smallville, small group, biggie smalls

i have the priveledge of leading a small group of approximately 14-16 students in the bel air area. on a good night we will have as many as 20 students. they are awesome, full of questions, and the coolest kids in MD. we have been going through the book of james for the last 4 weeks. we are still in the first chapter. it has proven to be very beneficial, james is a very practical book. so we have been discussing each different concept that we have come across in the book. i think that the best one went a little like this...

if you were go out and buy a skateboard....and you didnt know anything about it what would you have to do?
1. admit that you don't know anything about the skateboard, except that it rolls on the ground.

2. you would ask someone who knew what they were talking about and get the best information from them about this skateboard.

3.believe that, that person gave you the right information...and not doubt that they would steer you in the right direction

now say you didnt believe that this person knew what they were talking about and you went out to try to find the skateboard yourself with out following their guidance. you would end up running from store to store not knowing which skateboard is the best one to buy, or you would just buy the first one you saw which could turn out to be problematic because you didnt put much thought in it, and you didnt get the best deal.

i parralleled this with...

james 1:5-8

v5.

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generouslyto all without finding fault,and it will be given to him.

v6.

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

v7.

That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;

v8.

he is double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

no matter how crappy that parrallel is it worked and it helped all of us kind of get a good grasp on what this passage was trying to say...we meet every week and i have to find ways each week to explain scripture and it is pretty hectic with all of school and things....i thinks its awesome though...the lord is helping us learn together through this

kevin et al

kevin et al
Originally uploaded by joymadison.

this is journey my niece...
she is laughing...
i love her...
she lives in seattle...
that is too far away...

kevin et al

kevin et al
Originally uploaded by joymadison.

this is my nephew jaden...
he is my boy...
he likes to get naked at the sight of a tornado...
he as well lives in seattle...
that is still way too far away...

kevin et al

kevin et al
Originally uploaded by joymadison.

this is my neice jaylie...
she is a free spirit...
she lives in seattle...
that is too far.

what our passions and sufferings are, to each other...

this is my friend omar i met throught some friends that i was in a band a couple years back we hang out when im back in virigina every once and a while.

do you attend a church, if so what kind? -no i don't attend a church

If not, why not? and if yes what do you like about it? -i don't attend a religious institution. my mind is my church

with your church encounters what would you say the worst part about it was? -the worse part is not being able to leave

what was best part? -it is uncorruptable, except for by its maker. i know i can never lie to myself.

what would attract you to a church? -if it had a machine where you can connect your brains together and proove without anything but the straight truth, what our passions and sufferings are, to each other.

what is some advice that would you give the american christian church? -maybe this is a weakness and not a faith of yours. this strength you search for is within yourself. you're digging into books, and inhaling obvious phrases, and whispering wishes to the ceiling. maybe you should be digging deep into the darkness of your dying yet gifted heart, exhaling the truths and poisons that haunt your being, and scream the harrowing facts that eat away at your insides, to the floor. and stare at it and be proud. that you can see what you really are. IN FACT: you will never be fully true. that is the only "sin". what are you afraid of? can you only answer to proper etiquette? Can you not accept that you are a disgusting vessel? What is a Do-Gooder when it's all in lies? the bottom line is, the only REAL reason why you do "good" and contradict your own true feelings, is so that you will not be alone. I think anyone would rather be crucified, than be alone, or, even be in acceptance of their monstrous realities

although i dont agree with everything omar has said, i think that he makes a good argument...

maybe us a christians hate to look at what we really are deep in side, maybe some do just try to go to church and blend in so that they will not feel alone, and seldomly do we search our own souls, to see who we truly are and what incredible thing God has truly created when he made us. we can not be afraid to look into our selves no matter how scary it is, this is the only way we will become truly real with ourselves and in turn truly real with God and in turn honestly real with others around us.

desperate times call for desperate measures...

this is one of my best friends matt from back home in Virginia. we met in high school and shared interest in music, tattoos, and God

do you attend a church? no

If not why not, and if yes what do you like about it? yet to find a new church since i departed from my last

with your church encounters what would you say the worst part about it was? the perceived image of non-believers

what was best part? fellowship

what would attract you to a church? an overall sense of humility

what is some advice that would you give the american christian church? understand that we do not live in a christian nation, keep politics and faith completely separate, a major re-evaluation of morality and immorality needs to occur deport Pat Robertson.

I think that he brings up some valid points...
#1 it is very important that no matter what we do, we have to be careful not to mix church and politics. people dont need to hear about government and ect. they can watch T.V. and read and form their own opinion, we need to make sure that we let them know about the truth...there is a God that loves them, and let the God deal with the different heart issues of the individual
#2 we as a church need to show a since of humility, knowing that the answer to every equation is Jesus, yet letting others know that we are just as much on a journey as they are.
#3 we have to becareful the way we treat "non-believers" its easy to think that we have it together and that their life is a total mess, and in a certain way look down on them because of that fact.