Mike Yaconelli wrote:
Then we go to church, and we leave completely demoralized by the expert insights into the nuances of the original Greek and Hebrew, which are obviously out of our intellectual reach as laypersons; the clear and obvious principles of godly living that everyone should know, but of course, we don’t know; the unending litany of success stories that make anything that has happened to us pale in comparison. The worship band is so polished, the choir is so professional, the drama is so theatrical, and the multimedia presentation so state-of-the-art that we leave reaffirmed in our own incompetence. It is no wonder that you and I, the ordinary people of God, go to bed each night with a dull uneasiness, a gnawing ineptitude that is present when we drift off to sleep and there to greet us when we awaken in the morning.
We constantly hear complaints about the lethargy of the Church, the apathy of the congregation, the inactivity of the majority. Could it be that the collective passiveness of the church is the direct consequence of the expertise of the leadership? Could it be that the unwillingness to perform by the many is a natural response to the flawless performance of the few? Could it be that the authority of the expert has robbed the non-expert of any authority at all? Could it be that the unending parade of "heroes" has made it impossible to find the real heroes hiding in the ordinary and commonplace?
The power of the Church is not in its super-preachers, or its mega-structures, or its large institutions. The power of the Church is in its individual people whose sacrifices throughout everyday life have an authority no expert can match."
- - - - - - -
KSD adds: Amen, amen & amen. Our "successes" are our failures. We model what few can do. Excellence is used as an excuse for not being involoved orletting people serve. People are impressed, not equipped.
Are unbelievers really more impressed by a perfect show or authentic living!? Is God?
What if the "paid pros" all went away... could we DO / have church? If the power went off (electric) would be be able to have "praise & worship"?
How did they do it before we had such gadgets & greatness?
How do they do in China, Haiti, India, MOST of the world...?
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Monday, June 20, 2005
Fresh back from Camp
well... after my shower, I am back fresh, having spent the night at camp. The older three guys are at Boys Scout camp this week, Karissa is at Kristie's tonight & Kamron is at the Presleys tonight. Could someone get Peanut?
I will be speaking at Bancroft Thur & Fri (9 AM) - Missions Speaker. I can't wait to see what I have to say ;-) Actually, as an emergency fill-in speaker, I need to decide which way I want to go: ministry trip stories to India & Mexico, Matt 28:16-20, life in Brooklyn, NY. . . )
I will be speaking at Bancroft Thur & Fri (9 AM) - Missions Speaker. I can't wait to see what I have to say ;-) Actually, as an emergency fill-in speaker, I need to decide which way I want to go: ministry trip stories to India & Mexico, Matt 28:16-20, life in Brooklyn, NY. . . )
Saturday, June 18, 2005
My first Father's Day . . .
. . . with out Dad, who went to be with the Lord on Dec. 2, 04. It is an easy date to remember, it is one day after my 20th Anniversary.
This fatherless Father's Day makes me thankful for:
the dad I had
that I had him for so long - 43 years.
that I had a dad around at all
- so many have never had a dad on Father's Day
my five great kids
my wonderful wife
my marvelous Mom
and my Heavenly Father
Dad, I love and miss you,
Kerry
This fatherless Father's Day makes me thankful for:
the dad I had
that I had him for so long - 43 years.
that I had a dad around at all
- so many have never had a dad on Father's Day
my five great kids
my wonderful wife
my marvelous Mom
and my Heavenly Father
Dad, I love and miss you,
Kerry
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Sunday Miscel.
Good day with God's folk at church.
Nice lunch with the Seatons and Mozers.
Sweet VBS program for Kaleb & Kamron this PM,
- a VBS put on by three churches: a Ch of God, S. Bapt & U Method. churches - neat unity.
Kimsey & Karter packing for camp (s) - Bancroft this week, Scout camp next
I need to decide about going to EFCA Nat Confer in Pitt., PA at month's end... have a ride, scholarship money... no houseing arrangments yet. I may room with a missinary friend. in Mexico . . .
We need to plan if we are going to IL this summer - Robin & the kids may need to go without me...
I am speaking at a camp in KY in July - plese pray
Nice lunch with the Seatons and Mozers.
Sweet VBS program for Kaleb & Kamron this PM,
- a VBS put on by three churches: a Ch of God, S. Bapt & U Method. churches - neat unity.
Kimsey & Karter packing for camp (s) - Bancroft this week, Scout camp next
I need to decide about going to EFCA Nat Confer in Pitt., PA at month's end... have a ride, scholarship money... no houseing arrangments yet. I may room with a missinary friend. in Mexico . . .
