So an interesting thing is happening in our city right now. Perhaps you have read the paper or heard the radio announcements by Mayor Bill White that announce his new initiative to deter people from donating money or giving spare change to the homeless on street corners or panhandlers under the overpasses around town. Instead, he wants Houstonians to donate money to organizations that help turn around lives of the homeless or disable or poor. They site specific examples of organizations like Coalition for the Homeless of Houston or United Way or the Salvation Army. This is officially called the "Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness," and I am not sure how I feel about it.
I understand the feeling of not giving a few dollars to a homeless man on the street because he could just use it to feed his alcohol or substance-abuse problem. He may not use it to feed himself or his kids, or to buy medicine; he could use to further harm himself. But I also am aware that for any money I donate to an organization like those mentioned above, a percentage of that (sometimes small, sometimes big) ALWAYS goes into things like salaries, overhead, and supplies that these non-profit organizations have to have to stay in business.
So I am torn. What do we do? What do we as Christ-followers do about this? We know that we have been commisioned to reach out and touch those who are in these most unfortunate circumstances. Do we continue to touch people as individuals or give to organizations that do it professionally? I would love to hear your comments on this and how you feel about it. What would you do? Which side are you on? What is best for these people we are talking about? What are some alternative solutions to the problem.
The full article talking about this can be found here.
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Other things going on:
Talk to Robby about the Labor Day float trip if you are signed up to go. The website and all of the information can be found in his post a couple below this one - or talk to him on Sunday. Also, his email is robby.day@sbcglobal.net.
Life groups are at the normal time this Sunday night (8/27). Gibson/Boudra will be at Jeremy and Mandy's house and Kirksey/Day will be at Robby and Kami's house - both at 6:15.
See Tara if you haven't yet put your information in the new contact list sheet. I think she is almost done compiling it.
Ryan
Friday, August 25, 2006
Friday, August 18, 2006
I get all the answers I need from Yahoo!
You know what's fun to do, at least for a nerd like me? Go to Yahoo! and click on the link for Yahoo! Answers just below the search bar. It's a place where anyone can go and post questions for things like "How do you change a flat tire?" or "What are the best places to see in Germany?" or anything else at all. Anyone can answer your question and the asker can pick the best answers and rank them and so on and so forth.
Well there is also a section of questions for Religion and Spirituality. When you have a free minute, go browse through those questions and answers and see what you find. Sometimes, it can be very entertaining, but disturbing. Here are some good examples I have found:
Q: "What opinion do you have of Jehovah's Witnesses?"
A: "Those poor people, they have no hope. Only the best ones will go to heaven, at least real Christians KNOW they will go to heaven!"
Q: "Should a true Christian vote Republican in good conscience?"
A: " A true Christian MUST vote Republican because Republicans are anti-baby killing (anti abortion)."
Q: "Which religion is the main threat to Christianity in spreading their religion?"
A: " This is too easy; Islam."
Q: "Does the Bible teach that the world was created in six days?"
A: " Yes... and on the Eighth day God created..... BEYONCE!!"
OK, I threw that last one in because it's just really funny. But you get the point, don't you?
Last time I was on that Religion & Spirituality site, before I got too tired, I scrolled through 50 pages worth of questions - and that was what had been posted in the last 11 hours. Simply put, there are a lot of questions out there in the world. And there are a lot of crazy answers begin given in response.
There are a lot of misconceptions out there about our faith and what is truth. Recently, I was reading a book about the rise of the religious Right in America and it had a short note about something that happened in Alabama in 1963. That year, at the height of the civil rights movement, the federal government commanded schools to desegregate and instructed business owners they were no longer allowed to refuse service to anyone. There was a famous incident where the Governor of Alabama, George Wallace, opposed this legislation by delivering his "stand in the schoolhouse door" speech where he tried to physically block black children from entering public schools.
That same year, the Christian Crusade, a popular fundamentalist Christian magazine named Wallace their "Christian Patriot of the Year."*
Is that truth? Seekers and searchers are being fed too much false information all the time these days. It used to be that we blamed people's false sense of the mission of Christianity to things like the Crusades, the Salem Witch Trials, slavery, and the Inquisition. All of these things are tragic examples of historical events that occured "in the name of Jesus."
But realistically, it still happens today. I have been given the truth but too often I am afraid to go out and share what it really is. I have the answers that so many are looking for, but I fear so many things: rejection, ridicule, or embarrassment. I can't blame it anymore on the historically awful things people have done under Jesus' name. I can only blame it on myelf.
