MyWalkBlog » Other’s Words

New Year’s Resolutions, Goals, Planning, etc.

craigkendall — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:12:07 +0000

As I read through the New Testament, attempting to remove the filters of time and previous (prejudiced) teaching I continue to be amazed by the little things that pop out of no where.

In a conversation with my wife tonight we were talking about how today’s devout church goers are beginning to say things that sound a lot like the new age thinkers around them. For instance, those whose comments I’ve been reading about being focused on setting goals for the year to come sound an awful lot like the new agers around me who speak of visualizing the good things they want to manifest in the future in order to make them happen.

The conversation with my wife turned to how little has changed from the times of Genesis through Revelation to today. Man still molds his religious practices into the image of the popularized culture surrounding himself or herself. Why? Who cares.

While Jesus was someone folks seemed to want to be around just because of His presence, He was not someone who “fit” in by any means. In fact, He fit in more with the ir-religious than He did with those who were considered religious in His day.

I find I am becoming less bound by religious thought and practice passed down for generations and more drawn to simply being of one mind with Father. While I’m not seeking to be different just for the sake of being different, I do more and more each day find myself separated from those who practice under any of the religious systems of this world.

Numbers

craigkendall — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:29:03 +0000

Sometimes I wonder if people “speaking for Jesus” really think about what they say before they open their mouths. Take this quote I came across recently:

The number of followers a church leader has is directly related to the how passionately the leader follows Christ.

Here are just a few quick things that strike me about this statement…

It’s about numbers, not about Father.
It’s about “us” not about Him.
It’s based on a formula for success as man sees success.
It’s oriented to drive church goers by playing on guilt.
It indicates there’s a competition between church leaders.
It removes Father from the picture indicating it’s the man who draws and leads the people not Father Himself.
It’s based on our own effort, not on Father’s provision.

Why would anyone follow, or want to follow, a church leader rather than following Christ/Father and doing it alongside others who follow alike? The themes of the Old and New Testaments continue to ring through… man wants worshiping the One True God to be about us (that’s religion). We want a “king”… in a form or fashion which fits the culture of the day, but we want an earthly king to lead us because we want to be like the godless who place themselves at the center of their universe and create a god they can control and explain perfectly.

Sometimes, the things people say…

admin — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 06:35:49 +0000

Seriously!?

I’ve been watching this guy tweet for some time, but this one demanded a post. It’s actually the second time (that I know of) that he’s tweeted the same phrase.

I’m trying to figure out if he just doesn’t see it, or if he actually thinks pushing people to join his online church is “sowing the Gospel”.

A couple of times, in response to other nonsensicalness he posted, I tweeted back in reply to, in essence, point out the error in his thinking. I think he’s learned, as do most “church” folks, that I’m no “prospect” for his congregation so he just ignores me now.

What do you think? Is Dr. Kenny Russell’s statement above rather absurd? Do you think he really MEANS what this says or do you think he means something else and it just came out wrong?

Are we really blinded so much by ambition to build something or be joined by others in something that we will say anything to make it happen?

I might consider the notion of “church” if…

craigkendall — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 18:30:41 +0000

So it’s been a while since I wrote anything. One been busy… two just didn’t have much to say… well, actually saying it one on one with several who needed it that way. Either way, today I was delighted to see this posted by a friend on his Facebook page. His name is Paul Vieira and you can find him at http://paulvieira.info as well as on Facebook. Here’s what he had to say…

I might consider the notion of “church” if those involved:

1. view the word “church” as meaning something more like its original context – “community”, not a building, institution or organization

2. don’t have personal agendas on what community should look like

3. feel no guilt about not going to church

4. are comfortable with there being no pastor – not expecting to be “spiritually fed” by another person

5. view worship as daily decisions to acknowledge God and do what is right by God – not about singing songs

6. (if music is involved) see music as a familiar way of creating atmosphere and expressing ideas and emotion

7. are on a journey with eyes looking to Jesus as the Authority on every matter in this life and the next

8. are comfortable with others being at different places on that journey – no judging

9. see community as something fluid – we don’t have to meet all the time and it can look different each time

10. are comfortable with not knowing all the answers, others having different opinions, and appreciating the mystery of God

Does this describe anyone out there?

I simply responded, “ME!”.

Umm… guess not.

craigkendall — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 15:46:48 +0000

So last week I wrote about our “It’s FREE you know” experience. This morning, as is typical on Sunday mornings, I was sitting on the front porch, but this week anxious to see what the follow up would be from last week’s nodder.

I have to admit I was hopeful that he’d make some kind of futher overture to draw us into what he obviously believes is his spiritual “family”. Not because I really wanted to be a part, but because I really have a desire to see those who claim to follow Christ act like it.

Sadly, he pulled up at the same time he has for almost a year and parked in the same spot he has every week. Got out of his car, looked over my way… and said nothing. In fact, he glanced away as soon as he noticed I was looking his way.

Guess he feels he has fulfilled the mandate taught by his religious system to “Go ye therefore” by simply “inviting” me to come into his building.

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (emphasis mine)

John 13:35

“It’s FREE you know”

craigkendall — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 17:31:28 +0000

About a year ago we moved into a small house in a quiet neighborhood in old town Longmont. To our East was a brand new rebuilt house that was empty and for sale… it was the only thing between us and “The Church at Longmont” that sits on the corner. For over 11 months on Sundays (and Wednesdays) people would come and go and often we would see them (and they would see us). Until today, no one spoke to us from there. In fact, no one even really looked our way long enough for us to catch their gaze and speak.

Today was different. He pulled up in a pickup I’ve seen parked in the same parking spot almost every week for the whole year. He stepped out of his truck, straightened his jeans and shirt and confidently looked over at us to say “Good morning”.

