The Momentum

Why I hate Religion, but Love Jesus by Jeff Bethke

Staff — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:49:53 +0000

Man Card Video: Differential Steering

Staff — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:14:03 +0000

This video will give you at least 10 points on your man card. Its a GREAT video, a little slow to start but…
Actually here’s the progression:

Trick motorcycle riding -kinda cool.
Science I already know
More science – getting boring
Interesting science I didn’t know
OMG! I just learned the coolest thing ever!!!! I want to be an engineer!

At least that’s how I watched it.

“Stop Working On Your Weakness” – John Maxwell

Staff — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:08:54 +0000

Here is a big dose of grace from best selling author and leadership guru, John Maxwell.

Why I Am a Jesus Follower

Bert — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:43:57 +0000

For my whole life, which you could call a “Christian” life since I was “saved” at 7 years old, my heart has been crying for someone to show me how to live. I took rules from teachers and suggestions from elders, not to mention Sunday mornings were just a long stream of alliterated points for living a “good Christian life.” But none of it seemed to fit. The same Sunday School teachers that taught me how to treat others with respect would gossip or berate anyone who they thought were different from them (us). Those that relayed to me Christ’s message of going into all the world making disciples still discriminated against people just on the other side of the tracks. It was preached that the ultimate good was to sell all you own and give it to the poor, and that the best thing of all was to care for widows and orphans. I knew there was an orphanage in our town but I never saw anyone go over there to help. (There was a workday once at an old folks home when I was about 6 but…) Oh yeah sure we went on “Mission Trips” as youth and did some pretty good work on people’s houses in some far away town but as far as everyday kind of stuff, no, it was buy what we want and save the rest for retirement. (Don’t think I’m talking about my parents here, I’m from a small town and I knew lots of people’s parents).

Even the Bible seemed to full of contradiction, “Don’t cut your hair,” “cut your hair,” don’t eat this,” “eat anything its OK now.” “No difference between male and female, except that wives should submit to husbands and not speak in church,” but more deeply there was a God who went to war to keep a race of people pure, then a God who said we should include everyone, and then in the end he’s going to come back and destroy all the outsiders again. We’ll it was all a bit much and by the end of college I was done with it. I hated Christians and I couldn’t care less what they thought of me (although I tried to hide as much as possible of my life from my family).

I found my way back into church but I didn’t go back to the old denomination. I’d heard one too many anti-Semitic joke from the pulpit to know that there was nothing there for me. There had to be something else, if this religion had been around for two thousand years there must be something more. I found teaching pastors that were very deep and educated and opened my mind to the history and deeper meaning behind the scriptures. Then there were churches that cornered the market on “culturally relevant” praise and worship. Others that kept things light and airy to appeal to the “Seeker” (as if the truth was too much for modernity to handle). Liturgy to stay on the straight and narrow. Accountability to deal with those pesky behaviors that seem to make people think badly of you, or worse that you think come between you and God (as if the truth was too much for God to handle).

My heart still cried out for someone- anyone- to tell me what was right and what was the right way to live.

And then I discovered Jesus.

Discovered that the Old Testament was trying to reveal God’s heart and when that failed Jesus came to show us God’s heart. That God’s heart is love. Love for his creation, love for his children. He not only was waiting for our return but is running toward us with arms open wide for no other reason but to celebrate with us. Jesus began his ministry by enlivening a party and from then on preached about the party that was the Kingdom of God. The feast, the wedding, the banquet, the cup that runs over. To my numb heart this message is such welcome relief. He said that his whole purpose was to come and give freedom to the imprisoned and the oppressed ( I was enslaved in the spirit of “religion” thinking that it was about me, about what I did.)

Then, Jesus, finally told me how to act:

Matthew chapters 5-7 (version hear is The Message (read every version to get the whole meaning))

You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

⁴“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

⁵“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

⁶“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

⁷“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

⁸“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

⁹“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

¹⁰“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

The message goes on, I encourage you to read it for yourself.

Here’s how it ends: “the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this. It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying—quite a contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had ever heard.

The message is clear, this teaching is a much harder way than the one you are used to. Jesus calls us to defeat evil (oppression, injustice, untruth, persecution, intolerance, inequality, and any other you might be under) with love, not to return evil with evil. We are to love God more than anything and love others more than ourselves. Others would include, anyone who wants to kill us, steal from us, or threaten our way of life. Jesus made it clear (Rich Young Ruler) that if our faith is in our lifestyle then there is no room for us in the Kingdom.

I have seen that this is the harder way but I do not want to reach judgement and hear Jesus say, “depart from me I never knew you.”

Update: What has this meeting of Jesus produced?

