Unemployed!!

So, monday night I finished my 48 hr prayer and fast. One of my pleas with God was for direction, for this is what He did in 2 Chron. with King Jehoshaphat. The whole nation fasted and prayed for direction. They came out of the fast worshipping God in song knowing that He would deliver them from the foreign armies. So tuesday afternoon I was shocked to learn that due to financial strain on the church, there was work force reduction happening and my position along with acouple of others were going to be eliminated. I guess that is it what I call direction from God! I am not mad or upset or worried. I am more excited and relieved knowing that right now I am right were God wants me to be. For those of you worried about epic at the church I am sure that the ministry in whatever form it takes will be fine. I continue to feel called to the non-Christian and to those that are unfortunate in a variety of situations. I will do what I need to take make a difference for these people, I also feel called to the postmodern culture, and a world that looks at the current institutional church with a sense of disconnect. I have some ideas and thoughts for the Missio Dei. So stay tuned in the next little bit and buckle your seat belts because things are going to get interesting. I feel like a bird that has been in a cage the past 6 yrs, singing his heart out, but the only ones that could hear me singing were those that frequented the zoo. Well the bird has flown the coop!! May the rest of the world open their ears, because this bird has a song to sing...

The Fast and Furious!

So tonight we started our 24 hr fast @ epic. I am pretty excited to see how God is going to move within our little community of fasters. As we talked about tonight at the Gathering this is about making God a priority, when God is a priority his voice is a little louder and clearer. Let me know about your fast experience. Peace, Jim

Fat Camp Anyone?

So a couple of weeks ago in the news there was a story of a mother that was at risk of losing custody of her 8 yr old son to child protective services. The interesting thing about the "abuse" is that it was her son's obesity that was the issue. He is 8 yrs old and 218 lbs. The mother essentially allows him to eat whenever and whatever he wants. If he continues at this rate there is a long list of debilitating health issues that will ensue, with a good chance of death before the age of 30. So the mother is held liable. What if pastors, and heads of ministries and churches were looked at the same way. What if we are not challenging God's children enough to be spiritually fit, and instead are satisfied with fat and happy people? If I am throwing a big party with lots of good and pleasing food I am pretty sure everyone is going to want to come, not too many people are interested in joining a triathlon "party". The reality is that if we want our churches to be filled with people we give them what they want, we don't challenge them, and we water down what it means to follow Christ. But if we want a group of people fit enough to change the world, we need to challenge, motiviate and push. I think that if all churches and ministries thought that there was an organization that was going around checking the "health" of the people sitting in the pews and that we might lose "custody" I wonder if we would do ministry different. But as long as the "children" get to call the shots, they will eat what they want and when they want and we are left wondering about a Christian society that is ineffective for Christ.

I'm back..

So, I know I have been a slacker for the last couple of weeks in regard to this blog, but hey I was on vaca. So i'm back from sunny florida and ready to go blogging. See ya soon.