on the walk

I got to preach this week. As always it was a great honor and I was glad to be able to preach through one of my favorite texts: 2 Corinthians 8 and 9.

In my final edit to get my sermon down to the right length, I had to remove an illustration that was important to me personally, so I thought I might share it in this forum. (As an aside, that final task of removing good material to focus a sermon and bring it to an appropriate length is my least favorite part of sermon writing.) It was valuable to me but ultimately it was not essential to the sermon.

Before I do that however, I want to draw your attention to a post that recently went up. Due to technical difficulties, gripping talk – four did not make it up at the right time. It is up now if you want to go back and check it out.

Now on to my illustration. Continue Reading »

In my last post, I reflected on half the sermon. I avoided the practical half. I will correct that today.

In the sermon, a simple financial strategy was shared as an example of a healthy starting point for financial discipline. The strategy is basic, Give 10% to the church, save 10%, and live on the 80% that is left over. However I am left with two thoughts. The first is personal.

Why can’t(or probably more accurately “don’t”) I live on 80% of my income? Continue Reading »

This week our sermon series on finances continued. It was a good week. The message revolved around two poles. The second pole was a simple (but not easy) call to disciplined financial living. 10-10-80 is a simple way to remember to plan a budget: 10% to give away, 10% to save or invest and 80% to live on. I will post about the plan soon. My first reflection is on the first pole. Continue Reading »

One of the blogs that I read occasionally just posted the outline of an interesting looking series on Jesus and money. Given Mountain’s current series, I thought that some of you would be interested in seeing another take on the topic.

This blog is the home of a fascinating preacher at a fascinating church. I often find he has a surprising and refreshing view of church life and how to live as a Christian. Check it out if you want a glimpse at another take on these issues.

Preaching on Money

on the walk

-Ethan

On Sunday we began a new sermon series on finances at Mountain.  It is entitled “Get a Grip: On your finances.”  The first sermon was challenging to me personally.  I can’t remember every detail but I remember being overcome by this question ringing in my head.

For how long am I going to live at the edge of my financial limits?

For how long will I put up with the stress and frustration that comes from living with no financial margin?

For how long will I accept the materialism and consumerism of the culture as normal for my life?

For how long will I allow my sloppy financial choices to limit my freedom to follow Christ?
As I think about these things personally, I begin to reflect that these are communal questions as well.  As Christians living in American, we are called to be a counter cultural force. And so I wonder, for how long will we accept that the church is a participant in the consumerism of American society?

I am excited about this series.  I want to use this as an opportunity to take a stand in my life.  I have been taught the proper values, I just have not lived them.  This is my next best chance to live them.
on the walk

-Ethan

What a fascinating day.

Today at Mountain we finished our series “Recycled” with a guest speaker. Michael Franzese gave his testimony and brought a message of hope and redemption. His story is amazing. He was a rising star in organized crime and then was led to Christ by an cast member in a movie that he was producing. I can’t begin to summarize how amazing his story was. In every detail it was like nothing I can ever imagine. I will relate two things now. Continue Reading »

It was a great day today at Mountain. The teaching team brought a message (Check it out here) about God’s spirit present in the chaos of life. The power of the sermon flowed out of Genesis 1:1-2. God comes into the formless and void, into the chaos, and from that chaos God creates new life. Continue Reading »

We had another fine sermon at Mountain this week in our recycled series. This week Ben used the story of Joseph to discuss God’s ability to recycle us through financial hardship. Due to tired fingers, I recorded my first reflection. There may be more later after my fingers recover.

Hope you enjoy.

playgrounds and tires 5
on the walk

-Ethan

I have realized that perhaps the titles of these sermon reflection posts needs some explanation. (To hear the sermons upon which I am reflecting, go here.) Many of the hippest playgrounds these days not only have tire swings and ladders, but they also have a soft squishy surface that is made from shredded tires.

My first reflection this week does not come specifically from the sermon or even the specific topic. (Although I have a few of those coming.) Rather I have a general reflection on recycling. Most recycling involves destruction. Turning an old tire into a tire swing is not very destructive, but to turn it into a play surface involves at the very least, shredding the tire into little pieces. Recycling paper involves shredding it, and soaking it in water and mixing it with chemicals and mashing it back together.

In Douglas Adams wonderful book Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Ford Prefect describes traveling through hyperspace as “Unpleasantly like being drunk.” Aurthur dent replies, “What is so unpleasant about being drunk?” Prefect deadpans, “Ask a glass of water.” Continue Reading »

My second reflection on the sermon this week is more generally on the topic of recycling. (To check out the sermon go here.)

As I have been watching Ben pick up items of trash and move them from the trash pile to the recycling bin, I have had a few thoughts rise to my mind. One is this, what about the person who doesn’t think they have any trash. Continue Reading »