Good Stuff

Whoa.
Just watched the clip of the newest Nooma Video, SHE and if you've never heard the "theory" before, it's eye-opening, interesting, and to some (like, oh, say...I dunno....Southern Baptists) mildly scandalous.

But I liked it.

Here's the summary:

We didn’t have anything to do with our birth. We are all here because some woman somewhere gave us life. Her pain, her effort, for our life. And when a mother gives like that to a child, she is showing us what God is like. But sometimes this part of God’s nature is overlooked. A lot of us are comfortable with male imagery for God. But what about female imagery for God? Is God limited to a gender? Or does God transcend and yet include what we know as male and female? Maybe if we were more aware of the feminine imagery for God we would have a better understanding of who God is and what God is like.

3 Posts in about 3 hours.....I'm playing catchup now. :)

Food for Thought

I read this on another blog, and thought it was worth passing along.

We are deceived and lied to on a constant basis. We’re marketed to by folks who only show us the good side and hide the bad.

The church should be different. We should be real.

I should be real.

Every time I present my best and hide my worst - I isolate someone. I’m one more affirmation that they’re just not together. They’re just not good enough. They just can’t figure it out.

Hurting people don’t need to know we’re perfect, they need to know we understand.

Your Thoughts?

Read this quote today on someone else's blog:

"If you want genuine and authentic community, I think you have to neglect the pursuit of success. If you want success, you have to neglect authenticity. It’s form or substance. Choose one.'

He was talking in relation to church bodies....can you have a true community and still be hosting other stuff to boost attendance or increase your standing in the public eye (Sport Outreach programs, "Harvest" Outreaches, etc.). Some would say those activities are for outreach purposes....are they? Do you think it's possible to have that be the main objective or is there always an ulterior motive (i.e. increasing attendance, tithes, looking good, being the "better church", etc.)?? Is it "enough" for the church to be a community in itself that takes care of its members and "reaches out" by serving others in the community (without a horse and pony show to draw attention to it)??

Your thoughts?

I know, I know....deeper than I normally delve.....but I thought I'd throw it out there and hope for maybe 2 responses. :)