Why not? A cell with teenagers

There is one teenager in my current cell. It is very interesting to include him in our discussions and find out how he is working with this cell full of adults, and some adults who are a lot older than him. I started participating in cells when I was a teenager and I thought it wasContinue reading "Why not? A cell with teenagers"

Love them? I don’t even have to acknowledge the existence of my enemies

I’m a pastor in South Jersey so, naturally, I go to Taco Bell a lot. It’s an “all things to all people sort of thing”…and a serious love of cheesy bean and rice burritos. Not long ago I was hanging out a Taco Bell in Mt. Ephraim, NJ, and I had my missionary thinking capContinue reading "Love them? I don’t even have to acknowledge the existence of my enemies"

The Acts of Circle of Hope

“We can glimpse it in the book of Acts: the method of the kingdom will match the message of the kingdom. The kingdom…goes out into the world vulnerable, suffering, praising, praying, misunderstood, misjudged, vindicated, celebrating: always – as Paul puts it in one of his letters – bearing in the body the dying of JesusContinue reading "The Acts of Circle of Hope"

Hitchbot is Dead. Long Live Humanity!

Amanda and Beth, riding in the back of a truck I made a vow to pick up every hitchhiker I  ever find after receiving a number of rides from strangers when I really needed it. When I was 19 I drove with my brother and  a couple of friends up to Mount Desert Island inContinue reading "Hitchbot is Dead. Long Live Humanity!"

Ambition like Paul’s

Paul says in Romans 15:20 and 21, "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.  Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see,     and those who have not heard will understand.”Continue reading "Ambition like Paul’s"

Love is at the center of every cell

My cell is about to multiply and we're making the new teams that will lead the two cells that come out of the old one. We're so into the organic metaphor that we call the leadership team of the cell the nucleus. There's a leader, an apprentice leader and a host. Each person has anContinue reading "Love is at the center of every cell"

Beach Reading: Good Christian Fiction

Summer is for many of us a time to unplug and relax. Tons of people love a good beach read. But let's be honest, most of us aren't reading several different books at a time. We're reading one book at a time and it might take us a while to get though it. There are waysContinue reading "Beach Reading: Good Christian Fiction"

You Have Enough – And Other Unpatriotic Sentiments

I recently learned that the location of our sharing garden in front of Circle of Hope at 3800 Marlton Pike in Pennsauken, NJ is where a war memorial once stood. In front of the fire house the patriotic firemen had installed a plaque to honor the war dead for the sacrifice on the altar ofContinue reading "You Have Enough – And Other Unpatriotic Sentiments"

Elephants can swim and other surprises

Yeah, elephants can swim. Who knew right? Maybe you did, but I didn’t. It’s incredible that this 4 ton creature is even buoyant, but it’s true. Some scientists believe that long ago elephants may have swam the 40 miles from the Indian mainland to Sri Lanka. I think this is crazy! What would possess anContinue reading "Elephants can swim and other surprises"

What did you say about sex?

“How we relate sexually is a spiritual, communal matter and can’t be reduced to a discussion of private expression or individual rights.” I used this proverb from Circle of Hope's collection in my talk at our Sunday meeting as an example of the type of unity and vulnerability to which we aspire. I was saying, whoa,Continue reading "What did you say about sex?"

Getting Out There the Best we Can

Last weekend a few of us got out there.  It was Moorestown Day, a festival on Main Street in Moorestown, and we thought it to be a great opportunity to tell people about Circle of Hope. It was a beautiful day and rain only threatened without delivering. Maybe housands of people showed up and weContinue reading "Getting Out There the Best we Can"

Why Curb Appeal and Everything Else Matters

So we bought a building.  I think it was 2011. Now it matters. It matters because it is ours, and we matter because we are God's. And we are God's not in a generic sense--because we were created by God like everyone else--but because we are God's chosen people being built like living stones intoContinue reading "Why Curb Appeal and Everything Else Matters"

What is the meaning of life and what if there is an answer other than 42?

In Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy the super computer, Deep Thought, takes 7.5 million years to find the answer to life, the universe and everything, and the answer is 42. Those who receive the answer aren't pleased. “Forty-two!" yelled Loonquawl. "Is that all you've got to show for seven and a halfContinue reading "What is the meaning of life and what if there is an answer other than 42?"

Why not the Whole Delaware Watershed?

We live in the megalopolis- the swath of concrete dominated land that stretches from Washington DC all the way up to Boston. In my neck of this urban and suburban mass of human concentration, the boundaries slip and slide like hikers boots on wet, mossy rocks. One minute you're in Haddon Township, the next minuteContinue reading "Why not the Whole Delaware Watershed?"

Let’s actually DO something

When my new cell started my apprentice, Pat, was adamant that our cell be about actually doing stuff and not just talking about stuff. Pat is like my canary in the coal mine for toxic church fumes. He's seen it all and still has to intentionally work to let his instinctual defenses down to moveContinue reading "Let’s actually DO something"

Circle of Hope Summer Tour: South Jersey Style 2015

Circle of Hope is going to show up where South Jersey gathers. There are people around who want to know what we are doing and they even want to do it, but they don't know about us. So we need to get out there and be noticed. The first thing I know to do toContinue reading "Circle of Hope Summer Tour: South Jersey Style 2015"

Hope Bigger Than Just Hype

I believe that a coffin sized rectangle of reclaimed lumber in the front yard of Circle of Hope's repurposed firehouse in Pennsauken will change the world. We put some fresh soil in it and we're going to grow some food then offer the produce free to passersby. This will destroy the forces of evil. SoundsContinue reading "Hope Bigger Than Just Hype"