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August 5, 2009 by jbrianhill

I have tried to really jump into the whole digital map and social media world over the last few months.  I am still learning.  It can be quite frustrating at times because, I have decided that, we are entering a new world.  For many people, not all mind you, what was once a novelty (Myspace, FaceBook, Twitter, etc.) has become a way of life.

I was talking to a friend the other day and I heard these words come out of my mouth, “I got a text message the other day and wasn’t sure what it was since it didn’t come through Twitter.”  Things are moving so quickly, but the crux of it all is that our world, like it or not, is moving to new and different forms of communication.  And I have to admit, in some ways I like it.

But I have drawn some interesting similarities between the social media realm and the church.  It would appear that there are two primary categories of media folk out there, 1) Consumers and 2) Contributors.  Consumers are those who will spend lots of time browsing and gleaning information from all the “stuff” out there in cyberworld but rarely offer any contribution back.  Contributors are those who offer content (ie. information, thoughts, etc.)  In a conversation with @mattgierhart (that is Twitter speak) he alluded to a statistic that sounded vaguely familiar.  He said that about 80% of the media folk are consumers and the other 20% are contributors.

Wow!  Sounds like the church.  Here is my challenge for you today.  Be a contributor.  That doesn’t mean you can’t consume, it just means you give something back – give something of yourself today.  The church, and in fact our world, is desperate for people to step up to the plate and take an active role in making a difference in the lives of others.  Do it today.

Posted in Church, Motivational | 1 Comment »

The Strength of a Family

August 4, 2009 by jbrianhill

Yesterday I mentioned my boys and today I am still thinking about the importance of family.  I realize that not all families are strong and healthy, but I was reminded last week of the importance of close family relationships.

I had the privilege of being in the right place at the right time.  I struggle to call it that because it seems wrong to think of it in that way, but reflecting back on it, I can’t think of a better way to describe it.

Billy had been suffering for a while.  When I got to his room last Thursday, I knew he would not be with us much longer.  So I stayed with the family.  About 4:30 or so he took his  last breath.  I don’t know if you have ever been in that situation but it does not matter if you think you are prepared or not, it is never easy.

But my point is this.  I had the privilege of being there in that moment and watching that family rally around that patriarch and lean on one another.  It truly was a beautiful picture of a family in action.  There was sincere sadness but there was also a strength present in their midst.

Thank you Patsy, Steva, Vicki and Randy for reminding me how important it is to be part of a family.  God created the idea of family and you truly lived out an element of what God intended last week.  I know God was and is pleased.

For the rest of us: pray for your family today and then pick up the phone and call them and tell them you love them.

Posted in Family | Leave a Comment »

My Boys Are a Blessing

August 3, 2009 by jbrianhill

Sometimes, parenting can be stressful and worrisome.  When I look at the world today it makes me wonder what we were thinking when we decided to have kids and bring them into a place like this.  But then I have a day like yesterday and have to stop and thank God for blessing us the way we have been blessed with three wonderful young men.

My oldest read scripture yesterday in the worship service, and if you know him, you have to stop and say, “Wow, he got up in front of all those people!”  It was really cool to get up and preach after he had read the passage – he did a great job and I am really proud of him.  My middle one, week in and week out, has committed to run the video for our services.  All the slides for the music, etc. are visible because of the work he does during the service.  I am really proud of him as well – that takes real commitment.  Then at the end of the service, during the invitation and prayer time, my youngest came up to me at the front of the church and asked to pray with me about God’s guidance for our family.

I have to tell you – God has truly blessed Kristi and me.  I wish we could take credit for them but in all honesty, God has blessed us with some pretty cool guys!

Thank you Lord – now help us to encourage them to continue and guide us as we try to guide them.

Posted in Parenting | 4 Comments »

Get Real

July 31, 2009 by jbrianhill

I thought I would do one more post on prayer today.  I am working through all the elements found in this passage for the sermon on Sunday.  One of the things that I think we can understand from Jesus’ words is that authentic prayer is just that – authentic.  It must be real, it must be from your true self.

