I’m at church when one of my favourite children runs up to me.
“My dad is going to buy a seeder!” he triumphantly proclaims.
“Oh”, I reply, “is that a cedar tree, or a seater to sit on.”
The young man bumps his forehead with his hand. His face is totally contorted in disbelief.
I start to see the light!
The best jokes are ones you don’t even know you have made!!!
I was reading a thank you article to those who pastor small churches. I have been a part of a rural church for almost two decades. We are more than a handful but less than a football stadium of people.
In the midst of the content was an unsettling insinuation.
Small churches require a sacrifice. You always want to be getting way bigger than you currently are.
I say small churches are good to work with. You can always start another small church if you start growing.
I’d like to turn the thought on its head. Small and rural churches require next to no sacrifice. People can love God and love people – probably easier in a small church.
I guess I need to write a blog about large churches and the sacrifice it takes to be part of the leadership of that church!!
I’m one who chooses real estate based on price, location and feel. Sometimes the wrong style of floor plan or the paint on the walls will lead to a negative vibe (now I sound like I’m from the 60’s).
My brother used to have just one approach – location, location, location.
So, I’m reading about Solomon’s temple – built on Mount Moriah where David met the Lord.
Sounds innocent enough – until you get the rest of the story.
David had caused a census to be taken. God didn’t like the idea (showed that David didn’t trust God). God exacts a punishment on Israel – the worst of which was the death of some of the citizenry. God sends an angel (messenger) to fulfil the punishment.
The operation is done swiftly – the messenger approaches Jerusalem (the capital) – God stops the killing / David repents of his sin. He offers a sacrifice to God at the threshing floor of Arunnah (where God stops the killing) – which he buys from the owner.
And this is where the story gets interesting. This is the piece of real estate on which the temple is built. Not for the scenery. Not for the proximity to the halls of power. Not for entertainment value. Not even for the closeness to resources.
This is the place of repentance. The place where wrong was to be punished. The place of deep sorrow. And great joy. All wrapped in one.
Location, location, location.
From a conversation with a totally animated man – who has just heard a sermon by a well known Canadian TV preacher.
“I didn’t know this. The preacher said that the Bible was written in Latin. And Martin Luther King translated it into English.”
Now, I realize that learning something new changes us. Our perspectives are challenged. With the rocking of our boat, we can then learn to walk on water or we can just wait to see what happens.
In this case, I am thinking a waiting attitude would be a good idea, as compared to acting on the waves of what you have heard.
I’m sure the sermon was on the Reformation.
Yes, the Bible was most commonly found in Latin during the Reformation (in the 1500’s). Originally the Bible was written in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic – not Latin.
Martin Luther (in the 1500’s) was the one who took the Bible and translated it into the vernacular – in his case this was German. More often we hear the names Tyndale and Wycliffe when we think of the English Bible. Martin Luther King was a civil rights activist in the 1900’s.
I was excited with my friend that he was having to push the “rethink” button. Not so excited that we sometimes hear something that is not spoken!