Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Now that we are all in the mix

I hope we can continue the conversation after listening to the second Peacemaker sermon. This should spark some conversation. I know it created some concern at Mars Hill. I am praying for each of you. Please let me know what I can do for you.

14 comments:

Unknown said...

So its Friday night and what do I do to procrastinate? Listen to this week’s podcast. I was going to study but this seemed to be a lot more fun. I am going to study after this because that's the way Furman works.

I really like the issue this time. He focuses not on violence but the "why" violence happens. I think it says a lot when people have a obscure view of America and from previous experience like Romania and Kenya and even further more my other trips to New Zealand and Australia.

1) He is right. We do consume a lot. There is no question to it. However he makes the point in comparing us to the rest of the world and I believe if a difference is going to start is has to start here. According to Fox News, 63% of American believe that the moral climate in America is declining. Look at TV, music, movies, books even. There is not a ton to boast about.

If the outside world is getting the wrong picture of us, lets fix that because right now we are the greatest country in the world. We should be setting the standard in ethics.

2) Throwing money at the problem isn't going to help. He doesn't say this but he suggests this. For example, if we were to get all the profit from black Friday and give to just about any country, it would be misused. This is why a lot of governments in Africa are not progressing.

If a people as a whole are going to get better, they've got to fix their leadership. This is another reason the US is the best. Our leadership is superior to everyone else. If we give 5 million dollars to the government of Chad, much of it will be lost by corruption. The answer is not money.

3) Money is not the answer, but it does help the situation. Rob described Americans going over seas to help people in the earthquake. This is the answer. Going there and being face to face with those who need our help. This is also a way to correct thier view of the USA.

An example which first came to mind was John Wells. When we were in Kenya John was there negotiating prices of a well driller (I think). Surprisingly Christ did this too. Jesus didn't sit in his house telling people what to do he did it.

Christ traveled from town to town showing people who he was and not letting them believe stories but actually showing them himself. (Luke 4:14, 31, 38, 42) In one chapter Jesus is going to or leaving places to venture into more places, why? Because he knew to get his message out HE had to GO places. This is why HE LEFT Heaven to come to earth and save us.

1) Fix our own country's view to the outside world
2) Throwing money at the problem is not the answer.
3) Go there

Not trying to be political, but Bush's new plan for Iraq makes sense. He wants to send some 20,000 more troops over there to let the Iraqis take over. Sending more troops does many things like securing more territory, eliminating more terrorist webs and more importantly help train their new army and help rebuild cities. Troops being there, giving off an inspiring presence and helping Iraqis will help the war effort. Jesus would go, as a matter of fact… He has.

On a side note. Just to let ya'll know, I did pledge to be an associate brother of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity here. The guys are great and no worries because they have a no hazing policy. Though I am going to need some prayer this week seeing I have a Chem test and a presentation on Otto von Bismark which is 25-35% of my grade. As well as plenty of PKP stuff.

Because He lives
-Alastair

CFANOVATO said...

I don't understand this message. I used to like Rob Bell. I feel like he started with scripture (good), then got on a soapbox about America being too rich and powerful and insensitive or something, and then finished with a message of forgiveness and mercy(Good). I agree we have a lot and are in a great position to help people out, but I don't think we should stop everything in Iraq and just start sending them money. Its illogical. I think the end story of the town that was happy we got hit and then got flattened only for us to help them is great. That is what we need, that forgiveness is what Christ is all about, but its different to help people who rejoiced and are now hurting than to have certain people attack us and just be ok with it and say that we should let it go. I know God is a forgiving God (thankfully or else we would all be screwed) but do we forget the story of the market in the church when he turned the tables. Some things call for a reaction. Maybe i missed this message, but it really just made me mad more than anything. (I know that probably surprises all of you.) I shouldn't only talk bad about it, his closing statement about the loyalty to the flag being close to idolatry is very true. Our patriotism shouldn't come before our faith, but it is still important.

jimpharr. said...

as i am listening to this podcast (finally) right now... i am just wondering why Rob Bell is rattling off all of the percentages... this is supposed to be a sermon, not an awarness meeting... I don't understand what his aim is here... if is solely awareness and showing us how much we consume and dwindle then hold a meeting. He also keeps talking about spending so much oney on frivolous things... where did the money come from to start this podcast and all his videos and his books, and why did it all not go to drill new wells in Africa and clothe children and help bring food to families who live off of $1 a day?

to talk about some things that were commented...

Al: how would we go to Iraq and talk to the dignitaries when all they want to do is kill us. if we sent some folks over that just wanted to talk... they would die. I do, however, agree with what you said about us consuming too much, but let's remember that this is supposed to be a biblical message.

Danny: I agree that Rob does get on his soapbox about America being so horrible.

Overall i felt like I was watching CSPAN not listening in on a church on a sunday morning...

Jim

Unknown said...

so this is going places...

CFANOVATO said...

I don't know who is still checking this, but i am asking for your prayers. I have fallen hard into an old habit. You all should know what I am talking about. I am embarrassed to put it on here, cause i don't know who all can read this. You 4 should know what i mean though. Hope you are all doing better than i am with this. Your prayers are greatly appreciated, and i would love to be able to get together with everybody sometime in May when we get back from school. Maybe a little pool bball. Miss seeing ya'll every sunday, wednesday, and whatever day we could actually get together to meet.
P.S. Congrats to our ordination test passing leader.

Unknown said...

Can we move on?

jimpharr. said...

no Al, no we can't...

Unknown said...

are we... stuck then...?

jimpharr. said...

nope, just in a very contemplative state...

jimpharr. said...

Yay for deadness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

i'm ready to pick-up again whenever ya'll are.

Unknown said...

yup

jimpharr. said...

last comment!

Unknown said...

last last comment