Friday, August 25
Killing Me Softly...
I think there’s a real tendency when you start something new, like a new church, that you do so with the intention of getting to ‘make it just like you want it’. That finally, after all this time, all these years of wanting to do things different, you will finally get your chance.In regards to this ‘newthing’ God is doing in Knoxville, this new church that we are planting in February, nothing could be further from the truth.
I think there’s something terribly wrong when we begin to look at anything that wears the name of Jesus and design it to simply meet our own needs.
I was reminded again of this just a few minutes ago…
I’ve always loved the movie ‘About a Boy’ since my wife and I saw it in the theater. Though never a Hugh Grant fan, I love what I perceive to be the message: One man goes from living an extreme self-centered life to understanding what it means to live beyond his own wants and desires. One review said, “Grant’s character has no ambition to be integrated with society. He scoffs at the platitude that “No man is an island” (a quote he ascribes to Jon Bon Jovi), and is perfectly happy to be an archipelago unto himself.”
I only saw the last 10 minutes of the movie on TV this afternoon, but the sight and sound of Hugh Grant singing “Killing Me Softly” on stage at a middle school talent show, reminded me again, in a resounding way…this new church is not about us. This 'newthing' God is calling us to is about Jesus becoming real in everyone’s life, as we integrate ourselves into the life of this city.
It has to be, it must be about living beyond ourselves…
Mark Nelson at 8:43 PM 2comments
2 Comments
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at 3:08 AM
Clinton said... Our communities need us to be a body living a life marked and fueled by love and selfless acts...I am eager to see the "newthing" God is doing in Knoxville.
May the Lord Bless you and keep you; may the LORd make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.
-shalom-
at 7:59 PM
truevyne said...
Mark,
A few years ago two of my "deep" friends were going on and on about Jesus and the "Killing me Softly" song and I just didn't get it. The same "boy" movie demonstrated what they could not explain.
It's nice to hear a pastor say out-loud, something about a church based on what God wants.