I love to discuss and debate!  I love it to the point that I will choose sides on topics of discussion which don’t even pertain to me.  From deep conversations about the hit Saturday morning cartoon, “Smurfs”, to heated debates about women’s high heels I love them all.  For me it is not so much the topic of discussion that intrigues me as it is the learning, stretching, and growing process which transpires in a discussion/debate.  I love challenging my way of thinking and in turn challenging someone else’s.  Perhaps this is why I am enjoying the “Crazy Love” series we are doing together here at Huntertown.

I hear lots of people talking about the last few chapters of the book and it is creating quite the “buzz” in our church!  I love to pass by people in the hallways during the week debating/discussing the concepts that “Crazy love” is bringing up in our lives.  It is so awesome to hear people say, “This book is really making me think differently about life” or “Francis Chan really makes me mad!”.  Don’t get me wrong I don’t want people to be upset and mad.  I just think there is something beautiful about people wrestling with the things of God together.  Proverbs 27:17 says,  ”As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Two iron bars rubbing against each other sounds like a unpleasant process, but tools which are crafted from the process make it worth it.  This series is starting a beautiful sharpening process among us that will make us all more effective tools in the hands of God.

What do you think?  Are you feeling sharpened and challenged by the series?  What beauty is coming from your discussions?  What are you struggling to understand?  What discussions are you having?  Do you like being rubbed the wrong way?  Join in this discussion as we sharpen each other even more.

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When preaching last Sunday, I gave some principles for giving that I thought reflected  2 Corinthians 8: 1-15.  Some feedback has been: “you still did not tell me how much.  Do I tithe or not?”

A 10% tithe is an Old Testament instruction given to specifically answer that questions: how much?   (Lev 27:30).  God often gave people what they asked for in the Old Testament; or what He deemed they need (i.e. a King or the law).  Christ came saying the Old Testament law is fulfilled in himself  (Matt. 5: 17).

I believe this means basically two things:

1. Outdated laws have been dropped

• Dietary restrictions
• Sacrificial instructions
• Multiple ceremonial laws
• Etc.!

2.  Significant laws have been elevated to heart status:

• Do not murder —  to do not hate.
• Do not commit adultery —  to do not lust
• Sabbath made for man not man made for the Sabbath
• Eye for an Eye —  to do not resist an evil person.
• Hate your enemy — to love your enemy.
• Etc.

So when it comes to tithing I conclude it either is outdated and needs to be dropped. . . or it has been elevated to a heart status where the standards have been significantly raised.

What do you think?

I just returned from Greg Aspacher’s funeral. He was a long time member and friend of our church family. He passed away at an early age of 55. Each of his 3 daughters talked about his life and what he meant to them, stories of fun, laughter, advice, love and wisdom.

I wondered what my children would say about me, what stories they would remember?  Did I bring glory to God, would He say I was a ‘good and faithful servant’?

In chapter 2 of Crazy Love the author writes, “you could die before you finish reading this. Right now today, at any moment. Are you ready?”

Question:

If today was the day you died what would you regret and why? What can you change about your life today to avoid those regrets?

Trust in Him,

John Bracht

On Sunday we were challenged to look at the Majesty of God…Chan’s first chapter in Crazy Love speaks directly to several amazing feats behind the creation of our known universe and the utter simplicity and grandness of God revealed in our world…whether we see it or not.  Without looking at scripture for insight or inspiration what things can you name or describe which draw out the incredibleness of our God in the things around us?  In all of your experience and time on earth what have you learned that reminds you of your Heavenly Father that might bring all of us to a closer walk with Him…making us speechless, amazed, humbled?

Read Philippians 4:10-20

If God meets all of our needs according to His Riches in Glory:

What is our part in His ability to supply?  What does giving have to do with it?

What is the definition of a need as opposed to a want?  How do we distinguish between the two?

Are riches in glory only spiritual or is there a tangible component?

I hope you will wrestle some with me as we prayerfully yield our congregation into Christ’s hands.

Pastor Greg

What are your ears hearing this week?  What are your eyes seeing this week?  Have you heard God speak?  Have you seen God move?  We all benefit from hearing each other speak about our encounters with God.  So please tell us in what ways you have witnessed God speaking or moving in your life.  Maybe you heard a song that inspired you, maybe your child said something that blew your mind, or maybe you witnessed God in creation.  Tell us so that we can be aware of how God is moving in his body!

Have you taken Pastor Greg’s challenge from last week?  You know, the 24 hour technology-free challenge.  Turn off the cell, log off the computer, turn off the television and see what happens during that 24 hours.  Did you do anything different?  Did you hear anything you might have missed otherwise?  Was it harder than you thought?  What did you learn?

It’s rather interesting, isn’t it, that we are discussing freeing ourselves from technology on a blog – full of all sorts of irony!  So the best we can hope for is that you aren’t posting or reading this till your 24 hours is over.