Young Husbands Workshop

I have my first weekend seminar lined up! Sometime in January, I will be conducting a 6 hour Saturday workshop with the Northwest Church of Christ in Abilene. The tentative plan is for the workshop to be for young (by young, I think the church means newly married) husbands! I am excited to begin this aspect of my ministry. I hope that this will only be the start of a variety of similar weekend speaking engagements I am asked to be a part of.

If you have any suggestions that you think would be valuable for this workshop on young husbands, leave a comment.

~JK

Young Husbands Workshop

Does God Always Get What He Wants? part 2

There was a resounding (if all 5 comments can be considered resounding) no to this question when I first posted it. It seems that the common thread behind the answer was that because God's plan and ours, i.e. eternal life, not to perish, seek him, are not always the same. That is pretty much the answer I expected to hear.

Let me ask a follow up question.

If God does not always get what he wants, why do we so often attribute the good and/or bad things that happen in our lives (or someone else's) to God not wanting or wanting it to happen? I hear all the time, "I guess that just wasn't what God had in mind," or, "Maybe that just wasn't in God's plan." Do we really mean, "Since things didn't work out the way that I thought they should, I will say it was God's idea" - so that we will feel better about the circumstance?

Is saying, "God didn't want such and such to happen," our way of not throwing a temper tantrum?Or is it possible that God really didn't want things to turn out the way that they did, or that God wanted things to turn out how we did not want?
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Tell me your thoughts. Leave a Comment.
~JK

Does God Always Get What He Wants? part 2

Good Advertising?

I came across this interesting article the other day. Entitled, "Are we sinning yet" it talks about one Canadian website's attempts to create spiritual dialogue about subjects that perhaps non-Christians do not often think about. I am interested in this because the website has placed ads in magazines in newspapers which take a different approach to advertising. I will let the ads speak for themselves below. What I want to know is would this approach be tolerated in the Bible-Belt, where it seems that advertising tactics have mainly included quippy sayings on marquee boards. Tell me what you think. I included the picture and cited the caption underneath because the font text is too small in the picture!

-Would you still take your kids? After all, isn't Christmas supposed to be about Him, not the guy in the red suit? Or can it be about both? Share your opinion at http://www.wondercafe.ca/, the home of lively discussion on spiritual topics, moral issues and life's big questions.

"Does anyone object?" - What do you think? Let us know at www.wondercafe.ca, the home of lively discussion on spiritual topics, moral issues and life's big questions.

Green Tag " __ Agree", Red Tag " __ Disagree" - Want to explore your spirituality in a place that's as open-minded as you? Drop by www.wondercafe.ca and join the discussion.

"How much fun can sex be before it's a sin?" - Moral issues, spiritual topics, life's big questions - they're all up for discussion at www.wondercafe.ca. So drop by and pull up a chair.

On tag, "WARNING: some re-assembly of priorities and beliefs may be required." - Parenthood changes everything - including how you view the world. Every day at www.wondercafe.ca people like you explore and discuss spiritual topics, moral issues and life's big questions. So drop by, pull up a chair and join the discussion.

"__ Funny, __ Ticket to Hell" - What do you think? Let us know at www.wondercafe.ca, the home of lively discussion on spiritual topics, moral issues and life's big questions.

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Tell me your thoughts.

~JK

Good Advertising?

You Complete Me, My Better Half.

"You complete me." I remember when the movie that popularized this phrase came out. I don't think I was allowed to see it (I still have only seen the first few minutes). I have seen the scene where Tom Cruise says this line to Renee Zellweger. Since then, I have heard people say this or similar things to it over and over again. I have often wondered what exactly it means. Even though it was meant to be romantic, I think it portrays an incredibly unhealthy way of interacting in a relationship. When one person is so dependent on another that when they are not together, they cannot function, there is a problem. This is no different than saying, "She is my other half." I am guilty of saying this. Usually in the form of, "She is my better half." Its a nice flattering thing to say but is it really the way that we should establish ourselves within our marriage union?

