Joseph Thinks

Last Post on Blogger

2006-05-21T15:27:00.000-04:00

For the three of you that read this blog, from here on in you can catch josephs thoughts at www.myspace.com/bakmelanson.

Amused but Perplexed

2006-05-03T13:03:00.000-04:00

That Les Habitants could lose the series after being up 2-0!

That people drive in and stay in the passing lane going the speed limit.Our deepest needs make most of our decisions, not our thoughts or determinations.

Trusting is easy to say but not easy to do!

Knowing and Doing Leadership are two completely different things.

Boxing the Infinite into our modalities that work for us.

Being who I am rather than Being who I am supposed to be!

Losing touch with people who have made a difference in your life!

Side Poll Results

2006-04-27T08:18:00.000-04:00

Who Is Your Favorite Superhero? (113 votes)

Other 29%
(Who is other? You can comment on this one, I would like to know)
Wolverine 15%
Batman 12%
Spiderman 11%
Superman 8%
Wonderwoman 8%
Greatest American Hero 4%
Flash 3%
Robin 2%
Super Grover 2%

What are You Passionate About?

2006-04-24T13:37:00.000-04:00

In my last post I referred to what I thought was Jesus' passion- that being us, people, humans, homo-sapiens (that's Latin for the 'wise or clever human' Fuller), you, me, us, we, whatever you want to refer to the common thread of what we consist of: Body, Heart, Mind, & Spirit.
So here is what I would like to know about you- what ignites your dreams? What is it that you would consider yourself daily living your dream? When you wake up in the morning what consumes your thoughts and energy? You may be living out your passion and you may be like me, just discovering what it is that drives you. I would like to know. I will share what I am passionate about in the comments box.

What's Your Passion?

2006-04-18T12:49:00.000-04:00

Now that Good Friday and Easter Sunday have passed, I thought I would comment about my North American Christian perspective of what was celebrated concerning Christ's death and coming to life again. As I watched again (the second time) Mel Gibson's perspective of what happened in The Passion, I was amazed at my conclusion this time around. What I realized shocked me- Jesus' passion was humanity!
I have been focusing this past year on what drives me, what makes me tick and go from day to day. What are the things in my life that keep me getting back on my feet and running this race that we call life. I have come to some conclusions, but none of them as profound as Jesus' passion towards human kind. I have been wondering if the things that drove me suddenly turned on me and eventually beat me to the point of death, would I still be passionate about those things? This may be old news for you that Jesus was actually passionate about humans, but for me it has a new sense of "wow-ness" to it.

What are some of your thoughts?

Sharpening

2006-04-11T16:52:00.000-04:00

I was reading a friends blog (Fuller) and he reminded me of what it means to be sharpened. Fuller, McKenenie and myself were accountability partners back in our Bible College days. This was a belief shaping experience for me in my quest with God. Through my Tyndale years, I found it easier to wallow in the mud of shame and bitterness and kept people away from my true self. I had a couple of close friends whom I let in, but I was not willing to be in the sharpening mode of allowing God to work in my life. Now I can dwell on the past failures of not being, but for me it is about what is going on now, in this very moment, not tomorrow and definitely not yesterday. I have a few close friends now that have become my sharpening stone and I theirs. It is interesting how life lessons shape our core belief systems and we seldom if ever take off those glasses.

As I look over the past 10 years of my life, I have been blessed. Blessed with people in my life who have been a sharpening tool for me- my dad first and mostly, Grand Manan days- Nathan, Tim, Rob, Dwight, and Pat; BBC- Jeff, Pup, Lapointe, McKenenie, Mark, Brad; From Bradford 1997 to Bradford 2006- Ray, Angela, Chris, Dave Brennan, Dakin, Dale, Mark, Shawn, Tapper, Chris A, Ellis, Fred, Jamin, Travis and Jason. Thank you for being used of God in my life, to help sharpen me and for allowing me to see Love in you!

I am not one for tests, but this hit pretty close to home...

2006-04-07T12:16:00.000-04:00

Brandon took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!

"Needs a peaceful environment. Wants release from s..."

Click here to read the rest of the results.

Some Things That I Am Thinking About

2006-03-29T10:31:00.000-05:00

There are 2 things that I take for granted- Life and Time.

It is much better to be wanted than to be unwanted!

Wisdom is something that I often times lack.

Proverbs says that I should search for Wisdom as a lost treasure.

It is easier to know the will of God than it is to do the will of God.

God is always with me whether I am aware of His presence or not.

I find myself present with my own ambitions and goals than I do with others, or God's.

We all have our own pile of manure, it stinks horribly, but it makes things grow when used purposefully.

Why do I find myself judging another's manure pile, instead of using my own pile to make something grow in my life?

Faith, Hope, and Love- Always want more Faith, can never have enough Hope, and well the greatest of the three is something I keep and desire for myself, but seldom give it away freely!

Poll Results

2006-03-27T11:44:00.000-05:00

Montreal 60%
Toronto 26%
Calgary 6%
Winnepeg 6%
Ottawa 0%
Quebec 0%
Edmonton 0%
Vancouver 0%

Here are the poll results from the last poll I took. What can I say,I voted more than once for the Canadiens, so yeah the stats are padded! It's my poll and I figure I can pad the stats if I want! I have also posted a new one to the side as well as the astronomy links at the bottom of the blog. A new site to check out is Robin White's new blog focusing on his life dream of being a missionary to Japan.

The last few days...

2006-03-25T19:40:00.000-05:00

Duke lost! I am ill. Got an email from a friend I haven't heard from in a while. Went to Niagara Falls about a possible position in a church this week. Got my income tax back:) Have written more in my book "Living Presently"; btw I am sick so I hear calls of nature, actually this is unnatural, and the pics of Fuller working out are somehow manipulated by corel or some other draw program.

Go Duke!

2006-03-18T10:21:00.000-05:00

Guess which team I am cheering for during March Madness? I can still remmeber the first time I became a Duke fan. I was at a friends house watching the game when Christian Laetner hit the winning shot in the final seconds of the game. So from that point on, I became a blue devil fan, actually it was the only time I ever watched college hoops up until that time and I guess I just became an instant fan. Go Duke!

So it Begins...

