"Sunday's coming" movie trailer

On the "contemprovant" church :-)

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Resiliency

William Carey, the “father of modern missions,” wanted to translate the Bible into as many Indian languages as possible. He established a large printshop in Serampore where translation work was continually being done. Carey spent hours each day translating Scripture, while his insane wife ranted and raved.

Carey was away from Serampore on March 11, 1832. His associate, William Ward, was working late. Suddenly Ward smelled smoke. He leaped up to discover clouds belching from the printing room. He screamed for help, and workers passed water from the nearby river until 2 a.m., but everything was destroyed.

On March 12, 1812 missionary Joshua Marshman entered a Calcutta classroom where Carey was teaching. “I can think of no easy way to break the news,” he said. “The printshop burned to the ground last night.” Carey was stunned. Gone were his massive polyglot dictionary, two grammar books, and whole versions of the Bible. Gone were sets of type for 14 eastern languages, 1,200 reams of paper, 55,000 printed sheets, and 30 pages of his Bengal dictionary. Gone was his complete library. “The work of years—gone in a moment,” he whispered.

He took little time to mourn. “The loss is heavy,” he wrote, “but as traveling a road the second time is usually done with greater ease and certainty than the first time, so I trust the work will lose nothing of real value. We are not discouraged; indeed the work is already begun again in every language. We are cast down but not in despair.”

When news of the fire reached England, it catapulted Carey to instant fame. Thousands of pounds were raised for the work, and volunteers offered to come help. The enterprise was rebuilt and enlarged. By 1832, complete Bibles, New Testaments, or separate books of Scripture had issued from the printing press in 44 languages and dialects.

The secret of Carey’s success is found in his resiliency. “There are grave difficulties on every hand,” he once wrote, “and more are looming ahead. Therefore we must go forward.”

We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Making Our Lives Available to Others (Henri Nouwen)

Making Our Lives Available to Others

One of the arguments we often use for not writing is this: "I have nothing original to say. Whatever I might say, someone else has already said it, and better than I will ever be able to." This, however, is not a good argument for not writing. Each human person is unique and original, and nobody has lived what we have lived. Furthermore, what we have lived, we have lived not just for ourselves but for others as well. Writing can be a very creative and invigorating way to make our lives available to ourselves and to others.

We have to trust that our stories deserve to be told. We may discover that the better we tell our stories the better we will want to live them.

- Henri Nouwen

Recent changes in Christian approaches to Islam (Barnabas Fund)

An article that should interest most of us alumni

http://www.barnabasfund.org/Recent-Changes-in-Christian-Approaches-to-Islam.html

Entering the Stories of Ordinary People

Read this this morning. A simple piece by Gordon MacDonald entitled Entering the Stories of Ordinary People. Caught my eye because I "love" stories. Not just stories as in illustrations for sermons ...but stories that define and shape everyday people. It can be found below but before that ... just a few rambling thoughts.

I find it sad that most people do not want to share their stories.

Sometimes people think their lives are boring and they have nothing significant to share but I doubt that this is actually the case especially if one is a Christian. I can't imagine how being a Christian can be boring especially since God is working in our lives daily, changing us into Christ's likeness.

I think our mindset and attitudes are being transformed (perhaps slowly but definitely surely!) and as we grow and learn, we see the world, our circumstances, our whole life in a new and wonderful way. We find new joy and learn valuable lessons (often unexpected) in things that may have once been thought mundane and insignificant. Even tough times are seen with "new eyes".

I think it is sad that we do not share more often our stories (big or small). Especially for pastors, we know the power of stories and the importance of good stories. Good Stories communicate, connect, encourage, opens doors, bless ...

Interesting fact: 40% OF the Old Testament is in story form!

One reason why I blog is to remember and share my stories.... and here's my pitch ... ALUMNI, COULD YOU CONSIDER SHARING SOME OF YOUR STORIES WITH THE REST OF US? IF YOU BLOG, WE WANT TO LINK YOUR BLOGS TO THIS PAGE. IF NOT, JUST SEND PATRICK OR MYSELF YOUR STORIES AND WE WILL POST IT UP FOR YOU!

Okay, here's the article

The other morning I headed for the Egg Shell restaurant just down the road from our home to join a friend for breakfast. My PDA scheduled us for 7a.m; but his, I later learned, said 7:30. Result? I had a half hour to drink coffee and observe life around me.

Sitting at 2 or 3 shoved together tables not far from my booth were ten baseball capped men in working clothes and mud-caked boots. The same group is always there whenever I breakfast at the Egg Shell. They sit shoulder to shoulder saying little to each other. Mainly, they read their copies of the New Hampshire Union Leader and shovel down omelets and home fries.

I once asked Cindy, a server at the Egg Shell, who they were. She said they were retired guys who had met for breakfast for years. "They're like a bunch of brothers," she added. "They do lots of stuff together." She didn't say what the stuff was.

When these mostly non-verbal men finished their breakfasts, they paid their bills, grabbed their coats and grunted goodbyes to Cindy. Some of them even give her a "sisterly" hug. I could see why she likened them to a band of brothers. As they passed my booth, I said, "Make the world a better place today, guys." One of them responded, "Great idea. We'll do it."

Two women (middle aged) were at another table. Unlike the men, they were spirited talkers, their conversation bouncing between laughter and whispered confidentialities. When they finished eating and started for the door, one called out to Gloria, the other server, "Behave yourself, Gloria. But if you decide not too, it won't matter much." This breezy goodbye tickled me because—and I mean no disrespect—Gloria doesn't look like the kind of person who would misbehave even if she had the opportunity. It was clear that the comment was an indication of affection between people who share a lot of history together.

When Gloria started to refill my coffee cup, I asked, "Known them for a long time?"

"Neighbors," she said. "One of them may lose her home. We're pretty shook about it."

"She's fortunate to have friends like you," I responded.

"Well, we're going to have to stick close to her."

Click HERE for the rest of the article

Tying the clouds together (Leadership Journal)

Interesting reading ...

Tying the Clouds Together

Rob Bell's metaphors and references make his listeners stretch, but his wisdom for preachers is down to earth.

He once planted a church by teaching through Leviticus. He can use a rabbit carved from a bar of soap to illustrate the nature of suffering. Google his name and the term "Sex God" will appear among the top entries.

Rob Bell is the most interesting preacher in the world. ...

Click HERE to read the interview

Blessed Chinese New Year wishes

To all alumni celebrating Chinese New Year ... here's wishes and a prayer for a blessed time with family and friends.

I'll be having a very quiet CNY this year. Medical "quarantine" :-) Not even attending church tomorrow! Will be an interesting Sunday for me!

God bless!