We need to plan if we are going to IL this summer - Robin & the kids may need to go without me...
I am speaking at a camp in KY in July - plese pray
Saturday, June 04, 2005
A Parable: Beligerant Bridge Builders
By KERRY DOYAL - www.GetGraced.org
"I just don't get it! Why don't they use the bridge?" the baffled and offended hardhat-wearing contractor asks himself out loud. "I mean, after all those months of hard work, the couple of millions of dollars we spent, they still refuse. I don't get it!"
"Hey moron" he yells out, with spit, "why don't ya use the bridge we built ya? Why don't you and your freaky friends use it? It's for you to use, too, ya know."
Exasperated, he pauses, sighs heavily, then draws in another breath to finish his tirade and release his pent-up anger. "How could we make it any clearer to you idiots? Don'tcha know how stupid you look wadding through the river and putting up planks to cross over? For God's sake, use the stinking bridge. That's why we built it. What's wrong with you?"
"Ya wanna know why we don't use your bridge?" the "moron" replies. "Ya really want to know?"
A pause borne of surprise is lengthened by a time of decision. The bridge builder had not expected an answer. As angry as he was, he was not sure he wanted one. Besides, he fumed, what possible sensible reasons could they offer? Smugly confident in his safe position, he sarcastically replied "Go for it."
"I'll tell ya why we don't use your bridge" the hurt-filled voice answered. "It's not because it's not a fine enough bridge for us. No, it's a great looking bridge and I am sure it will serve certain people very well. To tell ya the truth, I'm happy for them. But we don't use your bridge because we know we are not welcome on it!"
"What?" cried the incredulous builder. "Not welcome? What part of ‘open to everyone' do you not understand?"
"Saying it is built for us is one thing. Treating us like ya really want us to use it is another. We heard you while you were building it. We heard how you talked about us, about how you seemed even resentful in having to build it. Being disdained hardly makes a soul feel welcomed. Where I'm from, hatred hardly puts out the welcome mat very convincingly.
"You built a right fine bridge all right, and it cost you aplenty. No disputing that. But it seems it was paved with ill will - raw begrudging duty."
"What are you talking about?" replied the stunned contractor, a little less bold and a hint of red flushed out on his checks.
"It's real simple. You spit in the soup and then blame the hungry for not eating it. You cook up a feast - begrudgingly - invite us over but leave out the attack dogs. You say they are on chains and won't hurt us, but we've been bitten too many times already. It's hard to feel welcomed when your host seems ready to hit you."
Those words hit the contractor hard.
"I would rather wade through the slough than use your bridge. You only built it because you had to, not because you give a ‘spit in the wind' for us. If you do care for us, you have a very funny way of showing it. Crossing your bridge would mean ignoring how you bridge builders treated us people who need your bridge. I'd rather wade."
Before he knew what he was doing, the bridge builder found himself waste-deep in the water. He had an apology to make - one that were it not accepted, he would understand. Yet, he needed to go to this unlikely teacher and offer both thanks for his candor as well as regrets over his own behavior.
Even as water filled his boots, he realized that he needed to build another bridge - possibly several more. This one needed to be built differently. The plans for this span-closer called for grace, compassion, mercy, humility, sincerity, tenderness.
Though tempted to tear down the old bridge, it was decided to leave it as a reminder, a sad memorial to sacrifice wasted.
"I just don't get it! Why don't they use the bridge?" the baffled and offended hardhat-wearing contractor asks himself out loud. "I mean, after all those months of hard work, the couple of millions of dollars we spent, they still refuse. I don't get it!"
"Hey moron" he yells out, with spit, "why don't ya use the bridge we built ya? Why don't you and your freaky friends use it? It's for you to use, too, ya know."
Exasperated, he pauses, sighs heavily, then draws in another breath to finish his tirade and release his pent-up anger. "How could we make it any clearer to you idiots? Don'tcha know how stupid you look wadding through the river and putting up planks to cross over? For God's sake, use the stinking bridge. That's why we built it. What's wrong with you?"
"Ya wanna know why we don't use your bridge?" the "moron" replies. "Ya really want to know?"
A pause borne of surprise is lengthened by a time of decision. The bridge builder had not expected an answer. As angry as he was, he was not sure he wanted one. Besides, he fumed, what possible sensible reasons could they offer? Smugly confident in his safe position, he sarcastically replied "Go for it."
