Disqus - Latest Comments for arkychicky

Re: Say What You Mean

arkychicky — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:24:15 -0000

Thank you, Kris. I will be replacing the photo this evening. I sent you an email at the address on your flickr account, and apologize for any inconvenience.

Re: Crowding Out

arkychicky — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:49:41 -0000

Someone has been reading "Body Politics"...

Re: Threading the Eye of a Needle

arkychicky — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:23:35 -0000

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a secret agent in our midst!

I had to ask myself a similar question while I was working at a non-profit. A lot of our board members wanted to help our clients, meet their basic needs, help them find safe and affordable housing, etc. These are good intentions. But I had to ask myself, how many wanted to live beside them, be a neighbor to them, invest in relationships with them, share backyard bbqs with them, give them a ride when their car broke down? (In all fairness, some of them did try to do some of these things some of the time).

And then I had to ask myself, am I willing to leave beside them? Am I willing to share family nights with them and birthday celebrations and Sunday pot roasts and late night firefly catching? Am I willing to be the bridge that doesn't burn when they fall prey to their addiction again? Am I willing to model what a healthy, day-to-day relationship looks like? Am I willing to surrender my own anxieties to the Father so that I'm even able to have so-called healthy, day-to-day relationships?

It comes down to us, and how much we are willing to allow Jesus to be enough, and our dreams to fall in line with His heart, so we can care and not grow faint, give and not grow weary.

Re: Bringin’ Back Monarchy

arkychicky — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:45:57 -0000

...and THAT, my friends, is part of what makes Portland such a beautiful place!

Re: Welcome Brandon Rhodes!

arkychicky — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:39:25 -0000

Welcome, Brandon!

Re: Gyrovagues, Church-Shoppers, and Ecclesial Free Agents

arkychicky — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:52:56 -0000

Having recently removed myself from the congregation I served in for almost 7 years, I'm a bit shell-shocked (even though I have strong community and accountability with other believers). Its very strange not having a sense of place.

One of the questions I have been toying with, however, is why the "itinerant preacher" is such an iconic figure in Christianity, while itinerant laity are simply self-seeking? If a pastor "feels the Lord leading him" to a new position or to start a new church, it isn't questioned, but if a church member feels the same leading, they are really just following their own desires.

The responsibility of a discipling community falls on both those discipling and those being discipled... and on down the line as the discipleship continues. When it becomes a "my-way-or-the-highway" type controlling relationship, it ceases to be community... or discipleship for that matter. I value stability and obedience... I also value mutual-respect and communication. I guess its difficult for me to continue in the first where the latter is absent.

Re: Co-Editor Position

arkychicky — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:40:40 -0000

We will definately miss all of Mike's hard work (and look forward to occasional writings), but I'm glad to see he's not trying to balance too many plates! That's wisdom in practice... praxis... whatever...

Re: spring always comes

arkychicky — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:38:52 -0000

Thanks, Lisa. Spring comes far too early and leaves far too quickly down here in the South... but it is always welcome! I need the reminder that the Spirit is the answer to my prayers... before I've even prayed them... and that after I've made a decision based on the Spirit's leading, that I continue to trust the Spirit to lead and guide. (I tend to jump right into an anxious Summer and then take all Autumn to recenter.)

Re: Daughters and Sons

arkychicky — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:34:32 -0000

agreed... I'm a big fan of the kitchen. after all, that is where the communion feast is prepared!

Re: A Review of Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove’s FREE TO BE BOUND

arkychicky — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:52:17 -0000

This book is waiting on my bedside table (unfortunately, under quite a stack of others who were first in line...). I bought it the week it came out, because I had heard Jonathan speak on this topic last fall at the Christian Community Development Association conference and I wanted to play my part in boosting his first week sales (Yes, I wanted to contribute to the consumerist hoopla... albeit, for a worthy cause). Thank you for the review ~ I am looking forward to a good read.

Re: Homeland Security.

arkychicky — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:32:03 -0000

and, by "take her down", you mean...

Re: Once Upon a Time…

arkychicky — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:23:32 -0000

I wouldn't say genius... perhaps obsessed is a better term... I have seen the film 20+ times...

For small group story sharing, I highly recommend Toben and Joanne Heim's "What's Your Story?: An Interactive Guide to Building Authentic Relationships".

Re: Impacting the Winds of Change

arkychicky — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:03:06 -0000

In all fairness to the skeptics (with which I still teeter), there is still a loud call from Wallis and Sojourners for change at the public policy level... there is just the accompanying admission that it will be fruitless without authentic change at the personal and communal levels. It still reeks of Washington, it just sounds a clearer call for personal responsibility than that of the politicians...

Re: Songs for Ordinary Time

arkychicky — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:58:06 -0000

Some of my favorite resources for following the liturgical seasons are www.crivoice.org & www.spirithome.com. Granted, the seasons are contrived, but I enjoy the rhythm they provide to my walk.