There are a lot of fancy psychological words used to describe this idea. Differentiation of Self, Undifferentiated Ego Mass, Internal Locus of Self. All of them are basically describing one thing. A confidence in one's self that is so solid that if one was separated from any other particular person or group of people, they would still be able to function in a healthy way. We are of course not talking in spiritual terms here (There is a whole additional blog post devoted to differentiation and spirituality). Its a wonderful thing when two people can come together not because they need each other but because they want each other. This deepens the relationship to a level that is more voluntary and vulnerable.

What would marriages look like if instead of being with someone because they met a need and filled an empty void, we entered into these relationships because there is something about the other that is so desirable that (I almost said, "we can't live without") if they felt the same desire and passion for us, a glimpse of heaven on earth would be seen. I don't want to live in a world where I need things. I don't want to live in a world where I am needed. I want to live in a world where those in relationship with me are there because of desire and admiration.

~JK

You Complete Me, My Better Half.

Does God Always Get What He Wants?

Leave a comment.

A follow-up will be posted soon.

~JK

Does God Always Get What He Wants?

Perfect!

Does this picture really need an explanation?

~JK

Perfect!

The Face of Christ

This song has struck me pretty hard a few times this week. Maybe I am becomeing more aware of the poverty around me because of various things happening at church or interacting with the shattered lives of children who have been the victims of poverty related lifestyles. Its amazing how viewing the world with the lenses of this song have caused me to rethink what is important and how I react to the "crises" in my own life.

Face of Christ, by Chris Rice

He shares a room outside with a dozen other guys
And the only roof he knows is that sometimes starry sky
A tattered sleeping bag on a concrete slab is his bed
And it's too cold to talk tonight
So I just sit with him instead and think

How did I find myself in a better place
I can't look down on the frown on the other guy's face
‘Cause when I stoop down low, look him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing
With the face of Christ

After sixteen years in a cold, gray prison yard
Somehow his heart is soft, but keeping simple faith is hard
He lays his Bible open on the table next to me
And as I hear his humble prayer
I feel his longing to be free someday

How did I find myself in a better place
I can't look down on the frown on the other guy's face
‘Cause when I stoop down low, look him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing
With the face of Christ

See you had no choice which day you would be born
Or the color of your skin, or what planet you'd be on
Would your mind be strong, would your eyes be blue or brown
Whether daddy would be rich, or if momma stuck around at all

So if you find yourself in a better place
You can't look down on the frown on the other guy's face
You gotta stoop down low, look him square in the eye

And get a funny feeling, ‘cause you might be dealing

...How did I find myself in a better place
I can't look down on the frown on the other guy's face
‘Cause when I stoop down low, look him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing
With the face of Christ

~JK

The Face of Christ

I No Longer Live

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Gal. 2:20

What does this mean?

I am laying my life down willingly.

I am not going to choose to be rescued.

I am going to forgive others.

I am going to depend on God.

I am going to suffer.

I am worth death on a cross.

I am going to rise again.

I am eternal.

~JK

I No Longer Live

S.O.A.R. - Spotlight On A Relationship

Soar: To rise or aspire to a higher or more exalted level.

Today is my parent's

Wedding Anniversary!

Mom and Dad (Jeff and Terri Kellar) have been married for 27 years. They have 3 kids and 3 grandkids! Dad serves as the Worship Minister for Kingwood Church of Christ and Mom works for The Mudpie Company, a paint your own pottery studio. Mom and Dad have been an example to me of what it means to be committed through thick and thin. I look up to them for their dedication to each other as well as their devotion to the Lord. As they become more experienced in ministry, it is incredible to see how God is using their experiences to bless those around them.

Mom and Dad, I'm proud of you!

~JK

S.O.A.R. - Spotlight On A Relationship

Love, Hesitation, & Obedience

If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.
~Oswald Chambers

What are the implications of this statement? Does our love for God and Christ merit, unquestionable obedience? Is obedience or disobedience automatically a reflection and indication of our love? Are we really hesitant to listen because we love someone or something else or have we simply temporarily forgotten that He is the way? Is my love for someone else (not myself) ever going to come into contrast with obedience to Him and if it does, does that mere hesitation mean I love the other more than Christ? Are we called to live unhesitant lives where we do not think about the weight of our love and the possible outcome of not living in sync with it?

~JK

Love, Hesitation, & Obedience