What came next I almost couldn’t believe. With an air of arrogance and condescension his head motioned toward the building and said “It’s FREE you know”.

The old me wanted to say something that showed this arrogant religionist how blind he really is. But asking Father what to say He was silent and confirmed in me there was nothing to say.

So many thoughts passed through my mind as the man walked into the building.

HIM: “It’s FREE you know”

ME: “Do you know that YOU are NOT?”

HIM: “It’s FREE you know”

ME: “You have no idea how much it has cost you… you have no joy.”

HIM: “It’s FREE you know”

ME: “Then why are they always pushing you for money?”

HIM: “It’s FREE you know”

ME: “No, but Jesus meant what it represents to truly set you free and you don’t even see it.”

So sad. I weep for his blindness, yet he is not my assignment.

Contentment vs Ambition?

craigkendall — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 08:17:42 +0000

It’s become very interesting to me over the last three years how much more in tune with Father’s character some who “don’t know Father” are than those who do or claim to follow His Son. It seems they have an advantage over us in that they see His character exemplified in the brush strokes He left about Himself sprinkled through His creation. We often miss thees brush strokes because we discount the thoughts presented in movies, songs, books, science, even astrology as in opposition to the Bible. (That should get some folks riled up!) But before you get too riled, let me throw out a disclaimer. I would never put forth that Father intends or intended for us to worship nature, be self-worshiping, or look to the sky to know whether or not we should buy a lottery ticket. However, I’m beginning to see that some of the folks who practice or promote these crafts are more in touch with the pattern of their creator than are those who read their Bibles daily, attend church several times weekly, and give above their expected 10% (the “expected by whom” is another post entirely… but I won’t be writing that one).

If I walked you into an art gallery with rooms of painting collections from several artists, chances are you could identify which paintings belonged to which painters just by the similar style and expression of themselves that are evident in the masterpieces they create. Likewise I’m learning that the world we live in, as well as all the people around us are masterpieces of the Master. So many people around us who don’t know the Father have taken the time (we have not if you are reading between the lines here) to study some aspect of His magnificent creation and have found patterns or representations of cycles which I’m beginning to realize are the brush strokes of the Master. Like Paul I’m beginning to find myself surrounded by those who have some form of an altar to an “unknown god”.

A recent post on the SearchingForMore.com blog written by a distant, and yet unmet brother living in TN I was reminded of the importance living a life in line with the understanding of this truth. In his post The Danger of Contentment Jason points out that contentment can be an arrow in the quiver of The Enemy. He expresses that he is not content with many of the “spiritual” things in his life and desires a more dedicated and life-altering walk. My disclaimer before I go on is that this is similar to the passion which grew inside of me and led me to walk away from the religious life I had lived for 25 years.

Jason’s discontent is consistent with those who venture down the path to living the truth of what Jesus showed and taught us. I believe Jason would pretty quickly agree with everything I am about to say in response to his post.

Many of the non-religious around us emphasize the importance of living a life of balance. From yoga to Jedi Master Yoga (well, the author of the Star Wars saga I should say) balance in life is emphasized as key. Likewise, the life of a Christ Follower is a life of balance. This important principle permeates the communities focused on art, science, business, and on and on that exist all around us. Yet those who follow or claim to follow Christ tend to live lives swinging from one extreme to another. The amazing creator of everything left some definitive brush strokes about balance on our planet, across other planets, and across the known universe. While being content can lead to complacency in one’s journey, there is a lot to be said to finding the balance between contentment and ambition.

Paul emphasized that he had learned to be content whatever his circumstances. Yet I would not describe Paul as being complacent with or towards anything in his life.

Enter into the post the influence of Phil Card. Phil was a church member in one of the churches I served, but that was far from his public legacy. Phil served for a great many years in what would be called denomination service trying to establish a lifestyle of discipleship in groups and individuals. After he retired (which I’m not sure he ever REALLY did) while serving on staff in his church Phil served as my mentor for a field service class that was required for my seminary degree (kind of funny because I had always been in “full time ministry” while getting my degree… but I digress). A regular part of our weekly meetings during the class, as well as at any opportunity he would have outside of those meetings, Phil would quietly say to me “Ambition is the problem. Do you know what I mean?” I always thought I knew what he was saying and typically thought it meant something about some aspect of whatever the conundrum of the week was at the church.

Not until five years ago did I truly begin to understand what I think Phil was trying to say… or if Phil was not trying to say this specific piece of to me, Father used him as a mouthpiece to echo it to my life years later. As part of my journey I began to realize my own ambition had driven me to believe I was a better “Christian” if I worked with multitudes. The bigger the numbers I was influencing the better for the Kingdom. My ambition to “do great things for God and His Kingdom” had be all messed up.

At the close of John, Jesus quietly says “the Father is the goal and purpose of my life”. Now there is ambition. The only person in the history of the world who ever had limitless power and capability and who could have had the biggest “ministry” in history was ambitious for one thing… whatever Father had for Him.

Somewhere between contentment and ambition is a place Jesus walked day in and day out and it’s where I want to be as well. There are times when ambition to do great things for the Kingdom flirts across the canvas of my mind. There are times when contentment with my circumstances could become complacency. The thing that keeps them both in check is a walk with Father. The more I learn about how the goal and purpose of my life can be like that of Jesus, the less I even have to think about balance between ambition and contentment.

So, I applaud my yet unmet brother Jason and his passion to not become complacent (which is what I think he is saying in his post). No doubt the pressure of ambition is not far behind. I pray he will find his place nestled right down into the middle of being where Father wants him to be, when Father wants him to be there, and be attentive enough to do/say exactly what Father has for him to do while there.