We the future looks cool!

How's this for the Lord's Prayer?

The Lord's Prayer from Stewart H Redwine on Vimeo.

Simple and to the point

Sometimes all the trimmings takes away from the main meal! This is it, isn't it?

A great video to watch - leadership as dream not plan!

I have watched this short (TED talks are generally short, around 20 minutes) video a while back and kept it - why? Because it walks about one of the functions of the gift of leadership - the ability to inspire. Denny and Denny talk about this often - how easy it is to reduce ministry and Body life to a function of management instead of a releasing of a God-given and empowered purpose! I think if you take a little time and watch the video, you will understand exactly what they mean...what we need to do is to rely on the Holy Spirit to move people into action...people are not inspired into action via our plans and management "products" but rather by a dream - a dream of faithfulness to Jesus and a deliberate living out of new life in Him. In addition, to function, according to the videos language, in the "what and how" spheres essentially reduces Kingdom work to methodologies, programs and consumeristically-driven techniques where we as disciples become "peddlers of church products" not participators in a redemptive movement of God. I could go on and on about this...I have some other ideas...for now, it is best to let the video speak for itself and you "do the math"!

TEDTalks Simon Sinek-How great leaders inspire action - Simon Sinek (2009) from Roofcamp on Vimeo.

Tracking the Spirit - What the Holy Spirit is DOING!

I ran into this the other day. In fact, I was so "impressed" by it, I copied it for posterity...in other words, this list works because it is true. Right from the scriptures, you and me have a chance to see just "some" of the things the Spirit is up to. Besides tracking what the Spirit is up to in our communities of faith, there are plenty of other things that the Spirit is doing:

50 Things the Holy Spirit Does - from Reimagining Church by frankaviola

1. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8).
2. He guides us into all truth (John 16:13).
3. He regenerates us (John 3:5-8; Titus 3:5).
4. He glorifies and testifies of Christ (John 15:26; 16:14).
5. He reveals Christ to us and in us (John 16:14-15).
6. He leads us (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:18; Matt. 4:1; Luke 4:1).
7. He sanctifies us (2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 5:16).
8. He empowers us (Luke 4:14; 24:49; Rom. 15:19; Acts 1:8).
9. He fills us (Eph. 5:18; Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 9:17).
10. He teaches us to pray (Rom. 8:26-27; Jude 1:20).
11. He bears witness in us that we are children of God (Rom. 8:16).
12. He produces in us the fruit or evidence of His work and presence (Gal. 5:22-23).
13. He distributes spiritual gifts and manifestations (the outshining) of His presence to and through the body (1 Cor. 12:4, 8-10; Heb. 2:4).
14. He anoints us for ministry (Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38).
15. He washes and renews us (1 Tim. 3:5).
16. He brings unity and oneness to the body (Eph. 4:3; 2:14-18). Here He plays the same role that He plays in the Godhead. The Spirit is the life that unites Father and Son. He plays the same role in the church. When He is operating in a group of people, He unites them in love. Therefore, a sure evidence of the Holy Spirit working in a group is Love and Unity.
17. He is our guarantee and deposit of the future resurrection (2 Cor. 1:22; 2 Cor. 5:5).
18. He seals us unto the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13; 4:30).
19. He sets us free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).
20. He quickens our mortal bodies (Rom. 8:11).
21. He reveals the deep things of God to us (1 Cor. 2:10).
22. He reveals what has been given to us from God (1 Cor. 2:12).
23. He dwells in us (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Tim. 1:14; John 14:17).
24. He speaks to, in, and through us (1 Cor. 12:3; 1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 2:11; Heb 3:7; Matt. 10:20; Acts 2:4; 8:29; 10:19; 11:12, 28; 13:2; 16:6,7; 21:4,11).
25. He is the agent by which we are baptized into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13).
26. He brings liberty (2 Cor. 3:17).
27. He transforms us into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).
28. He cries in our hearts, “Abba, Father” (Gal. 4:6).
29. He enables us to wait (Gal. 5:5).
30. He supplies us with Christ (Phil. 1:19).
31. He grants everlasting life (Gal. 6:8).
32. He gives us access to God the Father (Eph. 2:18).
33. He makes us (corporately) God’s habitation (Eph. 2:22).
34. He reveals the mystery of God to us (Eph. 3:5).
35. He strengthens our spirits (Eph. 3:16).
36. He enables us to obey the truth (1 Pet. 1:22).
37. He enables us to know that Jesus abides in us (1 John 3:24; 4:13).
38. He confesses that Jesus came in the flesh (1 John 4:3).
39. He says “Come, Lord Jesus” along with the bride (Rev. 22:17).
40. He dispenses God’s love into our hearts (Rom. 5:5).
41. He bears witness to the truth in our conscience (Rom. 9:1).
42. He teaches us (1 Cor. 2:13; John 14:26).
43. He gives us joy (1 Thess. 1:6).
44. He enables some to preach the gospel (1 Pet. 1:12).
45. He moves us (1 Pet. 1:21).
46. He knows the things of God (1 Cor. 2:11).
47. He casts out demons (Matt. 12:28).
48. He brings things to our remembrance (John 14:26).
49. He comforts us (Acts 9:31).
50. He makes some overseers in the church and sends some out to the work of church planting [through the body] (Acts 20:28; 13:2).
Summary: The Holy Spirit unites us to Jesus Christ and to His body. He reveals Christ to us, gives us His life, and makes Christ alive in us. The Spirit takes the experiences of Jesus … His incarnation, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension … and brings them into our own experience. Because of the Holy Spirit, the history of Jesus Christ becomes our story and experience.

Subscribing to Blogs, etc.

Good resource below...if you like to read blogs and keep track of sites you frequent, this is a great and indispensable resource:

You gotta smile when you watch this...we should be showing this daily to the people who are the Church!

When We Say Church from Doug Peterson on Vimeo.