PHD Thoughts

So, on our way home from Armadillo Grill Matt and I were talking... well, actually I was talking and he was listening (this happens quite frequently in our relationship).

I have been having a lot of questions about why I am getting my PhD and what all this is about and how what I am going to study connects with my passions, dreams, and gifts... so after about 30 mintues of going around in circles I came up with this idea:

Question one: What is the "missional church's" role in social justice in the local community?
Thoughts: Social justice cannot be separated from redeption/ grace/ healing/ the physical and spiritual are both important and need to be addressed.

Question two: Who do we form authentic communities and discipleship relationships within the local church? What does this look like?
Thoughts: This is what I truly am passionate about!

Conclusion: Discipleship that is part of authentic biblical community should increase the churches ability and desire to be affective in contributing to social healing and justice in ways that we are not currently able to imagine. Possibly coming closer to a world that looks like Matthew 5...

These are the ideas that I am going to be looking at with my PhD. I still don't know for sure if this is the way that I want to go to find the answers to these questions, but at least I am starting to put the pieces together a bit.

Social Healing

So, I am thinking about what social justice is all about and what my role in that is as a Christ follower. I have heard a lot of different opinions and what I am currently considering is the following:

What does God's justice look like?
-healing... maybe?
-atonement for our sins required Jesus to die... this probably means that social healing and justice will be messy and require sacrifice...

I say this because if we are trying to live by grace maybe it is asking the question, what does the world need? Is it as simple as Jesus. or is the word Jesus loaded in more ways then we can comprhend??

I am not saying that I have the answer to these questions at all, but I think its more complicated than I would like it to be.
*what is the cutoff between the physical and the spiritual? is there one? how does transformation occur in the big picture of things?

-Do homeless people need homes? Wasn't Jesus homeless? how do cultural norms play into this?
-What does it look like to care for widows and orphans? Does this mean taking them in? Does this mean meeting their physical needs? Where does the healing come in?
-When do we start asking people what they want v. what we want to give them? What is our role in providing services for people that we can't completely identify with? Are we attempting to make people more like us or more like Jesus?
-How did Jesus meet needs?
-Jesus asked people to sell everything they had and give it to the poor. Wouldn't this create more poor people?

My list of questions goes on and on, but I think that justice and healing cannot be separated. The gospel must remain at the heart of social justice/healing or else I beleive we start trying to figure everything out instead of relying on faith.

Thats all for now.

Not sure about blogger etiquette

I'm not quite sure what blogging etiquette is, I mean I don't think I've noticed individual bloggers posting more than once a day, but I don't read that many... so, I am going to set my own standard. I am going to post multiple times somedays and none others... I hope that is okay... I think I just have a lot to say today.

Thoughts about community

One of the things that I am so thankful for is the community that I am a part of. Some people may think this referrs to my church community Visio Dei, but its more than that. Visio Dei is a big part of why I have such a strong community, but then I have other friends that aren't a part of my church whom I love and cherish and with whom I experience deep relationships and life sharing.

Somehow I am thinking that church community is different than social community. There are different expectations and responsibilities.. maybe? I feel fortunate to be one of the ones in the church who has reeped the beneifts of relational support, giving to others, challenging by others, knowing that I can call several people at any time of the day and they will talk with me... but, this has taken time and investment...

So, I guess my question is how do we as a church help others who don't already have these connections to have them? I have several one on one relationships with individuals who feel like outsiders... and see other potential relationships with people that I have yet to get to know very well...

As I just said, I think it takes time, but it also takes willingness to reach out and willingness on many people's parts to be vulnerable, face fears of rejection, put others before ourselves, think outside of the "norm", etc. My prayer is that I would do this more and more and that we as a community would do this more and more... I do think we are, it just takes time and I'm a bit impatient.

any thoughts?

Crazy Week!

As a community we have been talking about the connection between our hearts for Jesus and our hands and feet for the world. This past week I have actually experienced the intersection of the two first hand in several ways... let me tell you... its a rush!!

I am not trying to brag on my good deeds, but I am trying to explain this phenomenon that occurs when we serve out of grace rather than out of guilt...

First, one of my best friends just moved to Atlanta. I got to be part of throwing her a good bye party. It was hard to say good bye, but it was great to enjoy each other, show love to each other and remeniss about fun times we have had with hopes of more unique ones to come.

Second, Matt and I got to drive to Florida in one day and then back the next to be with two of our best friends who just had their first child. I have to admit getting up early after having a little too much fun at Charlotte's going away party was rather difficult (I did say a few curse words)... but, once we got in the car and once we stepped in to the hospital room (Kim's state at that time is another story)I realized that I wouldn't trade the experience of being in Tallahasee with them for anything.

I love my friends!

Third, I got to meet with some new friends just to get to know each other and ended up sharing my struggle with anorexia and bulemia and how much God has spoken to me and encouraged me over the years and the struggles that I still face and how I seek encouragement and accountability. I think openning up with them was helpful for myself and for my new friends... God's light always shines in the darkness!

I say all of this because sometimes I try to come up with new and profound ways to "bring God's kingdom to earth" and miss the joy in living in the spirit. The above three things forced me to rely on Jesus and my community in new ways and helped me to experience the blessing of overflow.

Let me know if this makes sense to anyone else?

Success and Thank you!!

I just wanted to say thank you to Jonathan and Daniel for working so hard on Charlotte's video. I greatly appreciate it and she did cry and is happy to have the memories, with sound.

I am actually going to see her in a few minutes before the moving trucks pull away. This will be a difficult time, saying good bye to one of my best friends... I don't like saying good bye. But, I am happy for her and know that good things are to come for both of us. I also know that we will keep in touch for years to come regardless of where we physically are.

Thanks again!! I am grateful for all of my friends.

Too soon!

Well, if you read my previous post I spoke about how I had just finished this DVD for my friend Charlotte... well, I had (on my computer). Today I have been trying to burn it to a DVD. Here is the story:

My first try was a big bust. I got frustrated and went to lunch with a friend (which was a great time!) On the way back from lunch I ran into Matt and Erin Lavin (wonderful people, who read my blog and who are very helpful and knowledgeable). They took some time out of their day to come over and help me out. THANK YOU GUYS!!!!

Our second attempt was a bust... not as bad, but only worked on one program on Matt's laptop, not on our DVD player...

Our third attempt was, well a half bust... doesn't work in our DVD player (this could be becuase we have had it for a long time) or some other reason... so, I tried it on my old lap top after the Lavin's left and ... GOOD NEWS!! It worked, BUT: No sound :(

I'm not sure where to go from here because I don't have any more blank DVD's and I have to go to work in a half an hour: The party is tomorrow... any thoughts? Shannon? Daniel? Jonathan?