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When I read a book I have a habit of keeping the receipt to use as a bookmark. This is because 1) I am cheap and 2) If the book stinks or just does not meet the expectations I have for it I can easily access the receipt and return the book. I am happy to say that I just threw the receipt for this book away, and I am going to buy this book for many, many friends.

I have known Glen Packiam for a few years. He is my former worship pastor at New Life. In that time I have come to have great respect for his singing. However, towards the end of my time there he was given some opportunities to preach, and I ate it up. His mind is just as comfortable writing music or working through theological concepts and ideas. My proximity to the man does not guarantee that I will give him a good review. Anyone who knows me knows I do not mix words. I will tell it like it is because I have to much respect for a person to blow smoke at them.

This book is a great book that reminds Christians to go deeper. Get through the muck and the muddle and the “Christianese” and the “Sacred Cows” and getting to what God really said and doing what he ultimately wants. He wants you to passionately pursue relationship with him and listen to His words and not rely on the church and other “more Godly” then yourself to do the hard work.

This book is part spiritual biography, part theology, part testimony. It brings the life God wants for us into painfully sharp focus by Glen using his honest and candid look at his own life and where he was vs. where he is headed. If we all do the work to get gut level honest with ourselves, there is a Glenn Packiam in us all at some level.

Glenn uses the Ark of the Covenant and some of the facts surrounding it to guide us through 4 rumors that Christians have for the most part bit into hook line and sinker. I am not going to give them away here, but the questions can and should lead you to much introspection, wrestling, and then growth through the process.

I highly recommend this book for those who have been Christians for awhile and are tired of being on autopilot, and I definitely recommend it if you are a new believer. It will open your eyes and challenge you to go to God first in your relationship and to not fall into spiritual apathy and let the Church do your spiritual heavy lifting. There is only one person on earth who can interceed truly and completely for you, and that is you.

“Torching all my idols, burning them one by one.

Bleeding over the ashes, asking what is it I have done?

The job that looked so promising, the life I wanted to live,

All came pressing in on me, so I torch them one by one.

That toy I always wanted, the book I just must have,

all account for nothing, my soul is all that costs.

Today I cast my idols, I burn them one by one.

I ask the Lord to take them as I name them one by one.

As the idols fade away, there are some that I still I can not see,

Jesus says “I got this one”, and then he bleeds and dies for me.”

(c) 2009 Carl Holmes

Part of the reason it has been a little silent on this blog lately is because I have been free lancing a little bit. I wanted to share my first piece that has hit the internet in awhile. It is at Small Group Exchange.

Go, check it out!

I will be back to my blogging self soon enough!

“Jesus is the Lord whom we confess,

but disappointment can make him the Lord whom we serve.”

Quoted from Second Hand Jesus, trading rumors of God for a first hand faith

Pg 80

I am not an expert, but in a few of the shots the ball does not quite seem to behave normally. I can enjoy the talent either way though. Talent to edit, talent to actually do it, it does not matter. It just means some college students had a little extra time on their hands. Enjoy.

Enthusiasm…it’s contagious. I only wish the camera had sound. It probably was a cell camera.

h/t to Andy Crouch

Over the last 6 weeks or so my family and I have been spending every Thursday night with our neighbors in the apartment complex grilling food and enjoying each others company. It has been wonderful, and something to look forward to. It makes Friday just a little more bearable after having a nice Thursday evening amongst the loving friend and neighbors we have gotten to know this year.

One heart felt prayer that I have had in moving back into an apartment setting after owning my own home is that we would begin to experience authentic community. In our previous situation we were in a community where we all believed that the moment the door closed we were in our own world and no one dared to share it with us. We did not cross their threshold, I did not invite them past mine. Something about owning your own home, and the community we resided in all colluded to make the environment caustic to community building. As I mature in my faith and I grow in my walk with God and closer to my calling I realize that I can not be a leader and not be in a community.

During our time together I have found myself a few times in those awkward man conversations that start with the inevitable “what do you do for a living?” Depending on my disposition I tell them I am a pastoral intern, other days a theologian, a philosopher, or an employee of Compassion International. All of which are true of me in some way or another, but none tell the whole me. In order to know the whole me you have to experience me. If I want to know the whole you I need to experience you. The only way to experience eachother is to spend time with eachother. Sharing in community is the way we get to know others, and the way we get to know ourselves. I love it. As much as I like the monastic life, I could only ever live some of the disciplines. The discipline of solitude would be toughest for me.

Where I am going with this post is that we dont always have to be preaching and carrying our bible in our back pocket ready to thump someone at a moments notice. If you are a person of well formed character, firm in your convictions, friendly in your disposition, then your prescence should be your testimony. Your life will radiate your belief. So enjoy the fellowship of believers, and non believers. Do not worry about how you are going to reach them. Just enjoy them.

I have found that many people memorize the “Roman road” and have cool graphics and reasons for all the questions believers have. But when the questions get harder they do not know what to say. In other words, they use the Bible because of their insecurity, not their security. Of all Christians I pity them most. We must be firm in our beliefs and relationships, and only out of that security will our witness be seen.

~Selah~

Wow…Tim Keel has a good one (sorry, no ability to embed it, so I am linking to it)

Robert Flughum pins another good one. Take a minute and read it and ponder.