TOO MUCH TO BLOG ABOUT
My brain is on overload right now, trying to process through the death of my uncle, our impending move, being a week behind at work from being in a training session all last week, and being EXHAUSTED from running my first half-marathon this weekend (finished in 3:13). I am relieved to be through my training, past my red belt testing, and done with my weight loss competition (I've lost 67 lbs since January), but I am without a goal to reach for now and this week is pressing in on me. Anyway, nothing deep or profound, for the few readers I do have, but this is, nonetheless, where I am today. I'm on my way home tomorrow, to be with family- not sure what that will be like, as things seem to be a bit tense there right now. Drama.
4.29.2008
2.28.2008
UPDATES AND THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY
First of all, it's been a while, blah, blah, blah....so I am now a recommended brown belt, 3 more tests til black belt. I have gone from 399.6 to 354.4 lbs now, and am on track to be at 300 by the 1/2 marathon April 26. So that's that.
I started reading "Irresistable Revolution" by Shane Claiborne, and it has been messing with me. I'm up at 5 AM reading about Mother Teresa and work with homelss and lepers in Calcutta, and Shane talking about looking for an authentic Christian, just randomly calling Mother Teresa on the phone and doing a summer internship there......who does that? Later I'm driving to work, listening to a new song I'm learning for praise band at church, "Mighty to Save", and I'm sitting in my car, tears running down my face, listineing to the Hillsong folks sing "Shine your light and let the whole world see, for the glory of the risen King".....wow, I've just been struck with my own complacency today.....not only do I take God for granted by often not fully grasping the gravity of the words I sing to Him, but I have neglected the simple but difficult call to "shine my light", and go about my life trying to make a difference for the Kingdom, doing all I can to help those who have need to meet their need, and for those in need of a Savior to find Him. I'm lazy, and I find myself wanting to say, "you can't beat yourself up for not moving to Calcutta or something". Can't I? Shouldn't I?
Not that God has only one place to serve- Mother Teresa said that there were "Calcuttas" everywhere, wherever there was need. We have a whole world in need, and need even in our affluent little burg, and yet I find myself content to sing my songs of love and sacrifice, yet not only do I not sacrifice or love ACTIVELY, but often I don't even take the time to ask myself if I know or agree with what I'm singing. "My God is mighty to save". That's true. "He rose and conquered the grave". True. "Everyone needs compassion, love that's never failing". True.....so true. What am I doing about that? What are we doing about that?
First of all, it's been a while, blah, blah, blah....so I am now a recommended brown belt, 3 more tests til black belt. I have gone from 399.6 to 354.4 lbs now, and am on track to be at 300 by the 1/2 marathon April 26. So that's that.
I started reading "Irresistable Revolution" by Shane Claiborne, and it has been messing with me. I'm up at 5 AM reading about Mother Teresa and work with homelss and lepers in Calcutta, and Shane talking about looking for an authentic Christian, just randomly calling Mother Teresa on the phone and doing a summer internship there......who does that? Later I'm driving to work, listening to a new song I'm learning for praise band at church, "Mighty to Save", and I'm sitting in my car, tears running down my face, listineing to the Hillsong folks sing "Shine your light and let the whole world see, for the glory of the risen King".....wow, I've just been struck with my own complacency today.....not only do I take God for granted by often not fully grasping the gravity of the words I sing to Him, but I have neglected the simple but difficult call to "shine my light", and go about my life trying to make a difference for the Kingdom, doing all I can to help those who have need to meet their need, and for those in need of a Savior to find Him. I'm lazy, and I find myself wanting to say, "you can't beat yourself up for not moving to Calcutta or something". Can't I? Shouldn't I?
Not that God has only one place to serve- Mother Teresa said that there were "Calcuttas" everywhere, wherever there was need. We have a whole world in need, and need even in our affluent little burg, and yet I find myself content to sing my songs of love and sacrifice, yet not only do I not sacrifice or love ACTIVELY, but often I don't even take the time to ask myself if I know or agree with what I'm singing. "My God is mighty to save". That's true. "He rose and conquered the grave". True. "Everyone needs compassion, love that's never failing". True.....so true. What am I doing about that? What are we doing about that?
11.09.2007
DON'T DOUBLE DIP!