I just finished a conversation with someone tell them that In October of 2009 I was a proud, gun wielding, republican that was proud of my political opinions and proud of the “good” I was doing at church and believed that I was in was “on my way.” I was wrong, on many counts. I now give more grace, I realize that people act “that way” because they are hurting and/or have a need. I see that God is my strength and my protector. And the provider of my future. The Kingdom of God supersedes that of any earthly kingdom and the economy of the kingdom can provide more than gold can assure. In short I have become a citizen of the Kingdom and live in its new economy and equality.

Restoration

Staff — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 21:10:13 +0000

It’s what we do. Reclaiming a greenspace in the Lyrewood community to enable them to have places for the kids to have camps and play. There will be work crews organized for the next few weekends call the NW Campus to get in on the service.

Jesus’ Words and Only Jesus’ Words

Staff — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 04:26:41 +0000

I’m excited, very excited about this. Everything in my life lately has been pointing to the fact that I don’t know Jesus well enough, well- not really at all.

I found a crazy little project the other night when I couldn’t sleep. Its called “the Words.” it is a document/PDF/PDA/text/HTML/mp3 of Jesus’ words, just Jesus’ words. Lee Cantelon took the words recorded in the bible and arranged them by subject… Below is how the website describes the project. Or just go to http://thewords.com

What it is: This modern presentation of the words by the teacher from Nazareth departs from the traditional layout of the four gospels, offering Jesus’ words according to subject, inviting the reader, whether for the first time, or as one already familiar with the message, to discover their meaning with immediacy and freshness. What Jesus said about prayer, the pursuit of God, human relations, the heavenly kingdom, practical applications of faith, and practicing the presence of God, awaits in these important words.

How it came to be: The Words began as an inspiration to create “a bridge” that would allow readers to access the words of Jesus, simply and directly, arranged according to topic, offering a concise introduction to His life-changing message…

It all began with a conversation. Scott C., a good friend of mine, was describing his most recent spiritual journey. He had just returned from the Amazon where he had lived in the jungle, explored tribal spirituality, used hallucinogenic drugs, and nearly ruined his health, all in an effort to satisfy his search for spiritual peace. Having returned to London , he was exhausted and despairing, with so many burning questions left unanswered. During this conversation, I suggested that he attempt to study the words of Jesus.

I’ll never forget the look of disappointment that crossed his face. “The Bible?” he sighed. He had been raised in the Church of England, and this experience had left him with no interest in returning. I then promised him something that would become an all-consuming commitment. “I’ll find you a book, one with just the words of Jesus, so you don’t have to read them from a Bible. If I can’t find such a book, I’ll put one together for you… Read more at http://www.thewords.com/thewords/about.htm

Video: Robert looking forward into 2011

Staff — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:52:02 +0000

“Plan B” by Pete Wilson

Kevin — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 02:47:58 +0000

Synopsis by Momentum’s own – Kevin Bailey:
This is a book about hope and encouragement when your dreams have been shattered, life didn’t turn out like you thought it would or God didn’t show up like you thought He should. Pete is a young pastor in Tennessee and he tells stories of people in his church that have had God work in their lives through their trials.

Publishers Description:
In Plan B pastor and author Pete Wilson uses real life stories of disappointments and hurts along with the biblical stories of men and women like David, Joseph, and Ruth to help readers come to grips with the truth that they will face situations that in themselves they are completely unable to handle but that in them God is simply trying to get them to surrender their plans so that they can receive His. He identifies our common responses to difficulties and offers hope, helping us to

* Understand what God might be up to
* See how surrender helps us to receive God’s plan
* Embrace the community of believers
* Reconcile a God of love with a life of tragedy and suffering

Wilson points readers to the cross as not just the starting line but the centerpiece of our story with God and shares that it is there we turn in our Plan B and find the undeniable relationship between crisis and our hope followed by true spiritual transformation. “God wants to live inside the questions” says Wilson and then reminds us that “the cross is proof that He does not always change the circumstance but that He always has a purpose in every circumstance. He will never let go of us. He will hold us and His cross will be an anchor for us.”

Ransomed Heart Podcasts

Staff — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 05:32:06 +0000

On a very semi-regular schedule that isn’t very.. the guys at Ransomed Heart put out a podcast. As regular as they aren’t they are always insightful, pointed, and relevant. Right now is a perfect example of that. The Audio podcast here is on the stages of masculinity from Fathered by God. These only tend to be around for a limited time so download them quickly and keep them in your library. As of now, in iTunes, you can get “Boyhood,” “Cowboy,” and “Warrior.”

Their Audio podcast

http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/john-eldredge-ransomed-heart/id260843816

Video podcast

http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/john-eldredge-ransomed-heart/id268652141

Walking With God podcast

http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/walking-with-god/id276662787

Video: Prius vs. M3

Staff — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:45:04 +0000

Top Gear, the British car review show tested the fuel efficiency of a Toyota Prius vs. a BMW M3 with a V8. Proving that it is more environmentally friendly to drive what you’ve got than buying to improve mileage.