All of us carry baggage – we are complex beings with many layers that make up who we are.  But when we strip away all the external layers and get at the heart of who we really are, that person that really only God knows, we have reached the true self, we have reached the point of being able to pray unhindered.

I encourage you today to get real with God – be yourself.  God already knows you anyway!

Have a great weekend and as always, thanks for reading.

Posted in Formation | Leave a Comment »

Cry Out To God

July 30, 2009 by jbrianhill

Since we are talking about prayer this week, I feel led to speak to an area of the Christian walk that we don’t want to talk about much.  But if there is anyone reading today going through trying times (I would be shocked if there aren’t) this is for you.  If you aren’t going through tough times right now, that is a blessing.  But I would guess that all of us have at times and will again in the future.

When we go through trying times, God does not leave us.  Friends are placed around us to help – to listen.  Strength comes to us in ways that don’t make sense.  But what I feel I need to say today is this:  there are times that are so rough that we realize talking to a friend does not help, talking to a pastor doesn’t help.  Making ourselves busy to get our mind off of it doesn’t work either.

What then?

There are times in our lives, in our Christian walk, when there is no one or nothing to turn to.  No place we can go to get away from it.  No apparent relief to be found anywhere or in anyone.

It is in those times we must turn to God.  My own experience teaches me that even though the times can be painful, God never leaves me.  I can’t explain the sense of peace that comes when we rest in God and let go of our fear or anger or anxiety – I can just say that it is real.

So today, if you are in the midst of tough times, turn to God.  Cry out to God and let yourself rest in the arms that will never let you go.

Posted in Formation | 1 Comment »

Alone With God In The Midst of a Crowd

July 29, 2009 by jbrianhill

Yesterday, my post discussed that we should spend time alone with God.  I would like to keep that theme going today.  I want to begin with a question, “Is it possible to be alone with God even in the midst of a crowd?”

One of my most meaningful experiences I have ever had in sensing God’s presence in the midst of a crowd came a few years ago in a busy lobby of a hotel in Chicago.  I was waiting on my next meeting to begin and so I sat down to read.  I was reading Thomas Merton’s little book, Thoughts in Solitude.  The following is from my journal entry that day, July 26, 2006:

I took out my little book and began to read – normally I’m ready to check off another chapter but this time I read about 6 lines and stopped – going back to read them again.  I then stopped and shut the book and just praised God in all the hustle and bustle and noise – all of which would be insurmountable distractions at any other time.

What I read that made me stop was this:  “When I am liberated by silence, when I am no longer involved in the measurement of life, but in the living of it, I can discover a form of prayer in which there is effectively no distractions.  My whole life becomes a prayer.”

As I pondered these thoughts – I was swallowed up in the noise around me.  I heard nothing at all and everything all at once!  I praised and thanked God for the joy of life – as I saw people sharing a drink I praised God for the joy of friendships and relationships . . . The general praise was for the gift of life – a gift we take – I take – for granted, and certainly do not normally see it in a crowded, busy, downtown hotel lobby.  But this day was different.  This day I did!  Thank you God!

The point of all this is sensitivity and focus.  God is all around us – God is with us no matter where we go or what we do.  We just have to look for God.  We should most definitely have a place we meet with God regularly.  But in the in between times we must learn to make a space inside ourselves to meet with God as well.

Have you ever had experiences of God’s overwhelming presence in the midst of odd circumstances?  Let me hear from you.

Posted in Formation | 1 Comment »

Time Alone With God

July 28, 2009 by jbrianhill

We talked about prayer in our worship service this past Sunday and we will continue on that topic this coming Sunday.  If you read the book of Mark, you are struck with the sense that Jesus spent time in solitude (look here for an example).  He felt the need to get away and focus on communication with God.

Now if Jesus felt the need to spend time alone with God, how can we think that we could possibly live the way we know we should live if we don’t do the same?  Time alone with God in prayer and scripture reading are the foundation for living and growing in our relationship with God.