For crying out loud, if you go lift weights with a trainer at lunch, don't expect to go to your martial arts class and perform the way you should. You WILL get kicked directly on the chin....you'll take it like a man, but you WILL get kicked, just the same. It'll feel like you're trying to spar with lead weights in your pockets, and you WILL get schooled. Not saying I know from personal experience or anything...I'm just saying.
Oh, by the way, I dropped 4 pounds this week. Not too shabby!
For crying out loud, if you go lift weights with a trainer at lunch, don't expect to go to your martial arts class and perform the way you should. You WILL get kicked directly on the chin....you'll take it like a man, but you WILL get kicked, just the same. It'll feel like you're trying to spar with lead weights in your pockets, and you WILL get schooled. Not saying I know from personal experience or anything...I'm just saying.
Oh, by the way, I dropped 4 pounds this week. Not too shabby!
11.07.2007
FIRST WORKOUT
So it turns out the guy never rescheduled our trainer appointment, so they guy was booked today, and we rescheduled for tomorrow. Mel and I went ahead and worked out, and she was so funny because she was really worried about looking stupid/out of shape, which of course is silly since we were there to get IN shape. ANyway, we did a relatively easy circuit with free weights, and then cardio for about 20 minutes. It was fun, even if she was freakin out! More to come.
So it turns out the guy never rescheduled our trainer appointment, so they guy was booked today, and we rescheduled for tomorrow. Mel and I went ahead and worked out, and she was so funny because she was really worried about looking stupid/out of shape, which of course is silly since we were there to get IN shape. ANyway, we did a relatively easy circuit with free weights, and then cardio for about 20 minutes. It was fun, even if she was freakin out! More to come.
11.06.2007
GETTING BACK ON TRACK
Been absent fromt he blog for a bit, and been absent from my life for a bit.... and I'm fed up. I passed my blue belt test a week ago, by the way, now I have just six weeks to prepare for my brown belt test.....YIKES! Also, I had been losing weight several months ago, beginning with a weight loss competition at work from April to June, and i lost 50 pounds (started at 399.6, check out picture to the left)......and that was pretty much that. I kept it off, withthe exception of the last few weeks, where I feel I may have re-gained 5 or 10. This weekend, Mel and I got hooked up at our local fitness center, meeting with a trainer tomorrow to get on a program, and we are committed to meeting at lunch time to work out. I was down to 349, probably more like 355-360 now, and I have a goal weight of 225 (picture ont he right is me at 235, my smallest...but not best shape)....give or take. I am putting these numbers here as a mile marker, a visual reminder of my goal, so I can look back on this in a year or more (130 lbs. from now), having met my goals (obtained or be in mid-terms for my black belt, have run a 5K, and be at or near 225, as my body will determine when I get there).
9.27.2007
37 DAYS TO GO
OK, so no posts in a while, I would guess no one is looking at this any more, but we'll give it a go. By the way, got my purple belt Sept1, working towards blue in October. I am competing at a tournament in Olive Branch MS on Nov. 3, so I now have 37 days to get serious about my conditioning. Yikes. Anyway, I'll be competing in form and sparring- form will be cake, sparring could be interesting. I'm working on dropping as much weight as possible in that timeframe, and building up my endurance, also thinking I'll try some plyometric workouts to try and build some speed and power in my strikes. That's the plan anyway. Anna will compete as well, though at age 5, it is not scored by points, but just by effort and attitude. Should be cute. They look like Rock-em-sock-em robots in all their gear. Too funny.
OK, so no posts in a while, I would guess no one is looking at this any more, but we'll give it a go. By the way, got my purple belt Sept1, working towards blue in October. I am competing at a tournament in Olive Branch MS on Nov. 3, so I now have 37 days to get serious about my conditioning. Yikes. Anyway, I'll be competing in form and sparring- form will be cake, sparring could be interesting. I'm working on dropping as much weight as possible in that timeframe, and building up my endurance, also thinking I'll try some plyometric workouts to try and build some speed and power in my strikes. That's the plan anyway. Anna will compete as well, though at age 5, it is not scored by points, but just by effort and attitude. Should be cute. They look like Rock-em-sock-em robots in all their gear. Too funny.
7.13.2007
GREEN BELT TEST PASSED
I am now over half-way to my black belt, I dropped 50 lbs since April 1, and I've started taking classes so that I can become an instructor in a year-and-a-half or so when I'm a black belt (and 175 lbs lighter). It feels good to begin seeing good progress...my instructor says a test for power and proper execution is if your uniform makes a popping noise (like a whip cracking) when you do a strike or kick- last night, first time doing a new strike (ridge hand strike), my uniform "popped" every time. It felt good. It's all about the little things, you know? Anyway, it was a good week.....now I need some sleep.
