charlieDEAN’S Blog

I know they’re ugly!
I yet I love them!

I got my first pair yesterday — black caymans

If you don’t know anything about them, check out their website.

I was acosted (okay, maybe that’s a bit strong), but maybe “chided” works here, by a long-time reader of this blog that I’ve been a little weak in the postings catagory of the last month or two.

To which I responded “true.”

Here’s my reasons/excuses:

1. I really have been busy. — Okay so I have to say this…I get tired of when you ask people how they are and they always say “busy” as if that really describes how you are — that’s just circumstances — it doesn’t necessarily tell me how you are. So now I will qualify: I’ve been busy, meaning — my life is full, but in a good & healthy way. When I’m at work, I have enough to do, that it’s more than filling my time, and when I’m at home, I’ve resurrected some projects that have been neglected for quite some time.

2. The stuff that’s really been on my mind, isn’t really fit to print at this juncture. I don’t want to be too cryptic…but here’s a couple things that I hope to blog about in the future, that I’ve been thinking about recently but am not ready to “play my hand” yet.

• Consumerism — especially related to “church shopping,” and “church hopping” (two terms I LOATHE) and the tendency of clergy to denounce consumeristic tendencies in parishioners and then switch churches every couple of years.
• The challenges of “twentysomethings” ministry — the people who have the most to give (time, $, etc., and yet statistically do the least in the church and are the least dedicated.)
• The viability of the “church-within-a-church” model — is it sustainable? Is it even desirable? Is it biblical?
• The christian “ghetto” — how many church services/small groups/etc. should I be going to each week? How much of my time should be filled up with “church stuff” as compared to the time I have available to hang out with neighbors and get involved in my community?

That’s all for now…if there’s something that really piques your interest, let me know. I’m hoping that Catalyst will give me some time to think about some of these things!

I know they’re ugly!
I yet I love them!

I got my first pair yesterday — black caymans

If you don’t know anything about them, check out their website.

“I love inside jokes. Someday I’d like to be a part of one.”

– Michael Scott, Regional Manager, Dundler-Mifflin Paper Products

Don’t look for much here this week!

I’m speaking at New Community Wednesday night
I’m speaking at Nexus on Saturday night
I’m leaving for a conference early Tuesday morning
And then I’m speaking here on Oct. 7-8.

SWAMPED is the word!

(I’ll post Catalyst thoughts next week, if I can find WiFi!!)

Peace!

Sometimes a quotation jumps off the page…

From this morning’s reading…

“To be a character requires gratitude for one’s uniquely carved being. Do we delight in the strengths that are fearfully crafted into our characters? Do we bless how those strengths wondrously serve others? If we are not aware of our fearful and wondrous potential, then we probably aren’t troubled by our failures or grieved by how we harm others. When we see the glory we can achieve, our choice of dross over gold will break our hearts.“

Dan Allender, Leading with a Limp, p. 149.

Last night Nexus was good…I think it’s been a long time since Jake, Chris & I were all there!

Jake & the team did a great job with worship, and there was a great energy in the room!

It’s funny, that yesterday I was feeling so lethargic, and not for excited about the message I was teaching.

And so I was just praying that God would use me despite how I felt…and I walked out last night charged up and excited.

About a year ago I had a root canal…and it was done poorly and I ended up with an infection in the root of that tooth.

So this morning I had it re-done by a different doctor, who drilled through the crown, extracted the filling and refilled it.

I’m in much pain…it was a 2hr procedure…it’s noon, and I’m going home for the day!

Today has been a “start working on messages in the future” day…so I’ve been sitting here with my Bible open, reading texts and theological texts and thinking through some rough outlines. (THIS is what I got into ministry for!)

Anyway…I’m stuck.

I’m thinking about a New Community talk that is a week away. The title is “Living the Word.” The idea is that we’re doing this series this fall where we’re saying that God will do amazing things in our lives when we live the word, listen to the whispers of the Spirit and live the walk. Tim and Cal will have led this section with talks about loving the word of God and learning the word of God.

I’m really stuck…I know that I need to get to a place to challenge people to incorporate the phrase “what does the Bible say?” into their lives, but that’s not enough for a whole sermon.

So, I’m asking for some help. Anything come to mind? When you think about living under the authority of the word of God, what questions or challenges come to mind?

thanks for your help!

There’s a blog that I follow that I disagree with almost everything the person says (don’t panic, it’s not you…it’s a former professor). And not only do I disagree with almost everything he says, I mostly disagree with his tone of condescension, intellectual arrogance, snobbery and self-righteousness.

But here’s the thing…I just don’t really care. There have been several times where he’s fired me up, and I’ve thought about posting and then I just don’t. So here’s what I’m asking myself…

Have I mellowed, or is this what (gasp) maturity begins to look like?
Have I become jaded, so that I really just tune people out?
Is it a good indicator of my character that I resist the desire to “set the record straight,” or is it a bad indicator of my character that I’m unwilling to enter into meaningful dialogue?

Color me puzzled.