So where do you go to be alone with God?  What do you do when you are in that place?

I would love to hear your response – who knows, it might make it into the sermon this week.

Thanks for reading!

Posted in Formation | 3 Comments »

Fighting the Current

July 27, 2009 by jbrianhill

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a couple of days with the family in southern California on vacation.  I had been there for several days at a conference and the family joined me there for some R and R.

We spent a day and a half on the beach at Huntington.  We picked a great time to be there for a number of reasons.  The US Open of Surfing was going on at the same time so there were people everywhere – but honestly that added to the experience.  But the main reason it was a great time to be there was that we were blessed with abnormally high waves (some 10 to 12 feet).  It was an awesome sight!

The problem the waves created was that we were not allowed to go out into the surf past waste height.  Once we got out into the surf with our boogy boards, it did not take long to understand the reason.  While the waves were incredible, the rip current (the current underneath the waves going back out to sea) was just as strong.

We had a blast riding the waves into shore, but then the work began as we fought the current and tried to make our way back out to the break to catch the next wave.

As I reflect on that experience, it dawns on me that a life lesson can be found in it.  We had to fight the current to get to where we needed to be.  Sometimes, not always, we have to go against the current to get to where God wants us.

It is easier to just go with the flow, but over time we realize that we have been carried to places we never intended to go.  We suddenly look up and realize we have lost all bearings – nothing looks the same.  Our surroundings have changed but we had not noticed because we were enjoying the rush.

I challenge you today to enjoy the ride, but hold your ground even when the current wants to take you somewhere else.  God has a plan for you – focus on that fact even if it means going against the current.

Posted in Motivational | Leave a Comment »

Adapt and Keep Going

July 21, 2009 by jbrianhill

There is a funeral going on at our church today for a saint who passed away after 104 years of life on this earth!  What an amazing accomplishment.

I can’t even imagine the amount and types of change Bessie has encountered in her 104 years here on earth.  She has seen two world wars, and many others.  The change in transportation from horse drawn transportation to cars.  From the source of enternainment being the radio to the TV networks we have today.

All kinds of change.  It boggles my mind to even think about what she has experienced.  What I take away from that is that change is going to occur – we can’t control it.  All we can do is try and understand it and adapt to it and keep going.  Hopefully we can even learn to enjoy it.

I have been in a conference for a week hearing about all kinds of changes coming, many in the area of technology, that will affect the church.  My prayer is that each of our churches will adapt and keep going.  God called us to meet the people where they are and that means following Jesus’ example and going to them.   We must never forget to keep the main thing the main thing – the truth of the Gospel never changes but the way we minister to people and show them that Gospel does.  We will have to change some things or become obsolete and ineffective.  But that is life – change happens.

What will we do?

Posted in Church | 1 Comment »

Jesus the Rebel

July 20, 2009 by jbrianhill

Jesus was a rebel.  He challenged the systems of the day.  He came and turned traditional religion on it’s ear.  The Jewish faith had evolved into quite a system.  The attitude of the Jewish religion had become something like, “God has given us the truth, we have it, you need it and when you decide to come get it, you will know where to find it.”  Paul battled this mentality as well when he began taking the Gospel to the gentiles.  The Jewish Christians struggled with gentiles becoming Christians.  They expected the gentiles to first become Jews and then they could become Christians – “start doing things the way we do them and then we will let you into the club.”

Sound familiar?  Do we ever have the attitude that we have the corner on what God offers and if others want it, then they can come and become like us and we will then share it with them?

Jesus turned that mentality upside down.  He took the truth to the people where they were and he calls us to do the same.  That may mean that we have to go somewhere we would not normally go.  Or it may mean that we may have to offer things at church that may not fit our tastes so that others will be drawn in.  We have got to get past the idea that we have the corner on the Gospel and that all others should just become like us in order to have it.  Jesus took the truth to folks where they were and accepted them as they were – should we not do the same?

Posted in Church | Leave a Comment »

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