Comments on: The Me I Want to Be http://gregengland.com/2010/02/03/the-me-i-want-to-be/ Slices of my life in the Southern California Desert Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:08:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Jordan http://gregengland.com/2010/02/03/the-me-i-want-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-10606 Jordan Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:43:33 +0000 http://gregengland.theobloggers.com/?p=2484#comment-10606 Hey Greg, I can't believe I just stumbled upon your blog today for the very first time!! I recently preached a sermon series at Hilltop entitled, "Beautifully Messy." In these talks we focused on how spirituality is messy, and how often we try to bring order and structure to our messiness with religious rules and regulations disguised as spirituality. We discussed what could happen in our spiritual lives if we weren't so afraid to get messy with Jesus. This freaked some people out. Many Christians seem to have a hard time believing that spirituality is different for everyone, and that sometimes it cannot be charted in a one, two, three step or purpose driven model. I emphasized that we're all messy and God calls us beautiful because we are his messy masterpiece. We talked a lot about the same verse. Needless to say God has used it to spark a lot of authenticity and vulnerability in our community. I've had numerous people discuss with me how they felt as if a burden of guilt or shame was lifted from their shoulders. Apparently, many people felt guilty that their spiritual life didn't look like that of the ministerial staff... too which I was the first to say... well my spirituality is a mess. Still, one lady stood up in the middle of my sermon.. stormed out... and shouted... "I came to hear about God not listen to this sh*t!!" (thought you might appreciate that story!) Needless to say it was an interesting and powerful few Sundays at Hilltop. Love your words in this post Greg. I've always appreciated how genuine you are. I'll be following your blog from here on out and I'll add you to my links page on my site. Hope all is well for you guys. <strong>[Jordan: Good to hear from you! Your family has been special to us over the years. Funny story! Seems like she provided a living example of what you were preaching.]</strong> Hey Greg,

I can’t believe I just stumbled upon your blog today for the very first time!! I recently preached a sermon series at Hilltop entitled, “Beautifully Messy.” In these talks we focused on how spirituality is messy, and how often we try to bring order and structure to our messiness with religious rules and regulations disguised as spirituality. We discussed what could happen in our spiritual lives if we weren’t so afraid to get messy with Jesus. This freaked some people out. Many Christians seem to have a hard time believing that spirituality is different for everyone, and that sometimes it cannot be charted in a one, two, three step or purpose driven model.

I emphasized that we’re all messy and God calls us beautiful because we are his messy masterpiece. We talked a lot about the same verse. Needless to say God has used it to spark a lot of authenticity and vulnerability in our community. I’ve had numerous people discuss with me how they felt as if a burden of guilt or shame was lifted from their shoulders. Apparently, many people felt guilty that their spiritual life didn’t look like that of the ministerial staff… too which I was the first to say… well my spirituality is a mess. Still, one lady stood up in the middle of my sermon.. stormed out… and shouted… “I came to hear about God not listen to this sh*t!!” (thought you might appreciate that story!)

Needless to say it was an interesting and powerful few Sundays at Hilltop.
Love your words in this post Greg. I’ve always appreciated how genuine you are. I’ll be following your blog from here on out and I’ll add you to my links page on my site. Hope all is well for you guys.

[Jordan: Good to hear from you! Your family has been special to us over the years. Funny story! Seems like she provided a living example of what you were preaching.]

]]> By: Katherine http://gregengland.com/2010/02/03/the-me-i-want-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-10605 Katherine Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:01:26 +0000 http://gregengland.theobloggers.com/?p=2484#comment-10605 Wow, awesome post-I can truly relate!! Spiritual disciplines have not been my forte, and I have often felt bad about not having a "set aside" time in the Bible or prayer. I have found, though the last few years that I am much closer to God by having conversations with Him throughout the day rather than appointed times. I am so thankful God reaches out and draws us to Him in different ways! :) Wow, awesome post-I can truly relate!! Spiritual disciplines have not been my forte, and I have often felt bad about not having a “set aside” time in the Bible or prayer. I have found, though the last few years that I am much closer to God by having conversations with Him throughout the day rather than appointed times. I am so thankful God reaches out and draws us to Him in different ways! :)

