I love grazing through my library and picking up a book to re-read.

This one, “The Leadership Lessons Of Jesus” is one that my mom bought and gave to me back in 2001.

Timeless stuff right here.

On my way to Cali with my son for some connect time today.

Forever discovering and learning.

Steve

A friend of mine said to me one time,  “I’d rather be on my mountain bike thinking about God than sitting in church thinking about my mountain bike ..”

I hear that kind of statement almost every week.  It’s this tension between having time in the outdoors and being a person that attends a “church” meeting once a week.”

I used to struggle with it, but the more I think about it the more I like it.

This issue is nothing new.

I came across an interesting read out of John Wesley’s paper blog he wrote from May 5th to June 2nd sometime in the 1730’s.

From the Diary of John Wesley

Sunday, A.M., May 5
Preached in St. Anne’s. Was asked not to come back anymore.

Sunday, P.M., May 5
Preached in St. John’s. Deacons said “Get out and stay out.”

Sunday, A.M., May 12
Preached in St. Jude’s. Can’t go back there, either.

Sunday, A.M., May 19
Preached in St. Somebody Else’s. Deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.

Sunday, P.M., May 19
Preached on street. Kicked off street.

Sunday, A.M., May 26
Preached in meadow. Chased out of meadow as bull was turned loose during service.

Sunday, A.M., June 2
Preached out at the edge of town. Kicked off the highway.

Sunday, P.M., June 2
Afternoon, preached in a pasture. Ten thousand people came out to hear me.

As I study Wesley, I find that much of his ministry and preaching were done outside.

Yes, he preached in some church buildings, but you can see where he and his brother Charles as well as George Whitefield used the country side as their pulpit. I believe they were adapting to the model’s  other wilderness preachers like Jesus and John the Baptist.

Ummmmmmm – It’s  “both and ….. Not either or.”

If you like a traditional church service inside a building,  you got it…. or, if you like nature and the thought of sitting in the pew bores you to tears…. we got you covered.

Starting in March of 2013,  we will offer one church with a multi locations approach.

Both inside and out.

Pastor Steve

Use the geography to teach the theology.

Just picked up Bob and Joel Kilpatrick’s newest book The Art Of Being You.

n The Art of Being You, it’s the author’s thesis that most Christ-followers take a “math” approach to their faith journey making it manageable with a system of “do’s and don’ts.” Somewhere along history’s timeline, they began to expect the Bible to be more like a textbook/rulebook than an expression of the art and mystery of God . . . living their lives accordingly. We often reason rather than point to the mystery. God is not a mathematician, mechanic, teacher or the Wizard of Oz although we often perceive Him in that way.

The Art of Being You is a transparent glimpse into God’s creative plans and work in our lives. This new paradigm is simple enough yet too large to fully understand and get our arms wrapped around. God is not taking a band-aid approach to fixing us but rather a passionate, visionary artist’s continual effort to express His creativity in each one of us. God considers humankind his masterpiece.

The Kilpatricks clearly explain the difference between “math” and “art” when it comes to our perceptions concerning God. Here are some of the phrases clarified within the pages . . . Math equates while Art creates; Evangelism is Math — Friendship is Art; Generosity is Art and Tithing is Math and last but not least, Fear is Math while Love is Art.

Bob Will be with us @ Prescott First Assembly Sunday morning November 6th @ 10:00 A.M.

Just a side note – One of Bob’s songs was sung at Mother Teresa’s funeral.

Hope you are able to join us for an amazing day November 6th.

Pastor Steve