The Way of the Cross (7)

JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME


The pain, the exhaustion, the love that drives Him on-but the cross is so heavy. Again He falls beneath the weight; and in bitter resolution-Thy will be done-and in fatigue, Jesus again drives Himself up against the cross, and carries it on towards the fateful Hill of Death.


Will it never end?
I'm not as sure as when I started.
I never knew it would be like this.
But this is my firm choice:
Lord, I will go on with You.
Lord, I will go on with You.

Lord, often I fall,
and the temptation is not to rise again
and continue with You.
When I fall and others watch and laugh,
or say, 'I told you so, you'll never make it,'
give me the strength to fulfil my promise:
Lord, I will go on with You.
Lord, I will go on with You.


amen

The Way of the Cross (7)

JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME


The pain, the exhaustion, the love that drives Him on-but the cross is so heavy. Again He falls beneath the weight; and in bitter resolution-Thy will be done-and in fatigue, Jesus again drives Himself up against the cross, and carries it on towards the fateful Hill of Death.


Will it never end?
I'm not as sure as when I started.
I never knew it would be like this.
But this is my firm choice:
Lord, I will go on with You.
Lord, I will go on with You.

Lord, often I fall,
and the temptation is not to rise again
and continue with You.
When I fall and others watch and laugh,
or say, 'I told you so, you'll never make it,'
give me the strength to fulfil my promise:
Lord, I will go on with You.
Lord, I will go on with You.


amen

The Way of the Cross (6)

VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS

An act of compasssion. A woman called Veronica places a cool cloth on His hot and tired face. He feels the coolness of the cloth, and the love with which it was offered. And through His pain He smiles- a smile never to be lost, never to be extinguished. She reaches out to touch His face, and He leans His head into her hands, within her reach.

Oh, blessed day! The Master touched her life, her heart, her outstretched hands. What faith! What lovely face! What timeless meeting...O blessed Christ.

Christ of the human road, let us,

like Veronica, reach out to touch You,

and, sweet Christ,

show us Your lovely face.

Show us Your lovely face.

Legend or living person, Veronica, by example,

teaches us to be Your witness,

and others may gaze into Your loving eyes

and know Your smile.

Show us Your lovely face.

Show us Your lovely face.

As we see Your face by faith,

we learn to become like You, Lord Christ.

That the world may see Your glory:

show us Your lovely face.

Show us Your lovely face.

amen

The Way of the Cross (6)

VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS

An act of compasssion. A woman called Veronica places a cool cloth on His hot and tired face. He feels the coolness of the cloth, and the love with which it was offered. And through His pain He smiles- a smile never to be lost, never to be extinguished. She reaches out to touch His face, and He leans His head into her hands, within her reach.

Oh, blessed day! The Master touched her life, her heart, her outstretched hands. What faith! What lovely face! What timeless meeting...O blessed Christ.

Christ of the human road, let us,

like Veronica, reach out to touch You,

and, sweet Christ,

show us Your lovely face.

Show us Your lovely face.

Legend or living person, Veronica, by example,

teaches us to be Your witness,

and others may gaze into Your loving eyes

and know Your smile.

Show us Your lovely face.

Show us Your lovely face.

As we see Your face by faith,

we learn to become like You, Lord Christ.

That the world may see Your glory:

show us Your lovely face.

Show us Your lovely face.

amen

How to Develop Critical Thinking Skills

One of the sad deficiency of our education system (from preschool to graduate school) is the failure of the system to teach students critical thinking skills. The emphasis is more on schooling-instructional pedagogy (teaching methodology) which emphasise on memory retention skills rather than evaluation skills. Thus,we have a nation of people who accepts "facts' uncritically, argue irrationally but often with passion, and live unexamined lives.

There are 6 steps to developing critical thinking skills

(1) Knowing
We first have to acquired knowledge, especially of a subject we want to find out about. This acquiring of knowledge may come from reading a book, a journal or magazine, reading an online article, or watching a documentary on television or DVD. However, it is not enough to acquire or memorise the knowledge. You will only know something if you are able to repeat what you have read or heard.

(2)Comprehension
Repeating what you read or hear may not be enough. It just proves that you have a good memory. What you need to do is to repeat what you have read or heard in your own words.

(3) Application
The next step in the critical thinking process is to make use of what you have read or heard in your conversations and in the sharing of ideas with others.

(4) Analysis
Slowly, we need to develop the skills of understanding how the author or producer thinks and how he or she arrives at his or her conclusions. Unless we are able to put ourselves in another person's shoes and articulate his or her arguments, whether we agree with it or not, we cannot be said to have analytical thinking. This means being able to compare and contrast different points of view.

(5) Synthesis
This is where we are able to put together different points of view and make our own independent considered opinion.

(6) Evaluation
This last part is the important part because it involves being able to judge the worth and value of different points of view and also the strengths and weaknesses of our own considered opinion.

This is the process of critical thinking. Critical thinking is needed now, more than ever in our nation and in our churches.

.

How to Develop Critical Thinking Skills

One of the sad deficiency of our education system (from preschool to graduate school) is the failure of the system to teach students critical thinking skills. The emphasis is more on schooling-instructional pedagogy (teaching methodology) which emphasise on memory retention skills rather than evaluation skills. Thus,we have a nation of people who accepts "facts' uncritically, argue irrationally but often with passion, and live unexamined lives.

There are 6 steps to developing critical thinking skills

(1) Knowing
We first have to acquired knowledge, especially of a subject we want to find out about. This acquiring of knowledge may come from reading a book, a journal or magazine, reading an online article, or watching a documentary on television or DVD. However, it is not enough to acquire or memorise the knowledge. You will only know something if you are able to repeat what you have read or heard.

