re: How M. Scott Peck saved my life

Finished Not the Religious Type last week.

My friends are going to hate hearing the stuff that I too to heart from this book. 🙂

Stage 1,2,3,4…

Bounded sets and centered sets…

Living a life where we daily listen to God…

Great stuff!

If you’ve got time today, the author of Not the Religious Type Dave Schmelzer will be chatting online at Abunga.com about his book and views on religion both as a pastor and former atheist today, Oct. 29, from 2-3 p.m. EDT for anyone who wants to join in.

The chat will be held at Abunga.com/AuthorsAtAbunga. More details are available in our news release at: http://alrcnewskitchen.com/abunga/docs/flash/081023_dave_schmelzer.htm.

I also understand that the chat will be archived so folks like me who have to work during that time can check it out at a later point. And… I’m hoping to chat with David in the next week or so for an upcoming episode of the something beautiful podcast.

Check it out and let me know what you think!

re: Better be living it out

Here are the notes I took from Matt Chandlers message “Vision of a church planter”

a church on mission ::

understands the centrality of the Gospel

committed to the authoritative, infallible, inherent, inspired all sufficient Scriptures

embraces the calling of God as sent missionaries into our own surroundings

– we’re where we are – to engage the world where we are for the purposes of God

actively seeking to be trained and equipped as missionaries

– doesn’t work programmatically
– how do you reach 20-30 year olds? – get the 50 year olds

dependent upon the Holy Spirit to use us to evangelize the entire world

develops relationships with the lost for the purpose of incarnating the lost for Christ

– leaders in missional church must be willing to die. die to self. die to stuff.

humbly helps others to find Jesus in their own timing rather than forcing them to make superficial decisions for their own glory

is committed to practicing faith in community

worships God in a relational, personal authentic way

– “worship is the enemy of evangelism” is not true

a church on mission is a theologically formed, Gospel centered, Spirit led fellowship who seeks to faithfully incarnate the purposes of Christ

the mission of the church is found in the mission of God who passionately invites us participate in Gods redemption of the world

what are you thinking? listen and see what notes you take and then share them. let’s continue the conversation.

Better be living it out…

listening to Matt Chandler at a church planting conference….

“If you’re gonna teach this (missional life) you better be living it out. Because eventually the people are going to look around and say – we haven’t seen any of your neighbors in the water”

– Matt Chandler from Resurgence Conference
Vision of a Church Planter

ouch! a slap in my face.

goes back to the ideas several of us have been talking about as far as what a leader/pastor/facilitator looks like for community groups and/or home churches.

what is a leader ::

a leader takes responsibility to create desire to know God more

how do they do it ::

live out the 6*
assumes the responsibility of others lives
assumes the responsibility of guiding others toward personal priesthood
creates an environment of:
– spaces of grace
– intentional relationships
– relevant truth

*the six (or what we do) ::

celebrating what God is doing (worship)
telling others outside what God is doing (evangelism)
connecting and accepting on another (fellowship)
intentionally guiding one another to Christ and towards personal priesthood (discipleship)
being sensitive to know and meet needs (serving)
living and being transparent and authentic

thoughts? ideas?

Just a heads up…

I’m really hoping to get other folks in my family/tribe/elsewhere on the “don’t buy me a Christmas gift this year” bandwagon – primarily because there’s really nothing I need. Sure I could come up with a list of really cool gadgets I might want – but is it really necessary? Couldn’t so much more be done with that money?

Find out more at :: adventconspiracy.org and rethinkingchristmas.com
(HT: Shaun Groves)

How would Jesus vote?

This book arrived a little late for me to read (as I had hoped to) before the Oct 27th review deadline.

But it’s still on my stack to read ASAP. I’m wondering if anyone out there has read it and what your thoughts are. I’m still digging Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw’s comment that its more important what you do on Nov. 3 and Nov. 5th than who you vote for on Nov. 4th. I wonder if Dr. James Kennedy says the same in this book. Who do you think Jesus would vote for? And would he even bother?

How Would Jesus Vote?

Summary from the Publisher: The 2008 election is shaping up to be one of the most important political contests in American history. In fact, Dr. D. James Kennedy believes it will be a watershed moment that could impact our very survival as a nation under God.

Values voters—people whose political views and votes are based on their faith in God—are being targeted as never before. As the campaign season moves forward, the significant players will debate terrorism, radical Islam, nuclear threats, global warming, social issues, gay marriage, immigration, education, health care, and many other essential issues that can create sharp ideological divisions.

Into this overwhelmingly complex political situation, Dr. Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe bring a clear, compelling, and nonpartisan exploration of what God’s Word has to say on these critical matters. How Would Jesus Vote? isn’t intended to tell readers which candidates to support; rather it offers a Christ-centered understanding of the world to help readers draw their own political conclusions.

Author Bios:


Jerry Newcombe is senior producer for Coral Ridge Ministries television and has produced or coproduced more than fifty documentaries. The host of two weekly radio shows, he has also been a guest on numerous television and radio talk shows. He is the author or coauthor of more than fifteen books.


Dr. D. James Kennedy is one of the most trusted and recognized Christian leaders of our time. The senior minister of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he is the featured preacher on television’s “The Coral Ridge Hour” and radio’s “Truths That Transform”, syndicated on over one thousand stations throughout the U.S. The founder and president of Evangelism Explosion International and chancellor of Knox Theological Seminary, he is the author of more than sixty books, including the bestselling What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?