Archive for the ‘Spiritual Growth’ Category

So, have you ever been lost? I mean flat out, turned around, no clue, GPS wouldn’t help lost.

I remember driving from Great Bend, Ks, to some secluded mountain park in Colorado that I couldn’t get you to today if you paid me a million dollars. I was an early grade schooler with the family at an annual family reunion.

At some point in the afternoon the kids were getting hungry and restless, but dinner was still a couple hours away. That’s when my step dad and uncle decided to take the kiddos on a little mountain hike.

You know, something just long enough to distract the kids and be back in time for the big ol’ potluck.

It was fun at first, and as a kiddo, I wasn’t keeping track of time, but even a mildly ADD child like myself could tell we’d been out there too long.

So, I started paying attention to some details before I made the discovery:

Step dad and uncle kept having us rest while they stepped aside for a ‘whispered’ argument
Uncle took off his T-shirt and started tearing strips off and tying them to trees
The look of terror on their faces when we kept finding those pieces of his shirt

It all lead to my conclusive discovery: there was no denying it, we were lost!

I love watching Mythbusters. Tackling urban legends and misconceptions, putting them to the test with high speed cameras, hands on testing and real science… it’s an Addis family favorite.

Can you save yourself by jumping upward in a crashing elevator? Is it possible to fly using a lawn chair and helium filled balloons? Can ninjas really catch arrows shot at their head?

Now that’s some high quality entertainment!

In The Word…

Posted: 21st July 2010 by Addis Andy in Bible Stuff, Spiritual Growth
Tags: , , , , ,

First of all… Sorry about the locusts. Imagine being here. Second, we all need God’s Word, but don’t wait for a crisis to start getting into it… In the word… from Andy Addis on Vimeo. Bible Study tools: 1. Bible Gateway 2. Reading Plans at Youversion 3. Logos.com

One of the most difficult, but necessary teachings in Scripture is on the How-To’s of restoring someone who has fallen. Everybody will slip up, fall down and blow it from time to time.

What is the process, biblically, for helping that person up. It would be really good to know, especially when that person is you.

Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

“How do you do it?”

That’s one of those complimentary questions we ask someone to show we are impressed with their performance. Sometimes we ask it in utter awe, legitimately amazed at their display of physical strength, mental aptitude and spiritual perseverance.

They are life skill jugglers, and we bow in respect at their ability to endure, thrive and get it all done.

Other times we ask the question with a hint of disdain. We’re not impressed with them, in fact, we’re kind of ticked!

Here, let me translate. On those occasions, the question “How do you do it?” can be translated in these ways:

*What’s wrong with you?
*You’re going to kill yourself
*Are you sure you should be doing all this?
*Knock it off, dude! You’re making us all look bad.

No one likes the guy who blows the curve, but you have to show them some respect. After all, they are apparently doing better than us. So, we continue to say it: “How do you do it?”

John 15:7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you…

These words of Jesus were the subject of the weekend services in our church (CrossPoint Church) over the past weekend. I promised a blog entry with some resources and further instruction on “how to” remain in Jesus and have His words remain in you. Well, here you go.

Below the video are several clickable resources that either link you to different resource sites, or connect to downloadable resources. Many blessings!

If you really want to bring a group of believers together, talk about Jesus.

If you really want to drive them apart, talk about worship.

It really is sad, isn’t it? We have so much to agree on in the majors, but we continually gravitate to the minors and fight viciously over stuff that barely matters.

It’s kind of like two countries that share every single value, but go to war over the cost of the toll bridge between them.

Yes, I am a veteran of the worship wars (an idiotic phrase, but one that fits all too well). In the churches I have served, the music ministry was often in a state of ‘transition.’

This is the worship pastor’s way of saying, “Our worship was something, now its something else, but we hope it will somehow morph into something completely different.”

In the church we’re constantly searching for that ancient hymn, that only sounds good with distorted guitar which causes teenagers to weep with conviction while simultaneously prompting our seniors to yell at the sounds booth, “Turn it up my man, it’s just not loud enough!”

Here’s a little thought on becoming perfect (not what you think).

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Get in the Spirit

Posted: 21st May 2010 by Addis Andy in Spiritual Growth
Tags: , , , , , ,

I have a very religious sounding question for you.

What is a religious sounding question? It’s the kind of question that only churchgoing folks really ask each other.

There are several things that could be brought up in this genre:

Does God predestine everyone to their fate, or does He allow human beings to have free will
Are contemporary versions of Scripture legitimate, or should we only trust the oldest most reliable versions… King James ,of course (please, note the sarcasm)
Can you really worship if there are drums in worship, because you know what drums lead to… dancing. And you know what dancing leads to… of course you don’t, you were raised to be good Christian children, you’d have none of that dancing stuff
Yes, unfortunately the list is potentially endless. There are so many in-house debates it’s kind of scary. But, here is the religious sounding question I have for you.

What’s the deal with the “filling” of the Holy Spirit?

Last week at our midweek Bible study called SURGE, we deviated from our normal study of the book of Acts. I took us on a journey of dealing with conflicts and attacks in an Old Testament story.

I’ve been asked more than a dozen times since then if we had that teaching on video. Sorry, we haven’t been recording that midweek service. But, I will do my best to report the essential elements from that teaching in today’s blog. I hope it’s a blessing to you, like it has been to me.

Dealing with conflict and difficult people are part of everyone’s life, but the problem is everyone thinks in their situation or line of work that they have it the worst!

And, unless you’re a pastor, that’s just not true… did you sense the sarcasm?