(2)Comprehension
Repeating what you read or hear may not be enough. It just proves that you have a good memory. What you need to do is to repeat what you have read or heard in your own words.

(3) Application
The next step in the critical thinking process is to make use of what you have read or heard in your conversations and in the sharing of ideas with others.

(4) Analysis
Slowly, we need to develop the skills of understanding how the author or producer thinks and how he or she arrives at his or her conclusions. Unless we are able to put ourselves in another person's shoes and articulate his or her arguments, whether we agree with it or not, we cannot be said to have analytical thinking. This means being able to compare and contrast different points of view.

(5) Synthesis
This is where we are able to put together different points of view and make our own independent considered opinion.

(6) Evaluation
This last part is the important part because it involves being able to judge the worth and value of different points of view and also the strengths and weaknesses of our own considered opinion.

This is the process of critical thinking. Critical thinking is needed now, more than ever in our nation and in our churches.

.

The Way of the Cross (5)

THE CROSS IS LAID ON SIMON OF CYRENE

Simon carried the cross of Christ. At first it was just a tiresome and unwelcome task he was forced into by the soldiers; only later did he recognise his privilege in shouldering the burden of the One who made the worlds.

He was compelled to carry the cross part of the way for Jesus. Simon, himself a stranger, an outcast, often misunderstood, perhaps identified with Jesus, and felt the gratitude of this Man above all men; and amid the pity Simon felt for Him, he felt a burning compassion flowing back to him from Jesus, a burning, life-changing love. Simon carried the cross of Christ.

As Simon took the weight of the cross from Jesus,

You have taught us that we must bear one another's

burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

May we carry Your cross.

May we carry Your cross.

Simon was one just passing by,

but suddenly he was compelled to change direction,

and, with all his strength given

to the carrying of the cross,

pressed through the crowds

to the place of the Skull.

Golgotha, Calvary

Sweet Jesus, like Simon,

may we carry Your cross.

May we carry Your cross.

amen

The Way of the Cross (5)

THE CROSS IS LAID ON SIMON OF CYRENE

Simon carried the cross of Christ. At first it was just a tiresome and unwelcome task he was forced into by the soldiers; only later did he recognise his privilege in shouldering the burden of the One who made the worlds.

He was compelled to carry the cross part of the way for Jesus. Simon, himself a stranger, an outcast, often misunderstood, perhaps identified with Jesus, and felt the gratitude of this Man above all men; and amid the pity Simon felt for Him, he felt a burning compassion flowing back to him from Jesus, a burning, life-changing love. Simon carried the cross of Christ.

As Simon took the weight of the cross from Jesus,

You have taught us that we must bear one another's

burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

May we carry Your cross.

May we carry Your cross.

Simon was one just passing by,

but suddenly he was compelled to change direction,

and, with all his strength given

to the carrying of the cross,

pressed through the crowds

to the place of the Skull.

Golgotha, Calvary

Sweet Jesus, like Simon,

may we carry Your cross.

May we carry Your cross.

amen

The Way of the Cross (4)

JESUS IS MET BY HIS BLESSED MOTHER

As Jesus again shouldered the cross and bore His burden, He glanced ahead and saw His mother. He could not stop to talk, to explain, to gather her in His arms and comfort her. All His energy was being soaked into that cross.

Who are My mother and brothers? Those who do the will of My Father.

Not My will, Father, but Yours.

Lord, You had to leave the security

of home and family, twice.

You left Your Father to be a man with us,

and left Your human family to die for us.

You had to pray to Your Father:

My God, I trust in You.

My God, I trust in You.

Lord, when we leave all and follow You
and it hurts those we love,

help us to know that You have been there, too;

but is more than rewarded in the end.

Help us to pray:

My God, I trust in You.

My God, I trust in You.

Lord, when Your cross pierces

our own desires, and make us call out,

let our cry be, through our pain:

My God, I trust in You.

My God, I trust in You.

amen

The Way of the Cross (4)

JESUS IS MET BY HIS BLESSED MOTHER

As Jesus again shouldered the cross and bore His burden, He glanced ahead and saw His mother. He could not stop to talk, to explain, to gather her in His arms and comfort her. All His energy was being soaked into that cross.

Who are My mother and brothers? Those who do the will of My Father.

Not My will, Father, but Yours.

Lord, You had to leave the security

of home and family, twice.

You left Your Father to be a man with us,

and left Your human family to die for us.

You had to pray to Your Father:

My God, I trust in You.

My God, I trust in You.

Lord, when we leave all and follow You
and it hurts those we love,

help us to know that You have been there, too;

but is more than rewarded in the end.

Help us to pray:

My God, I trust in You.

My God, I trust in You.

Lord, when Your cross pierces

our own desires, and make us call out,

let our cry be, through our pain:

My God, I trust in You.

My God, I trust in You.

amen

Level 5 Leadership

Jim Collins (2001) Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve, Harvard Business Review

According to Jim Collins’ research, a Level 5 leader sits on top of a hierarchy of capabilities and is a necessity for transforming an organisation from good to great. He suggests a Level 5 hierarchy

LEVEL 5 LEVEL 5 EXECUTIVE
Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical combination of personal humility plus professional will.

LEVEL 4 EFFECTIVE LEADER
Catalyses commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, stimulates the group to high performance standards

LEVEL 3 COMPETENT MANAGER
Organises people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives

LEVEL 2 CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBER
Contributes to the achievement of group objectives; works effectively with others in a group setting.

