This third soul shift is to move from merely trusting in what we see to trusting in what we cannot see. Often this is called having eyes of faith, and has a great example in Elisha and his servant who were surrounded by both the seen army of Aram and the unseen protection of the host of the Lord (2 Kings 6). Continue reading SoulShift #3: Seen to Unseen
SoulShift #2: Slave to Child
I was reluctant to even begin reading the next chapter because I still have work to do to on the previous soul shift. However, nobody wants to wait three years for a book review, and I imagine that as individuals read SoulShift, different shifts will impact more or less deeply depending upon one’s experience.
The writing regarding the slave to child soul shift used forms of the word “know” frequently, as in “knowing you are a child.” Continue reading SoulShift #2: Slave to Child
SoulShift #1: Me to You
The first soul shift is from being self-focused to being focused on others. Widowed Ruth exemplified this shift, as her most logical option, according to human wisdom, would have been to return to her own family in Moab instead of taking care of her also widowed mother-in-law, Naomi, and becoming an immigrant in Israel. Continue reading SoulShift #1: Me to You
The Next Trend in Church Communication
I was browsing for apps in the Andriod Market and came across the Mars Hill Church app (available for iPhone, Driod, and WinPhone 7). Audio and video sermons, streaming music, a blog, and online giving. It’s a very clean and professional looking app. I’m not ready to say that traditional websites are passé (Mars Hill’s website design matches the app, and is just like the app only with more information), but for churches that are just now getting a decent website, you are already a late adopter. Continue reading The Next Trend in Church Communication
Call to Worship: The Rock Cries Out
Contributed by Crystal
Take a mental leap along with me and imagine that these small rocks symbolize rocks everywhere –rocks along a trail, and rock that forms whole mountain ranges. As far as we can tell, these rocks are inanimate, they have no life in them at all. Continue reading Call to Worship: The Rock Cries Out
Call to Worship: Psalm 8
Due to a technical glitch, the slide show that was to accompany Sunday’s reading of Psalm 8 did not make it to the screen. I want to thank the person that put together the slide show anyway.
Psalm 8
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens. Continue reading Call to Worship: Psalm 8
The Best and Worst of Youth Pastoring
Looking back on my youth ministry, I brought some of the best and worst ministry to the parents of my students (That was the best I had at the time). Like many youth pastors, I was a single Bible college student. Relationally, what I brought to the families was myself as an eldest sibling. With me, the parents had someone with whom they could trust their teens, to fortify the teachings they were giving their children, and perhaps a role model for the next steps of their teens’ lives. Continue reading The Best and Worst of Youth Pastoring
Call to Worship: Palm Sunday
This Call to Worship was inspired by Mike Cosper’s A Call to Worship for Palm Sunday – From Philippians 2.
One of the stories we have of Jesus in the Gospels is the temptations of Jesus by Satan. Jesus was tempted for 40 days, and overcame Satan. Someone could easily think that after beating Satan, Jesus went through the rest of his life never facing temptation again, but we should consider Palm Sunday. Before Jesus entered Jerusalem, he had been telling his disciples that he was going to suffer and die in Jerusalem. Then when he arrived at Jerusalem, he is greeted as king. Jesus could have declared his kingship, and been supported; that had to be a temptation. It is very similar to a temptation by the devil. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me” (Matt. 4:8-9). We are thankful that Jesus did not give in to temptation to be made king by the devil or human means.
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6-11
©2011 Paul Tillman
Current Issues: Rob Bell, Pole Dancing, and Earthquakes in Japan
No, those things do not go together, but the title got your attention. There are a few Christian “happenings” that are of note, but that I do not have time to make in depth comments on. Continue reading Current Issues: Rob Bell, Pole Dancing, and Earthquakes in Japan
Conducting the Call to Worship (simplified version)
My previous post on Conducting the Call to Worship was lengthy, and I found that a simplified version was more useful in training new people. Here is the short and sweet version.
