The Shack

I have just finished reading The Shack by William Young. It is an interesting work of fiction that deals with the relationship of the Trinity and how that carries through in the desire for relationship with us, the created.

William has woven an interesting story with challenging concepts that kept me engaged and provoked thought about the deeper issues of life.

If you have read, or choose to read, the book, I would love to hear your impressions.

You can see William's blog at http://windrumors.com/ but if you haven't read the book yet, be careful not to read anything that would be a plot spoiler.

Sunday Morning Assembly Schedule

The Southeast elders are considering options for reorganizing our Sunday morning schedule. At present we have two worship services with Bible classes during each worship service and with a 30 minute fellowship period between the two services.

Some desired objectives include:

• Reduce the high demand for human resources in the children’s program
• Improve Bible class attendance through improved scheduling, more variety in classes, and less need for home-builders having to work in the children’s program
• Shorten the time between worship service and classes by modifying the fellowship period
• Create an opportunity for a slightly longer worship period to allow inclusion of community building activities during the assembly

Some possibilities that have been mentioned include:

• Go to a single worship service with a single Bible study period following.
• Return to a worship – Bible study – worship format similar to what we used prior to the move to this facility
• Keep our present schedule with some modification to address the objectives above
  

Some limiting factors include:

• Size of the worship center
• Number of classrooms
• Number of parking spaces
• Suitable time slots on Sunday morning

All members are invited to comment through this blog to express your thoughts on any and all of these issues. Your suggestions, questions, and concerns are welcome.

Even if you have commented to the elders or staff, by responding here all who care to can see your response.

We know that not everyone will be happy with whatever we do or don’t do, but we also believe that the more people who give us their honest counsel, the better the outcome will be.

Destiny

Sign seen in the hall at Memorial Hermann Hospital:

Watch your thoughts

Because they become your words

Watch your words

Because they become your actions

Watch your actions

Because they become your habits

Watch your habits

Because they become your character

Watch your character

Because it becomes your destiny

Not Made With Hands

Moses built the tabernacle and God made His abode above the Mercy Seat. Solomon built the temple and God moved with the Ark of the Covenant into the Holy of Holies. This Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians about 586 B.C. The Ark of the Covenant, along with the Mercy Seat, was lost forever. Not even Indiana Jones could find and restore it.

The temple was rebuilt seventy years later by Zerubbabel and the returning exiles. It was renovated by Herod beginning in about 20 B.C. and was demolished by the Romans in 70 A.D. But God had already left the building.

In John 2:19, Jesus said "destroy this temple and in 3 days I will rebuild it." The Jews said "Herod's been working on this temple for 46 years and you think you can rebuild it in 3 days?"

The Greek word Jesus used for temple was "naos" which refers, not to the temple complex but to the inner sanctuary, the place where God had once made his dwelling. It is the same word Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 6:19 where he explains that the holy place today is not a temple made with hands but that our body is the temple (naos) of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was telling them and us that He was in the process of ushering in a new order, that God was getting ready to change His address again.

In John 4, Jesus told the Samaritan woman that the time was coming and now was that worship would not be identified with Jerusalem nor Mount Gerizim nor North Main Street, but that worship would occur in spirit and in truth.

Our beautiful bricks and stones are neither the temple nor the dwelling place of God. The only possible justification for owning them is to wear them out in service to "the least of these."

As hard as you might try, you can't "go to church" because you are the church.

To ascribe to our building any significance beyond a convenient place to assemble and to serve people is to miss the new order Jesus ushered in when He rebuilt the dwelling place of God with His resurrection.

Prayer For 9/11

The following was written by Albert C. Bayer, father of Southeast's Al Bayer, shortly after September 11, 2001.

Oh, Father, we mourn for all mankind,

that life should end before it's time,

but especially those so young and bold

for their full life story is yet untold.

Many were apt and on the road to fame,

showing to the world it was their aim,

but alas, their souls now cry from graves of rubble

as they ask us, "why?"

Because we were old and wisdom prone,

pray forgive us, Lord, we should have known.

Now one hundred ten layers of sand, steel and stone,

an emblazoned hell of blood, flesh and bone.

Many dreams, love and memories now buried in sand,

pray, Lord, give them courage their new future to plan.

Past dreams now shrouded in smoke, dust and fumes,

toxic from the firing of those many tombs.

Pray comfort for the loss of spouse, parent and friend

only help from on high can change or amend.

Pray let much honor be on those that lost life

while saving others in the midst of that strife.

With only minutes to live some strove to change,

though death came quickly it was not in vain,

for a nation as one arose flags unfurled,

showing strength and purpose to all the world.

Still shocked and frightened, our tempers flare.

As we search for the enemy, though we know not where.

Pray help us to be brave, sure, wise and strong,

as we engage such a group where no honor belongs.

Lord, we seek not to avenge but deliverance from same;

knowing vengeance belongs to only Your name.

Let sound judgment and purpose direct those that go forth

with your blessing and strength abiding their course.

Obeying the Gospel

In a recent sermon, Michael encouraged us as Christians to:

• Walk in the Way
• Lay down our lives
• Make friends
• Speak boldly and openly
• Share our strength
• Bear one another’s burdens

And to do it with joy!

How is that obeying the gospel, and is it too hard to do?

The Gospel

Thought for the day from John Wesley:

"Do all the good you can, with all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can."

Jesus reduced the purpose of life down to two commands: love God and love your neighbor. Then he refined it by adding "as I have loved you."

What does this look like in your life?