Hello Blog, it's been a while since we've seen each other. We have some catching up to do.
Will get to you shortly on that.
~Jeff
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Love
I read through the book of 1 Corinthians a few weeks ago. Like most people, I have heard chapter 13 quoted many times. You know it, its the one about love.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast.” Etc.
What really hit me this time through it was a little farther down in the chapter. In verse 8 Paul starts comparing love to the gifts of knowledge and prophecy.
“8b But where there are prophecies they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled.”
What Paul is saying is that in the end, when we are with God, we will not need to prophecy because we will already be in the presence of God. We will not speak in tongues because our spirits will be completely in tune with God. Faith will be evident and hope will all be fulfilled.
Out of all these things, once the world ends and is renewed. Once faith is no longer necessary and all hope, everything that’s been promised has been fulfilled. Once all this happens, love will still be happening. This active thing is the foundation of faith.
Jesus said the greatest command was to “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Mark 12:30,31)
Obviously he is not talking about romantic love, he is talking about active love, loving someone in action. By treating them like they are worth something. Check out Luke 10:25-37
Isn’t it amazing how the greatest commandment is one that everyone can do?
You have people in the world who can’t prophecy, who can’t speak publicly, who can’t talk in tongues. But this one thing he has given us the capacity to do, and that is to love.
It just blows my mind that the greatest thing we are commanded to do is one of the basics.
I wonder how that would look, if we all started following this out?
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast.” Etc.
What really hit me this time through it was a little farther down in the chapter. In verse 8 Paul starts comparing love to the gifts of knowledge and prophecy.
“8b But where there are prophecies they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled.”
What Paul is saying is that in the end, when we are with God, we will not need to prophecy because we will already be in the presence of God. We will not speak in tongues because our spirits will be completely in tune with God. Faith will be evident and hope will all be fulfilled.
Out of all these things, once the world ends and is renewed. Once faith is no longer necessary and all hope, everything that’s been promised has been fulfilled. Once all this happens, love will still be happening. This active thing is the foundation of faith.
Jesus said the greatest command was to “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Mark 12:30,31)
Obviously he is not talking about romantic love, he is talking about active love, loving someone in action. By treating them like they are worth something. Check out Luke 10:25-37
Isn’t it amazing how the greatest commandment is one that everyone can do?
You have people in the world who can’t prophecy, who can’t speak publicly, who can’t talk in tongues. But this one thing he has given us the capacity to do, and that is to love.
It just blows my mind that the greatest thing we are commanded to do is one of the basics.
I wonder how that would look, if we all started following this out?
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Second Approach (February update)
I’ve actually been having a little trouble trying to figure out how I wanted to write this update.
I’ve had two jobs at Media Village here the past couple of months: the first is to staff the DTS. (Discipleship training school) and the other is to run the sound department. Both of these are pretty much full time work so there has been a tension between the two. Of which I have felt a lot of in the past couple of weeks.
Aside from trying to find more efficient forms of time management there are a couple of huge things God has been bringing to my attention lately.
The first and probably most powerful one for me in the past month or so is the idea of discipleship.
The way I have been approaching this schools has been very different that the last DTS I staffed. Part of the why is I’ve really started to understand and get a passion for the idea of discipleship; of building into people. It is my heart to see others grow in Christ.
So far this school I’ve really started to grasp that concept. The fun thing, and a common misconception is that you don’t need to have everything figured out to disciple people. If you are a Christian then you have what it takes to build into someone. And I’ve absolutely loved being able to just talk about God and go through the bible with students and discuss things they don’t understand or have trouble with.
Another huge thing I’ve been grasping over the past couple months is the idea of relationships. You ever notice how one aspect of God as the trinity is the perfect relationship they have? God is all about relationships.
The thing that popped in my head when I first felt God calling me to missions was the idea that whatever I do it is about the people I am with. They are the priority, not my career, or what I can to technically.
I am passionate about music and sound, but this is just a tool to reach into peoples lives, this idea is really starting to excite me, and it should you as well.
Whatever you can do, God wants to use that to reach people and impact people.
Isn’t that comforting? God can use what you do.
A couple weeks ago I got to go to Masiphumelele, a township about a twenty minute drive away, and run live sound for a Worship concert some friends were putting on outside.
We got to talk about Jesus and tell people who He is. Several people came forward and received Christ as their savior. This challenged me. I want to talk to people about Jesus more. For the most part here I work with videos that are talking about what God has been up to, and I get to train people, help them get to know God better. But I don’t get to talk about Jesus to people who don’t know him. At least I don’t get to very often.
Honestly this is one thing I miss about working at a job with non-christians, its easy to talk about faith with co-workers. Most people I’ve talked to have a curiosity in Jesus and who he was/is.
