Steve is not a dweeb. Most of the time.
Pastor Steve’s Full Blog Posts
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Following Jesus: Lists #2 & #3
I am busy.I know this because people tell me that I am, so I must be. I do use up whatever energy I have doing a lot of stuff, that’s for sure (but I still have time for a number of movies).
I spend my days with the homeless, mostly.
I get food with the homeless and for the homeless and local poor families. A ton of food a week for four hundred people.
I work to make work for those who don’t have work. Sometimes I am able to pay them.
I make peace amidst violence.
I encourage Jesus’ followers to serve those who need service.
I make disciples and preach sermons and lead worship.
I only do this because I firmly believe that it is what Jesus did
and if he were here he’d be doing something like what I do
(if not exactly these actions).
Jesus, if here in our “first world” would be hanging around the third world that exists within it.
If Jesus were here, he’d be healing those who can’t get healed.
He’d provide justice for those who have no recourse for justice.
He’d feed the hungry, comfort the outcast, make disciples.
He did all that, so I’d expect him to do the same.
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This doesn’t mean I’m always like Jesus, God knows.
I have days when instead of making peace I make enemies.
Instead of making disciples I make haters of God.
Instead of helping the needy I push them away.
I hate days like that. Moments like that.
But I remember that my goal isn’t balance.
It isn’t happiness or personal fulfillment.
My only goal is following Jesus.
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The Adventures of Diver
Diver was cycling through downtown Gresham, near the Safeway when he noticed a crouching body between the two transformers. As he came closer, he saw it was Emily, and no wonder she was shivering. She was wearing a tank top and kapri pants, no shoes or socks, and it was just beginning to snow.“What do you think you’re doing, out here in the cold?” Diver exclaimed.
“It’s not my fault,” she said through chattering teeth, “Bob threw me out. I couldn’t even get my clothes.”
Diver nodded. Emily and Bob had been having problems. Or maybe Bob is Emily’s problem.
“Just wait here. I’ll see what I can do.” Diver rides across the street to an apartment building, through the parking lot to the dumpster. He opens it up, and there it is! Just what he was looking for, in a plastic bag.
He rides across the street and hands the bag over to Emily. Quickly, she grabs the coat and gloves and throws them on. She wonders, “Did you have these stashed?”
“No,” Diver said. “But I knew if I looked around enough, I’d find just what you need.”
When you are in need, look for the person with nothing.
Those who live on trust and compassion will always find what is needed.The Anawim community house was in dire need. There was not enough food to feed the thirteen people in the house, and very little even for the children in the house. I didn’t know what to do, but to pray. I’d learned from George Mueller that when the circumstances were dire, God will step in. So I let my needs go before God and asked him for money or food so no one would go hungry. No one had ever gone hungry in our house and I wouldn’t let it happen this time. But there was nothing I could do but pray.
Diver stepped in, “I’m going on a ride!”
“Okay,” I said. I wasn’t going to burden him with my concerns. It’s in God’s hands now.
Diver goes out on his bike and trailer, thinking about looking in some dumpsters, but not really being in the mood. He starts to ride south and something niggles at him and he turns around and begins to ride north.
After about a mile and a half of riding, he passed by the local Fred Meyers. Not really thinking of anything, he decided to glance in their dumpster. Before he had found some nice flowers they had thrown away.
As he glanced over the rim, it wasn’t flowers he saw. Something much nicer…
About an hour later, I was cleaning up and Diver comes strolling in. “How much room do we have in the freezers?” he asks.
“Plenty. We don’t have much food in the house.”
“Well, we do now. I just filled my trailer full of frozen food.”
In came seafood, chicken patties, and corndogs, all into the freezer. I immediately thanked God and Diver because it’s good to show gratitude. It’s a healthy practice.
“Seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”
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What is Classism?
- Cities enforcing camping laws on people who do not have homes.
- A person refusing to hire someone because, although qualified, they don’t have an address.
- Services not being available to people because they don’t have ID or the means to obtain ID.
- Looking down at obese poor people who became obese because they bought what food they could afford
- Seeing wealth as a matter of wisdom rather than a combination of luck and hording resources
- Telling a beggar to “get a job”
- A doctor telling a person that to be healthy they need a prescription they cannot afford.
- Church members looking askance at a visitor who is not dressed well or who smells.
- Laws reducing welfare because the poor “abuse” the system
Classism, like racism or sexism, has three different levels:
1. The distrust, anger against or hatred of another person simply because they belong to a different class than one’s own.
2. Making assumptions about another person based on a stereotype of their class.
3. Societal structures which make it difficult for a person of lower classes to obtain the status of “normalcy” in society.