I am now over half-way to my black belt, I dropped 50 lbs since April 1, and I've started taking classes so that I can become an instructor in a year-and-a-half or so when I'm a black belt (and 175 lbs lighter). It feels good to begin seeing good progress...my instructor says a test for power and proper execution is if your uniform makes a popping noise (like a whip cracking) when you do a strike or kick- last night, first time doing a new strike (ridge hand strike), my uniform "popped" every time. It felt good. It's all about the little things, you know? Anyway, it was a good week.....now I need some sleep.
6.20.2007
TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK....into a deadly weapon!
I've been struggling this week with reconciling my faith and my new hobby- martial arts. I've been readin a lot online on both sides of the fence, and I think I've reached a point where I know I'm doing what I should. The interesting part is that I got started with this at a fairly standard Taekwondo school, not one of the many local "Christian" dojangs. Funny as it may sound, I've actually entertained the notion of opening a school one day, but not before I've done it the traditional way first. Ah, I digress. My conclusions.
The two main objections to Christian doing martial arts have been: 1. martial arts teach Eastern religion and mysticism, and 2. The biblical mandate to "turn the other cheek" is in conflict with the idea of self-defense. The first I can debunk from personal experience right away, the extent of the "Eastern mysticism" being taught at my schoo amounts to telling us to close our eyes and meditate, and the meditation consists of picturing ourselves doing the move, or fighting the fight before we begin, so that we have mentally thought through, focused, and prepared our brain to control the movements of our body...... man, that's so wrong. Sounds a lot like the biblical mandate of meditating on Scripture, allowing it to marinate in our mind, so that new understanding comes, and we are more prepared to do what God asks of us. At any rate, I'm sure there are schools teaching Buddhist ideals out there, but with some careful selection, those can be safely avoided. We learn concepts like integrity, perseverance, goal-setting, leadership, etc. Not exactly out of line with Scripture.
The second objection took a little more thought. I've always wrestled with the idea of being a Christian in a violent world, trying to follow this passive, peace-loving Jesus every preacher has proposed to me in my 28 years. Honestly, it never quite worked. What about people who have fought in our countries various wars? What about the victims of violent crime? Law enforcement? How can you reconcile turning the other cheek with these people? Ultimately, I think it's a flaw in our view of Scripture, a cultural presupposition that everything translates into 21st Century American ethics and customs.....context is needed.
In Jewish culture, and throughout other cultures in history, one need only "lay the smack down" on the right cheek of an opponent to issue an insult or challenge. Matthew 5:38-42 is the text, and it points less at an admonission in favor of passivity, as it does at a call to ignore or deny a response to an insult or character-attack of some kind. Would God expect us to sit by and not resist as our family was brutally attacked and murdered- no. There would be as much sin in allowing that to happen as in committing the crime yourself. BUT, if someone insults you, or attacks your character, does it benefit you to sink to their level and attack back, or would it be more beneficial to "turn the other cheek"- to take it in stride, and not let it drag you down as well. THAT, I believe is the concept at work in that passage, and so I take issue with those who stand in judgement of anyone who would defend his home/family/country (within reason). I don't believe God calls us to be sissies, as much as he calls us to operate under love. Two different things. A sissy let's you push him around and feels helpless to stop- a man in love and operating with the love of Christ will still backfist/crescent kick/bust a cap into- any punk who poses a threat to his God-given family. That's just the way I feel about that.
I've been struggling this week with reconciling my faith and my new hobby- martial arts. I've been readin a lot online on both sides of the fence, and I think I've reached a point where I know I'm doing what I should. The interesting part is that I got started with this at a fairly standard Taekwondo school, not one of the many local "Christian" dojangs. Funny as it may sound, I've actually entertained the notion of opening a school one day, but not before I've done it the traditional way first. Ah, I digress. My conclusions.
