Either/Or Mentality vs Both/And

I found a great blog post about either/or mentality as opposed to both/and. I found it extremely helpful. http://tonymorganlive.com/2010/03/08/and-instead-of-or/

Posted via web from jcvarner's posterous

http://www.catalystspace.com/content/read/five_tests_a_church_planter_will_face_noble/

Found this great article on tests for church planters by Perry Noble.

Posted via web from jcvarner's posterous

Stop Stalking God

Last week I realized something about my spiritual life. God gave me a picture of what I have been doing in my relationship with him. Something that I have been doing for a long time, or at least it seems like a long time. He gave me a very clear picture. 

The picture I received was of a boy in high school searching around finding out all the information he could about a girl he really liked, or maybe even loved. He loved her so much that he wanted to know everything possible. He asked her friends about her, he continually checked her Facebook, and occasionally he would even creep close enough to listen to her talk. He would hear her talk but it was never directed at him, unless he bumped into her in the hall and he ran away scared when she began to open her mouth (he feared she would ask him something he didn't know the answer to or he would make a fool of himself in front of her and stumble over his words). He was essentially stalking her even though she would have had a friendship or relationship if he asked.

As I was picturing this it began to sink in what I had been doing. I was stalking God. I was learning about him in seminary, I was doing things for him by working at a church, I was discussing him with friends, I was reading my Bible and even praying some. And you know what? All that is good stuff. But something was missing. Whenever I bumped into God I would run with fear. I would run from any genuine relationship with him. It was easier to do all those thing than to have a relationship with him. It was easier to do it because it didn't require and response on my part. I was 100% in control, and I love control. As I continued to reflect on this I realized it was motivated by fear. I was afraid of God. I was afraid of what he would ask me to do. What he would require of me. All the while I was missing the point. He simply wanted to interact with me.  He wanted a genuine relationship with me. He wanted an intimate connection. He wanted me to experience the blessing of his presence, something we lost in the Garden and regained at the Cross. 

So now I am trying to regain that relationship. I'm not exactly sure what it looks like now but I know I want it. I'm walking towards him again with hope and love, not fear or angst. 

I also have a question for you. Are you stalking God?

Posted via email from jcvarner's posterous