The Joshua House
a missional community of worship following Jesus...

General Info
Date: Saturday, December 2nd
Time: 5-7:30pm
Where: Terra Nova Co-op common room

Please e-mail or call us by Friday, Dec.1st by noon to tell us if you are coming and if you would like to help bring something for dinner.

Dinner
The main course will be: Chinese take-out
We still need: Dessert

Children
Wayne
Plus one, if needed

Study/Discussion
Watching and talking about John chapter 13:
v.1-11 Washing the Disciple’s Feet
v.12-20 Like Master, Like Servant
v.21-30 Judas Goes Out
v.31-38 Love One Another

Look forward to seeing you all!

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I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed our time together and our discussion on John 12 last Saturday night. Not only did my homemade chili not cause any nausea (as far as I know) but eating together at a common table was also a great idea. Thanks Deborah!

I really appreciated everyone’s comments and questions. It is so rewarding to enter into scripture together and see how we still can relate to these amazing stories from two thousand years ago…some things just never change.

I just wanted to expand on one great comment Wayne made after watching the video. He made an interesting comment in regards to John 12:19. Jesus is entering Jerusalem for the last time (as we find out later) and he enters in like a king. It’s party time! Palm branches are waving, people are cheering and singing. You’d think Bono was entering New York or Dublin to sing his last performance with U2 or something. However, during this great celebratory entrance one group is not very happy, not very happy at all. In verse 19 of John 12 we hear the Pharisees grumbling to each other.

The Message translation puts it well by saying, "The Pharisees took one look and threw up there hands: "It’s out of control. The world’s in a stampede after him." Wayne mentioned how bitter these guys seemed in their comment.

In thinking about the attitude of the Pharisees I began to reflect on our attitude as Christians in an increasingly so-called "post-Christian" society in Canada. I too have to admit that sometimes as I see our society moving further and further from church, I think to myself,

"It’s out of control. The world’s in a stampede away from us, away from church."

I’ve been troubled by this attitude that I see in myself but also increasingly in other christians where our fear of losing our place in society has caused a re-entrenchment into our churchly (not necessarily Christ-like) ways. Perhaps like the Pharisees, we too fear losing our once held "position of influence" in what some might have once considered a "Christian nation." Are we to try to claw our way back on top or does perhaps God have another strategy altogether?

Now some might say that my analogy is faulty because in the story of John 12 people were actually moving closer to Jesus not away from him. You might have a point, however, it wasn’t too long after this where Jesus is hanging on the cross and perhaps some from the very same crowds at the celebration were also the ones screaming and throwing things at him out of contempt and hatred. Many had a fixed idea of what their king needed to look like and on the cross Jesus failed them miserably. In otherwords, the screaming, contempt-filled crowds spoke too soon, they had no idea what Jesus was going to do next in the midst of this horrible situation, i.e. the resurrection and freedom for the captives.

Could Jesus be doing the same today?

I guess my point is basically, are we as the church in Canada reacting to the world around us with fear or with love? Lately I’ve seen a lot of fear but the apostle John tells us that real love drives out fear (1 John 4:18). Do we remember that Jesus is the Light that shines in the darkness, that he is the one who gives light to every man (John 1:5,9)?

What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the Puritans? Plymouth Rock? The Mayflower? The movie, "The Scarlet Letter" with Demi Moore?

I just wanted to share another fascinating article from Vox-Pop at Mars Hill Church. It is a unique look at the Puritans and what, perhaps, we can learn from their zeal for daily, practical, Kingdom living in community.

I particularly enjoyed the part about the brewery. What? Do Puritans and breweries go together? Apparently.

To read the article click "here"

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A friend sent me a link to quite an amusing video clip of a unique Japanese game show. You gotta love those Japanese game shows!

All I can say is that with all the wars, fighting and animosity in the world it’s nice to know that there are still some things that we all have in common, kind of like being made in God’s image.  Ok, sorry for getting all serious there for a moment, I have a tendency to do that.

Guys especially, I think you’ll know what I mean after you watch the clip:

By the way, they’re trying to say a tongue twister. 

To watch the clip just click "Here" 

I recently sent out an e-mail to a bunch of friends about an article that I read on the subject of Christians and secular media (i.e. movies, music, books, tv…). The question the article ends up touching on quite well is this whole: What should be a Christian’s repsonse to secular (I use the word "secular" simply to mean that which doesn’t neatly fall into any Christian category) media? Do we hide from it or do we dive into it?  Perhaps there is another path. Should I watch Harry Potter as a Christian? Should I listen to Enya? Yes, ok, I listen to Enya, so what! I find it very calming even though in some songs it sounds like she’s speaking a form of Elvish from The Lord of the Rings.  I know, it’s probably Gaelic which is a cool sounding ancient language.  I digress…

The article I speak of, which is an interview with Pastor James Harleman the leader of Film & Theology at Mars Hill Church in Seattle WA, can be read by clicking "Here." It is bascially an article of VoxPop, the church’s monthly newsletter. No, James is not the lead pastor. And yes, that job belongs to the sometimes, ok often times, controversial Mark Driscoll.

In this public space I want to personally affirm what James Harleman echoes in his interview and would love to learn more with others in our community what this can mean for us in The Joshua House as we learn how to be salt and light in our ever lovly but needy city of Vancouver.  This like so much of the Christian faith should not be done alone but rather ought to be worked out with others in Kingdom community using the wisdom, discernment and freedom we have in Christ.

That being said, who’s up for watching The Village, CSI or CBC’s The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulis for Christ?  Can I really say that?

By the way, here is a web page I personally use in determining which movies I might or might not want to watch as a Christian, husband, father, friend, etc. It’s ChristianityToday’s movie webpage and is really well run. I guarantee a "no cheese" rating. Just click "Here" for it and hopefully you find it useful in your quest to glorify God in your movie viewing experiences.

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General Info
Date: Saturday, November 18th
Time: 5-7pm
Where: Terra Nova Co-op common room

Please e-mail or call us by Friday, Nov.17th by noon to tell us if you are coming and if you would like to bring something for dinner.

Dinner
The main course will be: Still brainstorming…
We still need: (TBA)

Study/Discussion
Watching and talking about John chapter 12:
v.1-8 (Mary and Her Ointment)
v.9-19 (Jesus Enters Jerusalem)
v.20-26 (The Seed Must Die)
v.27-36 (The Hour Has Come)
v.37-43 (Glory and Blindness)
v.44-50 (The Final Challenge)

Read it beforehand and bring your bibles and any questions at all that you may have and be ready to discuss it.

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