2006-03-10T19:39:00.000-05:00

The trade deadline is over and the Habs once again trade their once upon a time all star french Canadian goalie, Jose Theodore. I actually think that the Habs got a better deal in this trade, I mean Abeisher is no has been, in fact I think he is coming into his own as one of the better goalies in the league. I think that the Habs should make the playoffs if they continue playing well.

For my Maple Leaf (don't know) and Boston Bruin (Dale, Dave) readers....Ha Ha Ha!

The Bruins got rid of another stellar player who was having an off year in Samsonov, who is running that show, Harold Ballard? And the Leafs, where is Lindros, Oneill, and Allison? Point production and reliability- F+ for effort!

Anyhow, who am I but a never to be NHLer who will never make the big bucks for playing a game I love, as long as my Habs make the playoffs and upset Kirk's Hurricanes, it will be a great year for hockey!

Go Habs Go!!!

Living Presently

2006-03-01T20:19:00.000-05:00

Have you ever set goals that you would like to accomplish by a certain time, like finances, house, kids, marriage, career? Have you ever had set backs to those goals? Well I have been thinking about goal setting and what I have determined follows along the lines of what Brother Lawrence set out to do, except that I want it to involve all of life, not just the one aspect of his relationship with God. (If you don't know, Lawrence set a goal to practice being in the presence of God on a daily/hourly/secondly basis). For me, I would like to be in the moment with myself rather than dwelling on failures in the past or goals for the future. To live presently requires a certain shift from head thinking to heart doing. I find that most of the time it is easy to stay out of the present moment because that way I don't have to face the reality of the moment, but can linger in the past, or dream of the future. To be in the moment is to live presently with all people, self and God included! After all, this moment is already gone!

Have you ever felt...

2006-02-20T13:57:00.000-05:00

...like every move you make you are letting someone down?
...like spending a month in the wilderness for the sake of being alone?
...that if you could just get over that one hurdle everything would be alright?
...that sometimes it would be easier to do the wrong thing than the right thing?
...like you have drifted from what you really want to do in life?
...like people will always let you down, no matter what you do?
...like renting a seadoo and exploring the back lakes and rivers?
...that sometimes you are all alone in your quest with God?

Random Thoughts

2006-02-09T10:23:00.000-05:00

OK, first of all this post may not make sense, but that's the fun of your own personal blog, it doesn't have to make sense to anyone but you!

Thought #1: I finished reading Why Men Hate Going to Church by David Murrow. I thought that the premise is great and his findings astounding (gender gap) in churches today (American). If you want to understand why an unchurched man doesn't want to go to church, or any man for that matter, who might not be fully involved with church, this is a good read. One of my favorite quotes:

"The actual Christian life lived by most church goers is about as challenging as finger painting and as exciting as a bologna sandwich." (p.20)

Thought #2: Why is it that my players in my Kirk Perry hockey pool have suddenly withered up and died?

Thought #3: This is the year that Angela, Kelsey and I are going back into pastoral ministry while I start FRATERIA on the side.

Thought #4: I have started to read Brennan Mannings book- The Importance of Being Foolish: How to think like Jesus. Favorite line so far-

"It is symptomatic that, despite the church being around for 2000 years, the mass of people pass Christianity by. Why? Because the visible presence of Jesus Christ is rarely present in Christians as a whole." (48-49)

Thought #5: Being a Christian is more difficult than talking about Christ. Knowing Jesus can silence any prayer, remove all the stuff that separates me from God, and inflict a presence that positively affects all those around me, so why don't I know Jesus?

So Long EBay and Pay Pal

2006-02-02T09:53:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the great protection of ebay and paypal, I only received 175 of my 662.10 investment from scambay and paybud. They say they are doing all they can to recover my funds, meanwhile I am paying the interest on the whole amount.
You want to know what really gets me in all of this, I am the one God is speaking to about forgiveness. In all of this I have been bitter and angry, rightly so, but it was taking up my time and energy. So through all of this I have learned a hard lesson on forgiveness and where never to buy a laptop again!
Scam me once shame on me, but never scam me again!

Scammed on E-Bay

2006-01-26T08:57:00.000-05:00

So I bought this new dell inspiron 6000 off of ebay last week and I was excited, this laptop on dell.ca costs $1100-1500 brand new, and I got a great deal, I paid $800. Everything was going well, the guy selling the inspiron was in communication all the time, gave me the specs, tracking number, left feedback on my username...then bam it arrives. It happened to be a Trogan laptop that never even powered up. Talk about violated and robbed. I let the guy know what I thought as well as ebay and paypal. Luckily I am covered through paypal and I will get all of my money back, but this person knew how to use the sytem to scam others, that makes me feel pretty insecure about going back to ebay.
By the way, I would have rather bought trojans than this trogan! Know anyone selling a laptop?

Champions Workshop

2006-01-18T16:31:00.000-05:00

Last night I attended a Champions workshop put on by Klemmer and Associates, with Brian Klemmer as the presenter. To be quite honest, what I learned in this 3 hour presentation was more than I learned in half my years at BBC, no joke. The one thing that really hit home was that my intentions (my deepest level of committment) will always equal my results. Meaning that if I am intent on doing something, whether it gets done or not, the results will equal the intent. If I am committed to buying a house, getting a job, raising my income, losing weight, gaining weiaght, whatever is of value to me, the end result equals the true intention, or the true committment that I have of reaching that result.
In order to raise intention, risk is required, I live way to comfortable and in order for that to change, risk must take place. This is the analogy- put $100 in the bank and what are you risking? Not much, but what are you gaining? Not much. Invest that money in a stock, the risk is higher, but the result is also higher (or lower), that is the risk, but risk enables change in a short amount of time.
I have thought of this in my relationship with God, what have I risked for God? What is my result because of my risk? I think that I have spent too much of my faith in the banking system, and as a result, that is what I have received a low return on my low risk faith.
BTW- FRATERIA has began and week one was great, 10 men showed up and it looks like it will be a great time over the next 6 weeks.

I am Dee Man!

2006-01-05T11:32:00.000-05:00

Your 1920's Name is:

Dee Columbus

What's Your 1920's Name?

OK 2 posts in one day about who I am, now it is time to get back to work!! FRATERIA kicks off in less than 2 weeks! I am working on getting a website so more too come.

