I still think that it is an important exercise for me to ask, How would I show to my neighbor that Christ lives in me. My main point is that if Jesus was not content to let theological claims float unsupported, so much more so I should not be. I cannot verify claims with the same authority that he did, but in my experience a Christian living as Christ in the world does create almost as much awe as a lame man walking.

I have one that looms large but I am not ready to blog about it yet.

One smaller one that is hard to articulate. I think that the current climate of focusing on gifts as we think about ministry is really just a falsely theological cover for wanting talented people. There is nothing wrong with wanting talented people but when we put a false theological cover on it, we find ourselves participating in the same devaluing practices of the world that call some people less worthwhile as humans because they bring less to the table. This is most obvious in the field of worship. The untalented but godly worshiper brings a gift that is largely ignored by our churches. We (and I don’t mean Mountain per se, but rather church culture in general) will tolerate a soloist who is musically excellent but struggles with pride a lot longer than one who is humble but struggles with pitch.

This practice isn’t just true in the realm of worship although it is most obvious there, I have done the same thing when recruiting teachers or event organizers. I don’t mean to imply that we don’t want talented people, but let us not pretend that good pitch is a gift of the Holy Spirit.

I’ve got more but I refuse to be alone in this thought experiment so I will shut up for now. If you want to know about my most serious one, anyone is free to ask me offline.

-Ethan

BUT the actions on this list are explainable in other ways, because there are many not Christians who practice them. When Jesus ended the sentence “but so that you may know” – he did it w/ something supernatural – something not able to be replicated by others.

On a personal note I find it very affirming that faith can be so matter-of-fact and need not be overflowing in emotion.

Amen and Amen and Amen.

So I suppose there hearts may break, but they (and I) may feel so bound to some “larger” purpose that we can’t stop to help because to help in an interruption. I think this is also one of the lessons of Jesus invitation to children. In some ministry class I read a book that talked about how ministry is the interruptions and if we have a perspective on our own tasks that does not allow for interuptions we have gotten something wrong.

I know these thoughts are pretty rambling but I guess I would sum up by saying, “Yes, I do think that a person who is highly vision oriented must take great care that this vision does not actually prevent them from living with compassion and grace as they go..”