LEVEL 1 HIGHLY CAPABLE INDIVIDUAL
Makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills, and good work habits.

Which level of leadership are you?

Level 5 Leadership

Jim Collins (2001) Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve, Harvard Business Review

According to Jim Collins’ research, a Level 5 leader sits on top of a hierarchy of capabilities and is a necessity for transforming an organisation from good to great. He suggests a Level 5 hierarchy

LEVEL 5 LEVEL 5 EXECUTIVE
Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical combination of personal humility plus professional will.

LEVEL 4 EFFECTIVE LEADER
Catalyses commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, stimulates the group to high performance standards

LEVEL 3 COMPETENT MANAGER
Organises people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives

LEVEL 2 CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBER
Contributes to the achievement of group objectives; works effectively with others in a group setting.

LEVEL 1 HIGHLY CAPABLE INDIVIDUAL
Makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills, and good work habits.

Which level of leadership are you?

The Way of the Cross (3)

JESUS FALLS FOR THE FIRST TIME

Jesus has willingly embraced the cross, but His physical body was weak from lack of sleep, from the pressures of arrest and trial, and from torture and beating.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Jesus say, Yes, but His holy body hesitated and He fell to His knees, determining to rise again even in His weakness.

Lord, You embraced and shouldered Your cross,

but Your body was weak.

Your Body is still weak:

Your people shrink from the weight of suffering.

In our weakness, Lord, let us pray:

Your will be done.

Your will be done.

Jesus, You were first a carpenter:

build us into what You desire,

and secure every joint tightly,

that we may hold together.

Plane the rough surfaces of our relationships.

We are Your workmanship-

Your will be done.

Your will be done.

Jesus, You said 'YES' to the Father's will;

and only Your body hesitated.

May we, Your Body, no longer hesitate,

but follow You in Your obedience, saying:

Your will be done.

Your will be done.

amen

The Way of the Cross (3)

JESUS FALLS FOR THE FIRST TIME

Jesus has willingly embraced the cross, but His physical body was weak from lack of sleep, from the pressures of arrest and trial, and from torture and beating.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Jesus say, Yes, but His holy body hesitated and He fell to His knees, determining to rise again even in His weakness.

Lord, You embraced and shouldered Your cross,

but Your body was weak.

Your Body is still weak:

Your people shrink from the weight of suffering.

In our weakness, Lord, let us pray:

Your will be done.

Your will be done.

Jesus, You were first a carpenter:

build us into what You desire,

and secure every joint tightly,

that we may hold together.

Plane the rough surfaces of our relationships.

We are Your workmanship-

Your will be done.

Your will be done.

Jesus, You said 'YES' to the Father's will;

and only Your body hesitated.

May we, Your Body, no longer hesitate,

but follow You in Your obedience, saying:

Your will be done.

Your will be done.

amen

The Way of the Cross (2)

JESUS RECEIVES THE CROSS





Jesus was scourged. The whips cut His back until it was shredded and bathed in His blood. A crown of thorns was set on His head in mockery. Then they returned His robe to Him, and brought Him to the cross on which He was to die.

Jesus embraced the cross, resting it painfully on the smarting wounds on His back.


Lord, You were scourged and wounded;
You deserved no punishment.
but were punished in our place.
Thank you, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus.

When You were already hurting,
You embraced the cross.
Thank you, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus.

amen

The Way of the Cross (2)

JESUS RECEIVES THE CROSS





Jesus was scourged. The whips cut His back until it was shredded and bathed in His blood. A crown of thorns was set on His head in mockery. Then they returned His robe to Him, and brought Him to the cross on which He was to die.

Jesus embraced the cross, resting it painfully on the smarting wounds on His back.


Lord, You were scourged and wounded;
You deserved no punishment.
but were punished in our place.
Thank you, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus.

When You were already hurting,
You embraced the cross.
Thank you, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus.

amen

The Way of the Cross (1)

JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH



His accusers brought many false charges against Jesus, but He spoke not a word in His own defence. 'crucify him!' they shouted.


Pilate washed his hands, to show the decision was not his own, but he did not dare to side publicly with Jesus; instead, he was willing to content the people.

So Jesus was condemned to death.


Lord, when You were misunderstood,
You silently forgave;
but we so often respond in anger.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord have mercy.

Lord, You gave us opportunity to choose Jesus,
but for so long we have chosen rebellion
that demanded Your death.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.


amen

The Way of the Cross (1)

JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH



His accusers brought many false charges against Jesus, but He spoke not a word in His own defence. 'crucify him!' they shouted.


Pilate washed his hands, to show the decision was not his own, but he did not dare to side publicly with Jesus; instead, he was willing to content the people.

So Jesus was condemned to death.


Lord, when You were misunderstood,
You silently forgave;
but we so often respond in anger.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord have mercy.

Lord, You gave us opportunity to choose Jesus,
but for so long we have chosen rebellion
that demanded Your death.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.


amen

On Forgiveness

The other morning some of us were together in a church where the rector was saying Morning Prayer, and leading us in a guided silent prayer. He said, ‘Let us pray for those whom we love.’ And that was easy.

The he said, ‘Let us pray for those we do not love.’ And there rose before me three men for whom I have to pray. They were men who have opposed my work. In this way they may have been wrong.