Look at what Jesus said in His prayer in John 17 the night before he was crucified:
The word that Jesus gave us is truth. And He obviously is not talking about the Bible because the disciples did not have copies of the New Testament. Rather, He gave them His example, His mission, His life.
So I hope we can all use the life and example of Jesus to be the truth. Don't let seekers get their truth from crazy answers on a website or from an incompetent magazine.
Let them get their truth from Jesus.
Ryan
*With God on Our Side: The Rise of the Religious Right in America by Dr. William Martin.
Well there is also a section of questions for Religion and Spirituality. When you have a free minute, go browse through those questions and answers and see what you find. Sometimes, it can be very entertaining, but disturbing. Here are some good examples I have found:
Q: "What opinion do you have of Jehovah's Witnesses?"
A: "Those poor people, they have no hope. Only the best ones will go to heaven, at least real Christians KNOW they will go to heaven!"
Q: "Should a true Christian vote Republican in good conscience?"
A: " A true Christian MUST vote Republican because Republicans are anti-baby killing (anti abortion)."
Q: "Which religion is the main threat to Christianity in spreading their religion?"
A: " This is too easy; Islam."
Q: "Does the Bible teach that the world was created in six days?"
A: " Yes... and on the Eighth day God created..... BEYONCE!!"
OK, I threw that last one in because it's just really funny. But you get the point, don't you?
Last time I was on that Religion & Spirituality site, before I got too tired, I scrolled through 50 pages worth of questions - and that was what had been posted in the last 11 hours. Simply put, there are a lot of questions out there in the world. And there are a lot of crazy answers begin given in response.
There are a lot of misconceptions out there about our faith and what is truth. Recently, I was reading a book about the rise of the religious Right in America and it had a short note about something that happened in Alabama in 1963. That year, at the height of the civil rights movement, the federal government commanded schools to desegregate and instructed business owners they were no longer allowed to refuse service to anyone. There was a famous incident where the Governor of Alabama, George Wallace, opposed this legislation by delivering his "stand in the schoolhouse door" speech where he tried to physically block black children from entering public schools.
That same year, the Christian Crusade, a popular fundamentalist Christian magazine named Wallace their "Christian Patriot of the Year."*
Is that truth? Seekers and searchers are being fed too much false information all the time these days. It used to be that we blamed people's false sense of the mission of Christianity to things like the Crusades, the Salem Witch Trials, slavery, and the Inquisition. All of these things are tragic examples of historical events that occured "in the name of Jesus."
But realistically, it still happens today. I have been given the truth but too often I am afraid to go out and share what it really is. I have the answers that so many are looking for, but I fear so many things: rejection, ridicule, or embarrassment. I can't blame it anymore on the historically awful things people have done under Jesus' name. I can only blame it on myelf.
Look at what Jesus said in His prayer in John 17 the night before he was crucified:
"I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."
The word that Jesus gave us is truth. And He obviously is not talking about the Bible because the disciples did not have copies of the New Testament. Rather, He gave them His example, His mission, His life.
So I hope we can all use the life and example of Jesus to be the truth. Don't let seekers get their truth from crazy answers on a website or from an incompetent magazine.
Let them get their truth from Jesus.
Ryan
*With God on Our Side: The Rise of the Religious Right in America by Dr. William Martin.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Doing Project - Week 3
A good post with a lot of information from Robby below this one. Check it out and talk to Robby if you need anymore information.
I wanted to add one more thing to the list for this weekend. As you may or may not know, the church set aside this Saturday, August 19, as a work day for anyone who can help get some projects done at the buidling. Our group has agreed to take on one of those projects. Don't freak out about having to be there at 7:00 AM - we really need to show up around 8:30 AM for ours. We will be washing windows throughout the building, so you can wear normal, comfortable clothes and you don't have to worry about them being ruined.
We need about 15 people to get this job done quickly and efficiently, so please come at 8:30 Saturday morning if you can. For the Kirksey/Day Life Group, this is going to take the place of the Sunday night get-together, so if you are a regular life group attender, please come on out. It should only take a couple of hours.
Email or call me with any questions (ryankirksey@yahoo.com) and I will be happy to help.
Also, I wanted to plug the Fall Kick-off happening this Sunday night at the church at 5:00. If you are working with the Youth Group or have ties to Kingdom Kids or the Youth Group, come on out and enjoy this beginning-of-the-year event. Let Dusty know if you have any questions.
Ryan
I wanted to add one more thing to the list for this weekend. As you may or may not know, the church set aside this Saturday, August 19, as a work day for anyone who can help get some projects done at the buidling. Our group has agreed to take on one of those projects. Don't freak out about having to be there at 7:00 AM - we really need to show up around 8:30 AM for ours. We will be washing windows throughout the building, so you can wear normal, comfortable clothes and you don't have to worry about them being ruined.
