Split Personality II

I've made a decision regarding the future of my blogs. I appreciate all the feedback that has come my way; it's been very helpful and thought-provoking. (And our friend Stephen Shields took the conversation further here.) Although the thinking behind 3Click made sense to me at the time (and I thought the name was a sober reminder) I've decided to consolidate my thinking, dreaming, rambling, and ranting on Waving Or Drowning.

To be honest I still have the same concerns. I'm as screwed up as the next guy, but I agonize over those would rather believe in Jesus than actually do what he said. I'd like to think that 3Click had the potential to attract those with the opposite view - interested in acting in love, but not so interested in the language of faith. I hope they stick around because I resonate with them. In the end though, my real passion and pain is for believers (I'm using that term for your benefit, not mine) who think that those who may share some of my concerns are liberals, radicals, or somehow less than "Christian".

I believe we are either moving forward or backward: Staying put is not an option. (After all, stagnant water starts to stink.) As a result of the 3Click experience WorD is going to change. I'll still do more than my fair share of navel-gazing, but this blog will also become much more action-oriented.

In other words, the heat is going up.

+++++++

On a similar note, this week at the whatever we started looking at the issues of Poverty, Justice & Mercy. First, we had a long conversation about what we had learned about those terms through our various "church experiences". Then, we had a look at what scripture had to say on the subject. (Then we drove a large truck through the gap between the two...) We're going to spend some time on this subject. Should be good.

FYI here's some of what we looked at if you're interested:

Poverty, Justice & Mercy - Old Testament (PDF)

Poverty, Justice & Mercy - New Testament (PDF)

Comments

[Wes Roberts]

...fire it up, dude! When the heats on...that means somethings cooking. Glad you made this decision!!! One point of argument, though...you ARE NOT as screwed up as the next guy..but we'll talk about that next Tuesday. :)

[robert]

I'm with Wes, turn it up. This is getting fun. Coming to T.O. for the big show?

[wilsonian]

Right beside you, brother.

[Reid Jackson]

Bring it on!

[Don]

MT ... great to hear. Now about the 'blog facelift ( re-design is too strong ). Not sure if I can read WorD with the dalily office, recent comments, recent posts and fellow travellers on the left column ...

keep your hand to the plow ...

d

[Steve]

Keep it coming!

[anj]

I am glad to read this decision - the less compartmentilization in our lives, the better, IMHO. As for this sentence - I agonize over those would rather believe in Jesus than actually do what he said - I hear you. As someone who grew up in a very social justice oriented stream of the RC church though, I want to voice that for those who express faith as their bottom line for social justice, I agonize also over the opposite, those who would rather do what he said than believe in Jesus. Living in the tension of both is difficult for most, it requires a trust in the goodness of the Creator even in the midst of the shit of humanity. And, in my experience, that place of tension often results in hardness of heart toward those we are called to love- all of humanity. Unless we allow ourselves to broken and re-broken with the conspiracy of compassion, the third way of Jesus. Just MHO.

[Mark]

Mike - glad you are consolidating. We need to see the whole person behind WorD not a portion... the web already allows us so much potential to create numerous identities and allows for further fragmentation of our lives, so my thought is that your decision is right.

Mark

[Steve K.]

Hey Mike,

Sorry I dropped the ball on our e-mail conversation a couple weeks ago. All I can say, at this point, is good on ya, mate! It's kind of encouraging for me to think that maybe God used me in some small way to move you toward this decision. I'm not always faithful to act when the Holy Spirit prompts, but for whatever reason (God only knows) I think this was one of those situations. It's that same prompting that I know I've felt in regards to issues of justice and poverty and AIDS. There's just an awakening that our lives are not our own, and we're to give ourselves away. And this implies ACTION.

Thanks for your faithfulness to follow God in the way of Jesus and, in this decision, to set an example of a holistic approach to the Christian life which includes great concern and passion for justice and mercy. Thanks for "heating things up" for many -- myself included.

Shalom,
Steve K.

[Kevin Herbert]

Jesus said Blessed are the poor in spirit, this is poverty, I have to take care that my heart (spirit) is not overcharged with the cares of this life, Jesus said pray that you fall not into temtation, for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, we have to remove fleshly desires from our hearts so we can be blessed, if you walk into a house and the rooms are bare you may say, the people who live here are poor, our hearts should be like this, empty of fleshly desires so the holy spirit can live there, this makes for peace, only God can give us peace, the plans God has for us in Jer 29:11 is often times misquoted, they say plans to prosper you, but the true reading is to give you peace

[suzanne]

Pliz tell me Bible references (specific Book,chapters & verses) in the New Testament in which "like a stagnant water....." mention about. I searched the whole aMathew couldn't find it & not much time to look through all the books of the NT.
I was just searching in google came across this but couldn't help much
If u can find it out do pliza mail me.
Sister in Christ