Re: Fighting With Forks: The Food Crisis Battle

arkychicky — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:26:02 -0000

When my grandmother passed away a year or so ago, one of the things she left me was her ration stamps (because she knew I really liked "old stuff"...). The thing that touched me the most was that there were stamps left over... they didn't use up all of their stamps just because they could... they bought what they needed. I wished I had more opportunity to learn her survival skills - the woman could sew, quilt, can, grow, create and make-do in amazing ways.

Perhaps what makes our current war-time so inconceivable, is not just that the war feels so contrived, but that we are being asked as a Nation to keep living life as if nothing is going on...

Re: Pentecost – The Tongue Untied

arkychicky — Mon, 12 May 2008 09:39:34 -0000

I feel like one of the major themes of my Christian growth has been learning the art of becoming quick to listen & slow to speak. I appreciate the reminders in this article:

"When He released His Church into the world, God started by firmly placing His hand on the helm controlling the rudder – the tongue. "

Re: the apathy generator

arkychicky — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:44:15 -0000

What has struck me on this theme most recently, as NPR and the other news sources have been reporting on the soap opera ban in Afghanistan (b/c the values in the programs do not reflect the values of Islam), is the observation:

"Traffic in the crowded capital Kabul eases each evening and the streets empty as Afghans scurry home to watch their favourite soap operas; the glamorous lives of the Indian elite a welcome escape for many in a country that has seen 30 years of civil war."

apathy... escapism... sloth... et al

I am, quite too often, the chief of sinners.

Re: The New Christians’ Kool-Aid

arkychicky — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:31:26 -0000

I drank some of this kool-aid at the Sojourner's Pentecost conference back in 2006... except, we called it "Purple Jesus", and instead of killing you it just made you feel really happy.

Obama spoke at that conference (as did Clinton), and I remember being highly impressed. I had already been impressed by him at the Democratic convention, but now I was actually sitting in a room with the man and experiencing his charisma. I can say, that I haven't noticed a big change between what he is standing for now and what he was standing for then - which means a lot to me in a political candidate.

That said, as someone who spent a lot of time working on campaigns in high school and college, and someone who has worked in the non-profit relm with multiple government agencies, I have become increasingly disillusioned with politics specifically and government in general. I know that government is necessary for a society to run this side of eternity, but we just seemed to have messed the whole thing up so bad, not even the patron saint of disillusioned Christians can fix it. It's like a cassette tape that gets pulled out, but is so kinked up you can never roll it back up properly, and it just ends up making really lousy music.

I vote. That's what I've done since I was 18. However, I no longer live under the illusion that government or politicians are going to change anything. The only thing that can bring change is me changing my lifestyle. - abiding in Christ and allowing him to change my character, my ability to love, my willingness to sacrifice - And that's not going to impact a whole lot of people, but its the only sphere I have control over (that, and prayer - but then I am only in control of the prayers and not their results). Maybe it will rub off and other people will be inspired to do the same. Maybe not. But it is what I am called to do, regardless.

Or, I could go back to spending that time instead holding signs, attending rallies and fundraisers, volunteering in campaign offices, and securing someone "four more years". I think I'd rather just abide.

Re: Reputable Peace

arkychicky — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:44:48 -0000

I'll play devil's advocate to my own piece.

Cultural Christianity is full of its own trappings. From plastic WWJD bracelets to designer rosaries, "by His stripes we are healed" (insert image of American flag) t-shirts to priestly collars, testamints to communion wafers - we have all kinds of items to help us feel like we are moving toward a deeper faith. A dear friend even bought me a "Christian" coffeemug for Christmas (sarcastically intentional). It is also steeped in customs, which vary from tradition to tradition (everything from Monday night "Visitation" to "stand-sit-kneel"). Naturally, this is what is being held out to the world.

However, that was my whole point for writing this piece? Why is that what we are holding out? Why do we buy things and perform rituals and allow this to be enough? Why do we satisfy ourselves with less than what was offered to us (or add things to what is needed)?

The world sees US American Christianity as consumeristic, selfish and arrogant.

Why doesn't the world see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? These are the fruits of abiding in Christ and the presence of the Spirit in our lives.

They see this from Buddhism, Tibetan or otherwise.

They have every right to expect it, authentically, from the Church.

Re: Reputable Peace

arkychicky — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:50:23 -0000

I should probably clarify that had this article been written for any other site, I probably would have rephrased or elaborated on several things. As is, I was writing specifically for the JM audience, with the purpose of stirring the imagination of how we live out our faith. In regards to Buddhism, I am speaking here specifically of Tibetan Buddhism and the folk religion it is tied up with. My point was not to present a thorough overview of the religion, or particularly to critique it at all, but rather to challenge those Christians who are seeking to follow the way of Christ in a radical way to question the way our faith is presented to the world and critique our own failure to live out our ideals.

Re: Kevin Smith Making Film About the Trinity

arkychicky — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:42:15 -0000

You had me at "Christian Bale as Jesus Christ"...

Seriously, if anyone COULD pull this off, it would be Kevin Smith... maybe you should make a pitch!