Owning Stuff

Occasionally, I read about people resolving disputes among their kids with stuff like, "It's not your toy anyway, it belongs to Jesus, so let your sister play with it."

Occasionally, I hear people speaking as if the secret to the simple life was communal ownership, just like those first believers in Acts 2:44-45--or so they say.

"All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need."

I'm not so sure. And the apostles' response to deception and feigned generosity in Acts 5:3-5 suggests private ownership is good and right in its place.

But here's the thing: private ownership makes your life easier because you can genuinely say, "This thing is mine" (which, of course, cannot overturn Christ's claim on it, you, or the whole world, for that matter). But it also makes life harder, because you (or your kids) have to be generous with your things. And generosity is a harder thing to instil in our children than fairness.

Forgiveness v Brooding

Ken Sande makes this little comment on forgiveness in his book The Peacemaker:

“Forgiveness is a choice, a decision you make by God’s grace in spite of your feelings.” (p, 202)

The above comment comes in the context of an example that's pretty powerful. Forgiveness, in that case, worked itself out in this:

“I promise never to think about your sin again, or to dwell on it or brood over it. I promise never to bring it up and use it against you. I promise not to talk to others about it. And I promise not to let this sin stand between us or hinder our relationship.” (p, 202).

Forgiveness in action. I'd do well to think that way more often.

Integrating Newbies to Church: Environments

Recently I read 7 Practices of Effective Ministry. Stanley, et al., have this kinda cool way of thinking about the different 'environments' in our church programs through the metaphor of three rooms in a house. '[T]he environments of a church can work as steps to move people down a relational path to where they experience a sense of belonging and care.' (p 92).

So here are the three rooms:

• Foyer typically describes a larger environment… it is an entry point for the unchurched… The relational goal of a Foyer Environment is to make sure that people walk away and feel like guests.
• The Living Room is an environment where a number of people can network and meet with one another… Our goal is for people to walk away and feel like they are friends with someone.
• The Kitchen Table is the most intimate of environments… where people should begin to feel like they are family. (pp92-93)

Just so you know, they include small groups in the Kitchen Table category.

Selah.

Is it in the Bible? Yep.

Should you read it? No, says Rod Decker here.

Ok, so I'm being a bit cheeky, but I reckon Decker's right about omitting the word Selah when publicly reading the Psalms.