I know who I am thanks to Robin White!

2006-01-05T08:58:00.000-05:00

You Are Apple Pie

You're the perfect combo of comforting and traditional

Those who like you crave security

What Kind of Pie Are You?

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-23T10:07:00.000-05:00

Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a great New Year. I am looking forward to Christmas, finally! It has taken me a while to get in the mood of Christmas, for some reason I have had a hard time enjoying this time of the year. I guess it is because I am focused on what this year is going to bring and where I beleive God is leading us. Well enough of the Scrooge mentality, maybe I'll be visited by the ghosts of Christmas! Have a great one!

The Toronto cRaptors!

2005-12-19T16:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday my cousin Peter and I caught a basketball game at the ACC. To be honest, I can understand why the cRaptors are a stunning 4-20! I have seen more jump and life in a turtle than I saw yesterday at the cRaptors game. To top it off, at the beginning of the game, Mike James came out and spoke to the crowd and said thanks for sticking by us as we have been going through this struggling time! Uh, translation- Sorry we suck but thanks for paying the big bucks to watch the other teams kick our butts! The final score was Philly 107- to the cRaptors 80!
Peter and I had a great time nonetheless, it was great connecting with him and catching up with his career as a comedian. The future looks great for teh cRaptors, because this season looks like a scene from the Apocalypse!

FRATERIA

2005-12-08T09:48:00.000-05:00

FRATERIA

Have you ever watched the HBO series Band of Brothers or seen Saving Private Ryan.  Well, if you have not then you will not understand where I am wanting to go with the concept of brotherhood.
Here are the questions- when you think of the church, do think of it as a place of meeting or as a body of believers?  Why is it that men and kings went to war and to do battle on behalf of God? (And yes, I know about Deborah the judge!)  Why is it that David had his mighty men, of which my favorite is Benaiah!  Why were Jesus’ 12 disciples men, other than the context of the Jewish culture!  What is so special about man?
The thing I have noticed through preliminary research on men in North American culture is that we like to do things on our own, we are our own man.  And not just in business or work, family and friends, sports and sex, but in spiritual issues as well.  When was the last time a group of men had a soul to soul, when was the last time men went to battle together, and I am not talking about sports or the war on terrorism, I am talking about the reality that we have forgotten about, the spiritual realm where our relationship with God is at stake and where we cannot afford to be lone rangers any longer- this is a FRATERIA, the developing of a brotherhood of men.  I am launching a 7 week trial at the church we attend this January.  I would love to hear your comments and have you pray for me.

Where Have You Been???

2005-11-29T16:38:00.000-05:00

To be honest, not much has been going on lately around here. I am still job searching as well as continuing to pursue my dream of Frateria! If you want to know what Frateria is, I will post more on this later as I am still pounding out details and trying to figure it out for myself.
I am getting discouraged through this time and finding it hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, actually seeing the tunnel would be a good thing! Anyhow, I know something will happen, I am just not sure when, which for a person with little patience, is hard to figure out.
Off to finish supper for Kelsey and I.

Promise Keepers- The Awakening

2005-11-14T11:37:00.000-05:00

I just got back from a great men's weekend experience. I went to PK The Awakening in Toronto, it was a great weekend. I am now the official Field Rep for the Newmarket and surrounding area so it was my first experience as part of the team and it is great to be part of the team. I met a lot of great men who are spreading their passion of men's ministry. Some of the highlights for me were:
Pinball Clemons' challenge- "I play this game for you!"
Meeting a former Montreal Canadien- Ryan Walters.
Hanging out with the men from our church during a lunch break.
Steven Arterburn's "Well there you go" and "USA as the basement of Canada" lines.
Handing out over 9000 Leave No Man Behind dogtags.

The worst part of my weekend was that the Habs lost to Toronto, boo! Anyhow this is a volunteer position and it has been a great learning experience so far.

Heroes

2005-11-04T08:49:00.000-05:00

Who is your hero? My hero would be the almighty Kirk Perry, except for one small flaw, he dislikes my Habs. I am sure he would say dislike is a moderate word for his passionate hate for the Habitant. To be quite honest, it is men like Perry that make an impression on other men who have experienced life differently than most. Yet he continues on, head held high, and faith solely focused on God. I am sure he would say that it has not been easy, and I am sure it hasn't.
There are other men that I would consider heroes, take for example Ken Banks, his small flaw is that he likes the Leafs! I am sure that they both would say my one huge flaw is that I enjoy the best hockey team in the NHL, Les Canadiens. Nonetheless, these men have been heroes to myself and I am sure many others who are in ministry positions.
Ministry is definitely not a profession that is envied by many, other than the pastors who have made a statement in the huge realm of North American cultural Christianity. Pastors do not have an envious position in our society, but I think that is changing as we are learning to engage our culture as Jesus engaged the world in which he came into. So I would like to say that my heroes are those men, not just the ones mentioned above, but those men who though ridiculed, have experienced the hardships of life, are the source of gossip, are engaged in temptation's battle, get paid little financially, and yet want to reach out to people in the example that Jesus set for humanity, those men are my heroes!

Nice to be Home and Nice to go Home

2005-10-26T14:28:00.000-04:00

This past week was a great time of hooking up with family that I haven't seen in a long time. My cousin got married in Nova Scotia and I was able to go home. It was great to see my sister, brother and parents as well as Uncle's, Aunt's and cousins that I haven't seen in a long time. Family is important and the one thing I took home with me from this past trip is that my family is always with me and is always a part of me.
It is also great to get home to my girls. I missed them both, and as we are going through this transitional period of waiting and pursuing God's direction, it made seeing them all the more special, because I thank God for them and the special blessings they are to me!

Leaders Follow Leader Followers!

2005-10-12T14:13:00.000-04:00

I found this picture and quote off of www.despair.com and I liked it, rather thought it was truthful of our present condition as the church in North America.

I have been reading a lot over the past 2 years about leadership and the style of leadership. For me personally, I like the position of a former professor who said that we are all leaders, whether in our work place, place of worship, or at home (not speaking only of men either). Some leaders are good, some not so good, but all are leaders to a degree. I like what John Maxwell says about leadership- leaders learn to lead! I have felt that oftentimes in my life leaders were born leaders, whether good with people, or skills that enhanced their leadership ability. The fact is this-we are all leaders and we have learned to be the leaders who we are right now. So I ask myself this all important question-Since I am a leader, who am I leading, or basically what is my influence in my home, my neighborhood, my town, my province, my country, or my world?

