What if Musicals Really Did Happen?

Thanks to Kirsten, at www.kirstenwilson.net, for pointing me to this video. Looking forward to CVC's eventual random musical. More information coming. . .

But to Do Justice

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

Micha 6:8 (NKJV)

I had the pleasure of attending the Nevada Judicial Leadership Summit last week in beautiful Incline Village, North Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Gibbons opened the session on day two by reviewing the above verse. I thought it was particularly moving and powerful to have the chief justice of our supreme court quote this verse.

I studied this verse in depth when I was in law school. It is the moto for the Christian Legal Society, for which I was a member and officer. Throughout law school, I meditated on its command to do justice and pursue mercy. As an idealistic college student, it was a moving verse that drove my pro bono work and my desire to use my law degree to help people out of their worst problems.

Fundamentally, lawyers are problem solvers. We are meant to help people resolve some of the worst conflicts in their lives by the orderly and fair administration of the law. We are meant to put bad things right with the help of the laws.

Sadly, too many of us in the legal field have forgotten that the point of our work is to do justice. Instead, we resign ourselves to administering the law -- to working in in a judicial system, not a justice system. How sad that we have given up on doing justice, as compared to administration of law. This verse should remind us that we should always strive to do what is right, just, and appropriately merciful, all while keeping in mind that we aren't God and shouldn't play fast and loose with other people's lives.

This verse has a unique application to the legal field, but what about to you? In your daily life, have you forgotten to do justice or to love mercy in your "day" job -- whether that is as a stay at home mom, a CPA, a church staff member, a secretary, etc?

Summer Bible Study - Post 1

Welcome to my informal summer Bible study. We're going to be doing the New Testament Basics course available through RCB for free. You'll need to register and start the class here.

This blog is meant to facilitate discussion between the many people joining us for this study. So, after you've viewed the video lecture (Lesson 1.2) and read Matthew 1 - 9 (the reading assignment), please answer the following questions:

1) Who are you? We need to get to know each other a little.
2) What is the most intersting fact you learned from the video lecture? Why?
3) What is the most powerful passage of scripture you read in Matthew 1-9? Why?

Check back often to continue the conversation!

10 Questions for Ministry

Can't figure out who in my blog circle first pointed me to these 10 questions propounded by the pastor at LifeChurch.tv. They are powerful:

1. Is our vision so big that we obviously can’t accomplish it without God?
2. Am I doing ministry from memory or from fresh direction from God?
3. What ministry (or program or meeting) has lost its effectiveness and should be stopped?
4. Is there a person who needs to be moved to another role (or removed), and I haven’t done it?
5. What faith risk is God calling me to take?
6. Have I repented to my team at least once in the last year for a failure in leadership?
7. Have I done everything in my power to make sure my team is living without unconfessed sin?
8. Am I expressing love and care for my team members’ families?
9. Am I living with delayed obedience toward God in any area of leadership?
10. If Jesus my sole motivation for ministry or has my motivation become clouded?

If one of those questions didn't make you say, "Ouch!" then I would be stunned. I know several of them put the pinch on me.

Take some time to earnestly reflect on these questions in your ministry -- whether it is an individual calling (like raising your children) or a more formal ministry (like leading a Bible study, organizing a team of volunteers, or working at an international outreach program). Let them sink in.

I challenge you to write out answers to each. Be honest with yourself and with God. Pray over your answers and seek God's guidance in your ministry.