But my wrong was in resentment and a feeling of letting myself be cut off from them, and even from praying for them because of it. Years ago, I read a quotation from Mary Lyon that recurs to me again and again: ‘Nine-tenths of our suffering is caused by others not thinking so much of us as we think they ought.’ If you want to know where pride nestles and festers in most of us, that is right where it is; and it is not the opposition of others, but our own pride, which causes us the deepest hurt. I never read a word that penetrated more deeply into the sin of pride from which all of us suffer, nor one which opens up more surgically our places of unforgiveness.

Samuel Moor Shoemaker
And Thy Neighbour

On Forgiveness

The other morning some of us were together in a church where the rector was saying Morning Prayer, and leading us in a guided silent prayer. He said, ‘Let us pray for those whom we love.’ And that was easy.

The he said, ‘Let us pray for those we do not love.’ And there rose before me three men for whom I have to pray. They were men who have opposed my work. In this way they may have been wrong.

But my wrong was in resentment and a feeling of letting myself be cut off from them, and even from praying for them because of it. Years ago, I read a quotation from Mary Lyon that recurs to me again and again: ‘Nine-tenths of our suffering is caused by others not thinking so much of us as we think they ought.’ If you want to know where pride nestles and festers in most of us, that is right where it is; and it is not the opposition of others, but our own pride, which causes us the deepest hurt. I never read a word that penetrated more deeply into the sin of pride from which all of us suffer, nor one which opens up more surgically our places of unforgiveness.

Samuel Moor Shoemaker
And Thy Neighbour

The Contemplative Christian

AS kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell’s
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves—goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying Whát I do is me: for that I came.

Í say móre: the just man justices;
Kéeps gráce: thát keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is—
Chríst—for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men’s faces.

‘As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme’
by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844–89). Poems. 1918.

The vivid sonnet says that living beings were created to have Christ come alive in them. Eugene Peterson said. "Hopkins doesn't talk about achieving this congruence, but how it is achieved in us, when Christ lives in us." Peterson describes congruence as the alignment of who you are and what you do, the harmony of the ends you seek and the means you use to achieve them.

Nathan Bierma writes,

This is not the triumphal self-motivated march toward sanctification in which many American Christians are caught up. "It's easier to talk about what Christians do—life as performance," Peterson said. But the three pieces of Jesus' fundamental declaration that he is the way, the truth, and the life, must be in perfect correspondence. "Only when we live Jesus' truth in Jesus' way do we get Jesus' life," Peterson said. Not his truth in our way for the sake of our life. Peterson speculated that America's current hunger for "spirituality"—which he earlier told the (Christian) Century often "degenerates into a sloppy subjectivism"—may have been brought on by Christian leaders who say the right things but lack this coherent identity—"a life lived whole, with integrity, the inside and outside organic to one another."

The deeper problem, Peterson said, is that two things that are basic to the Christian life run counter to the American ethos. First, the Christian life is not about us, but about God. It is not like giving ourselves a makeover. "We're in on it, but we're not the subject or the action," Peterson said. Ever notice how in the Bible, we always come in after a preposition? God with us, in us, for us. In an individualistic, commercial culture, where the self is the center of everything, an autonomous agent of transformation, we have lost this grammar of shalom—what Peterson called "prepositional participation."

The second principle of the Christian life that runs against the grain of American culture, Peterson said, is that the ways and means must be appropriate to the ends. "We can't participate in God's work if we insist on doing it our own way." He cited two examples of "doing the right thing the wrong way": congregation and Scripture. We consider both to be our matters, not God's. Instead of forming communities that embody self-denial, sacrifice, and patience for God to become present in them, we form "consumer churches," using commercial methods to attract people and cater to their wants. And rather than reading Scripture as a way of "listening to God revealing God," we treat it as information for us to process to become more successful and enlightened people. In both cases, the ways and means—bowing to the gods of salesmanship and efficiency—are out of sync with the ends—forming a community of believers submitting to God's work within them.

Read more here

photo source

The Contemplative Christian

AS kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell’s
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves—goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying Whát I do is me: for that I came.

Í say móre: the just man justices;
Kéeps gráce: thát keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is—
Chríst—for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men’s faces.

‘As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme’
by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844–89). Poems. 1918.

The vivid sonnet says that living beings were created to have Christ come alive in them. Eugene Peterson said. "Hopkins doesn't talk about achieving this congruence, but how it is achieved in us, when Christ lives in us." Peterson describes congruence as the alignment of who you are and what you do, the harmony of the ends you seek and the means you use to achieve them.

Nathan Bierma writes,

This is not the triumphal self-motivated march toward sanctification in which many American Christians are caught up. "It's easier to talk about what Christians do—life as performance," Peterson said. But the three pieces of Jesus' fundamental declaration that he is the way, the truth, and the life, must be in perfect correspondence. "Only when we live Jesus' truth in Jesus' way do we get Jesus' life," Peterson said. Not his truth in our way for the sake of our life. Peterson speculated that America's current hunger for "spirituality"—which he earlier told the (Christian) Century often "degenerates into a sloppy subjectivism"—may have been brought on by Christian leaders who say the right things but lack this coherent identity—"a life lived whole, with integrity, the inside and outside organic to one another."

The deeper problem, Peterson said, is that two things that are basic to the Christian life run counter to the American ethos. First, the Christian life is not about us, but about God. It is not like giving ourselves a makeover. "We're in on it, but we're not the subject or the action," Peterson said. Ever notice how in the Bible, we always come in after a preposition? God with us, in us, for us. In an individualistic, commercial culture, where the self is the center of everything, an autonomous agent of transformation, we have lost this grammar of shalom—what Peterson called "prepositional participation."