I influence people around me, whether good or bad! You are a leader as I am a leader, like I said leaders follow leader followers.

blah, blah, blah, NHL, blah, blah...

2005-10-06T15:58:00.000-04:00

Not too much going on here! I am glad that the NHL has returned, it is a better game by far than what my last impressions of it were in the 2004 season. I am glad to see the pace of the game has tremendously increased and that the refs seem to be calling everything that resembles the old NHL. As for my Habs I am glad they beat the Bruins, but I am not too sure about the new format of games that has them facing each division rival 8 times throughout the season. It is great that the Leafs/Bruins have a rivalry with the Habs, but 8 times seems a little much.

As for this blog session, I am done, I am just getting over a cold and I just finished a round of golf, so I am tired. Go Habs!!!!

The Job I long For

2005-09-28T20:26:00.000-04:00

"It is a sad fact that, regardless of effort or talent, second place only means that you are first in a long line of losers."

This is my first time using Word to publish a blog, so I hope it turns out alright. Anyhow here are my thoughts and complaints, I rarely complain, but its about time I started. I am feeling pretty low, after finishing my degree, I thought that things would get easier, not so. Trying to find a job focused on counselling and church ministry is like finding a Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Upper Deck rookie card! As a matter of fact it was my last pack that I bought that year that I finally got my KG Jr. card, and then I go and give it away. (Those at Corbett Ave might remember that event). Anyhow I figure I might as well vent my thoughts here as I am low in energy from a cold and sore throat, so going for a run is out of the question. Anyhow, if you think of it, say a prayer for us so that we do what God wants and not just settle for something, although being a something is better than a nothing in my mind right now!

An excerpt from my prayer journal

2005-09-21T09:10:00.000-04:00

I thought that I would share an excerpt from my personal prayer journal, it is more than just blogger talk, which is where part of my passion lies, to go beyond the surface of what we normally present to people.

The Journey We Walk Together

Here I am Father, wanting to know your will
for my life's passions and desires.
I have been hurt in the past and associated ill meanings
with that experience, and now I know the damage that has caused.

I read the wisdom of past ages from Chrysostom to Loyola
and today's wisdom of Manning and Nouwen.
You God, know my heart, you know my mind, you know my soul
You understand the struggle of this flesh we live in Jesus.

But you knew whom to depend upon and you made that your daily goal.
To know Your Father in Heaven intimately and Supremely.
I thank you for allowing Your Holy Spirit to guide and communicate with us
May I listen today to what it is You are already saying.

May I love myself, may I love my neighbor, may I even love my enemies!
But most of all, may my love for you be exemplified in what I say, think, and do.
May my love for my wife and daughter be sacrificial and denying of self
and may I express the joy of your salvation and freedom in this journey we walk together.

Frateria

2005-09-15T10:17:00.000-04:00

What does it mean? It is from the latin term frater (brother). This is my passion, to make something available to Christian men who are plowing their way through the spiritual fields of their lives, and doing it alone. I am of the opinion and belief that men, including myself have the oft ability to think we can do things on our own, without help from any other man, afterall, we are man, we can do all!

I am just in the beginning phases of this thought and everything is written down and scribbled in a notebook. The idea came to me after thinking about our church's mission: Building Lives...Living Dreams! I asked myself what are my dreams and what are my passions? The answer that came to me was: men's type of ministry, spiritual formation, marriage and family, counselling, and sports! My dream is to help men step out of their lonely box and get involved with other men to support them in their lives, not just as an accountability type, but a life type, something that involves all matters of life that we men are involved in.

Here is my thought and I welcome all ideas concerning it:

Men are great at:
- Self Talk
- Sports Talk
- Sex Talk, &
- Spiritual Talk

Where we men struggle is with the
- Soul Talk

Welcome Frateria!

My Passion

2005-09-07T21:49:00.000-04:00

Have you ever thought about what your dreams were, I mean waking up everyday to your dream, or your passion of life. I have been thinking about what it is that is my passion, and you know what, I now know what my passion in life is! I will share more as things continue to roll along.
It is amazing how the ball rolls in a different direction when you are pursuing your passion. I do not know where this will lead me in the future, but I guess that is not the question or the answer to seek. The thing that I now know first and foremost is that when I keep my focus on one thing and seek to pursue this one thing, life is different, life is worth living, life is worth pursuing. In the pursuit of this passion the question in the front of my mind is this and I challenge you to think about it: What is my 500 year plan?

Toronto Make Me Laughs!

2005-08-31T08:56:00.000-04:00

I have had some extra time on my hands and thought I would do a new look of the Toronto Leafs the way I see them, I hope you enjoy.

The Habs New Look! Updated and Improved!

2005-08-24T16:16:00.000-04:00

How many bloggages do you read?

2005-08-17T08:38:00.000-04:00

I have been considering the amount of time I read blogs, most of the time it serves as a break, but other times I like to read what people are thinking and what is going on in their lives. Oftentimes however it is the comments that I enjoy reading as well because then you get involved with what was actually blogged in the first place. I would like to know what you like about blogs and how many you occassionally check out: For me I visit most of my links once a week, and some more often than others, usually it is for the humour and occasionally it is for the insight! Tell me why you blog or read other's blogs.

Quotes, Quotes, and Quotes

2005-08-09T11:11:00.000-04:00

Here are some of my all-time favorite quotes:

Ah yes, divorce ... from the Latin word meaning to rip out a man's genitals through his wallet.
Robin Williams

It took me seventeen years to get three thousand hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course.
Hank Aaron

Success in life consists of going from one mistake to the next without losing enthusiasm.
Winston Churchill

The man who does things makes many mistakes, but he never makes the biggest mistake of all - doing nothing.
Benjamin Franklin

Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.
Marcus Aurelius

There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
Albert Einstein

There are no great men. There are only ordinary people who take on extraordinary challenges. Admiral Halsey

Find a need and fill it. Zig Ziglar

Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you can't get more time.
James Rohn

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.
Albert Schweitzer

I hope some of these quotes inspired you in some way! I am a collector of quotes, if you have any favorites please leave them in the comment section!

