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If you could bring back a canceled tv series, which would you choose?
Submitted by The Good Girl Gone Blog.

Blogging, fb and twitter...oh my

I was surprised to see that their were still hits on my blog after my 20 day hiatus. I am looking forward to getting back into the blogging routine, but trying to figure out what is realistic. I have to admit, the social media is frustrating because it seems to be the easy way out when it comes to being clever, thoughtful or insightful. 

I have a lot of stuff I want to get out just to see reactions, thoughts and criticisms. I want to write about some cultural stuff (Farrah and MJ), church stuff, philosophy, strategy and vision, its not that I am the authority on any of that, I just want to hear what people are thinking and discovering. 

Anyway, there is some random babble, I am really looking forward to getting some stuff out there. So, check my twitter and Facebook for more...hahaha.

10 ways

I found this and plagiarized it from a site called Missional Order. I would be interested to hear your comments.

10 ways NOT to live missionally.

1. Live as if the only soul that matters to God is your own.

2. Busy yourself with what matters very little in the kingdom of God.

3. Seek all the things that you need first, then seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

4. Believe that the power of God resides in the Gospel, but evangelize and disciple others as if that were not true by using consumerist means.

5. Don’t pray for neighbors.

6. Use the Scripture as an instrument to judge rather than to motivate loving actions and good works toward neighbors.

7. Model a lone ranger approach to evangelize without connection to a close knit community.

8. Depend on the preacher to get it done. After all we’re not all learned and gifted to live missional lives.

9. Promise heaven to motivate acceptance of the claims of Christ rather than a life with God in the here and now that looks forward to eternal life with God.

10. Believe as if God bypasses the believing community in drawing the non-believing community unto himself.

Check it

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Staff meetings are tasty

These are amazing people! We pray, plan and eat! Today, Craig brought a Greek breakfast. Deelish!

Allyssa is graduating

The bittersweet time of year is here. Our second child, Allyssa graduates from high school in two weeks. She is headed off to U of Washington in the fall but a new chapter is about to unfold in her life and ours. Sue and I attended her baccalaureate yesterday, she was one of the speakers and it was amazing! I am bias, however the content was incredible and very deep. We are so proud of this young lady.

I will be blogging about her often in the next couple weeks, so stay tuned. You are going to be introduced to a very bright, capable leader.

Baptism in the parking lot

We had a baptism in the parking lot at our church yesterday. It was incredible, the raw stories of people coming to Jesus for the first time was incredibly inspiring and moving. I think the quote of the day was this: "you can't worship a god that you create." This lady had tried to find God in other religions, other ways but realized that Jesus loved her and accepted her. It was so moving. The other 3 stories were equally as moving and life changing. I am thanking God today for the amazing work of his son, Jesus.

I would certainly agree that a god created by what I like or want cannot withstand the pains and struggles of life. A designer Jesus is not going to be able to argue with me, confront me or disagree with me. This is a thought that I ponder daily. Your thoughts?

Blog vacation is over

I am getting geared up to do some blogging. I enjoyed the mini vacation and find that I enjoy blogging more than the social networks I have been been playing with. I look forward to throwing some thoughts and ideas and various things up on the blogosphere.

Leaders, leaders, leaders

Looking forward to hosting our leaders meeting Tuesday night, May 19th  at 7pm.  We ask all leaders, volunteers, staff, workers...everyone that makes All Saints "go."  We are going to talk about vision, a fresh infused look into the direction of All Saints. A reminder is always good, especially a passionate and direct reminder!

These are always nights of energy and honesty. I always look forward to this opportunity to speak directly to all the people that serve and give of their time. I love All Saints, I am grateful for all of those that give their heart and resources to see people be introduced to Jesus for the first time or in a way that they have never seen or heard before.

So, if you lead in any capacity at All Saints, I will look for you Tuesday night, May 19th. We are looking to pack the room full of wonderful leaders.

Love you all!

From the fringe

"On the fringes is where disruptive innovation begins."

This is the quote on the front of Fast Company this month. What a true statement. To be truly out there, to be where the people are going to be, to be out front is to be on the fringe. It's very shaky territory though. It's unstable and unpredictable, a true experimental culture is the only way to navigate it. I have a friend who calls it the "white water."

As a church, if we are going to be on mission we need to be on the fringes. This is where the unstable, creative way of the gospel is most loudly spoken. I also think this is where the pharisees show up. They are there to push you back into the safe area of theology, community and safe boundaries. The safe area is the place where you are told how to believe, how to live and how to behave. There is a false security to someone affirming all of your beliefs, it feels good and right.

As I read the gospels, I see how the Pharisees were shaken to the core, they went out to the fringe where Jesus was to try and use the law to push him back to safety. Jesus lived on the fringe and found the future greats that were going to help spread the kingdom of white water. Peter and Paul were fringe dudes. Mary Magdelene was a fringe girl. Peter was the first church leader, Paul was the mission specialist and Jesus saw to it that Mary was the first to see and know about his resurrection.

I get weary of trying to live in the box when the fringe is calling. As a follower, as a doubter, go to the fringe! Push the message of Jesus to the fringe of your life, that is where the super natural happens, this is where real influence happens. Innovate, create, thrive, paddle, and live freer than you ever have...on the fringe!