]]> By: Laura perez http://gregengland.com/2010/02/03/the-me-i-want-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-10604 Laura perez Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:59:13 +0000 http://gregengland.theobloggers.com/?p=2484#comment-10604 i really like this blog, Greg. I feel nourished. Thanks i really like this blog, Greg. I feel nourished. Thanks

]]> By: wallysdad http://gregengland.com/2010/02/03/the-me-i-want-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-10603 wallysdad Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:16:33 +0000 http://gregengland.theobloggers.com/?p=2484#comment-10603 What if for some reason everything we think of as essential to "have church" were taken away? No buildings, no sound systems, no budgets, no programs, no worship teams, no songbooks, no youth and involvement ministers, no paid preachers, nothing. Would God still be sovereign? Would Jesus still be Lord? Would He find a way for the kingdom to flourish? Of course! It is His kingdom, not ours, to grow and mature. I think the making of the church into an institution is our way (perhaps unintentionally, perhaps not) of trying to control the way God works both collectively and individually. All of the things mentioned above are relatively easy to measure, structure, rearrange, and manage. We can control those things. The problem is that no matter how much we manipulate our church institutions, we are seldom left with more mature disciples. That may be because it is God's desire to do that in the way He sees fit. I think God does take a more case-by case approach to growing us up. I, like you, have struggled with the "spiritual disciplines" and found that the harder I tried, the more frustrated I became, becasue I was trying to do it. I have found that God has used people and situations to grow me up. I find often that when I'm in a circumstance that requires more spiritual strength or wisdom than I have, I am forced to go to the Word or seek the council of other disciples. Sometimes just admitting that I can't do it by myself gives me the inspiration to draw nearer to God and rely on His power not my own. God provides the spiritual disciplines in His own way in my life. What if for some reason everything we think of as essential to “have church” were taken away? No buildings, no sound systems, no budgets, no programs, no worship teams, no songbooks, no youth and involvement ministers, no paid preachers, nothing. Would God still be sovereign? Would Jesus still be Lord? Would He find a way for the kingdom to flourish? Of course! It is His kingdom, not ours, to grow and mature. I think the making of the church into an institution is our way (perhaps unintentionally, perhaps not) of trying to control the way God works both collectively and individually. All of the things mentioned above are relatively easy to measure, structure, rearrange, and manage. We can control those things. The problem is that no matter how much we manipulate our church institutions, we are seldom left with more mature disciples. That may be because it is God’s desire to do that in the way He sees fit. I think God does take a more case-by case approach to growing us up.
I, like you, have struggled with the “spiritual disciplines” and found that the harder I tried, the more frustrated I became, becasue I was trying to do it. I have found that God has used people and situations to grow me up. I find often that when I’m in a circumstance that requires more spiritual strength or wisdom than I have, I am forced to go to the Word or seek the council of other disciples. Sometimes just admitting that I can’t do it by myself gives me the inspiration to draw nearer to God and rely on His power not my own. God provides the spiritual disciplines in His own way in my life.

]]> By: Dee Andrews http://gregengland.com/2010/02/03/the-me-i-want-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-10602 Dee Andrews Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:54:21 +0000 http://gregengland.theobloggers.com/?p=2484#comment-10602 Agree 100%!! I stopped trying to do everything like everyone else a long time ago because (1) I just could not do it, (2) I felt terribly guilt ridden all the time, (3) it wasn't helping my in my spiritual walk, but hurting and depressing me, and (4) I certainly wasn't able to reach out to anybody else to do them any good from my own walk, because I was pretty much just stumbling along in a fog. Life was gloom and doom for me, so how could I minister to anyone else? Plus, I tried for a while to get people to do what I was doing, and that sure didn't work either, as you say here today. Gotta go, it's very late here. But, love this post and gained a lot from it. Thanks!! Dee Agree 100%!! I stopped trying to do everything like everyone else a long time ago because (1) I just could not do it, (2) I felt terribly guilt ridden all the time, (3) it wasn’t helping my in my spiritual walk, but hurting and depressing me, and (4) I certainly wasn’t able to reach out to anybody else to do them any good from my own walk, because I was pretty much just stumbling along in a fog.