The DTS still has lecture Phase for another five weeks. After they leave for outreach. It’s been amazing seeing them growing closer to God.
After the DTS I am helping lead the Radio Broadcasting school. On top of that I am going to be spending a lot of the next four months training a couple of guys to take over my position in the sound department for when I leave, as well as work on upgrading the departments capabilities.
As always, Thank you for your prayers and support. May God bless you in amazing ways this week and may you come to a stronger realization of how amazing our God is!
~J
I’ve had two jobs at Media Village here the past couple of months: the first is to staff the DTS. (Discipleship training school) and the other is to run the sound department. Both of these are pretty much full time work so there has been a tension between the two. Of which I have felt a lot of in the past couple of weeks.
Aside from trying to find more efficient forms of time management there are a couple of huge things God has been bringing to my attention lately.
The first and probably most powerful one for me in the past month or so is the idea of discipleship.
The way I have been approaching this schools has been very different that the last DTS I staffed. Part of the why is I’ve really started to understand and get a passion for the idea of discipleship; of building into people. It is my heart to see others grow in Christ.
So far this school I’ve really started to grasp that concept. The fun thing, and a common misconception is that you don’t need to have everything figured out to disciple people. If you are a Christian then you have what it takes to build into someone. And I’ve absolutely loved being able to just talk about God and go through the bible with students and discuss things they don’t understand or have trouble with.
Another huge thing I’ve been grasping over the past couple months is the idea of relationships. You ever notice how one aspect of God as the trinity is the perfect relationship they have? God is all about relationships.
The thing that popped in my head when I first felt God calling me to missions was the idea that whatever I do it is about the people I am with. They are the priority, not my career, or what I can to technically.
I am passionate about music and sound, but this is just a tool to reach into peoples lives, this idea is really starting to excite me, and it should you as well.
Whatever you can do, God wants to use that to reach people and impact people.
Isn’t that comforting? God can use what you do.
A couple weeks ago I got to go to Masiphumelele, a township about a twenty minute drive away, and run live sound for a Worship concert some friends were putting on outside.
We got to talk about Jesus and tell people who He is. Several people came forward and received Christ as their savior. This challenged me. I want to talk to people about Jesus more. For the most part here I work with videos that are talking about what God has been up to, and I get to train people, help them get to know God better. But I don’t get to talk about Jesus to people who don’t know him. At least I don’t get to very often.
Honestly this is one thing I miss about working at a job with non-christians, its easy to talk about faith with co-workers. Most people I’ve talked to have a curiosity in Jesus and who he was/is.
The DTS still has lecture Phase for another five weeks. After they leave for outreach. It’s been amazing seeing them growing closer to God.
After the DTS I am helping lead the Radio Broadcasting school. On top of that I am going to be spending a lot of the next four months training a couple of guys to take over my position in the sound department for when I leave, as well as work on upgrading the departments capabilities.
As always, Thank you for your prayers and support. May God bless you in amazing ways this week and may you come to a stronger realization of how amazing our God is!
~J
Friday, February 5, 2010
Masiphumelele
Saturday I got to run live sound for a worship concert in Masiphumelele, a township here in the cape. It was amazing standing in the open air and praising God. I took these pictures when Kevin (guy on acoustic guitar) was talking about Jesus. I couldn't see how many, but at least a few people dedicates/re-dedicated their lives to Jesus. It was amazing being able to do something like that. It's been a while.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Hello Mr. Blog
Well, I started this blog to do a little more with updating people with what life is up to. Mostly I haven't done that, just added updates I have posted elsewhere. Well, this is me committing to not do that. I will still continue to post main updates but I will also be adding thoughts and updates as they come. Also I will and try and fill y'all in on more aspects of what I do.
As you may or may not know, I work with both training and productions here at Media Village. Both aspects are fun and challenging in their own right. I hope to provide a little more insight on both.
Recent news:
I got to run a live concert in Masiphumelele, a township here in the Cape area this past Saturday. It was amazing. We did live worship outside of a church and just preached the word of God.
The DTS is going very well. I love doing music but one thing God has been showing me a lot lately is that He has also called me to be a disciple-er. People are more important that any type of technical career I will ever have, and everything I do needs to be building into people. Relationships are what life is all about.
More later, hope to upload some pictures here soon.
As you may or may not know, I work with both training and productions here at Media Village. Both aspects are fun and challenging in their own right. I hope to provide a little more insight on both.
Recent news:
I got to run a live concert in Masiphumelele, a township here in the Cape area this past Saturday. It was amazing. We did live worship outside of a church and just preached the word of God.
The DTS is going very well. I love doing music but one thing God has been showing me a lot lately is that He has also called me to be a disciple-er. People are more important that any type of technical career I will ever have, and everything I do needs to be building into people. Relationships are what life is all about.
More later, hope to upload some pictures here soon.
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