A few weeks ago, I was studying for the blog by reading the Sunday Comic’s when I felt a tug on my heart. Quickly I wrote down 10 things that I thought God might want us to do with this blog. I presented these 10 things to the Business elders at the next leadership meeting and we all agreed on these 4 steps listed below. We are very excited by what the future will bring, and would like everyone to participate as we move this blog forward. Together we can reach many more “saved” Christians in need of Christ’s love. This campaign is designed to move the church forward/together. Let’s all be willing to go forward and let’s all be willing to go together.

THE FOUR STEPS TO F.U.

Retiring the debt on our present 33 acre blog- $10.00
Fortunately, Blogger provides CBC with a free blog site, so this first goal should be easily accomplished. Catalyst did however, spend $10 on some beer that directly led to the start of this blog and he’s hoping to get reimbursed.

Refurbishing our blog to better serve our congregation, ministries and community - $1.5 million
We were recently reading a blog from a church in Africa and noticed that it had the same template as our blog and instantly we thought “When a blog from a 3rd world country has the same template as your American Dream blog, it’s time to change templates”

Reaching more churched and saved people through strategic communication and evangelism - $600,000
Our sarcasm is known throughout the city, but only a handful know the sarcasm as a City Business Church. How do we let people know who we are? What about the use of television ads, radio, direct mail, and evangelistic events targeted to reach our community? Connecting to our community through sarcastic small group materials, sarcastic divorce recovery, eating disorders classes (those are always serious), sarcastic budget counseling and many more sarcastic interest ministries takes a major investment of money, time and resources.

Regionally expand our ministries by starting a third City Business Church blog on the West Side - $10.00
We already have Citybiblewatch.com and Citybiblewatchespanol.com, but we desire to conduct multiple blogs in chosen regional locations 1 click from our present location. This extends our total ministry to other locations through creative and strategic means. We have great ministry resources to reach this goal.

How can you get involved?

step one - begin with a simple prayer
Begin now by asking the Lord how He would like you to be involved in F.U.. A good place to start is with this prayer, "Lord what do you want to do through me to accomplish Your will for City BusinessChurch?"

step two - surrender to God’s direction
Next, take an inventory of your assets and your lifestyle. Determine what you can give above your regular tithes and offerings…

Ok, this post is dragging on a little bit to much. If you want to learn about the real Forward Together campaign click here http://www.citybiblechurch.org/Content/ContentCT.asp?P=188

The Oregonian included a Ten Commandments quiz in their paper today. How many can you answer correctly?

Here’s a top-10 list straight from the Scriptures

Update:

Here are the answers:

Here @ City Business Church it only takes one comment to make you a member of the family and so I am wondering if you wouldn’t mind helping me clear up a few things.

On Sunday I had a conversation with my mother about Christian prayer lingo. For those of you who don’t know my mom, I would describer her as a Moaner-Groaner with a touch of Quaker-Shaker. To say the least she knows how to make a scene in church. Her latest craze is 24 hour prayer and worship which she experienced on a recent trip to Kansas City. On her return she ran right out bought a new stereo system and filled it with cd’s from whatever church in Kansas City she was at. Her plan is to have praise and worship music piping through the house 24 hours a day; I’m not sure how that’s going to go over with the fam, but she’s gonna try it.

Anyway, my brother Jesse and his should-be fiancé Andrea were listening to the cd’s and they noticed that the person praying was asking for God to “turn hearts like channels of water”. This sparked our conversation in which we had to ask, what does it mean to “turn hearts like channels of water”?

Discussing this quickly led to “gap standing”, “bridge building”, and “hedges of protection”. And, let’s not forget about the “river”. You can wade, jump, step into, and drink from “the river” which appears to have something to do with “ocean’s of love”, but we’re not sure how they’re connected.

It seems to me that all to often people just go with the flow (apparently down the river), and rarely stop to ask the all important question: “WHAT???”.

I’m going to give that a try:

1.What is the “gap” and why are we standing in it?
2.How many “rivers” does it take to make “oceans of love”?
3.Is the “bridge” for crossing the “gap” or the “river”?
4.Are we really supposed to “drink” from the same “river” that we just jumped in?