Spiritual, or anything but Formation

2005-08-01T21:11:00.000-04:00

I am currently reading 2 books: Inside Out by Larry Crabb, and SoulGuide by Bruce Demarest. I have been challenged so far in these books to take a deeper look at my walk with God. I have been in spiritual formation classes and I see the value in these endeavours, but I fail to see the church embracing these options as a way of broadening the horizons. I am trying to think of the last time a church invited me to embrace a soul friend, like David and Jonathan or Jesus and his disciples. After all is not the Christian life about the one true relationship, yet as the church catholic, we cannot embrace a friend to walk with, to share with and to be in solitude with. This relationship between us and God needs to have meat, to have challenges. I would like to be a part of a place that encourages soul friends and spiritual guidance, or else what is the point of going to church?

Grace in the face of Sin

2005-07-22T09:49:00.000-04:00

Grace, what is it besides what one says before eating a meal or something in which a person is called. There is Topher Grace, Mark Grace, Grace Kelly, and Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia the three Greek sister goddesses in mythology who gave charm and beauty. The word Grace stems from the Greek word charizomai (verb) meaning to do something pleasant or agreeable (to one), to do a favouR to, gratify. Grace however, in the sense that we think of it in theological terms stems from the Greek word charisma (noun neutral) meaning a favour with which one receives without any merit of his/her own. It is also the word where we get our spiritual gifts from, which are given in the form of grace as well, in that we receive them undeservedly.
I like how Charles HAddon Spurgeon (a preacher in the 1800's who was known as the prince of preachers, another thing to know about Spurgeon is that he suffered from chronic depression, so when you read his comment on grace, know that he knew it from personal experience) describes grace, he says in his book All of Grace, "What an abyss is the grace of God! Who can measure its breadth? Who can fathom its depth? Like all the rest of the divine attributes, it is infinite." God's grace is not measured by human Conditions or standards so it is no wonder we cannot grasp the concept of it without help from God, which was displayed by Jesus, the God-man. It took those three nails, three crosses, three days, the Three in One, and the three denials and confessions of Peter (and possibly other triads) to paint this picturE of Grace that is available still today.

Man of God, so what smells?

2005-07-14T16:03:00.000-04:00

Audio Adrenaline is one of the Christian bands that I grew up listening to, and I haven't actually listened to much of their new stuff lately, but I went retro and dug out one of their earlier cd's-Bloom, and the song that really resounded with me was Man of God. It was actually these few lines that really stuck with me:

Sometimes I don't feel good
it's hard to start the day
it's hard to climb the obstacles
that sometimes come my way
if I make it, I'm a good man
am I a bad man if I fail?
I know I'm never good enough
so I let grace prevail.

Lately I have had a struggle with the comprehension of what sin is and what grace is. I think my religious tradition has tried to instill a holier than thou attitude which fits my personality to a tee. I totally missed the comprehension from what reformers such as Luther and Calvin believed about sin and sinfulness.
I like Luther's perspective on sin and how it effected him: he basically compared sin to shit. As Christians I think that we forget that we too,are sinful. That our own sin and sinfulness stinks as shit compared to how we actually think of ourselves. If you are surprised that I am using such language for a Christian, I do not apologize. I think that it is hard time that we, who claim to be followers of Christ take a perspective that the world understands- the world understands that their shit stinks, we on the other hand think that because we are Christians we excrete rose bushes! Sin is real, God hates it, and yes, Christians shit does stink.
Man of God- I know I am not good enough and never will be for that matter- so I let grace prevail! Later on grace.

Family, Friends, and Faith

2005-07-05T22:27:00.000-04:00

This is a recent family photo that we took at the house we were looking after for the past 10 days, it was a great time and it was nice to be on our own after 3 years at Tyndale.
I am exited for this week as I have hooked up with a good friend who is down under and is getting married later this fall- Caleb Lapointe. It was great to see him again and to hang out at Mark and Laurie's house. I am also looking forward to hooking up with Nate Green, one of my best friend's from Grand Manan, and my cousin, Peter Reid, the comedian whom I haven't seen in like forever.
Family and Friends, things that I often take for granted yet couldn't live without or apart from. I think about faith as well, people today live as though they are God, sure they are in control, but if you think about it, what are they in control of? Their own life and destiny- woohoo, tell me, other than family and a few close friends, who will remember you when you are gone? What is the legacy that we are leaving behind, is it worthy of remembering? Power and control is something that we like to hang on to, which is why it is so hard to have faith, because then we are not in control, nor do we have the power to direct our life. If you ask me, I take a look at the news and say "Frig, what has the human race proven to themselves when they are in control- wars, crime, famine, starvation, murder!" Good job, all because we wish to control our fate and our destiny. Faith is not believing in the unseen or unheard, faith is living as though it does not matter if you ever see or hear God. Faith cannot be explained in human terms that our spirituality can grasp.

A Complexed Open Book

2005-06-28T11:34:00.000-04:00

Question: Do you know what this picture is? Well it was what I could find that best demonstrates how I am feeling and presenting right now. The answer is at bottom of this post.

Right now I am looking for a job as I have just finished a contract position in a high school and I am feeling that I need a little break to reflect over the past year and plan for the future. However during this time I feel like I am not doing anything purposeful or worthwhile. Yet here I am spending time with my wife and daughter and I realize that what I want and what I am doing need to merge together.

I value my family and my time, yet I am consumed with the idea of getting a job so that I can provide again for my family. So I am working on resumes and searching within myself for what it is that I am looking for. As I look at the complexity of the above model I realize that life is complex, but is worth figuring out and working hard at. Life is a bunch of paths that intertwine and occassionally overlap, yet it forms a complex view when viewed from a distance. But at its basics, it is about relationships with self, others, and God.

Answer: Model of HIV strand known as Aspartyl Protease, created by Dr. N. Hirayama.

