I don’t know what this speaker believes about God, but what she believes about connections and courage agree with what I read in the pages of the Bible.

Take a few minutes to watch this, video, then jump in with your thoughts below.

http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf

Post your comments or thoughts below

I first found out about Dan Kimball by reading his book, “They Like Jesus But Not the Church.” It’s a VERY good read.

Just recently I came across Dan’s comments on the stages we all go through with “the church.” (It’s from Leadership Network’s, “The Nines” event.) Watch it, and let me know what stage you think you’re in. Love to hear your thoughts on this one.

As I write this, the 33 Chilean miners are being brought to the surface. The news outlets are at a fever pitch to show the rescue – and the reunion – of these courageous men who’ve been trapped for over two months. International resources and ingenuity have flowed nonstop into the amazing effort to bring back the 33 men who were once feared lost. More after the jump…

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Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

I cannot fathom what those men must have endured. First, the initial terrifying weeks of waiting and wondering. Would they be found? Or would they perish in the mine? Then, the news that their rescue would take months. And how about the families on the surface? What must it have been like for them? Watching their faces, their anticipation prior to the reunion is beyond description. Their loved ones who were once feared lost have been found!
But their story reminds me of our story. Because many years earlier, someone else poured nonstop resources and ingenuity into a rescue plan. And the people who were trapped with no way to save themselves…well, that would be me. And you. Listen to Jesus’ own comments:

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. (Luke 19:10)

Jesus embarked on the most incredible rescue mission in the history of mankind. And he was looking for you and me. Honestly, I don’t want to think of myself as lost. Neither do you. It’s not very flattering. But can you imagine if, when the rescue pod opened in the mine, some of the miners said, “No thanks…we’re not lost.” We’d say, “You’re not dealing with reality, friend.” Similarly, every man, woman, and child is lost from God’s perspective. Jesus’ life and mission are stark testimony to that fact. He shows up and says, “You’ve been trapped in a broken world of sin. I’m here to set you free. Follow me.”

The picture Jesus paints is that our Heavenly Father is waiting at the top of the mine shaft. And when we’re lifted to freedom by faith in the person and work of Jesus, the celebration is beyond description! At last, those who were lost have been found!

When it was discovered that the miners were alive and needed rescue, everyone determined to do whatever it took to bring them to the surface. Followers of Jesus know that all around us are people who are lost from God’s family. What are you willing to do to help re-unite them to their heavenly Father? How many days will it be until they’re brought to the surface? What will you do to bring them to the rescue pod which is Jesus Christ?

This lady covers a LOT of ground in less than two minutes. What do you think?

Someone recently sent me a video link about a guy who spent an entire year trying to live out ALL the commands in the Bible. You can watch it if you’ve got a few minutes. Or else join me after the jump.

http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf

One interesting thing that this guy noticed was that as he changed his behavior to align with the Bible, it started to change what he believed. Typically we think it goes the other way: change your beliefs, and your behavior will follow. Just like the quote, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right!” Guess what? It turns out, there’s truth in BOTH of those approaches.

Which brings me to the topic of the habits we choose. I talked with a friend this week who keeps a rug in his office so he can take time out to kneel in prayer. Have you ever tried that? I have. And when I kneel or lie face down in prayer, it affects me. It affects my attitude, my thinking, my beliefs. Which is kind of the whole point behind spiritual practices (a.k.a. spiritual disciplines). I’m reminded of one of the Screwtape letters in which the wily master tempter points out to his nephew how to succeed in their cause (Satan’s cause). Simple convince the human that what he does with his body has no impact on his soul. (If you’ve never read C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters you’ve missed something great.)

So what about you? Have you ever tried to pray on your knees, or lift your hands in submission during prayer? Or during a time of worship? Have you ever considered fasting (from certain foods, all foods, etc.) to see the impact it has on your interior life? Have you ever considered silence or solitude to see how your behavior influences your beliefs? What about giving something away to see if it cultivates generosity? Why not try something this week? Choose a habit. Let your body lead the rest of you. Let your behavior influence your beliefs. Then let me know how it goes.

Here’s a rare moment when the majestic mountain was visible from our compound.

Here’s our team jammin’ on Sunday morning.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=13554844&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1

Worship Jam in Sakila from m tindle on Vimeo.

Now if we can get them to do that in Germantown…

Preached again this morning to the church at Sakila. Since my Swahili vocabulary is limited to about 40 words I relied on the amazing interpreter, John Matthew (pictured here). I'm convinced he made me sound better than I do in English! 🙂
Thanks, John Matthew. You're a true friend & brother in Christ.

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After almost two weeks of non-stop ministry in Sakila, our team took a one day safari at Tarangire National Park. Among the many breathtaking views was this one of a giraffe, which happens to be the national animal of Tanzania. It's truly amazing to view God's creation like this. 🙂

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So yesterday I accompanied the Bishop into town (Arusha) to get some mnuch neede supplies for Jim and his carpentry ministry at the compound. I discovered there ain't no such thing as Home Depot. 🙂
We stopped at about ten hardware stores. We would approach the counter, tell them what we were looking for, then show them the sample we'd brought. We hit on about 60 percent total. That was a success! 🙂
The picture is of the main street in Arusha right next to one of the hardware stores. Notice the variety of vehicles on the road. Oh, and traffic is on the opposite you're used to!

-Mark T