Because of the three different levels of classism, it is difficult for people to communicate to one another when they are speaking of different kinds of classism. There is a kind of classism that speaks evil of all wealthy people (definition 1 or 2), but wealthy people are not affected by the societal structures, because they have enough power to overcome them. Some wealthy, like Donald Trump, suffer under societal infamy (whether deserved or not), but Mr. Trump is not struggling to obtain the everyday benefits of American society.
Classism is still at the starting gate to be battled against. The poor and homeless are still represented in the mass media as pathetic, not real people. Politicians and pundits are allowed to call the poor “lazy” without mass outrage. The assumption that it is easy to get a job or assistance is rampant among the population. There are many more blocks to raising one’s class than ladders to overcoming blocks. And classism is often ignored in discussions that speak about racism and sexism.
The first steps to overcoming classism are simple and can be done by most people with access to cyber social media:
1. Don’t let anyone make stereotyped statements about the poor without being corrected, whether personally or publicly.
2. We need to battle our own prejudices against the poor by finding out more about them. Two good places to begin is with Barbara Ehrenreich’s journalistic expose’, Nickel and Dimed, http://www.amazon.com/Nickel-Dimed-Not-Getting-America/dp/0312626681
or Anawim’s site about homelessness: https://hogansheroesfanclub.com/articles/dehumanization-articles/
3. We need to pursue relationship with the poor. We can meet with and ask questions about the life of people we know who are struggling. Or we can go to a local shelter and ask the homeless how they became homeless and what they do. Only if the poorer classes and the middle classes communicate can prejudice be overcome.
4. We need to actively oppose any legislation that openly harms the poor, or that makes assumptions about the poor that are untrue. It is not enough to shake our heads in shame, we can email our Congress Persons, Senators and President and speak to them about the classism in legislation.
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Following Jesus: First List
Jesus is my hero, my one and only, the guy in my life.There are many others I love and exemplify:
Francis of Assisi
Dorothy Day
Jean Vanier
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Peter Waldo
Desmond Tutu
Keith Greenbut I only love these because they love Jesus.
These are the experts in following Jesus, without Jesus they are nothing.
I follow their example of following. -
Power
The power of deliverance is not physical
for we are not delivered from that which binds us.
The power of deliverance is not ethereal
for ghosts are only whisperers, not chain-breakers.
The power of deliverance is not political
for deception cannot build what is true.
The power of deliverance is not religious,
priests are for comfort, not revolution.
The power of deliverance is unseen, raw and angry
more solid than solid
imperious to fear or bribes or weapons.
And He is triggered by the whispered cries of a child.
Fahim
Hermie Bockhorst’s Sunday school class ctllecoed items for a local food pantry in August. We have decided that this will be an ongoing ministry of our class. A plastic container is being placed in our classroom to place items in and as it gets filled, we will deliver to a food pantry.
SteveKimes
That’s great. I wish more believers would do that. Keep loving everyone in Jesus’ name.
Auth
Well, I learned sotenhimg new. They must have changed the parameters for GenX, because I was born in 1980 and always thought I was a GenXer.. used to go to 1981… anywho… seriously? Only 4% of my generation believes the Bible!? Praise the Lord for Godly parents! Thank you Jesus! The kids need to be in Church… not youth group, not children’s church, but Church. I don’t me do not have these things, but a saved child, no matter what age, needs to be in “big” Church in my opinion, and the youth can STILL have their own group and attend regular services. Also, we HAVE to teach about having a RELATIONSHIP with our Maker and Saviour. If you are best, best friends with the God of our salvation, it won’t be so easy to walk away:) I pray my kids stay in Church…
Kevrell
A pleasingly raiontal answer. Good to hear from you.
SteveKimes
Well, thank you. I try to remain rational. Except when I’m having one of THOSE days. You know, those irrational ones. :)
Laquisha
Such a deep awnser! GD&RVVF
Ali
Their understanding of the great comossiimn is that each believer is commanded to preach the gospel to everyone they can. Some denominations take this to the extreme of interrupting people in the privacy of their homes. I am a believer but I don’t think this is what Jesus had in mind at all. One way I can tell is that it irritates me when people interrupt me in my home to sell me something or preach something at me. So the golden rule won’t allow me to do that to other people. I also don’t answer the door unless I look through the peep hole and see someone I know or who has legitimate business standing out there on my porch. I ignore the doorbell otherwise and they go away.