My Deep Desire

2005-06-24T13:14:00.000-04:00

I don't know about you but without discipline and a strong determination to spend time with God for personal growth, it is a difficult thing. Please don't misunderstand, I love Jesus and I love to be in His presence. It is not that He is not in my midst, but that I am mostly unaware and not tuned into the fact that He is there all the time. I have found that through my studies of theology and relationships that it is easier to study about such things than to actually practice them daily.
One of my favorite courses at Tyndale was Spiritual Formation where we were to team up with a classmate for the duration of the semester and grow together, pray together, laugh together, be silent together, and be together in God's presence. I miss that aspect of the Christian walk. This is my deep desire, to be a David or a Jonathan to another man. I love my relationship with my wife, that is not in question, what is in question is that person to whom I can be and who can be for me a sharpening stone.
I am thankful for the men who I have had in my life and during different times: my father, Henk Greenfield, Nathan Green, Dwight Ingersoll, Rob McDowell, Tim Guptill, Jeff Fuller, Kevin Mckenenie, Pup, Caleb Lapointe and Jeremy Bellsmith. I am at a point of longing for that David or Jonathan to come into my life again!

So it continues

2005-06-15T20:18:00.000-04:00

It has been a week and I am down 2 lbs. Not bad considering I was away over the weekend and ate lots, though I shouldn't have, but then I came home and caught the beautiful flu bug, me and mr. toilet for 7 hrs of sheer joy!! I am feeling better, but enough of that, the countdown continues...13 to go!
I will post more when my energy level reaches normal, cause right now it ain't there. PLus I do not feel any inspiration other than to watch a new video by Kirk Perry on his blog and to find out what teh other bloggers have been up to. It should be a great inspiration I am sure.

!(% translates into 195

2005-06-08T20:26:00.000-04:00

Yes 195 is the poundage of the week, and this week only. I am disgusted with the way I have stopped exercising and let the pudge set in. But I have committed to myself that I will be saying goodbye to the end of the scale that is close to 200.
My goal is to get down to 180 by the end of summer, I am well on my way, since Monday I have lost 3 pounds by drinking a weight shake in the morning and healthy and smaller portions for lunch and supper. On top of that I am roller blading and doing crunches and sit ups.
While I have been exercising my brain, I have forgotten about the bod! No longer, goodbye pudge and hello... well at least goodbye pudge!

On matters that count

2005-06-04T22:58:00.000-04:00

I just finished watching "Cinderella Man" the life and story of James Braddock, a boxer during the late 20's-mid 30's. I will not give the story away, but I want to share some of the things that I learned through this inspirational story:
Integrity- Being a person of promise and a person of your word. I think this should be a foundational principle for all family men. To put it bluntly I think that Christians can learn a lot from this story about what it means to be a person of integrity.
Heart- Being a person of committment! No matter what you are faced with, give it your all, and then give some more.
Adversity- We all face this, it is what we do with it and during these times that builds character and shows what a person is made of. We either stand against it, or fall into it. I don't think we should be afraid of it, but should welcome it and learn from it.
Honesty- tell it like it is, at least tell the truth. This is something I find lacking with many people, myself included. I need a great dose of honesty, and the world could use it too, although I think we would not know what to do with it because it has been lacking for so long.
These are a few of the matters that count that I was bale to take away from this movie and from this story of a person who was one of the many that experienced one of the bleakest and dullest times in our North American history, but yet was able to learn from it and use it.

A new decade beginith

2005-05-24T19:59:00.000-04:00

A lot has happened since I last blogged, well for me at least. I am now in a new decade. I turned the big 3-0 on Sunday and to my amazement it wasn't a big deal. I thought that I might feel older and even more mature, but nah, I am still the same Brando, maybe not as fast, and definitely easier winded when running, but nonetheless, it feels great to be thirty.
I have also been at my contracted position over a week and I am enjoying the students and enjoying putting into practice what I have learned in the counselling program and internship. I am realizing that learning is one thing that I never want to stop, although from now on it will be courses at a time and not full-time school.
I have also started my private practice (Connected Counselling) and I am waiting for the office space to be ready in order to start counselling. Life has been fairly busy since school has ended and I am beginning to realize that family and friends are more important to me than I could have thought, it is keeping those relationships in tact that takes time and work, but it is worthwhile- I am sure of that!

The End?

2005-05-12T09:23:00.000-04:00

Graduation has finally come and gone!
These past few weeks have been a time of celebration, stress, sleepless nights, and answered prayers. My family was here for grad, which was a real treat, since we all live in different parts of the country it was nice to get together. In the midst of it all I received a surprise interview from a High School in Richmond Hill, just north of Toronto to act as a counsellor for the remaining of the school year. They called yesterday morning and offered me the position. It was strange to think that this was coincidence because the interview was right in the middle of family being here and grad. I think that even when we feel we know God's timing, He says, "That's your timing, but this is my timing!" And His timing is always best.
I am not sure what will become of the contract after the school year, but it is an in that I was not counting on, in fact my name and logo for my private practice is in order and everything else is falling into place for that as well. All that I really know for sure is that faithfulness, trust, and availability are priority in my relationship with my God, my wife and my daughter.

2005-05-12T09:22:00.000-04:00

Here I am being hooded with my masters hood, and I didn't even get to keep it, after 3 long years of studying.
Posted by Hello

2005-05-12T09:20:00.000-04:00

This is my brother Jamin, my sister Joline and me!
Posted by Hello

2005-05-12T09:18:00.000-04:00

It's Official! Graduation took place May 7th at Queensway Cathedral in Toronto.
Posted by Hello

Favorite TV Opening

2005-04-30T22:01:00.000-04:00

We all have our favorite TV shows. For me it is the classics of TV like Happy Days and Different Strokes. Growing up, I was a fan of most TV shows that involved action and suspense and ones that made me laugh. I remember the great Saturday nights of Hockey Night in Canada, (haven't done that for a while) and especially the after school shows that were more fun than doing homework. So to celebrate the greatest of TV shows growing up in the formative years of my life, I dedicate this post to those shows. To view (or hear) their opening theme just click on the name of the TV show:

Here are my top 10 picks while growing up, which are not in any order:
CHiPS
The A-Team
GI JOE
MacGyver
Fraggle Rock
Knight Rider
The Greatest American Hero
Simon and Simon Theme Song only
WKRP
And Finally (theme song only) for the Troy Carruthers in all of us The Love Boat

Wow that brings back some great memories of childhood television, this is of course the tip of the iceberg of the great shows, let em know what yours were and check out 80's Tv Themes and Retrojunk to hear and see your favorite TV shows from childhood!

