Category: faith

#sb1more event is live!

After several weeks of taking submissions, the something beautiful podcast 1more event is live.

In celebration of Reformation Day 2011 we asked folks to submit their thoughts to the following question:

If you could say just one thing to the Church universal — what would it be?

If we could add “1more” item to Luther’s 95 Thesis — what would we add?

We had a variety of submissions (including several really creative ones) and I’m so thankful for each one.

They each ring with a different message and a goal of creating a better world through a better Church.

You can view all the submissions online or I’ve shared my submission as well below:

So what about you?

If you could say just one thing to the Church universal — what would it be?

37 things people are saying about God

Face detail of God by Michelangelo. | Photo via WikiCommons - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Creation_of_the_Sun_and_Moon_face_detail.jpg

I did a random search for “God” on Twitter last week. Interesting to see how many different mentions he gets at any given point online…

Here are just a random sampling of what folks are saying about “God” on Twitter…

@DoctorOddfellow
Oh God. Cook County Sheriff was just here and I JUST missed an obstruction of justice charge. Ugh. Rules and Policies, you don’t work.

@Nnenma
You are blessed if you are too busy to worry by day and too sleepy to worry by night. God gives sleep to His beloved.

@ChrisDuhamelJsy
Oh dear god… these little people are so depressing! this is meant to be full of funnies… they aren’t there on my tv to depress me

@mattlande
God, we’re all so empty yet so fulfilled.
Continue reading 37 things people are saying about God

Peace is not merely a distant goal

eucatastrophe
eucatastrophe | illustration by Jonathan Blundell

Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.

Through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can’t murder murder.

Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can’t establish truth.

Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can’t murder hate.

Darkness cannot put out darkness. Only light can do that…

We will not build a peaceful world by following a negative path. It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. We must concentrate not merely on the negative expulsion of war but the positive affirmation of peace. We must see that peace represents a sweeter music, a cosmic melody, that is far superior to the dis-chords of war.

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.

– Martin Luther King Jr.

Today, I’m reminded of the speech President Bush didn’t give on Oct. 1, 2001.

The speech was written by Brian McLaren as an illustration on the different path America could have chosen in a post 9/11 world (the above quote from Martin Luther King was included in the speech).

I encourage you to read it the entire speech. To chew on it and consider how different the last 10 years might have been had the speech been given.

(read the speech)

May God bless the entire world.

A change of heart (part 3)

Church in Jerusalem
Church in Jerusalem | Photo by Stewart Cutler

Read part 1 and part 2

Years have now passed and the men who once sat gathered around the shade tree have grown old.

While they were once young, vibrant and full of life, the years have had their toil on them and they start to see the twilight of their lives.

Several of them have written accounts of their time with the teacher.

The tax collector did and was certain to include the story of that day under the shade tree.

The fisherman has spent the last 40 years or so travelling and building communities around the teachings of their teacher. He’s had very little time to write.

None of the men had any clue as to what the future would hold when they first followed the teacher. They had no clue that within three short years he would be captured by the religious authorities, be accused of heresy and sentenced to execution by the Roman authorities.

They were certain he was ready to lead them to a revolution to overtake their oppressors.
Continue reading A change of heart (part 3)

A change of heart (part 2)

Boat on Sea of Galilee
Boat on Sea of Galilee | Photo by Stewart Cutler

Read part 1

While his fellow student’s heart was filling with joy and compassion, this second student’s heart began to fill with questions and frustration.

He was a fisherman by trade and in his heart. He worked hard manual labor every day before the teacher called him.

He had given up a lot to follow this teacher and he had stood by and watched as the teacher called others to follow him — including this tax collector.

Like the tax collector, he made the connection.

He knew exactly what the teacher was saying. As he looked at the tax collector and saw his past and knew how much the teacher loved and cherished him.
Continue reading A change of heart (part 2)