Mano
- Mind you this is an unsalvational issue, But, in senieg that, God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten Son, . . . . . . If there’s several Calendar days of the year, that remind the Earth’s people that the Father did send His Son, then good for the Calendar, the People, the Father, & His only begotten Son, Cause He would, that NONE would perish, but, all would have everlasting life . . . God would never hate an event, or day, that causes People world wide to acknowledge His own love He has for us . . . PS By the tone of your question, I’m surprised that you didn’t end your question with Bah Hum Bug . . .
Stamroe
This post has really got me tiiknhng. First let me say I completely agree with you Trey about what Jesus would do. It brings me into the next thing I have been wrestling with. A dream, a revival dream I have been having where there is no Church building, or organization no names, no denominations, no positions just loving Christ and helping each other out (like Jesus commanded). I have a dream where the church is going out doing basically what you guys are doing (dump days), feeding the poor, helping the sick, etc. I feel the same thing is being said week after week in church, making ppl comfortably numb (please excuse my pink floyd reference lol) with fancy rhetoric that doesnt fill missing hole, while people are suffering on the streets .. and ill be the first to admit that I am guilty of being comfortably numb. Just thoughts I suppose.
Magui
I wish New Way church the type of suscecs that only the Lord can grant. Not worldly, numeric, financial or celebrity suscecs. The Lord can offer you peace walking on the path He has planned. I certainly hope that New Way blooms and provides a sustainable and stable place of worship for the people of Austin. But most of all, I hope that all of you can give the work up to the Lord and accept with peacefulness whatever happens, however people in the area respond to your invitation. Warm wishes,Brian
Zoila
(This joke was sent to me a couple of weeks ago, funny, yet I feel thuogh this is too true in our society.One Sunday morning during service, a 2,000 member congregation was surprised to see two men enter, both covered from head to toe in black and carrying submachine guns. One of the men proclaimed, “Anyone willing to take a bullet for Christ remain where you are.” Immediately, the choir fled the deacons fled and most of the congregation fled . Out of the 2,000 there only remained around 20. The man who had spoken took off his hood He then looked at the preacher and said “Okay Pastor, I got rid of all the hypocrites Now you may begin your service. Have a nice day!”) I think that today we have the wrong interpretation of what is the church, it was never a building, althuogh today, that’s the most common definition. The church is the body of Christ. I really don’t believe he would go to church “building”, but instead would be hanging out with the poor, the orphans, the widows, the crippled, the sick. I think that is where we will experience Jesus and the Church.
Pamella
I definitely agree that tares are the issue. Wheat will work for the kiongdm in one accord, or at least come to one accord eventually–misunderstandings are bound to happen on this side of eternity. Divisions with the pastor and within congregations usually come because of a lack of focus on the most importance thing, Jesus Christ.I’m very happy with my current church as the pastoral staff love getting behind their congregations’ ideas and running with them, offering suggestions and corrections along the way, empowering the people of God rather than ruling them. It’s very refreshing to have that kind of environment.
SteveKimes
I think one of the issues happen when church leadership determines who the “tares” are before the end and to tear (pun, heh) them out of the church. Jesus himself said that this tears (hee) the field apart. If we give grace to all, while still proclaiming the truth, then we have a vision of what Jesus has in mind, I think.
Pao
, Having served smelalr churches in communities with larger churches, there is a tragic, but undeniable distance between the two. Large churches don’t need the help of smelalr ones or have time to invest. And smelalr churches sometimes falsely label large churches with an if it’s big, it’s bad mentality. What you are doing bridges that gap and serves as an example to churches everywhere we’re in this together! on 07 April 2011 / 5:20 PM
Danny
Amen, Brian. I have actually been quite moved by how much peace I have found in just leittng go of outcomes and trusting that the Lord will bring spiritual good out of whatever natural circumstances I find myself in.I’m praying that New Way has a long history on this earth as an authentic community that is led by the Lord. And I am trusting that however things go, good will come of it.
Prithvi
I think it’s really easy to get skceud into those kind of situations, sometimes unaware, and its only when you’ve extricated yourself that you realise how spiritually dirty it made you feel. It’s not easy, though, especially as for instance you might have to work with these people or they might be your relations. I am trying to work on setting boundaries, and truly believing I have the right to express these, but it can be difficult!