The second principle of the Christian life that runs against the grain of American culture, Peterson said, is that the ways and means must be appropriate to the ends. "We can't participate in God's work if we insist on doing it our own way." He cited two examples of "doing the right thing the wrong way": congregation and Scripture. We consider both to be our matters, not God's. Instead of forming communities that embody self-denial, sacrifice, and patience for God to become present in them, we form "consumer churches," using commercial methods to attract people and cater to their wants. And rather than reading Scripture as a way of "listening to God revealing God," we treat it as information for us to process to become more successful and enlightened people. In both cases, the ways and means—bowing to the gods of salesmanship and efficiency—are out of sync with the ends—forming a community of believers submitting to God's work within them.

Read more here

photo source

Spirituality Assessment

Susie, like her older brother and sister, enrolled at a Christian university in her home state. While at the university, she became increasingly involved in issues of social justice, helping out regularly at a soup kitchen and organizing a food drive. She attended chapel weekly, as required, but reported that she frequently daydreamed or took it as ‘down time’ from her busy schedule. Has Susie grown spiritually in college? To what degree? (Please round to the nearest whole number).

Is it possible to assess spiritual growth? Can we quantify spirituality? Apparently many religious colleges in the States are attempting to do so according to insidehighered.com's article Spiritual Accountability.

Dr. Todd Hall,associate professor of psychology at Biola University developed an instrument called Spiritual Transformation Inventory (STI).

The STI consists of five domains based on previous theory and research. The five major domains include 21 subscales validated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and convergent validity with relevant measures.

The domains are:
(1)Spiritual Meaning and Vitality
(2)Spiritual Commitment & Community
(3)Secure Spiritual Attachment
(4)Preoccupied Spiritual Attachment
(5)Dismissing Spiritual Attachment

An example of a Spiritual transformation Inventory on an individual is here.

About 25 institutions affiliated with the Council for Christian College & Universities participated in the Spiritual Transformation Inventory in the 2005-6 school year, with 15 to 20 participating this past semester, Hall says.

Most of these studies are done in the States for religious educational institutions. They are needed to justify that religious educational institutions offers a special distinctive compared to non-religious educational institution.

I wonder whether such a test can be done for our churches. Are members of our congregations growing spiritually? Are the activities of the congregation contributing to their spiritual growth? Are the teachings given adequate for spiritual growth? And do we really want to know?

photo source

Spirituality Assessment

Susie, like her older brother and sister, enrolled at a Christian university in her home state. While at the university, she became increasingly involved in issues of social justice, helping out regularly at a soup kitchen and organizing a food drive. She attended chapel weekly, as required, but reported that she frequently daydreamed or took it as ‘down time’ from her busy schedule. Has Susie grown spiritually in college? To what degree? (Please round to the nearest whole number).

Is it possible to assess spiritual growth? Can we quantify spirituality? Apparently many religious colleges in the States are attempting to do so according to insidehighered.com's article Spiritual Accountability.

Dr. Todd Hall,associate professor of psychology at Biola University developed an instrument called Spiritual Transformation Inventory (STI).

The STI consists of five domains based on previous theory and research. The five major domains include 21 subscales validated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and convergent validity with relevant measures.

The domains are:
(1)Spiritual Meaning and Vitality
(2)Spiritual Commitment & Community
(3)Secure Spiritual Attachment
(4)Preoccupied Spiritual Attachment
(5)Dismissing Spiritual Attachment

An example of a Spiritual transformation Inventory on an individual is here.

About 25 institutions affiliated with the Council for Christian College & Universities participated in the Spiritual Transformation Inventory in the 2005-6 school year, with 15 to 20 participating this past semester, Hall says.

Most of these studies are done in the States for religious educational institutions. They are needed to justify that religious educational institutions offers a special distinctive compared to non-religious educational institution.

I wonder whether such a test can be done for our churches. Are members of our congregations growing spiritually? Are the activities of the congregation contributing to their spiritual growth? Are the teachings given adequate for spiritual growth? And do we really want to know?

photo source

An Ambitious and Controlling Freak

Ambitious and controlling is a dangerous combination;
a lethal mixture that lead to character blowout;
one to rise to the top, one to bind others in their station;
widespread damage with emotional fatal fallout;

Ambition is competitive, cutting down threats by the sword;
sacrificing family, love for the altar of success;
stepping on the fallen to rise high, binding others by the cord;
support nourished by worshippers of the cess.

Controlling reduces people to objects, use and discard;
puppets that dance to the puppeteer’s consciousness;
managing in small details, manipulating with no regard;
wearing the triumphant badge of self-righteousness.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek;
blessed are the pure, the peacemakers;
blessed are the merciful, those who seek;
blessed are the persecuted, the soul builders.

An Ambitious and Controlling Freak

Ambitious and controlling is a dangerous combination;
a lethal mixture that lead to character blowout;
one to rise to the top, one to bind others in their station;
widespread damage with emotional fatal fallout;

Ambition is competitive, cutting down threats by the sword;
sacrificing family, love for the altar of success;
stepping on the fallen to rise high, binding others by the cord;
support nourished by worshippers of the cess.

Controlling reduces people to objects, use and discard;
puppets that dance to the puppeteer’s consciousness;
managing in small details, manipulating with no regard;
wearing the triumphant badge of self-righteousness.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek;
blessed are the pure, the peacemakers;
blessed are the merciful, those who seek;
blessed are the persecuted, the soul builders.