The two main objections to Christian doing martial arts have been: 1. martial arts teach Eastern religion and mysticism, and 2. The biblical mandate to "turn the other cheek" is in conflict with the idea of self-defense. The first I can debunk from personal experience right away, the extent of the "Eastern mysticism" being taught at my schoo amounts to telling us to close our eyes and meditate, and the meditation consists of picturing ourselves doing the move, or fighting the fight before we begin, so that we have mentally thought through, focused, and prepared our brain to control the movements of our body...... man, that's so wrong. Sounds a lot like the biblical mandate of meditating on Scripture, allowing it to marinate in our mind, so that new understanding comes, and we are more prepared to do what God asks of us. At any rate, I'm sure there are schools teaching Buddhist ideals out there, but with some careful selection, those can be safely avoided. We learn concepts like integrity, perseverance, goal-setting, leadership, etc. Not exactly out of line with Scripture.
The second objection took a little more thought. I've always wrestled with the idea of being a Christian in a violent world, trying to follow this passive, peace-loving Jesus every preacher has proposed to me in my 28 years. Honestly, it never quite worked. What about people who have fought in our countries various wars? What about the victims of violent crime? Law enforcement? How can you reconcile turning the other cheek with these people? Ultimately, I think it's a flaw in our view of Scripture, a cultural presupposition that everything translates into 21st Century American ethics and customs.....context is needed.
In Jewish culture, and throughout other cultures in history, one need only "lay the smack down" on the right cheek of an opponent to issue an insult or challenge. Matthew 5:38-42 is the text, and it points less at an admonission in favor of passivity, as it does at a call to ignore or deny a response to an insult or character-attack of some kind. Would God expect us to sit by and not resist as our family was brutally attacked and murdered- no. There would be as much sin in allowing that to happen as in committing the crime yourself. BUT, if someone insults you, or attacks your character, does it benefit you to sink to their level and attack back, or would it be more beneficial to "turn the other cheek"- to take it in stride, and not let it drag you down as well. THAT, I believe is the concept at work in that passage, and so I take issue with those who stand in judgement of anyone who would defend his home/family/country (within reason). I don't believe God calls us to be sissies, as much as he calls us to operate under love. Two different things. A sissy let's you push him around and feels helpless to stop- a man in love and operating with the love of Christ will still backfist/crescent kick/bust a cap into- any punk who poses a threat to his God-given family. That's just the way I feel about that.
6.19.2007
JUST A PICTURE FOR TODAY My two favorite kids, with a warm sepia-ish glow provided by my crappy camera phone. You gotta love that. Shortly after this picture was taken, he got too much attention, she got jealous, hit his hand, he cried, daddy yelled, everybody got a timeout, and I drove one more nail into the coffin of the myth that I am "nothing like my father". I just am. It makes me crazy.....because I said so.
6.18.2007
I'M FEELING BLOGGY
Felt like blogging today, no particular. Everyone seems to be doing it, so I guess I'll give it a go. Could be therapeutic I guess. I don't know, but I'm willing to try. I spent a lovely weekend in teh pool, obtaining the perfect mid-2nd-degree sunburn, and now I am at work, doing what I do. So that's all for now. More to come. Stop looking at me!
Felt like blogging today, no particular. Everyone seems to be doing it, so I guess I'll give it a go. Could be therapeutic I guess. I don't know, but I'm willing to try. I spent a lovely weekend in teh pool, obtaining the perfect mid-2nd-degree sunburn, and now I am at work, doing what I do. So that's all for now. More to come. Stop looking at me!
4.14.2006
GOOD FRIDAY
I didn't think all the "propaganda" of Good Friday- songs in the radio you only hear this week, TV shows, the endless e-mail FWD's- would get to me, but it did this morning. I don't know if everyone has this, but I have suffered (?) for as long as I can remember with VIVID, realistic day dreams (ask me sometime, I've got some freaky ones). As I was driving my 4-year-old to preschool this morning, I was listening to some old Sandy Patty song on what was otherwise, up until this point, a fairly good radio station. I got this really vivid flash of Christ being beaten (thanks Mel), and I swear I almost wrecked the car. I was upset, and trying to cover it up. Anna, having no idea what was going on, asked me why I was listening to this song. I gave her a short little explanation about it being Good Friday, and I wanted to listen to this kind of music today (knowing for sure that she had no idea what I was talking about, but hoping she would let it rest- if you have kids this age, you know what I mean). To this generalization she replied, "Oh I know, on Good Friday the bad guys put Jesus on the cross, and he died. That lady cried (Mary)." I was stunned. I asked her where she learned that- I know I didn't tell her- I was sure she wouldn't get it. "In church on Sunday", she said. Again, shock. Wow, shock #1 was that she knew the significance of the day, and shock #2 was that an almost complete stranger had explained it to her, not me. Come on dad, step it up. "It's OK dad", she said, "He's better now. He went to heaven." WOW. I give up- the child is a genius, or a theologian, or both. Sorry Lord, how careless I've been with her.
