thrive

The Greatest 2 Questions

Lindsey — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:35:57 +0000

We are right in the middle of a sermon series at Thrive called, I’ve Got Issues, But God Is… And I have to admit that it is one of my favorite series we have ever done. I think what we think about God is so important. In fact, AW Tozer (a famous pastor) once said “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

A couple weeks ago, I pointed out that what we think about God changes how we behave. If we think God is a strict judge, we live lives afraid of messing up. If we think God doesn’t care about or isn’t paying attention to what we are doing, the incentive for us to live lives that would please God is gone.

I watch a lot of sermon online and one of my favorite pastors that I watch came up with two questions that hit me so close to home. He asked his people: What do you think about God? And what do you think God thinks about you?

These are possibly two of the most important questions we can ask. So, what do you think?

Um, is this normal?

Lindsey — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:28:50 +0000

Doesn’t everyone take two months off from their blog? Our last entry was in August. If it makes you feel any better, my desk calendar until today was also at August. It’s just how I roll. But some great things have been happening at Thrive, such as:

We’ve started adding some quieter, acoustic nights which have been super cool. We don’t like doing the same thing over and over, so it is fun to change things up a bit. Perhaps the coolest of these was the night that we had a mandolin, banjo and violin on the same night. It was like Mumford and Sons worship!
The Thrive band played at Advent’s Imagine No Malaria 5k on October 8. It was an awesome, gorgeous morning and we raised over $3,000 to help eradicate malaria in our world. And with our matching donor, we have raised over $6,000!
We started (and finished) our sermon series Be Rich about how to live a rich life without having a ton of money.
We’ve started a sermon series called I’ve Got Issues, But God Is… I love a good, back-to-basics sermon series that helps us think about God and what God is and does.

Its been a great few weeks at Thrive! What have you been up to in the last two months?

New Stuff

Lindsey — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 20:46:02 +0000

In elementary school, I loved the beginning of the school year. Not because I was a nerd that wanted homework, but I loved having new school supplies. We would have to have these pencil boxes and something about the eraser smell mixed with the smell of the colored pencils and crayons…Lord have mercy, I loved that smell.

And now that I am an adult, I am realizing that there is not the regular, you-can-count-on-them new things when you get to adulthood. Some of you might disagree, but for the majority of adults, new things like the first day of school don’t come around that often. And I wish that I had a moment like that to look forward to each year.

But the exciting thing is that when we look at the Bible, and especially the prophets, there are times outside of statements of judgment where God is saying, ‘Look I am doing something new! Stand back and be amazed!’ And though it might not smell like a new pencil box, it is probably way better than new erasers. I can’t just let myself believe that nothing new is coming when God has said and is saying that He’s up to something. I’ve just got to be watching.

What are you looking forward to? It can be a new pencil box or something bigger. But what has you excited for the future?

Acts 2:14-47

Lindsey — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 01:19:12 +0000

It is a long one, folks. I am aware. And sorry I have been behind on updating, here comes a bunch, for serious.

Can I just start by saying that one of my favorite things in the Bible is in verse 15 where Peter explains that these guys speaking different languages aren’t drunk because it is the morning. I can’t get over how funny that is.

Characteristics of God: Keeps promises, equips people for great things, source of hope (there are tons more, add your own!)

Questions: How were the disciples okay with sharing everything? Was there a system?

Other thoughts: Isn’t it amazing how suddenly things that seemed impossible were entirely possibly if God is involved? Peter suddenly became an articulate public speaker. After he tells people to stop living the lives they were all used to, they did. Amazing stuff!

So, what do you think? It is time for some comments, people!

Acts Challenge: Acts 2:1-13

Lindsey — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:31:33 +0000

Just a note. I’m not trying to overwhelm you, but I am trying to get caught up with the sermon series. So, there are going to be quite a few entries in the next couple of days. Don’t panic. Read at your own pace. Or my pace, ’cause its awesome. I’m like the Flo Jo of the Acts Challenge. (What, you were thinking Marion Jones? Doping scandal, folks. We’re sticking with Flo Jo.)

A Sound Like a Strong Wind

Characteristics of God: Mysterious, Powerful, Personal

Questions: How did the whole “tongues of fire” thing work? In one version, we are told there are tongues of fire and in The Message we are told the Holy Spirit moved “like a wildfire”. I have to admit, the Message version freaks me out less. I read in a commentary that the disciples probably weren’t speaking in other languages, but the people heard what they were saying in other languages. How is that helpful for us to think about this?

Okay, put on your running shoes! I am way out in front of you!

Acts 1:12-26

Lindsey — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:16:03 +0000

*Just a reminder, for the Acts Challenge, read the passage and then post in the comments what you learn about God in this passage and then any questions that come up for you.

Returning to Jerusalem and Replacing Judas

Characteristics of God: Guide, Working through people

Questions: How many other people were with them from the beginning? Why didn’t they get to become disciples? What actually happened to Judas? How do you fall down and have your guts fall out? (Is there a medical term for that?)

Things I love: In the Message in verse 14, it says “They agreed they were in this for good”

Your turn! What are your questions? How do you see God in this passage?

The Acts Challenge: Acts 1:1-11

Lindsey — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:36:11 +0000

Acts 1:1-11

The Promise of the Holy Spirit and The Ascension of Jesus

Traits of God: Provider, Mysterious, Authoritative

Questions: Wouldn’t it just be easier if God would tell us when the second coming is happening? Why did Jesus have to go so the Holy Spirit could come? What did they mean by Jesus would come back in the same way he left? Should we be watching for Jesus to descend from a cloud?

Okay, your turn…thoughts? Hit up the comments.

The Acts Challenge

Lindsey — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:49:02 +0000

So, we are now three weeks into our sermon series on Acts, so maybe it would be a good time to post some thoughts on Acts. And, apparently the goal of social media and blogs is to get people socializing. So let’s start a conversation, shall we? So here are the rules, peeps.

1) Read the Bible.

2) Look for images of God that you see in the passage.

3) Keep track of any questions you might have.

4) Post these and any other thoughts in the comments.

5) Keep checking back for what other people have shared.

I (Lindsey) will be posting my thoughts and various insights to the blog. Feel free to question me, but let’s be nice to each other, ok?

The Book of Acts

Lindsey — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:00:09 +0000

This summer, we are going to be working our way through the book of Acts. It is one of the most overlooked books of the Bible, but also one of the most action packed!

So, we are throwing down a challenge: The Acts Challenge. Can you read the whole book this summer? There are 28 chapters. In 90 days. You could read it poolside or at your cabin or even at a bonfire (don’t get too close to the fire or you might reenact chapter 2!)

Check back for reading helps as we read through and deal with the stuff we find in this book about the very beginning and growth of the Church!

The Book of Acts

Forgiveness

Lindsey — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 18:54:41 +0000

We just finished our sermon series on Forgiveness. It was an amazing 5 weeks of learning together.

Today, Relevant Magazine had a fantastic article by Donald Miller about forgiveness. Check it out here.