I was sitting in an evening service wondering about whether anything that I had been doing had made any difference. Then in the course of the evening one couple shared about their prayer ministry and someone they had been inviting to church. Another person volunteered that they had asked their landlord to attend a service. And when I looked around I saw another who had been financially assisting some of the parishioners. Then it struck me that even though we have not been seeing any tangible numerical growth that individuals were beginning to use their gifts to make a difference in the world around us. And isn't that really what it is all about?
Lee

Recently I encountered some amazing storytellers. They were employing the art of Biblical Storytelling. As I watched the various stories being told I was amazed by the impact of the story telling and the things that I learned by hearing a story rather than reading the text. I would recommend that you look at the following websites and see of this is an area you might want to explore. I hope that our community will make use of storytelling in the future.

http://www.nbsint.org/watchastory

http://faithandwonder.com/

http://www.nbsint.org/

Lee.

I can remember reading a Jesus People USA newspaper in the 1970s and being impressed with the committed nature of the people involved. Years have passed but the message really has not. We all have had an opportunity to be exposed to the world that we live in. We have felt its demands and have navigated our way figuring out how to support a family, be successful in our chosen work and in general be a productive member of society. But somewhere in the midst of all of that we often got sidetracked. That is why it is so important to hear from voices like those of the early church or even from our own generation. As Christians we do not exist for ourselves. Paul while making a case for being completely sold out for Jesus states that those who are in Christ are a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come. When we look at our lives can that be said of us. Have we made that commitment to Christ? Are we willing to live entirely for him? Can we determine in our minds where that path diverges from our own lives and that of society at large. This is the task at hand. To learn to keep our eyes on the prize and run the race. We are participants, not observers. Disciples not church members. Let's be faithful to that calling. ---Lee

In the beginning...

Both Leslie and I will be using this blog to share our perspectives on faith. By virtue of our gifting I will share comments about world view, culture and scripture while Leslie will focus on spiritual formation, meditation and contemplation. She will also do some devotional writing. We will sign our posts so that it will not be confusing. 

I am a reluctant web person. I traditionally have little to do with Facebook, blogs or online media. I am instead more of a doer. I tend to be active either working with people medically or in regard to their faith. However, as I have looked around me and observed the general state of affairs over the last decade or so I have become aware of trends that are of concern to me and, I believe, to all of those who follow Christ and seek the Kingdom of God. Many of the changes were the result of secularism but many also were the result of the general decrease in Biblical knowledge and a loss of a Biblical world view. I want to take some time to look at the culture we live in and to examine it more carefully than is often done. What I am suggesting is that what we really believe does matter. I will be sharing brief articles that I hope will be an encouragement to those who seek a Biblical world view to carry them through the culture. As I enter this journey I hope to learn from each person that has opportunity to read and comment on my thoughts. Lee

I have a passion to see God's children, especially his daughters, come to know and experience the unconditional love and acceptance of God so that they can live the life that God intended them to live- to thrive, to be satisfied with who they are, and to fulfill their God-given destiny. What causes some people to change inwardly, to be transformed in Christ and why is it that others never really experience significant change at all? How are people transformed in Christ? These questions have encouraged me to read and learn more about neuroscience (study of the nervous system) and how we as humans have the ability to rewire our brains in order to live differently if we so desire- to live happy, fruitful lives in Christ. 

Stay tuned for more on this topic as it relates to spiritual formation. Leslie