Peace of God in Philippians 4:7

What we are after is "the peace of God that is far beyond/above the known."  How do you like that translation? I mean unknown to us.  It is "far beyond all comprehension" or "knowledge" or "logic."  So see then we can experience it, but we will not ever understand it.  I venture then it is supernatural, or mystical (!).  And such an experience over time has a predictable result.  "...will protect your hearts and your minds IN Christ Jesus."  We can think of this as "keeping us within the sphere of Christ Jesus' power" or more simply "Christ Jesus will be the means of soul-protection via the peace of God."  So without a doubt what we are after is spiritual.  On this day when the perpetual adolescents in our media are showing video of children being run over by trains (uninjured though they were), we need "soul protection" more than ever.  My prayer is that I would be always pursuing that peace of God through the commands of Philippians 4:4-6!

National Guard and VBS

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/07/25/military-bars-troops-from-attending-vacation-bible-school/

Salad

Buzzards

Proverbs 30:17 CEVUS06

Don't make fun of your father or disobey your mother— crows will peck out your eyes, and buzzards will eat the rest of you.

The Church Experience

The Church Experience

Participating at Church can positively affect your life, in a significant way.

If your Church puts an emphasis on effectively serving the poor...

If your Church attunes you to new spiritual insights and understandings...

If your Church encourages you to have a real and personal connection with God...

If you know that you are a part of a group that truly cares for each other...

Be less than this, want less than this, and see what happens.

see http://www.barna.org/images/stories/church-exp-tradition-2.png

Church Leadership and Antagonism

 John 10 speaks of "hirelings" or "substitutes for the real thing" who want to "climb up some other way."  Where leaders get into trouble is with independent acting, outside of the confines of congregational life in love.  When we step out alone in public ways (without our leaders or church members on board) we are endangering the fragile relationship between clergy and laity. Often church members won't understand what we are thinking since they are focused only on our independent (re:trouble-making) actions!  Such independent action may be symptom of the sinful desire to be Pastor/leader outside of the congregational life, so that the church serves us and not we the church. 

Servant leaders will lead from the heart if we are willing to exercise independent spiritual thinking.  Following the ineffable lead of God's Holy Spirit, welling up from within, under the guidance of Scripture, we can lead with integrity.  This is about conversation, about communication, about bringing people together with how God is leading the shepherd.   It is about persuasion, convincing, and challenging within the church.  For me, this is an implication of John's imagery of the good shepherd.  In Baptist life much of leadership is about consultation and conversation, reaching understandings, and moving forward.  It is about free pulpits and free people, but not clashing mavericks clamoring for attention with the trappings of the church but without its authority.  Churches should not exist to validate pastors' desires or egos, but their callings.  Is the calling to love and serve others who love Christ, or to be affirmed and served in one's own desires?