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Pretty cool to start our second year with Issue 30, eh? I think so, anyway. And as far as Im concerned, this is my thoughtletter
so . . . yeah. Welcome to Isac Goulart, the latest Random Recipient!
I really dont know what to talk about this
time. I have 982 ideas floating around in my head. Originally, I was going to send out an issue on Wednesday, as May 23,
2000 was the day I "started over", and I was going to relate that whole magnificent saga of Gods ineffable love
to you. Then I was thinking that since Thursday was the Feast of the Ascension, I could talk about that passage in Acts.
Then I was thinking about an idea I had involving the Meditations on the Cross. Then I had an idea that involved a BC cartoon.
Another idea came around about Grace or Droplets of Grace or Burnout--Im not sure which--because one of my friends e-mailed
me about some troubles hes having. Another idea I had was to just proclaim the Gospel of Jesus because we can all use a reminder
about how amazing Jesus is. I had others. My mind is just full of randomness.
On that note, it is now time for
something completely different.
This months random poem is by my best friend:
Stuck in our Own Little World
Walking the halls of the school
What is missing, what is needed
Striving to live a more godly life
People
are suffering, people need Jesus
Where are we when we are needed
To preach the gospel to other people
Where
are we when we are needed
To be an example of Jesus Christ our Lord
Stuck in our own little world
Stepping
out of our comfort zone
To reach those in need around us
Longing to let our faded light show
We suffer too, we
need Jesus
Where are we when we are needed
To preach the gospel to other people
Where are we when we are
needed
To be an example of Jesus Christ our Lord
Stuck in our own little world
To long for God--should be
our hearts desire
We should crave God--and nothing more
To live for God--should be our hearts desire
We should
strive for it--and nothing more
Where are we when we are needed
To preach the gospel to other people
Where
are we when we are needed
To be an example of Jesus Christ our Lord
Stuck in our own little world
--Susan
L. Pahl
I feel the sentiments expressed in this poem deeply. I feel that we have completely lost sight of those
we are trying to reach. As Christians, we have lost the Apostolic roots of the Church.
What???
Apostolic?
Apostolicity is another of the 982 ideas floating around in my head. The apostolic nature of the Church is the
aspect of the Church which relates to bringing others to Jesus. RememberJesus didnt say go fill the churches. He wants us
to bring people to his hearts. The churches are part of our own little world, my friends.
ANYWAY
What I really
want to talk about is the whole Christian culture. I used to be vehemently against all of the Christian pop-culture. Then
I became immersed in it, and now God is taking me out. How can I evangelise if I am not somewhere that I can evangelise?
We have created for ourselves our own culture. Pope John Paul II says "The Church counters the culture of death with
the culture of love." I almost totally agree, but in our efforts to counter that culture of death, we have created a
culture of love that no one but ourselves can understand or relate to. We are shut up in our own little world. I know people
who are proud of the fact that they dont spend time with perverts, drunks, etc. Some even misquote scripture to back themselves
up. Too bad that I checked up their misquotations and realised that what they were using referred to Christians with such
vices (and Im sure they have nothing wrong with hanging with those Christians . . .). We spend our time reading Christian
literature, listening to Christian music, going to Church, to Bible study, to ISCF, talking to Christian friends, not talking
to (or making) non-Christian friends, not helping non-Christians. We are busy trying to understand the myriad of denominations
the unlove of man has created. We do not understand the people who walk down the street. We dont understand them. We live
in a cute little comfort zone. Why don't we step out of it once in a while? Obviously, we must spend time with our brothers;
we must be built up in the Christ; we must worship God; we must read our Bibles; we must pray; we must learn about our risen
Saviour. But we must also fulfil the two commands Christ gave us: to love as he loved and to go forth into the nations teaching
and baptising in his name.
Get out and tell someone about Jesus. Itll do you some good.
"The Church
that lives to itself will die by itself."
--Archbishop Ramsey
Peace of our risen LORD,
Matthew Hoskin
PS: Heres some Steve Taylor:
just as I am / I am stiff-necked and proud / Jesus is for losers / why do I still
play to the crowd? / just as I am / pass the compass, please / Jesus is for losers / Im off about a hundred degrees
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