John Denver: Leaving on a Jet Plane

All my bags are packed

I'm ready to go

I'm standin here outside your door

I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

But the dawn is breakin

Its early morn'

The taxis waitin'

He's blowin his horn

Already I'm so lonesome

I could die

So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

'cause I'm leavin on a jet plane

Dont know when I'll be back again

Oh babe, I hate to go

There's so many times

I've let you down

So many times

I've played around

I tell you now, they don't mean a thing

Ev'ry place I go, I'll think of you

Ev'ry song I sing, I'll sing for you

When I come back,

I'll bring your wedding ring

So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

'cause I'm leavin on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again

Oh babe, I hate to go

Now the time has come to leave you

One more time

Let me kiss you

Then close your eyes

I'll be on my way

Dream about the days to come

When I won't have to leave alone

About the times, I won't have to say

Oh, kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

'cause Im leavin on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again

Oh babe, I hate to go

But, I'm leavin' on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again

Oh babe, I hate to go

Words and music by John Denver

John Denver: Leaving on a Jet Plane

All my bags are packed

I'm ready to go

I'm standin here outside your door

I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

But the dawn is breakin

Its early morn'

The taxis waitin'

He's blowin his horn

Already I'm so lonesome

I could die

So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

'cause I'm leavin on a jet plane

Dont know when I'll be back again

Oh babe, I hate to go

There's so many times

I've let you down

So many times

I've played around

I tell you now, they don't mean a thing

Ev'ry place I go, I'll think of you

Ev'ry song I sing, I'll sing for you

When I come back,

I'll bring your wedding ring

So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

'cause I'm leavin on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again

Oh babe, I hate to go

Now the time has come to leave you

One more time

Let me kiss you

Then close your eyes

I'll be on my way

Dream about the days to come

When I won't have to leave alone

About the times, I won't have to say

Oh, kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me

Hold me like you'll never let me go

'cause Im leavin on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again

Oh babe, I hate to go

But, I'm leavin' on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again

Oh babe, I hate to go

Words and music by John Denver

Listen to the Silence in the Noise

A legend has it that there was a temple built on an island and it held a thousand bells. Bells, big and small, fashioned by the finest craftsman in the world. When the wind blew or a storm raged, all the bells would peal out in a symphony that would send the heart of the hearer into raptures.

But over the centuries, the island sank into the sea and, with it, the temple bells. It is said that the bells continued to peel out, ceaselessly, and could be heard by anyone who would listened. Inspired by this legend, a young man travelled thousands of miles, determined to hear those bells. He sat for days on the shore, facing the vanished island, and listened with all his might. But all he could hear was the sound of the sea. He made every effort to block it out. But to no avail; the sound of the sea seemed to flood the world.

He kept at his tasks for weeks. Each time he got disheartened he would listen to the village elders who spoke with passion of the mysterious legend. Then his heart will be aflame…only to be discouraged again when weeks of further effort yielded no results.

Finally he decided to give up the attempt. Perhaps he was not destined to hear the bells. Perhaps the legend was not true. It was his final day, and he went to the shore to say goodbye to the sea and the sky and the wind and the coconut trees. He lay on the sand, and for the first time listened to the sound of the sea. Soon he was so lost in the sound that he was barely conscious of himself, so deep was the silence the sound produced.

In the depth of that silence, he heard it! The twinkle of a tiny bell followed by another, and another, and another…and soon every one of the thousand temple bells was peeling out in harmony, and his heart was rapt in joyous ecstasy.

This story teaches us two important lessons about listening and awareness. First, all of us have a desire to hear God’s voice. We want to hear what he is saying to us. We want him to speak peace and comfort into our trials and tribulations. We have been taught early in our Christian life to set aside time for prayer and Bible reading. We call it the “quiet time.” We are told that if we have our quiet time regularly, we will hear the voice of God. If not audibly, at least we know that he speaks to us in answered prayers or certain passages in the Bible we are reading that will convey his speech.

There are two possibilities concerning our quiet time. One is that we become too busy that we do not have time to pray and read the Bible. Hence we feel guilty, and we think we have lost the opportunity to hear God’s voice. The other possibility is that we continued faithfully in our prayers and Bible reading but we find it dry and boring after a while. We also find that we do not hear God speaking to us. We must be aware that God speaks to us in many ways. He speaks to us by his Word. God also speaks to us in our prayers, through other people, circumstances, dreams, and into our daily lives.

For those of us who are too busy for prayer and Bible reading, be aware that God still speaks to us in our busy lives. For those who are disciplined in prayers and Bible reading, be careful that we do not try too hard. Like the young man on the beach who tried so hard to hear the bells by consciously shutting out the ocean sounds, we may too be trying too hard to hear God’s voice. In the spiritual life, it is not effort that counts. Spiritual growth is not something we build but who we become. Sometimes, we try too hard in our spiritual life. For example, we want to have faith. Now, faith is not something we can create. There is nothing we can do to make us have more faith. Faith is a gift, something that only God can give. The only thing we can do is ask God for it.

Second, all of us live hectic, busy, and noisy lives. A recent scientific study done showed that cities have a high level of ambience noise. This level of ambient noise can be disruptive to our well being if we are exposed to it for too long. The noise will also cause deafness. Yet it is in our hectic, busy, and noisy lives that God speaks to us. Unfortunately, many of us are already deaf to him because we have not learnt to embrace the noise until we can hear the silence within. The noisy world is like a weather storm; a typhoon. There is always a centre called the “eye” of the storm. This “eye” is a calm, quiet, and peaceful area within the raging storm. We must learn to be aware of the noise around us. We can embrace the noise of the world and move beyond it into the silence within. It is in this silence that we hear the voice of God.

