September 16th, 2009 by Larry Diehl
How do you define the term “Idle Words”? Are they words that are spoken? Could they also be considered words that are unspoken, sort of like reading between the lines??
September 15th, 2009 by Larry Diehl
September 15th, 2009 by Larry Diehl
Paul calls leaders not merely to be humble and self-effacing but to be desperate and honest. It is not enough to be self-revealing, authentic, and transparent. Our calling goes far beyond that. We are called to be reluctant, limping, chief-sinner leaders, and even more, to be stories. The word that Paul uses is that a leader is to be an ‘example,’ but what that implies is more than a figure on a flannel board. He calls us to be a living portrayal of the very gospel we beseech others to believe. And that requires a leader to see himself as being equally prone to deceive as he is to tell the truth, to manipulate as he is to bless, to cower as he is to be bold. A leader is both a hero and a fool, a saint and a felon.
We are both and to pretend otherwise is to be disingenuous. The leader who fails to face [his] darkness must live with fear and hypocrisy. The result will be a defensiveness that places saving face and controlling others as higher goods than blessing others and doing good work. Clearly, the biblical model of leadership is odd, inverted, and deeply troubling. It is so troubling that most churches, seminaries, and other religious organizations would never hire a ‘chief sinner.’ The only one who thinks to do so is God.
Dan Allender in Leading With A Limp, p 57
September 15th, 2009 by Larry Diehl
From the lips of a Neopagan, (www.neopagan.net/Halloween-Origins.html)
Reporters are always asking us what we Neopagans “do” for Halloween. Well, usually we take our kids around our neighborhoods trick or treating, as carefully as any other parents. Those who stay at home may hand out commercially packaged candy to those who visit our houses (we might prefer to give out homemade goodies, but paranoia has made such treats unwelcome). Over the weekend, our circles of friends will have rituals that might include “dumb suppers” (silent, saltless meals) for the Ancestors, or separate “kid circles” and costume parties for our children — and we always wind up with at least as many kids as we started out with! Most of us will do some divination, give honor to those who have died in the past year, play traditional games, and meditate on our own mortality.
That’s what American Neopagans will do on Samhain. No blood drinking, no baby sacrifices, no crimes — just good, clean, all-American festivity with some ceremonial additions appropriate to the season and current events.
A student sent me an email asking me to sum up in more personal terms what Halloween means to me and other Neopagans. Here is what I told her:
____________________
God’s word clearly tells us to be like Christ: following in his footsteps, continuing his work and to have his attitude. God’s word goes even further warning us to avoid evil.
If Halloween is the modern name for the festival of Samhain, a festival that predates Christianity then why would you participate. He openly admits that Halloween is the time for lifting the veil between the material and spiritual worlds through divination (sorcery/witchcraft/magic)… I wonder what those other worlds are and more importantly who or what are they connecting with… WOW WOW WOW. AND THEY WANT ALL OF US TO CELEBRATE THIS WITH THEM.
God gave us some wonderful words to ponder for everyday life. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10, (You say) “I am allowed to do anything, but (I say) not everything is good for you.
I refuse to remain silent on such a HOT subject. Seriously, what is lost if you choose to abstain from this ancient festival. Or we could reword it like this, what could be lost by willfully participating in this ancient celebration with eyes wide open?
September 15th, 2009 by Larry Diehl
Freedom of choice? Yes, yet you must choose. “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. Joshua 24:15
So the question really is who have you chosen to serve today? Remember the world is watching.
September 12th, 2009 by Larry Diehl
Why is it when I am asked if I celebrate Halloween people including Christians get made at me, even waging war. As some of you know, our household doesn’t participate in that Holiday. Let me add before the civil liberties union of o’hallows eve goes on the rampage. This is a personal conviction that my wife and I bind to ourselves and our household alone. We do not condemn those that choose to participate, for years we participated, costumes and all. I don’t bolt down the house and shut off all the lights (as my wife would like). If you come to our door and knock on Halloween I will gladly give you some really good candy. But that’s nothing special, we have that same candy in our home most everyday of the week, free for the grabbing. Just ask our son and the neighbor kid.
Here is my point. Just think about it. In the past when people have asked me if I was ready for Christmas, I responded, “I don’t participate in Christmas” (to see the response) and they would kindly say oh, I hope I didn’t offend you or sorry. What is up with that? Seriously? Do you see the serious contrast in all this. (God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, John 3:19)
One Holiday celebrates the birth of our Savior and the other celebrates and even glorifies evil. I wonder if Satan, the Great Deceiver hasn’t just pulled off one of the greatest deceptions of all time.
The world wants us to replace Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays. What about Happy Halloween, what’s that world, no comment?
Living transparently… It’s just my simple point of view.
September 12th, 2009 by Larry Diehl
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Philippians 2:1-2
With that said what is the condition of the church aboard? Are we working together with one mind and purpose. You do realize that one mind is Christ and that purpose is to glorifying the Lord by sharing the complete gospel. From what I’ve read there are about 38,000 various Christian denominations in the world? I often wonder how far or close we really are to the desires of God. Do you?
As I watch my youngest play I wonder what the congregation will look like for him as an adult. Will I have done my part to ensure the foundation of truth for him and his generation?
September 1st, 2009 by Larry Diehl
Barefoot Weekend at Oak Leaf Church from Oak Leaf Church on Vimeo.