We need about 15 people to get this job done quickly and efficiently, so please come at 8:30 Saturday morning if you can. For the Kirksey/Day Life Group, this is going to take the place of the Sunday night get-together, so if you are a regular life group attender, please come on out. It should only take a couple of hours.
Email or call me with any questions (ryankirksey@yahoo.com) and I will be happy to help.
Also, I wanted to plug the Fall Kick-off happening this Sunday night at the church at 5:00. If you are working with the Youth Group or have ties to Kingdom Kids or the Youth Group, come on out and enjoy this beginning-of-the-year event. Let Dusty know if you have any questions.
Ryan
Doing Project - Week 3
A good post with a lot of information from Robby below this one. Check it out and talk to Robby if you need anymore information.
I wanted to add one more thing to the list for this weekend. As you may or may not know, the church set aside this Saturday, August 19, as a work day for anyone who can help get some projects done at the buidling. Our group has agreed to take on one of those projects. Don't freak out about having to be there at 7:00 AM - we really need to show up around 8:30 AM for ours. We will be washing windows throughout the building, so you can wear normal, comfortable clothes and you don't have to worry about them being ruined.
We need about 15 people to get this job done quickly and efficiently, so please come at 8:30 Saturday morning if you can. For the Kirksey/Day Life Group, this is going to take the place of the Sunday night get-together, so if you are a regular life group attender, please come on out. It should only take a couple of hours.
Email or call me with any questions (ryankirksey@yahoo.com) and I will be happy to help.
Also, I wanted to plug the Fall Kick-off happening this Sunday night at the church at 5:00. If you are working with the Youth Group or have ties to Kingdom Kids or the Youth Group, come on out and enjoy this beginning-of-the-year event. Let Dusty know if you have any questions.
Ryan
I wanted to add one more thing to the list for this weekend. As you may or may not know, the church set aside this Saturday, August 19, as a work day for anyone who can help get some projects done at the buidling. Our group has agreed to take on one of those projects. Don't freak out about having to be there at 7:00 AM - we really need to show up around 8:30 AM for ours. We will be washing windows throughout the building, so you can wear normal, comfortable clothes and you don't have to worry about them being ruined.
We need about 15 people to get this job done quickly and efficiently, so please come at 8:30 Saturday morning if you can. For the Kirksey/Day Life Group, this is going to take the place of the Sunday night get-together, so if you are a regular life group attender, please come on out. It should only take a couple of hours.
Email or call me with any questions (ryankirksey@yahoo.com) and I will be happy to help.
Also, I wanted to plug the Fall Kick-off happening this Sunday night at the church at 5:00. If you are working with the Youth Group or have ties to Kingdom Kids or the Youth Group, come on out and enjoy this beginning-of-the-year event. Let Dusty know if you have any questions.
Ryan
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Activities Update
It's been brought to my attention anonymously by the Gibsons that there is far too much "jibber-jabber" at the beginning of Sunday morning class. It's no secret that I'm partly to blame for this. In an effort to more effectively convey information pertaining to young professionals/adults/married's/singles/college age people I'll make an effort to give weekly updates on the blog. By the way, we're calling our group the ypamscap's for short (see previous sentence).
The YPAMSCAP's Labor Day River Adventure: I've made reservations at the "Lazy L&L Campground" for Labor Day weekend. We were unfortunately required to book the entire weekend. Originally we had planned to travel to the Guadalupe on Saturday morning; we will now depart on Friday afternoon around 4:30 PM. It's OK to come up on Saturday, but you'll have to pay the full price regardless. The price of the trip is $30/person and will cover all meals, refreshments, and camping costs. Our campground is going to be S-W-E-E-T; we're right on the river and 30 yards from a pretty cool set of rapids called "Devil's pass." We'll have outlets for limited electronic devices as well as running water, a fully stocked general store, nice bathrooms, and 6-minute showers for $1. We've got about 12 people signed up and can host up to 20. The campground is massive, so it will be no problem to add additional campsites if necessary. Feel free to invite a friend. If you have any questions please call me at 832-221-8171. Lazy L&L
Fantasy Football: It is, in fact, the most wonderful time of the year. Thats right, it's football time. Our league has 6 slots still available. Contact me ASAP if you are interested.
Mission Trip: Angela Gardner and I are in the process of planning a foreign mission trip for the summer of 2007. More information is on the way soon.
Wednesday Class: Plans for a YPAMSCAP focused Wednesday evening class are being finalized; stay tuned.