Life was gloom and doom for me, so how could I minister to anyone else? Plus, I tried for a while to get people to do what I was doing, and that sure didn’t work either, as you say here today.

Gotta go, it’s very late here. But, love this post and gained a lot from it. Thanks!!

Dee

]]> By: That Girl http://gregengland.com/2010/02/03/the-me-i-want-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-10601 That Girl Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:48:54 +0000 http://gregengland.theobloggers.com/?p=2484#comment-10601 When I was reading this, I just kept thinking, "Yeah.... me, too" When I was reading this, I just kept thinking, “Yeah…. me, too”

]]> By: Janice Garrison http://gregengland.com/2010/02/03/the-me-i-want-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-10600 Janice Garrison Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:15:41 +0000 http://gregengland.theobloggers.com/?p=2484#comment-10600 Excellent points/thoughts and I am in agreement. I have too often, in my previous legalistic life, tired to put everyone in the same box. How ashamed I am to admit that, yet how glad I am that I have been taught a “more excellent way” and I remain a student, as we all do. Thank you for sharing this and probably bringing relief/joy/hope to many people, including me. :) Excellent points/thoughts and I am in agreement. I have too often, in my previous legalistic life, tired to put everyone in the same box. How ashamed I am to admit that, yet how glad I am that I have been taught a “more excellent way” and I remain a student, as we all do. Thank you for sharing this and probably bringing relief/joy/hope to many people, including me. :)

]]> By: Meowmix http://gregengland.com/2010/02/03/the-me-i-want-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-10599 Meowmix Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:51:07 +0000 http://gregengland.theobloggers.com/?p=2484#comment-10599 I just may have to get that book! What a relief to know I don't have to relate to God in the exact same way everybody else does. A relief for me, and a relief for those I might try to shove into MY mold. No one studies the Bible the same way. No one prays the same way. And nobody is talented at the same "good works" as somebody else. These are the thoughts that come to my mind............I will have to think in more depth. Thanks so much for sharing this, my friend. I just may have to get that book! What a relief to know I don’t have to relate to God in the exact same way everybody else does. A relief for me, and a relief for those I might try to shove into MY mold. No one studies the Bible the same way. No one prays the same way. And nobody is talented at the same “good works” as somebody else. These are the thoughts that come to my mind…………I will have to think in more depth. Thanks so much for sharing this, my friend.

]]> By: Neil http://gregengland.com/2010/02/03/the-me-i-want-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-10598 Neil Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:35:21 +0000 http://gregengland.theobloggers.com/?p=2484#comment-10598 This has got to be one of the best posts I have ever read from you. Plain, concise, and to the point. (There's probably a lot of redundancy in that previous sentence, but as evidenced by Paul, repetition means emphasis... right?) As much as we should not try to put God in a box of our own definitions, we should not do the same with our fellow human beings. This has got to be one of the best posts I have ever read from you. Plain, concise, and to the point. (There’s probably a lot of redundancy in that previous sentence, but as evidenced by Paul, repetition means emphasis… right?)

As much as we should not try to put God in a box of our own definitions, we should not do the same with our fellow human beings.

]]> By: Randy http://gregengland.com/2010/02/03/the-me-i-want-to-be/comment-page-1/#comment-10597 Randy Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:10:53 +0000 http://gregengland.theobloggers.com/?p=2484#comment-10597 Thank you for the words of encouragement. I mentioned the idea of a sabbatical once in an elder's meeting. I didn't think it was that funny of a joke. Thank you for the words of encouragement. I mentioned the idea of a sabbatical once in an elder’s meeting. I didn’t think it was that funny of a joke.

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