7.31.2007

wants for sale


i found this story on Newstoday about a couple in NY who did a series of paintings based on their wants and priced each work according to how much the subject of the painting costs; genius. i don't want to give too much info, you should read the story for yourselves.
what an interesting/strange way of using art to directly get what you desire...

7.26.2007

over the past few weeks, i've been reading the appropriately titled 'Searching For God Knows What', by Donald Miller. its a good read, so far, and some of the thoughts in it have really gotten me thinking. the chapter i am currently reading really focuses on how Jesus truly loved and cared for people. and how that changed people's lives. it really got me thinking... in the church today, shouldn't we be more focused on truly caring for people rather than primarily focusing on people believing the right things? of course, this is a rhetorical question. when i read the gospels, its painfully clear that Jesus was more relational than anything else. so, why are we so worried about getting people into our churches, preaching the right things at them, make sure they believe the things that are preached at them, give an alter call, count the number of people that come forward, use that number as a benchmark of success, and then leave these people to grow on their own? it doesn't make bloody sense. i have this sneaking suspicion that changing peoples lives, in a real/honest way, has way more to do with simply loving them, than we are comfortable with. i know the church wouldn't be comfortable with that... it would be too hard to quantify success.

i want to end this post with a quote from the book. its an amazing quote and i found it even more amazing when i saw who said it:

"I know men; and i tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force! Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him."

who gave this remarkable quote? Napoleon Bonaparte.

7.25.2007

No End In Sight

very interesting..