4.11.2006
3.30.2006
3.27.2006
11.28.2005
'TIS THE SEASON
It seems that every year about this time, as the Christmas decorations come out, and everything turns to various shades of red and green, that I get a little introspective. I guess it's all the sensory stimulus, stirring memories of holidays past, and all the whens, wheres, whos, and hows I've been through. I find lyself getting melancholy, thinking of how much time has passed, and how much time has been wasted. And I feel sad.
I feel sad about all the friends we've said goodbye to, or rather, all the people I wish I had gotten closer to.....I find it hard to admit that I ever really had "friends".....my fault, though. It's funny how much time I spend thinking, talking, and reading about things like "community", "authenticity", "openness", "sharing", and all the other little Christian-y catch-phrases, but I tend to live somewhere between "robotic" and "hermit-esque".
The punchline is: sorry about that. Sorry if I always seem distant. Sorry if I appear distant or unconcerned. Sorry if I failed to reach out to help, or greet, or even smile.......I was thinking about it....
This has been a bit of a downer from the keyboard of Josh. Some days, you know?
It seems that every year about this time, as the Christmas decorations come out, and everything turns to various shades of red and green, that I get a little introspective. I guess it's all the sensory stimulus, stirring memories of holidays past, and all the whens, wheres, whos, and hows I've been through. I find lyself getting melancholy, thinking of how much time has passed, and how much time has been wasted. And I feel sad.
I feel sad about all the friends we've said goodbye to, or rather, all the people I wish I had gotten closer to.....I find it hard to admit that I ever really had "friends".....my fault, though. It's funny how much time I spend thinking, talking, and reading about things like "community", "authenticity", "openness", "sharing", and all the other little Christian-y catch-phrases, but I tend to live somewhere between "robotic" and "hermit-esque".
The punchline is: sorry about that. Sorry if I always seem distant. Sorry if I appear distant or unconcerned. Sorry if I failed to reach out to help, or greet, or even smile.......I was thinking about it....
This has been a bit of a downer from the keyboard of Josh. Some days, you know?
11.22.2005
SO, PEANUTS EH?
Yeah, so Anna, my three-year-old, brings home a note that says that I need to bring peanuts for their preschool Thanksgiving Feast. I say, "O.K.", and off to the store Anna and I go at 7 AM to buy peanuts. Somewhere in this whole process it occurs to me, "Wait, what the crap are the peanuts for, it's Thanksgiving?" I still don't get it, in spite of my wife's best efforts to tell me about the historicity (she din't used that word, she would have, and will, roll her eyes at me for using that word) of peanuts in America. And, to be fair to myself, I get the whole G. W. Carver thing, and all that, but still, Pilgrims and peanuts.....Indians and peanuts......turkey and peanuts.......I just don't get it. But, in honor of my confusion, if you think about it, add a nice bowl of lightly salted, dry-roasted peanuts to the holiday table. Happy eating, pilgrim.
Yeah, so Anna, my three-year-old, brings home a note that says that I need to bring peanuts for their preschool Thanksgiving Feast. I say, "O.K.", and off to the store Anna and I go at 7 AM to buy peanuts. Somewhere in this whole process it occurs to me, "Wait, what the crap are the peanuts for, it's Thanksgiving?" I still don't get it, in spite of my wife's best efforts to tell me about the historicity (she din't used that word, she would have, and will, roll her eyes at me for using that word) of peanuts in America. And, to be fair to myself, I get the whole G. W. Carver thing, and all that, but still, Pilgrims and peanuts.....Indians and peanuts......turkey and peanuts.......I just don't get it. But, in honor of my confusion, if you think about it, add a nice bowl of lightly salted, dry-roasted peanuts to the holiday table. Happy eating, pilgrim.
11.21.2005
"....FEELIN PRETTY BASIC TODAY, SO......"