After about 30 minutes of discussion with my mother here’s what I understand. The gap is the space between sin and righteousness (man and God). The bridge crosses that very gap; and no one knows where the river flows, but if you see it, be sure to jump in. I actually think it helps explain the Trinity. Jesus is the ultimate “gap stander” (her words, not mine), the Holy Spirit is in the “river”, and that leaves God to tend to the “hedges”. Which leads me to my next question:

How much protection does a hedge really offer?

Can you picture Satan gathering an army of demons, preparing for an attack on an unsuspecting Christian, when suddenly he hears:

Demon: “Um Lucifer, I think we’ve got a problem”.
Satan: “Yes Rage, what’s the matter”
Demon: “We couldn’t get him”
Satan: “What do you mean ‘you couldn’t get him’?”
Demon: “Well, Lust, Envy and I were right on his tale when suddenly… he ran across the bridge, jumped into this river, swam right past your gap, and then dove behind that hedge for protection.”

Since this blog spent several days discussing former PBC professors Larry Taylor and Ken Ross, I felt obligated to post this comment by Larry Taylor.

Truth is a precious possession and hard to come by, either in the church or out of it. Some friends and former students urged me to check out your blogger site recently when my friend, Ken Ross, and I were the topic of conversation. I expected to see some misinformation, but mostly the dialogue seemed earnest and many of the participants seemed genuinely interested in the truth.

From what little I have seen of this site I cannot imagine that it would turn away a non-believer since most people already hold presuppositions about the church. It is truth that most people want, deep in their lonely souls. In spite of the criticisms, obvious biases and occasional misinformation, I want to applaud you, the younger generation, for your hospitality to honest dialogue.

Just remember that eventually you will need to come up with some answers as well as criticisms too. Meanwhile, thanks for providing a forum for people to honestly divulge their thoughts and feelings. Honesty without malice never hurt the cause of Christ, and people who live honestly have little to hide.

Blessings.

-LT

I have just finished reading the inspiring works of Damazio Franko (specifically Claves Efectivas para el Liderazgo de Éxito available through www.citychristianpublishing.com $13.00)

It’s amazing to me how the spirit works. I’m busy reading Effective Keys to Successful Leadership in Spanish and Catalyst is drinking Cervasez.

What fruit does this bear, you ask? Well, this has birthed a new blog: City Bible Watch Español.

We would like to invite all spanish speaking members of City Business Church to join us at

www.citybiblewatchespanol.blogspot.com

Hello City Bible English, say hi to City Bible Español.

"Hello CB Español."

"Hola CB English."

Because me and my brother are computer morons, we haven’t figured out how to add a list of links on the side of our blog. Nevertheless, I stumbled across an interesting blog written by a local Portland Christian who appears to be going through a bit of a struggle.

Her latest post is entitled Morality and Jesus and she mentions Miller’s book Blue Like Jazz. She also appears to have several tattoos. So while, I’ve never met her, I already like her.

Anyway: check out her blog.

http://pamhogeweide.blogspot.com

I just spent the past two weeks in Central America, traveling around with a group of City Bible members. It was a great trip. And I learned something interesting about City Bible. Apparently, the majority of their new growth is coming from the Hispanic community.

It made me realize that this blog has been unintentionally excluding a huge segment of the City Bible population. We have not been reaching those spanish speaking members of City Bible. This needs to change.

So using my two weeks of spanish, I am going to attempt to communicate with the Hispanic Community and hopefully impart our message of hope and love.

Here we go:

Hola:

Cervasez, por fa vor? Donde esta El Bano? Bailemos? Usted es hermoso. Te amo. Gracias mucho.

Adios.

This is a work in progress, and obviously I am no Ben Trolese, but I think got my message across.

Thank you for your honest comments. I was recently pulled into a meeting with my church about this blog, they felt like it was un-Christ like (I think they are right) and that it would turn non-Christians away from God (I think they are wrong). So, it’s good to get your perspective.

The truth is that this blog isn’t really meant for people outside the church. I’m surprised that you even find it funny since so much of it revolves around “inside” jokes. None the less, I’m glad that you do. There are many great things about religion and many more about God. The problem is that we humans make mistakes. A lot of them. That’s where this blog comes into play.

