Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category

A key principle for understanding for the dynamics of discipleship in the local church

Published on September 3, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Reflect on why Christian education, congregational care, and assimilation must each be present for the other.

As Fall begins these three areas should be part of the discipleship strategy of any local church:

Christian Education – Growing in the knowledge of Christ
Assimilation – Showing people who we are as a community of the redeemed and how they can be a part of it.
Congregational Care – Serving and encouraging one another amid the practical demands of life and loving one another in community.

Think of it as a triangle – - make any side of the triangle stronger, and you will reinforce the other two. If one of side is missing it falls apart.

If you grow in teaching people what accords with sound doctrine (Titus 2:1), then they will want to be assimilated into small groups or adult classes, where they can be cared for and care for one another.
If we do a good job assimilating people into the life of our church, then they will be educated and participate in care.
If we care for people, then they will be assimilated and also they will participate in Christian education.

If you think Chicago traffic is bad, check this out

Published on August 24, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

I am thankful for the simplicity of life in rural Illinois. . . a 100 km, nine day traffic jam in China.

Highway jam enters its 9th day, spans 100km

By Guo Qiang and Fang Yunyu

Traffic authorities were still struggling to cope with days-long congestion on a major national expressway, nine days after traffic slowed to a snail’s pace, and nearby residents are profiting on the latest traffic snarl by overcharging drivers for food.

Since August 14, thousands of Beijing-bound trucks have jammed the expressway again, and traffic has stretched for more than 100 kilometers between Beijing and Huai’an in Heibei Province, and Jining in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China National Radio (CNR) reported Sunday.

Small traffic accidents or broken-down cars are aggravating the jam, the report said.

"Insufficient traffic capacity on the National Expressway 110 caused by maintenance construction since August 19 is the major cause of the congestion," a publicity officer with the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, told the Global Times on condition of anonymity Sunday.

Under current traffic regulations, the National Expressway 110 (G110), heading northwest from Beijing to Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province, and then heading directly west, is available to trucks with a carrying capacity of eight tons and above. The road suffered serious damage due to the greater volume of heavy trucks.

This month there have been more trucks carrying excessive coal or fruit, but the Beijing section of the Beijing-Tibet Expressway is available only to trucks with a weight of less than four tons.

The congestion is expected to last for almost a month, since the construction is due for completion September 13.

HT: Metro Mark