The YPAMSCAP's Labor Day River Adventure: I've made reservations at the "Lazy L&L Campground" for Labor Day weekend. We were unfortunately required to book the entire weekend. Originally we had planned to travel to the Guadalupe on Saturday morning; we will now depart on Friday afternoon around 4:30 PM. It's OK to come up on Saturday, but you'll have to pay the full price regardless. The price of the trip is $30/person and will cover all meals, refreshments, and camping costs. Our campground is going to be S-W-E-E-T; we're right on the river and 30 yards from a pretty cool set of rapids called "Devil's pass." We'll have outlets for limited electronic devices as well as running water, a fully stocked general store, nice bathrooms, and 6-minute showers for $1. We've got about 12 people signed up and can host up to 20. The campground is massive, so it will be no problem to add additional campsites if necessary. Feel free to invite a friend. If you have any questions please call me at 832-221-8171. Lazy L&L
Fantasy Football: It is, in fact, the most wonderful time of the year. Thats right, it's football time. Our league has 6 slots still available. Contact me ASAP if you are interested.
Mission Trip: Angela Gardner and I are in the process of planning a foreign mission trip for the summer of 2007. More information is on the way soon.
Wednesday Class: Plans for a YPAMSCAP focused Wednesday evening class are being finalized; stay tuned.
Friday, August 11, 2006
"Doing" Project - week 2
This week, if you are interested, our project is going to be based more on encouragement and support for people who need it and may rarely receive it. The Kirksey/Day group will be meeting at the church around 6:00 or so in room 304. Bring your own dinner and we will hang out for a bit, eat some dinner and then get into some writing. Dusty is providing for us a list of staff, elders and those in the hospital, those confined to their home, etc. and we will spend some time writing encouraging letters, cards or notes to them. Cristen and Jason will give us details on what to bring, but all you need to bring right now is yourself, your dinner and a pen. If you are part of the Gibson/Boudra life group and want to write some notes or get some names/addresses from us, please let me, Dusty, Cristen or Jason know. We will be happy to help.
I forgot who, but someone brought up a great point that the elders and staff get so many complaints and concerns sent their way and probably rarely receive encouragement. For those who have been sick or are stuck at home, many of them rarely see family or friends and nothing more than a short note or a kind word can do wonders for them. This small thing we can do over the course of an hour might just be the best thing someone receives all week.
Also, be thinking about what we can tackle next. Bekki Kearns has already done a great job planning some long-term projects like baby-sitting for new mothers and lunches at Impact.
Ryan
I forgot who, but someone brought up a great point that the elders and staff get so many complaints and concerns sent their way and probably rarely receive encouragement. For those who have been sick or are stuck at home, many of them rarely see family or friends and nothing more than a short note or a kind word can do wonders for them. This small thing we can do over the course of an hour might just be the best thing someone receives all week.
Also, be thinking about what we can tackle next. Bekki Kearns has already done a great job planning some long-term projects like baby-sitting for new mothers and lunches at Impact.
Ryan
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
The "Doing" Project
In my last email and in class on Sunday, I mentioned something our Life Group is starting and will be working on for the next few months. Our group talked about how for so long we have been talking and discussing and communing and thinking about so many different spiritual disciplines. We have talked about community and the story of Jesus and God's love for everyone until we are blue in the face. But maybe it's time for something different. Maybe actions speak louder than words. Maybe it's time to start doing.
A couple of weeks ago, I challenged our group to come up with ideas on the spot; they had no prior knowledge, no planning and no help from anyone else. In an hour, they came up with more than 30 ideas for service projects, fundraisers, donation ideas, community service, and other missional work that involves time, planning and a general sense of sacrifice. But all of them are imminently doable.
Every Sunday (normally), three people will be heading up a specific project we decide to take on for the week. This past week, our first project was to provide school supplies for kids at Pasadena, Deer Park and Galena Park ISDs who could not otherwise afford them. The response was incredible. The floor in the Benge's living room was filled with spirals and crayons and pencils and glue. We boxed it all up and Angela, Natalie and Kami will be distributing them at their schools over the next few days.
This week, we will be meeting at the church on Sunday night, we'll bring our own dinners and will write letters, notes of encouragement, and cards to the church staff, our elders and to a list of members who have been suffering or who have been sick. If you know anyone who should be on that list, contact Dusty, Cristen or Jason and let them know. These three are putting the lists and supplies together and will handle mailing them out for us.
By no means do I want to limit this project to one Life Group or to one specific group of people. I had people ask me on Sunday "can I donate some supplies?" or "will you take some money and get some more supplies?" Of course. This is for everyone and anyone. If you have a letter or a note you want mailed, give it to one of those three or to me. If you are interested in helping with any of our projects or participating in any of the events (babysitting for young moms, meals at Impact, donations to battered women's shelters, etc.), please let me know. All of your help in this is invaluable and irreplacable.
