted. Their lyrics were good as well. Also, they brought in a speaker named Mark Canada, and I found out he lived in Willow Street PA for a time which is where my best friend lives right now. Small world, eh?

These last two weeks have been full of fun stuff as well. Going out to eat numerous times and today I went on a 14km hike with some of the staff up on a mountain here. Good times. Got some good photos as well which I'll have to post next time.

So what have I been thinking about Spiritually lately? Well, I feel like I don't have anything mind-blowing, but I've just been thinking about how important it is to reach out to those who don't have. I saw American Idol this week and it was titled, "Idol gives back." It was a 2 hour special where they brought in the big names in Entertainment and did concerts over those 2 hours and raised money for organizations in Africa and organizations in the states that help those who are less fortunate. Now, don't get me wrong, this is good because it provides publicity for these organizations and they get money from American Idol. I think they raised like 30+ million dollars for these organizations and that is good and will help people. But for me, it's hard to see this. To see all these rich people saying do something and the most we can give is 30 million so that they have a better life. I mean, yes, that's a lot of money, but how much more can we do?

I'm the first to be guilty. The whole show while I was watching, I was sad and wanted to cry when they showed some of the situations of the people, and yet, all I could do there was sit on my butt and watch the show and hope that help gets to them. Instead I feel like I should be doing something. I'm so blessed with a good job. How do I know which organization to help though? Or is it better to help people in my own community? Because I know there are tons of people here who could use help as well. Which comes to my next point....

So a while back I posted about how we tried to invite this Korean lady to dinner with us once who was begging on the street and how she refused to go dinner with us. So I was downtown again tonight and we saw her again. But this time I wasn't with someone who spoke Korean who could translate something if I wanted to say something to her. So I just passed her by? But what could I do? What ideas do you have? I could just give her money, but I feel like that's to easy to do. Plus, what is she going to do with it? Instead, I'd love to offer to buy her food, but I can't speak Korean. Ugg, frustration.

So yeah, something needs to be done. So many people in this world are dying and suffering without hearing the name of Jesus. So yeah, we can give lots of money, and that will help, but it's not the money that will ultimately give them the better life I've decided. Yes, it will help, but they need Jesus. And you know what, I believe some people who are poor in other countries have a better quality of life because they depend so much on Christ. They know who will provide for them minute to minute and from knowing that have a peace that surpasses everything else in their lives.

So what's my point? My point is, yes, help by giving money to these organizations, but also concider going there and sharing Christ. But, I beg you to think about that phrase "sharing Christ." I think too often we think we'll just go into a town with a bullhorn and "share Christ", but I think moreso, instead you could go into a community, befriend the people, and then serve. I feel service is one of the most powerful forms of evangelism out there. It's beautiful at times.

Well, all this talk could go on, but I think I'll spare you. I have been reading a blog from a pastor in Malaysia @ http://www.shermankuek.net/ His thoughts are really good, and I'd really encourage you to read them. It might stretch you a little bit and you may feel a bit unconfortable at times, but that's good, isn't it?

That's it from here,

Blessings,

Mike

Church?

Well, it's been a pretty unevenful last week in all seriousness. And these last four days have honestly been pretty boring for me. The first two days I was off, and there were student-teacher conferences going on. Then these last two days I have been on in the dorm, but it's been boring because we only had two guys here. Well, we had three, but we had an incident last night with smoking where we had to send one guy home on a one day suspension. So that part wasn't cool and I had to be the one to deal with it until I could get a hold of Dan or Jaime or Brent. The others that help with the dorm stuff who I feel are much more experienced than me. Luckily I found them in like 5 minutes, so that was good.

Anyway, today was church and it was pretty good. The headmaster at the school here spoke on taking risk. He says not enough Christians take risks in their lives in reaching those who don't know Christ. And he showed biblical examples of those who took risks and the consequences of those risks but how it was a necessary risk to reach those who don't know Christ. Then after church I hung out with friends and we had bfast stuff for lunch. It was quite good even though it was my second bfast of the day. But who cares. It was still good.

Alright, so with the title of this post, I've been thinking so much about the Church and where it's gone from Bible days and where I feel it could go. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a huge fan of the modern church....I'll admit it, I like that good feeling I get when the worship is just right and when the electric guitar is cranking. I also like the lights, and the showy type stuff. But with all these books that I've been reading I feel like the church can do so much more. I feel like churches in general today aren't doing much to reach their communities around them. I mean how many times do you see homeless people in the church? How many times do you see the needy, the prostitutes, and gangsters in the church? I dunno, it just doesn't seem right....the church in Jesus' time I can imagine would've been filled with these types of people. The church today just seems so homogeneous with the people all wearing smiles and looking all alike.

Why can't we as a church (as believers) admit we have problems? It seems like we all come to church and talk about how life is going so perfect for us...when deep inside we all have issues going on in our lives. I'll be the first to admit, if you ask me how I'm doing, I'll often tell you fine, even though there might be something going on that's deeper. But this is something I really am trying to work on. To be more honest with those around me that when I'm not doing fine to be able to express it. I mean think about this: If we as a church (as believers) admitted that we have issues, maybe the poor, the prostitutes, and other notorious "sinners" wouldn't look so bad anymore and our churches wouldn't be so homogenous. I think it'd be easier to love those people when we realize we are dealing with issues as well.

Don't get me wrong though, there are things that Churches are doing that is very commendable as well. I just feel like there is a lot more that could be done.