"I'll tell ya why we don't use your bridge" the hurt-filled voice answered. "It's not because it's not a fine enough bridge for us. No, it's a great looking bridge and I am sure it will serve certain people very well. To tell ya the truth, I'm happy for them. But we don't use your bridge because we know we are not welcome on it!"
"What?" cried the incredulous builder. "Not welcome? What part of ‘open to everyone' do you not understand?"
"Saying it is built for us is one thing. Treating us like ya really want us to use it is another. We heard you while you were building it. We heard how you talked about us, about how you seemed even resentful in having to build it. Being disdained hardly makes a soul feel welcomed. Where I'm from, hatred hardly puts out the welcome mat very convincingly.
"You built a right fine bridge all right, and it cost you aplenty. No disputing that. But it seems it was paved with ill will - raw begrudging duty."
"What are you talking about?" replied the stunned contractor, a little less bold and a hint of red flushed out on his checks.
"It's real simple. You spit in the soup and then blame the hungry for not eating it. You cook up a feast - begrudgingly - invite us over but leave out the attack dogs. You say they are on chains and won't hurt us, but we've been bitten too many times already. It's hard to feel welcomed when your host seems ready to hit you."
Those words hit the contractor hard.
"I would rather wade through the slough than use your bridge. You only built it because you had to, not because you give a ‘spit in the wind' for us. If you do care for us, you have a very funny way of showing it. Crossing your bridge would mean ignoring how you bridge builders treated us people who need your bridge. I'd rather wade."
Before he knew what he was doing, the bridge builder found himself waste-deep in the water. He had an apology to make - one that were it not accepted, he would understand. Yet, he needed to go to this unlikely teacher and offer both thanks for his candor as well as regrets over his own behavior.
Even as water filled his boots, he realized that he needed to build another bridge - possibly several more. This one needed to be built differently. The plans for this span-closer called for grace, compassion, mercy, humility, sincerity, tenderness.
Though tempted to tear down the old bridge, it was decided to leave it as a reminder, a sad memorial to sacrifice wasted.
Sat AM
Stayed up late watching Spider Man II with the guys (2 AM)
good movie, but - yawn - I is sleepy
I think they gave in by having MJ run from the altar to Peter.
Yes, sweet ending, but the easy way out.
To clean / feel good of a ending.
I know, they can make up for it by having Green Gob II take out MJ in # 3...
jus kiddin' - it ain't Bat Man (aka as Dark Man)
Heading off soon to take Karissa to work
Robin & the little guys are at a home school book sale.
Big boys are z z z z z -ing. They may be paintballing later
A second church starts using our building tonight - seem like great folks.
It is an honor to share kingdom resources.
good movie, but - yawn - I is sleepy
I think they gave in by having MJ run from the altar to Peter.
Yes, sweet ending, but the easy way out.
To clean / feel good of a ending.
I know, they can make up for it by having Green Gob II take out MJ in # 3...
jus kiddin' - it ain't Bat Man (aka as Dark Man)
Heading off soon to take Karissa to work
Robin & the little guys are at a home school book sale.
Big boys are z z z z z -ing. They may be paintballing later
A second church starts using our building tonight - seem like great folks.
It is an honor to share kingdom resources.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Just stuff - life
Karter's baseball team is 4& 1. Kimsey's is close to that, I think
Yes, they are having fun . . . winning is lots of fun.
Karissa is working lots of hours this week - making bucks
Karter helped friend move & got $80 - good stuff
Robin works from dawn to dusk & gets squat
well - we share, so I guess that counts
I can not imagine being married to a mate I couldn't trust.
I never even think in terms of "do I trust her?"
Nor, I feel certain, does she. I am a blessed man . She did okay
May each of you be even half as blessed as I am with her.
YO - 'Vette - I drove up tonight & Robin was ... ready ... cutting the grass. I thought of you. For the record, I had cut some earlier & then cut some tonight until dusk.
Yes, they are having fun . . . winning is lots of fun.
Karissa is working lots of hours this week - making bucks
Karter helped friend move & got $80 - good stuff
Robin works from dawn to dusk & gets squat
well - we share, so I guess that counts
I can not imagine being married to a mate I couldn't trust.
I never even think in terms of "do I trust her?"
Nor, I feel certain, does she. I am a blessed man . She did okay
May each of you be even half as blessed as I am with her.
YO - 'Vette - I drove up tonight & Robin was ... ready ... cutting the grass. I thought of you. For the record, I had cut some earlier & then cut some tonight until dusk.
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