Hopefully, I can use this blog and the weekly email to keep everyone up-to-date with what we are working on and what specifically we need for that week. Also, you can always ask me and I will be happy to fill you in or point you in the right direction.
You know, ever since this thought came in my head that we should try this, I have wondered why. Why is this being put on my heart? Why is it important to do all of these things?
Is it because we should help others, or because we were instructed to? Well, actually....no.
There are so many examples that can be made out of the analogy of a couple who are romantically, passionately in love (see the last chapter of Don Miller's book, Searching for God Knows What, for a good example). I would like to add one to the list.
I don't have a checklist or rulebook I have to follow to understand how to love my wife. You could never write out any instructions on how I can love her more, or what I should do to make her believe that I love her. She knows it by my life, she knows it by how I treat her, she knows it by what I say, and (most significantly) she knows it by what I do.
I can tell her I love her ten thousand times a day, but it is my actions that back it up. How much I tell her I love her is nothing compared to how much I show her I love her.
If the story of God's love for fallen humans culminated with four gospels worth of God saying over and over again how much he loved us, it would miss the point. Instead, God displayed His love by sacrificing His only Son. He showed us what true love really means.
That is why we do this. We can talk all we want about the things we believe and the people we should be and how much we love the people in the world, but until we show them love, we've done nothing. Jesus said that is how people will know we follow Him (John 13:35).
So, we don't do it because we have to or because we should or because we were told to. We do it because we love.
Ryan
A couple of weeks ago, I challenged our group to come up with ideas on the spot; they had no prior knowledge, no planning and no help from anyone else. In an hour, they came up with more than 30 ideas for service projects, fundraisers, donation ideas, community service, and other missional work that involves time, planning and a general sense of sacrifice. But all of them are imminently doable.
Every Sunday (normally), three people will be heading up a specific project we decide to take on for the week. This past week, our first project was to provide school supplies for kids at Pasadena, Deer Park and Galena Park ISDs who could not otherwise afford them. The response was incredible. The floor in the Benge's living room was filled with spirals and crayons and pencils and glue. We boxed it all up and Angela, Natalie and Kami will be distributing them at their schools over the next few days.
This week, we will be meeting at the church on Sunday night, we'll bring our own dinners and will write letters, notes of encouragement, and cards to the church staff, our elders and to a list of members who have been suffering or who have been sick. If you know anyone who should be on that list, contact Dusty, Cristen or Jason and let them know. These three are putting the lists and supplies together and will handle mailing them out for us.
By no means do I want to limit this project to one Life Group or to one specific group of people. I had people ask me on Sunday "can I donate some supplies?" or "will you take some money and get some more supplies?" Of course. This is for everyone and anyone. If you have a letter or a note you want mailed, give it to one of those three or to me. If you are interested in helping with any of our projects or participating in any of the events (babysitting for young moms, meals at Impact, donations to battered women's shelters, etc.), please let me know. All of your help in this is invaluable and irreplacable.
Hopefully, I can use this blog and the weekly email to keep everyone up-to-date with what we are working on and what specifically we need for that week. Also, you can always ask me and I will be happy to fill you in or point you in the right direction.
You know, ever since this thought came in my head that we should try this, I have wondered why. Why is this being put on my heart? Why is it important to do all of these things?
Is it because we should help others, or because we were instructed to? Well, actually....no.
There are so many examples that can be made out of the analogy of a couple who are romantically, passionately in love (see the last chapter of Don Miller's book, Searching for God Knows What, for a good example). I would like to add one to the list.
I don't have a checklist or rulebook I have to follow to understand how to love my wife. You could never write out any instructions on how I can love her more, or what I should do to make her believe that I love her. She knows it by my life, she knows it by how I treat her, she knows it by what I say, and (most significantly) she knows it by what I do.
I can tell her I love her ten thousand times a day, but it is my actions that back it up. How much I tell her I love her is nothing compared to how much I show her I love her.
If the story of God's love for fallen humans culminated with four gospels worth of God saying over and over again how much he loved us, it would miss the point. Instead, God displayed His love by sacrificing His only Son. He showed us what true love really means.
That is why we do this. We can talk all we want about the things we believe and the people we should be and how much we love the people in the world, but until we show them love, we've done nothing. Jesus said that is how people will know we follow Him (John 13:35).
So, we don't do it because we have to or because we should or because we were told to. We do it because we love.
Ryan
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