How do we not try too hard, and enter into the silence of our busy and noisy lives? We begin by being aware that God is in our busy and noisy lives. God is not only just present in church on Sunday. We do not leave God behind when we leave the church building after the service. God is not only present in our daily lives, but he is speaking to us all the time. Speaking to God is prayer and Paul has taught us to pray “unceasingly”. This means that it is possible to be speaking and listening to God 24/7. Since God is already with us, there is no need to try too hard to reach him. If possible, set aside some time for him alone, this is your quiet time. If not, listen for him in the happenings of your daily lives. Try to be aware of God’s presence and voice in the routine, mundane of your daily lives. Catch a glimpse of God in a sunrise, a beautiful flower, a friendly smile, a loving touch, an opportunity to offer help, and to receive help. When we become aware of God’s presence in our lives, each encounter becomes dazzling like a sudden burst of joy. Time seems to stand still. There is a deep warm silence. And in the silence you will hear the voice of God who calls you his beloved. It is possible to hear the harmony of a thousand bells.

Reflection questions
(1) Are you trying too hard in your efforts to hear God? Or not making enough effort?
(2) How will you be aware and listen for encounters with God in your hectic, busy, and noisy life?
(3) How will you schedule some quiet time to be aware of God’s presence in your hectic, busy, and noisy life?

Lord,
We thank you for your presence with us all the time, speaking to us, and guiding our lives. Help us to be aware of your presence and enter into your silence in our hectic, busy, and noisy lives. Hold us in your embrace and let us feel your love, as your beloved. Help us, O Lord, we pray.
Amen

Listen to the Silence in the Noise

A legend has it that there was a temple built on an island and it held a thousand bells. Bells, big and small, fashioned by the finest craftsman in the world. When the wind blew or a storm raged, all the bells would peal out in a symphony that would send the heart of the hearer into raptures.

But over the centuries, the island sank into the sea and, with it, the temple bells. It is said that the bells continued to peel out, ceaselessly, and could be heard by anyone who would listened. Inspired by this legend, a young man travelled thousands of miles, determined to hear those bells. He sat for days on the shore, facing the vanished island, and listened with all his might. But all he could hear was the sound of the sea. He made every effort to block it out. But to no avail; the sound of the sea seemed to flood the world.

He kept at his tasks for weeks. Each time he got disheartened he would listen to the village elders who spoke with passion of the mysterious legend. Then his heart will be aflame…only to be discouraged again when weeks of further effort yielded no results.

Finally he decided to give up the attempt. Perhaps he was not destined to hear the bells. Perhaps the legend was not true. It was his final day, and he went to the shore to say goodbye to the sea and the sky and the wind and the coconut trees. He lay on the sand, and for the first time listened to the sound of the sea. Soon he was so lost in the sound that he was barely conscious of himself, so deep was the silence the sound produced.

In the depth of that silence, he heard it! The twinkle of a tiny bell followed by another, and another, and another…and soon every one of the thousand temple bells was peeling out in harmony, and his heart was rapt in joyous ecstasy.

This story teaches us two important lessons about listening and awareness. First, all of us have a desire to hear God’s voice. We want to hear what he is saying to us. We want him to speak peace and comfort into our trials and tribulations. We have been taught early in our Christian life to set aside time for prayer and Bible reading. We call it the “quiet time.” We are told that if we have our quiet time regularly, we will hear the voice of God. If not audibly, at least we know that he speaks to us in answered prayers or certain passages in the Bible we are reading that will convey his speech.

There are two possibilities concerning our quiet time. One is that we become too busy that we do not have time to pray and read the Bible. Hence we feel guilty, and we think we have lost the opportunity to hear God’s voice. The other possibility is that we continued faithfully in our prayers and Bible reading but we find it dry and boring after a while. We also find that we do not hear God speaking to us. We must be aware that God speaks to us in many ways. He speaks to us by his Word. God also speaks to us in our prayers, through other people, circumstances, dreams, and into our daily lives.

For those of us who are too busy for prayer and Bible reading, be aware that God still speaks to us in our busy lives. For those who are disciplined in prayers and Bible reading, be careful that we do not try too hard. Like the young man on the beach who tried so hard to hear the bells by consciously shutting out the ocean sounds, we may too be trying too hard to hear God’s voice. In the spiritual life, it is not effort that counts. Spiritual growth is not something we build but who we become. Sometimes, we try too hard in our spiritual life. For example, we want to have faith. Now, faith is not something we can create. There is nothing we can do to make us have more faith. Faith is a gift, something that only God can give. The only thing we can do is ask God for it.

Second, all of us live hectic, busy, and noisy lives. A recent scientific study done showed that cities have a high level of ambience noise. This level of ambient noise can be disruptive to our well being if we are exposed to it for too long. The noise will also cause deafness. Yet it is in our hectic, busy, and noisy lives that God speaks to us. Unfortunately, many of us are already deaf to him because we have not learnt to embrace the noise until we can hear the silence within. The noisy world is like a weather storm; a typhoon. There is always a centre called the “eye” of the storm. This “eye” is a calm, quiet, and peaceful area within the raging storm. We must learn to be aware of the noise around us. We can embrace the noise of the world and move beyond it into the silence within. It is in this silence that we hear the voice of God.

