Author: nick

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Messy Spirituality Thoughts on Chapter 2

Here are some quotes from Chapter 2 of Messy Spirituality that stuck out to me or spoke to me:

* Sermons are not always amazing masterpieces of truth, wit, an insight. Sometimes the sermon just doesn’t work, doesn’t connect.

* Pretending is the modern grease for non-relationships…People who pretend have pretend relationships.

*Jesus understood un-finishedness very well, which is why he was comfortable leaving eleven unfinished disciples. When he died, the disciples were confused, depressed, afraid, and doubtful.

* Jesus cares more about desire than about competence.

* Christianity is not for people who think that religion is a pleasant distraction, a nice alternative, or a positive influence. Messy spirituality is a good term for where desperation meets Jesus.

* It’s amazing how few of us believe in the unqualified grace of God. Oh, yes, God loves us, as long as we’re clean and whole and fixed. But it turns out that what disqualifies you and me from “spirituality” – the mess of our lives and our crippledness – is what most qualifies us to be chosen by Jesus.

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Messy Spirituality

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I was going to start with Holy Discontent, but I had Messy Spirituality on my reading list, so I started it.

It looks like it will be a quick and easy read. However, it is very timely. I got a MySpace message from an old student’s mom that he was in jail for the second time. I hate news like that! I sat down and wrote him a letter today and simply shared how much Jesus loved him and wanted his heart and love back. I also shared how he is already forgiven and that God has a huge plan for his life. I really didn’t know much more to say.

I am going to try and take him a paperback copy of the PD Life, make sure he has a modern translation of the Bible and visit him. Besides prayer, that is the best thing I can do right now, but I believe the book is fitting. I am sure I will share some of what I learn throughout the book with this student in other letters.

I have a strange bond with this student. I was the one that caught him and a friend doing cocaine in the parking lot of my former church. I was there as the cops took him away, but I have never judged him and have accepted him as I have all other students…I wonder if that is why he asked his mom to have me writet him a letter? If you read this and you are a prayer…please pray for this student. I am not sharing his name for privacy to him and his family. God knows who he is. And God will use this teen, messy and all.

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Random Thoughts

  • I really like playing basketball at the Rec. Dept. There is no racism, age doesn’t matter. Its just a bunch of guys playing ball (tonight I saw a couple of girls getting ready to take on some big guys too). I don’t know these guys, but they have welcomed me as one of their own. Its really cool. I have noticed 2 things that make a huge impact: #1 Remembering guys names, seriously, their jaws just drop when you see them on a different day and you call them by name and remember who they are, I think it makes them feel important. #2 Encouragement. The guys that know each other will fight over the smallest of calls, but I will always side with the opposing team if it is close. I’ll let them have the ball and I won’t argue a call if they say I touched the ball last before it went out of bounds or something like that. If a guy on the opposite team makes a good shot or a makes a good play, I compliment them, or if it was a horrible play, I find something positive to encourage them with. The results? Guy’s will find me before I leave asking when I will be back…relationships are being made!
  • I finally finished “Blue Like Jazz.” I am a slow reader at times.
  • Nicki is not a Twitter Fan. I am new to it and have picked it up quickly. I have realized I am following some very important people, for which I am not one of.
  • I am typing this in bed, almost too sore to type, seriously!!! Its from 3 hours of Basketball versus some bigger guys. I need the exercise and it only helps me to play bigger guys to get better, but I am feeling the combined results of softball practice on Monday and Basketball 2 days in a row…I may rest tomorrow from the gym.
  • I am almost finished with Jeremiah. Whew! A very long book, that honestly was very intriguing at first, but now has gotten long and is repetitive in the sense that its all about who God is going to destroy. I’ve only got 2 more chapters and then I am moving back to the New Testament for a while!
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Francis Chan on the Bible Belt

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=kTjHx_oH_0s]

I know what your talking about…

I believe that is why God has kept me in the Bible belt area, because I see it everyday, and have grown passionate about seeing unbelievers as well as those who claim to be believers become passionate about Jesus.

I’ve grown up watching this very thing.
I am not methodist but I have been intrigued by these quotes from John Wesley:

  • “I shook off the dust of my feet, and left Georgia, after having preached the gospel there, not as I ought, but as I was able.” – To me it sounds as if some people were trying to hold John Wesley back from preaching the way he felt he ought to preach, therefore he left because people did not want to hear him.

  • “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.” – This, I believe is the danger and the state of many churches in the “Bible Belt” – Having a form of religion without the power.

  • “The Church recruited people who had been starched and ironed before they were washed.” – This reminds me of the assessment that Billy Graham made a few years back, that he believes anywhere from 80-85% of people in church are not saved. The church has gotten into the conforming business versus the transforming business. Instead of leading people to Jesus who can save and change people, we settle for changing people so they conform to us, a lot of churches could care less about their spiritual state, they are more concerned with their physical state.
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Broadcast Yourself Live!

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My friend Tony, twittered that Carlos Whittaker was broadcasting live the other night. I didn’t know what that meant, so I went to check it out. Carlos is the “Ragamuffin Soul” and Worship Pastor at the North Point’s Buckhead location.

The link took me to Mogulus – Its a site that lets you broadcast yourself live, or anything else that you want to broadcast live via a video camera. It is sweet. Shane and I are discussing how the Next Gen Ministry can use it at TCAG. He would have to do most of the live stuff as I am stuck in a publications office/music room and it is more difficult for me to do anything of quality with people walking in and out. My site (www.mogulus.com/nickcarnes) will primarily used for Lifecasting versus ministry.

This is a really cool concept. People can chat with you via a built in chat room while you are live. It would be great for interactive training, video conferences, etc. We will probably try to use it as a live Bible Study where students can send in live questions and comments. Then again we may use it for other stuff like live broadcasting of our midweek student service (Fusion) – Who knows?