OK one last favorite (theme only)- The good ole boys: Dukes of Hazzard

This Life We Live

2005-04-26T12:25:00.000-04:00

Last night I was surfing to my favorite blogs to see what everyone was up to. To my surprise I was blown away by one unexpected blog. I will not mention who or where, but my surprise came in the self reflection from this particular blog. Knowing that where they want to go is being hindered by something external. This self-reflection was enlightening to me because so often I find that we as Christians are wrapped up with so much stuff that we forget the being still of the Christian walk and reflecting on who and what we are, the why's of what we believe what we believe, and what are the things that are keeping us from reaching our goals, whatever they may be.

Humanity is not difficult, being human is. Whatever one's belief system, we are all flesh and blood with body, mind, spirit, and emotions. To say that we have it altogether is a mistake, even with the perspective of holy living, there is nothing within us that makes us holy, we are set apart for one purpose- God's Glory. And it is God alone who is holy- without sin.

Yes I know this is simplistic reasoning, but it is basic and I have found that basics are foundational at any level in every category of life. I am sure Whitey would tell us that drawing didn't just come natural, but he had to know some of the basics, AJ could tell us that guitar and worship leading takes some basics and foundational aspects to it, I could tell you that doing therapy and counselling need a basic foundation to be of value. This life we live as followers of Jesus Christ has its basics in the Sermon on the Mount, the foundations to being Christ followers, not rules or regulations, but rather transformational teachings! This is what our world needs to see, a transformed body of believers, not a bunch of rule followers trying to make it on their own strength. This is what we need, this is the life we live!

To the End...

2005-04-21T06:47:00.000-04:00

It is Thursday morning and I am on my way to finish my last exams at Tyndale! These three years have taught me much about three things: Life, Learning, and Lessons.

Life:

Life is family, Life is friends, and Life is first of all-yourself.

Learning:

Learning is a process, it is not a course or a degree. Learning is about not knowing everything, but striving to know something.

Lessons:

The greatest commands from Jesus was to Love (God, neighbor, enemies, and self) with everything that we are, with no exception!
Do not wait for tomorrow to come, because yesterday is tomorrow's today.
God is more than one denomination, or religion for that matter.
I am not much, but I am a product of something- my family, my friends, the things I am learning, and the lessons that continue to mold me.

From the favorite verse (Col. 3:3) of a famous theologian who changed the course of church history:
Keep Hidden!

This is dedicated to my cousin the sports caster

2005-04-12T14:57:00.000-04:00

On my daily commute to school this morning I was listening to The Fan 590 radio station and they were talking about this Ball State sportscaster, who was famous for his one liner-"Boom goes the dynamite." I had to check it out, if you are a sports fan, hang on, it is one wild and rough ride through the world of sports broadcasting. Click this link to enjoy!

I've been thinking about...

2005-04-07T13:40:00.000-04:00

Who is my favorite band of all time?
What is the best movie (single, not series) I have seen to this date?
What is the greatest book I have read?
Who is my favorite author?
What is my favorite coffee hangout?
What my favorite blogsite is other than my own?
Do I live life daily as if it is the best day of my life?

See Comments...

Holodeck Mentality

2005-04-02T14:46:00.000-05:00

Captain's log, supplemental. I am in the Alpha quadrant discussing the reality of a potential threat to the demise of human relationships with the onset of virtuality and lack of personality.

Number 1: For those who have never heard of the cybersphere (began in 1998-2000) check it out: cybersphere article and cybersphere specs.

Engage: It seems that the Star Trek holodeck is in the process of becoming a reality. This scares me and excites me. First, it scares me that we (Western North Americans) are becoming (if not already) a society of pure consumers and entertainment driven drones. The product has become our god and idol that we bow down to from the time we open our eyes in the morning until we go to sleep at night. We battle traffic, skip breakfast, down a Tim Horton's (for us Canadians), skip our time with God, check our email, skip lunch (well swallow down a high protein drink), check our email, talk on the cell... I think you get the point. Now we want to skip relationships by becoming immersed in a virtual reality of holodeck mentality. This is what scares me!

Go to Red Alert: What excites me is the fact that this is a cool technology that I am sure the church will want to use for outreach and evangelism (sense the sarcasm). Another techological tool to use for the Kingdom, whose Kingdom would be my question?

Resistance is Futile, You will be Assimilated: I think this cybersphere as a concept is cool and exciting, yeah playing out our dreams of living in the Star Trek holodeck mentality. What bothers me most about technology, (which is what I am also using to post this blog) is that face to face relationships are becoming a thing of the past. Communication is no longer a one to one thing, but rather amassed through other means that are less than personal. What is lost is the tone, the non-verbal, the body language, I mean, who knows what is actually being communicated through words alone. Only 7% of what is said (the words) conveys the actual message. 93% of the message consists in the non-verbal and tone in which the words are said. The message understood could be totally different than what it was intended on.

Assimilate this! We (Westerners in the Postmodern Era) are a holodeck mentality society, church, and people. And it seems as if the slope is on the downward. I hope we never lose the person centered way of communicating even in the midst of technological advances, as cool as they may seem...Beam me up Scotty!

Top 5-10 Issues Teenagers Face

2005-03-31T07:47:00.000-05:00

I have decided to go on and begin the private practice which focuses on youth and families. As part of my initial research and development I am focusing on the top 5-10 issues, problems, or temptations that teens face today. How I am breaking it down is the top issues teen girls face and the top issues teen boys face. I need your help and input, especially from the front line workers. Please give your feedback as to some of the struggles you encounter with teens- Christian and not Christians. I am gathering all sources and will publish the results at a further time. Thanks. Check this link to get further ideas or information

Rights and Responsibility

2005-03-27T20:58:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted for a while, so I have been thinking about what to write. I guess the first things that comes to mind is the story about ending Terri's life by starvation. I am torn with this because of the intrinsic rights that Terri has as a human person, and how do the responsibilities of the health care and other workers come in to play. I thought the whole 'do no harm' the hippocratic oath meant exactly that.
On the other side, if I had what Terri has (PVS), would I want someone to make the choice for me, especially if I couldn't make it myself, that is to end this misery of a life (from our perspective looking from the outside in).
How does God fit in to this case? Good question. I am not sure to be honest, I like to think that life is a gift, when life on earth ceases, the afterlife question always arises (I don't want to go down that trail). However, in this case it seems that the issues of rights and responsibility have fallen by the wayside.
Is Terri a person, emphatically yes. Do people have the right to live, I hope so. Who is responsible for choosing life or death...