Reginald
, I hate him, the pastor said, Now, you don’t hate him. You’re just upset. I hlsitay retracted my words, of course. How dare anyone tell me what I feel or don’t feel? Never mind that I really was deeply wounded. I was just told by implication that I was not allowed to speak freely. I think it would’ve been far more productive to acknowledge what I said without making a judgement, because at that point I still loved my husband and wanted to make things work. Instead, I learned to squash what I felt and to paste on a happy face on Sundays. I grew increasingly disgusted with it, and with my husband’s repeated trips to the altar in repentance, and eventually stopped going to church altogether.I was lovingly embraced and supported by a different congregation so much so that I relented from my previous vow never to step foot in church again. (I knew the pastor socially and her compassion and nonjudgmental counsel won me over.) The church helped me in practical ways one Christmas I received a basket that contained over $1000 in gift cards for groceries and clothes and gifts. And not a single comment not even a look of judgment. Just love and a helping hand.
Ike
(Please understand that I am gneiralezing and that I am not implicating ALL churches.)My opinion is that the reason these statistics exist is BECAUSE of the church. If the church wants to keep kids, it needs to learn how to encourage them in Christ rather than discourage them from the world. There is a difference. We need to be more accepting of kids rather than criticize their every wrong move. I’m not saying overlook blatant sin but I am saying not to put expectations on what Christianity looks like. Kids with purple hair and ripped jeans aren’t all bad and they might have a heart for worship if we could get past their outer layer.I’m a married grown-up and I sometimes feel like I am not “good enough” or that I don’t measure up in some Christian’s eyes. If I feel that way, imagine what some impressionable teenager must feel like.Sorry for the long answer…you just touched on a topic that is very, very close to my heart.
Jonathan
This is actually shiotemng we have been addressing at our church in the past few months. We have been incorporating more activities for our youth, such as– on a specific Sunday night, the youth conducts our entire service; our music director has incorporated some of the new Contemporary Christian music into our services, which the youth absolutely love. We have also brought a young youth minister in which has been such a blessing!Honestly, I think one of the main reasons the statistics are what they are is because a lot of churches are too set in older ways– not so much catering to the older members, but pacifying them by not incorporating newer ideas and technology into the service, etc. It is absolutely critical that we do all we can to make our young people feel a part of the church because they are the future of the church, and they need all the guidance they can get in this harsh and cruel world!!
Takayuki
- Fantastic story Terry. I, like so many others have often wkeald by the homeless wondering about their lives but not willing to spend the time to find out. Barry shows us that they are real people with real feelings. I certainly hope he is getting the care required at this stage in his life.
Ponkiya
, As a pastor of a cchruh in a small town (Shippensburg, PA) my jaw dropped as I read this blog post first because of how Brand New Church is ministering to this cchruh down the street and secondly because they are a cchruh in the denomination I’m affiliated with as well. Thanks, Shannon, for loving The Church and for reaching out in this manner. What an example you are setting! Blessings. on 07 April 2011 / 12:20 PM
Setareh
Well if we are talking about lost kids that don’t have godly pnraets… as a missionary (now SAHM and wife to a missionary) with Child Evangelism Fellowship I must say you (the church) must go to the kids. It’s not good enough to teach sunday school classes of kids “About” Jesus. You MUST share the Gospel with them! Most of our churches teach Bible stories to children… which obviously I have no issues with… but I bet the reason these kids end up leaving is because they never became Christians! As someone who taught kids sunday school for a long time I can tell you most of the curriculum DOES NOT share the gospel… or it does once every 5 weeks or something like that. That isn’t good enough! You can’t expect kids to stay in church if they never accepted Christ as their personal Savior. For kids outside of the church? Go to where they are. Schools (yes you can do it, visit cefonline.com) community centers, parks, wherever kids are and tell them why Jesus came.Kids should know Bible Stories but if they don’t know the Gospel then they can’t be saved and won’t stay in church.
Jose
Okay, next to my family and my kids, this is my Passion topic! It’s what gets my jceius flowing.First and foremost, I believe that those statistics are proof that the church has fallen asleep. The church has narrowed itself into a corner and unless willing to adapt to some change, this statistic I fear will grow. Churches have been doing what they do because that’s the way it’s always been done. Some churches hold tight to Tradition. The church can never compete with culture. They will never win. Its just the way it is. But the church can certainly change from “doing” to having a strategy.If You read my “About” section on my blog, you’ll see a line where I wrote, “I bleed Orange.” I encourage you to check out http://www.whatisorange.com to learn more about that and to see where my firm stance on what the church should be doing.We (as in Us, Moms, Parents, etc) put So much responsibility on the Church for those poor statistics. I see it as a 50/50 deal. Parents need to wake up and realize that they are the primary spiritual leaders in their kids lives. The church is a “Partner” to you as a Parent. Or at least it should be. There in lies the problem. Churches are failing to see that they need to come along side of us as parents and support us and understand that what happens at home is far more important than what happens at church. I am a product of Christian parents, christian private schools and church all my life. I saw friends come and go within the church. From my experience, The leadership within the church are all on different pages. Nursery, elementary, youth and “big” church are all doing their own thing. There is no strategy. They are silo’d. I beg of the church to align themselves together with parents and have a strategy for how to get a child from birth through college not ever wanting to leave the church! It is possible. It just means people are going to have to adapt to change and let some things go. Sorry for the rant. I warned you that it was a Passion area for me. I could say so much more…. : )
Verdell
Trey, I can tell you what I think would happen at our chucrh. The elders would think he was too radical, and in their best pharisitical way would have him thrown out. The nerve of him to want to feed the poor, if they have any connection to sin or worst yet profess to be a christian and follower of Jesus, just not from our congregation, if someone is hungry from a denomonation they will just have to starve! According to our elders, we would go to hell if we were to lift a finger to help them ..