I spent a lot of time in one church running around in a circle. God was nothing more than a celebrity we all claimed to be best friends with, but had really never met. Sure, we read lots of books about Him and we went to lots of meetings about Him, and even talked to Him before meals and bed, but 20 years later I realized that he wasn’t talking back. Maybe I just wasn’t listening I guess, but the point is I didn’t have a relationship with Him.

That’s when I left one church for another.

Now, I would like to believe that church should have little to do with your ability to have a relationship with God; and in some ways I think that’s true, but the fact is that when I changed churches I met Jesus. Really, it was the first time that someone actually explained Grace to me. It’s quite interesting how it all works. The first step is to screw up (done) and then the second step is usually to screw up again (also done again and again) and then comes the good part, salvation. After that your role is pretty much left to accepting forgiveness, every time you make a mistake. It’s really quite refreshing.

I used to think the goal was to stop making mistakes, which it is, but since no one will ever do that… well thank God for the grace of Jesus. There are so many Christians out there who think religion is all about being “better” than everyone else. They build themselves a platform to sit on and look around and say I’m better than you and you and you, well maybe not you…we’re tied, but I’m better than all of them. It’s as if they think God is going to grade on a curve and they only have to be better than most. If God were going to judge on any kind of curve we would all burn.

(Right now there are tons of CBC members yelling at their computers saying “That’s what you are doing to us. You think you are better than us. OHH HE MAKES ME SO MAD I WANT TO CUSS… that son of bitches.” Well, CBC, before you go asking for forgiveness for your foul language let me just say; in many ways you are right. It does look like I’m sitting on my pedestal judging you. But, I hope you can see that I’m really trying to judge myself and my behavior while at CBC and not you.)

So, I guess that brings me back to where I wanted to go with this before I started ranting:

Please do not judge Christ by this blog or by the people on this blog. We are terrible sinners and could never do God justice, but He is worth getting to know. And try to ignore Anonymous, he is a complete coward who’s issues stem from a hatred for his mother (probably).

I don’t know if any of this is interesting to you or not, but thanks again for your comments. It’s good to get your perspective.

By the way, I’m curious what you were looking for on Google when you found us? If you would like to respond without the annoying comments from Anonymous, you can email me @ mortonjp14@hotmail.com

I hope this clears things up. 

The following are some observations that I have had in regards to women and the Bible.

Genesis 2:7 & 18-25

If you read these scriptures closely (posted below) you see that in Gen 2:7 God creates man, and then in Gen 2:18 decides it is not good for him to be alone. So God set out to find a helper (not a partner, not a friend or companion, not an elder but a helper.)
Now it is at this point that you expect God to form women, right, well he doesn’t. No, in Gen 2:19 God forms “every beast of the field and every bird of the sky” and let’s Adam name them all.

In verse 20 we see Adam going through and naming each animal. He names the cattle, the birds, and finally “every beast of the field”. The next line is the real kicker (sorry Jiminy) “…but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.”

This passage struck me as somewhat odd. I’m picturing Adam talking with God saying “Cattle, God? You don’t want me to be alone and you send me cattle? Four legs God, count them: one, two, three, four. How’s this supposed to work? Seriously, do you see the ass on that thing? What am I supposed to do with that??”

So God knocks Adam out. Now, if I’m Adam, I’d be a little nervous right now. I’ve just seen every option out there and I’m not sure that shacking up with a beast for the rest my life sounds like a good option. This is the first real example of faith; Adam lying on the ground fast asleep dreaming of running through a field hand in hand with a grizzly bear.

When Adam comes to (v22) he sees that God has created a helper out of his own flesh and (v25) “the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” (Clearly Adam understood the principles of tithe and here God was pouring out his blessing.)

The order these scripture set is: 1.God 2.Man 3.Beast 4.Woman.

Women were actually the last thing to be created. Created as a helper to man.
Now remember Eve wasn’t around for all the helper talk. She hadn’t been created yet when Adam was busy telling God “Ok, I’ll take the llama over the oxen, but I’m really looking for something a little less hairy”. She may not have known why she had been created and that could be why Satan went to her with the forbidden fruit.

She eats, Adam eats, and we’ve all been paying for it since then, but there is one more important scripture: Genesis 3:16. Here God tells the woman her place in the authority structure.

“I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you”

I know these scriptures are not kind to women, but what do you do?

Figure out how to give birth without any pain and you’ll be well on your way.