Dad-hood is Pretty Cool

2005-03-18T16:39:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I took Kelsey for a walk and she was puddle jumping. She is three years old and full of energy and life. Being a dad I discovered this afternoon, is both enjoyable and downright fun. It is hard to believe that a little child could bring so much pride and significance to life. I know I am bias towards my own daughter, but that is my right, as with every other parent to their child. Kelsey is a beautiful joy that I thank God for her. I know that Dad-hood is missing in a lot of families today, however, I thank God for allowing me to have great earthly examples of fathers with my own dad, my father in law, and my late adopted grampy. Dad-hood needs to be exemplified as a good and needed thing in our society, not just a fad, but a real and genuine example to children and families, Dad-hood is cool!

Name for my private Practice

2005-03-10T12:23:00.000-05:00

OK, here it is. I am finishing Tyndale in 2 months and I have been considering starting my own counseling practice that focuses on youth and families. So far I have come up with the name 'Connections' or 'Connect'. I am looking for any ideas that circulate around the youth culture that would not turn them off instantaneously. I want it to be relevant, but am stuck right now with the theme of connecting them relationally to whatever they have been separated from. Any ideas are worthwhile and I am also thinking of a logo or BS (brand stamp not the other). By the way Whitey what are your fees? I am seriously interested!

What is an ethical Christian?

2005-03-08T15:10:00.000-05:00

I am doing research on a paper that centralizes upon the ethics of Christians. My basis is from the teaching series- The Sermon on the Mount. My question is simply: "What constitutes an ethical Christian on the basis of Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount?" or "What does an ethical Christian do, look like, live, act?" Here are some clips to jump start the ethical process:

Mat 5:8 "You're blessed when you get your inside world--your mind and heart--put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
Mat 5:19 "Trivialize even the smallest item in God's Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom.
Mat 6:1 "Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be applauding.
Mat 6:24 "You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship God and Money both.
Mat 6:25 "If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.
Mat 7:1 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults--unless, of course, you want the same treatment.
Mat 7:2 That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging.
Mat 7:3 It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own.
Mat 7:21 "Knowing the correct password--saying 'Master, Master,' for instance--isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience--doing what my Father wills.
All references from The Message

Blessed be...

2005-03-01T16:17:00.000-05:00

My post today centers upon the song that we sang at our church a few weeks ago, at the time I never thought that it would continue to ring in my mind for this long, but it is one of those songs that sticks and plays over and over, just like Petra's Beyond Belief, DC Talk's Jesus Freak, and AJ's song Follow. The song is Blessed Be Your Name by Tree63, it was written by Matt Redman and his wife. I guess the reason it resonates with me this day, is because I find myself and my family at the crossroads of the future, we are almost finished seminary and we are seeking God's direction for the future. The reason this song resounds is that no matter what happens, rain or shine, good or bad, Blessed be the Name of the Lord.
Maybe to simplistic to the theologians and scholars of our age, and maybe even to myself somedays-no matter what happens in the next couple of months I want my voice to ring out the lyrics to this song which echoes Daniel (Dan. 2:20) Blessed be the name of God, forever and ever. He knows all, does all.(Message)
When the darkness closes in Lord, still I am going to say- Blessed be the name of the Lord, Blessed be your name Jesus!

Who AM I? Myself, of course!

2005-02-22T16:26:00.000-05:00

Have you heard the Casting Crowns song entitled "Who am I?" Check it out on their website if you haven't http://www.castingcrowns.com/. This question was first asked by my Grade 12 teacher on Grand Manan, I still have my response to his question and often revisit it. Here are a few different perspectives on this philosophical issue that has questioned the minds of many brilliant people, and some not so brilliant (myself included in this category) http://www.ficm.org/whoiam.htm; http://www.hinduism.co.za/whoami.htm; http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=385. These are just a few glimpses into this often embraced question. Who am I can be a rhetorical question, a comment about the philosophical ventures of humanity, a sincere breath of simplicity towards heaven, or perhaps a personal introspection that requires the conscious decision that what really matters is not "Who am I", but rather "Who I am!"
What I especially enjoy in Casting Crowns version of the song Who Am I, is that it shifts the focus from myself to my relationship with Christ- "You told me who I am- I am Yours!" I like what Bonhoeffer says when he writes "Am I then really all that which other men tell of?
Or am I only what I myself know of myself?" And he closes his poem writing, "Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine. Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am Thine!" Some brilliance from a man who stood for who he was because of I AM. Like Bonhoeffer and Casting Crowns- Who am I? I am Yours!

A few of my favorite quotes...

2005-02-15T20:33:00.000-05:00

Brennan Manning: "My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it." The Ragamuffin Gospel, 27.

Martin Heidegger: "You never leave home, and like a snail bound to its shell, you carry it with you wherever you go." cited in Vincenzo DiNicola A Stranger in the Family, 327.

From Secrets of Your Family Tree: "Doing what it takes means abandoning the excuses you've been using for not getting better. You can't let excuses confine you in your pain." p.41.

Tim Gardner: "Our mates should be the only ones we think of as being sexy, the only ones who get us hot, and the only ones we ever think about being intimate with." Sacred Sex, 73.

Henri Nouwen: "God should be sought, but we cannot find God. We can only be found by Him." The Genesee Diary, 136.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

Social Action

2005-02-12T19:26:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading Good News and Good Works by Ron Sider and the challenge he makes is about the social inaction of the current church today. I agree with his basis statement that we (Postmodern Western Culture Christians) often equate evangelism with social action. We say here is bread and water, and oh yeah, Jesus loves you, would you like to accept Him as your Savior! I had an Amen ouch moment. How often have I been caught up with social action with an underlying motive to share Christ. What are your thoughts about Christians and social action and evangelism? Do we use one in order to benefit the other, or do we integrate the two, how does evangelism and social action by the Christian church of North America co-relate? Check out this link for further information and research: http://www.network935.org/