Eliseu
I have a private prtaicce for and have found that I’ve had a lot of success with offering chair massage services at apartment complexes for the office staff and residents. I’ve gained a lot of new clients, and also helped the apartment complex by providing a new amenity for their community. Thanks for all of your awesome articles that help all of us to build our prtaicces! Love your blog! -Corey
Antonio
I love these pictures, baecuse through them I see LOVE,HOPE, TRUTH and EVERLASTING LIFE WITH MY SAVIOR. The pictures of his CRUCIFICTION tells me that if he could endour all the pain and humiliation, then so can I. You are not worshiping the pics, but seeing what our LORD went through for all of us. We were made in HIS IMAGE and COLOR HAS NO MEANING IN HIS EYES. I am Native American and in our language that He gave us, HE is Wanka Tanka, The Great Spirit, Our Creator. All he wants EVERYONE to do is LOVE ONE ANOTHER and TELL OTHERS ABOUT HIM. Thank you Great Spirit for your Unmerciful Treatment, I am waiting for you to return. God Bless Everyone.
Nick
, Wow I started redniag you book today. The 1st 3 chapters seemed to just happen to our family @ the end of last year. To city for their country church after almost 4 yrs. We started a new church 14 miles down the road in the rural town we live in. I’m excited to see what He is going to do there at Highland Wesleyan Church. Praise God your church is willing to do something different & bless another church instead of yourselves!! We will be praying for a mighty move of the Holy Spirit on that whole community!God Bless!PK on 08 April 2011 / 9:15 PM
Bung
As a pastor’s wife- this topic is near to my heart!First of all, I have to say that I do not bleeive that the “Church” is at fault!! The Bible is very clear, that it is to be us PARENTS that are to be training our children in righteousness!!! Sunday School & Youth Group were started many, many years later & really were started for the “non-churched” kids! Those statistics are sad, but I think they are a lot due to the fact that parents have been relying on the church to teach their children about Christ- instead of taking an active role themselves (& actually living what they bleeive)!A couple things our church does that I LOVE are… when children turn 4, they join their parents in “big” church- children younger than that are certainly welcome, but there is nursery & children’s church provided for children under 4. Although I do understand how difficult it can be for some kids to sit so long (we are all about wiggles at our house), we bleeive that having children in the service, plants seeds in their little hearts! :)We also have just started a curriculum (our pastors & elders & teachers have created) that lasts 7 years & walks everyone through the Bible… all Sunday School classes of various ages as well as the sermon are focused on the SAME topic… are memorizing the same verse, etc. In this way, children (along with their parents) will go through an in depth study of the whole Bible twice.Sorry, this is getting way too long! ;)Great question!Jessica
Aslam
Thankyou very very much for the wonderful job you have done. May God Almighty Bless you alyaws. Seeing the picture of Jesus just tells my concious to be good because I have received the immense Graces of Jesus Christ in my whole life and espesially when participating in the retreat that was held in Vettucaud in 1993 conducted by Divine Retreat Centre. Images alyaws influence our mind and body in a very big way and have been proved by scientists and doctors. Thankyou once again.
Cristian
Oh my word we are SO on the same track!! I think my view of Jesus makes some a bit uncomfortable, too-but I think that is good I think He would tell some of us that we have mssied the point that following Jesus is not all about DOing Church, but BEing the Church-not only to the world, but to each other. I have been ruminating lately about the original Church in Acts, and how they truly were community, family-living among each other, sharing all the had and how extremely different that looks today. I believe that much of our mentality and theology has strayed far away from His original intention and the true meaning of Church.Anyway I could stay on the soapbox awhile about that glad we are on the same wavelength!