How do we not try too hard, and enter into the silence of our busy and noisy lives? We begin by being aware that God is in our busy and noisy lives. God is not only just present in church on Sunday. We do not leave God behind when we leave the church building after the service. God is not only present in our daily lives, but he is speaking to us all the time. Speaking to God is prayer and Paul has taught us to pray “unceasingly”. This means that it is possible to be speaking and listening to God 24/7. Since God is already with us, there is no need to try too hard to reach him. If possible, set aside some time for him alone, this is your quiet time. If not, listen for him in the happenings of your daily lives. Try to be aware of God’s presence and voice in the routine, mundane of your daily lives. Catch a glimpse of God in a sunrise, a beautiful flower, a friendly smile, a loving touch, an opportunity to offer help, and to receive help. When we become aware of God’s presence in our lives, each encounter becomes dazzling like a sudden burst of joy. Time seems to stand still. There is a deep warm silence. And in the silence you will hear the voice of God who calls you his beloved. It is possible to hear the harmony of a thousand bells.

Reflection questions
(1) Are you trying too hard in your efforts to hear God? Or not making enough effort?
(2) How will you be aware and listen for encounters with God in your hectic, busy, and noisy life?
(3) How will you schedule some quiet time to be aware of God’s presence in your hectic, busy, and noisy life?

Lord,
We thank you for your presence with us all the time, speaking to us, and guiding our lives. Help us to be aware of your presence and enter into your silence in our hectic, busy, and noisy lives. Hold us in your embrace and let us feel your love, as your beloved. Help us, O Lord, we pray.
Amen

Mobile Suits Gundam: Ultimate Operation U.C.0079

Picked up these guys at Action City, City Square, Johor Bahru, Malaysia yesterday afternoon.

Mobile Suits Gundam: Ultimate Operation U.C.0079

Picked up these guys at Action City, City Square, Johor Bahru, Malaysia yesterday afternoon.

Random Bloggings about the Emerging Church

Phillis Tickle observes that in church history, there is a reformation/renewal movement every five hundred years. The last one, about 500 years ago is the Reformation. Could the emerging church be the next renewal? Read about it in The Future of the Emerging Churches from the blog,Out of Ur

In the same blog Brian McLaren Thanks God for Enemies. Brian credits Bishop Velimirovic's prayers for his enemies influential in helping him to relate to his.

Prayer Regarding Critics and Enemies by Serbian Orthodox Bishop
By Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, Serbian bishop who spoke out against Naziism, was arrested, and taken to Dachau.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them. Enemies have driven me into your embrace more than friends have. Friends have bound me to earth; enemies have loosed me from earth and have demolished all my aspirations in the world.

Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous inhabitant of the world.
Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary, having ensconced myself beneath Your tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless and do not curse them.

They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world. They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself. They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments. They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself. They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance. Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish. Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as though I were a [fly].

Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into the background.

Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand.

Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they have wakened me from sleep.

Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life, they have demolished it and driven me out.

Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out my hands to the hem of your garment.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even more bitterly against me:
So that my fleeing will have no return; So that all my hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs; So that absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul; So that my heart may become the grave of my two evil twins: arrogance and anger;
So that I might amass all my treasure in heaven; Ah, so that I may for once be freed from self-deception, which has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life.

Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows, that a person has no enemies in the world except himself. One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize that they are not enemies, but cruel friends.

It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies. Therefore bless, O Lord, both my friends and my enemies. A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand. But a son blesses them, for he understands.

For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life. Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them. Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.


Prof. Mark DeVine writes, Fast Friends or Future Foes? The Emerging Church and Southern Baptists, which is an interesting development as one can hardly imagine an emergent church in the Southern Baptist Convention.

Meanwhile, Mark Discoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church, blogs about his exhaustion, poor health and dryness in Brokeness and Buddies: a lesson we all should take to heart.

Random Bloggings about the Emerging Church

Phillis Tickle observes that in church history, there is a reformation/renewal movement every five hundred years. The last one, about 500 years ago is the Reformation. Could the emerging church be the next renewal? Read about it in The Future of the Emerging Churches from the blog,Out of Ur

In the same blog Brian McLaren Thanks God for Enemies. Brian credits Bishop Velimirovic's prayers for his enemies influential in helping him to relate to his.

Prayer Regarding Critics and Enemies by Serbian Orthodox Bishop
By Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, Serbian bishop who spoke out against Naziism, was arrested, and taken to Dachau.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them. Enemies have driven me into your embrace more than friends have. Friends have bound me to earth; enemies have loosed me from earth and have demolished all my aspirations in the world.

Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous inhabitant of the world.
Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary, having ensconced myself beneath Your tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless and do not curse them.

They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world. They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself. They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments. They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself. They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance. Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish. Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as though I were a [fly].

Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into the background.

Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand.

Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they have wakened me from sleep.

Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life, they have demolished it and driven me out.

Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out my hands to the hem of your garment.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even more bitterly against me:
So that my fleeing will have no return; So that all my hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs; So that absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul; So that my heart may become the grave of my two evil twins: arrogance and anger;
So that I might amass all my treasure in heaven; Ah, so that I may for once be freed from self-deception, which has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life.

Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows, that a person has no enemies in the world except himself. One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize that they are not enemies, but cruel friends.

It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies. Therefore bless, O Lord, both my friends and my enemies. A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand. But a son blesses them, for he understands.

For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life. Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them. Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.


Prof. Mark DeVine writes, Fast Friends or Future Foes? The Emerging Church and Southern Baptists, which is an interesting development as one can hardly imagine an emergent church in the Southern Baptist Convention.

Meanwhile, Mark Discoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church, blogs about his exhaustion, poor health and dryness in Brokeness and Buddies: a lesson we all should take to heart.