1. Name that movie
2. I AM feeling pretty basic today, and since they were on my mind today, I want to direct the attention of any blog-lookers (you blog looker.....cheeky-monkey) to www.ellerymusic.com. Or, use the link for Ellery on this blog page. I am in a very "Ellery" mood today, generally speaking. I hope you enjoy the contemplative tones of Justin and Tasha Golden, delivered fresh from Cincinnati, OH. Thank you and good evening.
1. Name that movie
2. I AM feeling pretty basic today, and since they were on my mind today, I want to direct the attention of any blog-lookers (you blog looker.....cheeky-monkey) to www.ellerymusic.com. Or, use the link for Ellery on this blog page. I am in a very "Ellery" mood today, generally speaking. I hope you enjoy the contemplative tones of Justin and Tasha Golden, delivered fresh from Cincinnati, OH. Thank you and good evening.
11.04.2005
THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING
So yeah, I started a blog for Mel's group, Still Water Sonnet. It's so groovy and minimalist.....o.k., that's only because I have no content for it yet, and I'm too cheap to get a website. So anyway, I did a little html-ing, and away I go. Check it out if you have 5.5 seconds.....as that's the total amount of time needed to view it at this point. We are working slowly but surely to get ourselves out of debt through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace, so that eventually, Mel can do the SWS thing full-time, and the mom thing full-time. That's the plan. The blogsite is just my first real attempt to do something tangible for the group, other than the occasional guitar back-up. So there you go.
So yeah, I started a blog for Mel's group, Still Water Sonnet. It's so groovy and minimalist.....o.k., that's only because I have no content for it yet, and I'm too cheap to get a website. So anyway, I did a little html-ing, and away I go. Check it out if you have 5.5 seconds.....as that's the total amount of time needed to view it at this point. We are working slowly but surely to get ourselves out of debt through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace, so that eventually, Mel can do the SWS thing full-time, and the mom thing full-time. That's the plan. The blogsite is just my first real attempt to do something tangible for the group, other than the occasional guitar back-up. So there you go.
10.21.2005
THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY
Not terribly creative, but this is what I was reading and pondering today.
Dan Kimball- about the emerging church
"To me, an emerging church is a church who is redefining the church and our ecclesiology in this emerging post-Christian culture. Praying and thinking through the ramifications of what it means to be the church today. There are a lot of churches just starting now, but so many are still focusing on "the worship service" as the starting point and not thinking through what the church is holistically or even historically. So much of our current church methodology in evangelical churches really only comes from the past 20-50 years. I think we better go way beyond that, and beyond the Reformation too. The Reformation shook things up in a great way, but also set methodological values in place that we still live with today that I think need to change for the emerging church. That is a key element for sure of what I would call an "emerging church" - to be rethinking our ecclesiology for today's culture.
Being missional is also an absolute key factor for the emerging church. By being missional, I mean that the core fabric of the church is that we are about being a community of worshippers on a mission. but the mission is not getting people to "got to church", as you cannot go to church. we are the church. The mission is being the church in all we do and all we are, wherever we are and from this we bring kingdom influence to those around us. We should be inviting others to be joining us as followers of Jesus, not inviting them to events where they raise their hands at an altar call. We should be evaluating our success not by numbers, but by what kind of missional disciples we see being shaped by being in our communities of faith."
Not terribly creative, but this is what I was reading and pondering today.
Dan Kimball- about the emerging church
"To me, an emerging church is a church who is redefining the church and our ecclesiology in this emerging post-Christian culture. Praying and thinking through the ramifications of what it means to be the church today. There are a lot of churches just starting now, but so many are still focusing on "the worship service" as the starting point and not thinking through what the church is holistically or even historically. So much of our current church methodology in evangelical churches really only comes from the past 20-50 years. I think we better go way beyond that, and beyond the Reformation too. The Reformation shook things up in a great way, but also set methodological values in place that we still live with today that I think need to change for the emerging church. That is a key element for sure of what I would call an "emerging church" - to be rethinking our ecclesiology for today's culture.
Being missional is also an absolute key factor for the emerging church. By being missional, I mean that the core fabric of the church is that we are about being a community of worshippers on a mission. but the mission is not getting people to "got to church", as you cannot go to church. we are the church. The mission is being the church in all we do and all we are, wherever we are and from this we bring kingdom influence to those around us. We should be inviting others to be joining us as followers of Jesus, not inviting them to events where they raise their hands at an altar call. We should be evaluating our success not by numbers, but by what kind of missional disciples we see being shaped by being in our communities of faith."
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