Posted by Chris on Sep 1, 2010 in
Life At the beginning of each month I’m sharing about some plans I’ve made, with the hope it will hold me accountable. What are your plans this year?
1. Read the whole Bible. Now stalled out in 2nd Kings. Got a lot of work to do.
2. Run a full marathon. Running has been put on hold since my current means of transport is bike. Enough exercise…believe me.
3. Climb a 14,000′ Mountain. Although I hate to give up on any of my plans this year, I don’t see this as a financial possibility in 2010. 
4. Visit somewhere I’ve never been. I’m going to count my week in the mountains of California towards this one.
5. Find a full-time job. Check! Finally. Praise God.
6. Take at least one graduate course. I was just admitted into Fuller’s MAGL! I’ll be starting my first class later this month.
7. Read 40 books. Just devoured Born to Run. Delicious.
8. Volunteer at least 1 time a month. Looks like I failed at this, other than my regular responsibilities at my church.
9. Pay off all debt, except school loans. COMPLETED! I am free of all non-school debts!
10. Share my faith regularly. Some cool stories are coming together. Hope to share them soon.
11. Begin leading and/or hosting a regular gathering for skeptics and Christians to study the Bible. See #11.
12. Write daily, including journaling, blogging and working on a book. I haven’t done to well at that this month. However, be on the lookout for a new project you’ll see links for soon.
Tags: 12 Plans for 2010, 40 Books in 2010
Posted by Chris on Aug 20, 2010 in
God 
Recenly, I knocked out Dallas Willard’s Hearing God and The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. Both books deal with communicating with God, and have a lot of insight on the barriers and benefits to it.
Willard suggests that rather than asking the question, “Why doesn’t God talk to me?” we should ask the question “Why should God talk to me?” As he always does, Willard breaks these mystical concepts into clear relational processes. We never ask the question, why would a stranger, who I have no interaction with talk to me? Rather, we will here from God, as we do life with him in the kingdom.
Although I have some struggles with the image of piety that Brother Lawrence projects, he offers an excellent example of how to do life with God. He spent much of his life in a kitchen. He would start his time there with prayer, asking God to be with him as he made omelets. Afterward, he would review his day, what went well, what did not, and share that with God.
Maybe God just wants to be treated like everyone else who is a major part of your life.
Tags: 40 Books in 2010, Dallas Willard, Hearing God, prayer, The Practice of the Presence of God, Willard
Posted by Chris on Jun 21, 2010 in
God,
Life 
Much of the time I spent reading Hinds’ Feet on High Places, I wasn’t exactly sure what a Hind was and why there feet were so special. The book is an allegorical tale in the tradition of Paul Bunyan, and provides a simple but meaningful visual aid for understanding the process of sanctification.
The book tells the story of Much Afraid, who lives in the Valley of Humiliation and serves the Chief Shepherd. She is invited by the Shepherd to follow him to the High Places where she will be given a new name, and strong, nimble feet like the feet of a female deer (hind.)
Along the way Much Afraid is kept company by two companions, Sorrow and Suffering. She is forced to go through many detours. On each side trip, she finds herself struggling against he evil relatives, including Pride, Resentment and Craven Fear. Every time the Shepherd saves her and she creates a small altar on which she sacrifices what is holding her back: self will, pride, etc.
The best part is that the book does not end with Much Afraid’s transformation. Having been given the Hinds Feet, she looks back into the Valley of Humiliation, and sees her relatives with pity. She returns home with a new sense of mission, imagining what her family would look like if they, too could be transformed.
Hinds’ Feet provides a much needed understanding of how God changes people. It is not a story about getting to Heaven, but a story about how to become more like our Chief Shepherd. The book has reminded me that life is journey, and, if done at his leading, each sacrifice made along the way serves to shape and form us into the image of Christ.
Tags: 40 Books in 2010, Hannah Hurnard, Hinds Feet on High Places
Posted by Chris on Jun 7, 2010 in
Church,
Culture 
Somehow, The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations by Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom is surprisingly useful, despite the fact that it is already becoming outdated.
The book compares spider (centralized) organizations to starfish (decentralized) organizations. Despite being published in 2008, drawing heavily from events that took place between 2000-2005, the book seems to already be outdated. Yet the overall lesson stands the test of time.
The big idea is that the future belongs to decentralized organizations. Examples include Quaker Abolitionists, AA, Al Qaeda and Skype. They reproduce faster than Fibonacci’s rabbits, and have the resilience of the Hydra. If you want to stay in the game, decentralize everything you can.
The lesson for the church is also clear: if you want to survive in the future, give the reins over to those in the pew. Get them to sit in circles instead of rows. Give them something simple enough to reproduce, and exciting enough that you want to.
Does anyone else want to be a part of that?
Tags: 40 Books in 2010, Ori Brafman, Rod Beckstrom, The Spider and the Starfish
Posted by Chris on May 31, 2010 in
Life At the beginning of each month I’m sharing about some plans I’ve made, with the hope it will hold me accountable. What are your plans this year?
1. Read the whole Bible. Knocked out Leviticus this morning. Definitely helps.
2. Run a full marathon. Check. Knees still hurt. The key now is create new fitness goals. I’ve been slackin.
3. Climb a 14,000′ Mountain. I really want to do this, but my financial situation will really have to change to make it happen.
4. Visit somewhere I’ve never been. See numero 3.
5. Find a full-time job. I’m praying a lot about this. I’m hoping God will provide a clear opportunity. Maybe even an alternative to a full time job that is more in line with my skills/passions.
6. Take at least one graduate course. Researching grad schools today, actually.
7. Read 40 books. I’m up to about 15, with Forgotten Ways and Spider and the Elephant in the hopper.
8. Volunteer at least 1 time a month. Had a great time with the families over at Foundation for the Homeless.
9. Pay off all debt, except school loans. Slowly but surely.
10. Share my faith regularly. I’ve had two really awesome chances to talk about my faith with non-believers recently. I’m praying for God to send others to follow up on that.
11. Begin leading and/or hosting a regular gathering for skeptics and Christians to study the Bible. Taking a big step in this direction this weekend. Definitely could use your prayers.
12. Write daily, including journaling, blogging and working on a book. Getting a little better at this, though there are more missing dates on my calendar than I’d like.
Tags: 12 Plans for 2010, 40 Books in 2010