A couple final questions to think on and I'd love to hear responses: If there were no more church buildings, would the "church" still exist? What would it look like? Would it be easier to accept the "sinners" if we didn't meet in such a formal location?

Oh, here are some sweet lyrics to a new song I love by Hillsong United:

Hillsong United - Solution

It is not a human right
To stand afar while broken nations dream
Open up our eyes, so blind
That we might find the mercy for the need

Hey now
Fill our hearts with your compassion
Hey now
As we hold to our confession

It is not too far a cry
Too much to try to help the least of these
Politicians should not decide if we should rise
And be your hands and feet

Singing...
Hey now
Fill our hearts with your compassion
Hey now
As we hold to our confession

Whoa-oo-ooh
God, be their solution
Whoa-oo-ooh
We will be your hands and be your feet
Yeah Yeah

Higher than our circumstance
You promise and your love for all to see
Higher than our protest lines and dollar signs
Your love is all we need

Hey now
Fill our hearts with your compassion
Hey now
As we hold to our confession

Whoa-oo-ooh
God, be their solution
Whoa-oo-ooh
We will be your hands and be your feet

Whoa-oo-ooh
God, be their solution
Whoa-oo-ooh
We will be your hands and be your feet
Whoa Yeah

Only you can mend the broken heart
And cause the blind to see
You erase complete the sinner's past
And set the captives free

Only you can take the widow's cry
And cause the heart to see
Be the Father to the fatherless
Our Saviour and our King

We will be your hands
We will be your feet
We run this race for the least of these
In the darkest place we will be your light,
We will you light

We will be your hands
We will be your feet
We run this race for the least of these
In the darkest place we will be your light,
We will you light

Whoa-oo-ooh
God, be their solution
Whoa-oo-ooh
We will be your hands and be your feet

Whoa-oo-ooh
God, be their solution
Whoa-oo-ooh
We will be your hands and be your feet

We will
We will
God be the solution

We will
We will
God be the solution

We will be your hands
We will be your feet
We run this race for the least of these
In the darkest place we will be your light,
We will you light...



Till Next Time,

Mike

Time for an Update

Alright, so it's been a little while since i've updated and for that I appologize. Not too much has been going on though. This last weekend was the spiritual retreat here at the dorm. It's an optional thing and we had about 35 kids there and then about 35 angels. The angels are kids who attended the retreat the year before and they come back and they serve. So the angels are in the background setting stuff up and doing other stuff. It's quite a beautiful set up and the kids were great.

It was a great weekend overall just seeing the kids serve and seeing the kids be served. Also, the kids were great affected spiritually as well. There was a testimony part at the end of the weekend and from what the kids said, it sounded like they learned a lot. So praise God for that because I wasn't sure how the kids would react. I mean we took their cellphones and watches and they couldn't have them. So for them, it was quite a stretch to not have that stuff. I mean even now I would have a tough time going without the cellphone or watch or clocks. Why am I so time-oriented. Why can't I become more like the Latin cultures, or the Malaysian culture and be laid back. That would be sweet, but alas I can't.

So besides that, not too much is going on. Just normal life and dorm life. And that is good, that is what's expected. I can't ask for a better job right now that seems to fit me for what I like to do.

So with this job there is a lot of free time and recently I've been reading a lot. I just finished two books which have really been changing my ideas on spirituality upsidedown. The books are "messy spirituality" by Michael Yaconelli, and "a new kind of Christian." I can't remember right now who is the author of that one. But both books are really good reads. Messy Spirituality is an easier read, but A New Kind of Chirstian will challenge you quite a bit in your walk. For one, both of these books have really challenged me with getting to know some non-Christians. I mean all my life I've only been surrounded by Christians. I mean sure, I went to a Secular University, but all my friends were Christians. So a big challenge right now for me is to not feel so uncomfortable around non-Christians. It seems when I'm around non-Christians I clam up when ever I hear a swear word or where they don't do something Christian. And you know what...I don't like that about myself. I need to be able to show them that I'm comfortable with where they are at and show them Love and through that work with them. If I clam up and always condemn them with my thoughts, where does that get us?

Also, Messy Spirituality really helped me out as sometimes I get down on myself because at times I don't feel extremely spiritual, but this book points out that the spiritual walk is not a straight line up, but it's like a roller coaster and that you can still be spiritual and not be spending hours in the Word every day. Don't get me wrong, spending hours in the Word is a good thing, but it's not necessary every day to be Spiritual or to be a Christian. You can throughout the day and be thinking about God in whatever you are doing. And I feel like a lot of times throughout the day I do try to incorporate God into my thoughts.

A new kind of Christian has really detailed what "post-modern" really means. It was a good read. Although I'm still trying to comprehend some of the stuff, but a big part of it is just how the modern culture has adapted Christianity into the modern practices. And that's good for the "modern" culture, but the culture is changing and is thus "post-modern." Thus the church needs to change as well to meet the needs of that culture. It's hard to detail what the book said so I would just say read it and read it with an open mind.

I'm not saying these books are absolute truth and that the authors said everything 100% true. But I will say read the books and check it with the Bible. Test it, check it, and test it again. I will say that I feel like after reading these books I have a slightly bigger grasp on what it means to be a Christian and I'm learning that it's not as easy to be a Christian as I thought. I have a lot of growing up to do.

Please pray that I can start to grow up in my Christianity. Theres so much that I can do for other people out there that I don't do yet. For example, talking to the homeless, or inviting them to dinner, or just Loving on non-Christians. And I want to be able to do that without shame.

Well, that's it for now. Hopefully I can put more stuff down once I gather my thoughts from all this reading.