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Opening Up After Quarantine

A Cautious Approach To Regaining Equilibrium As A Church

The past several weeks have been difficult for our nation, and even our entire world. COVID-19, the Coronavirus, has brought us to our knees and complete disrupted our lives in almost every single area. And finally, it seems like it may be time to start opening things back up. To that end, here is our proposed plan for Parkview.

Opening Up After Quarantine

We heard it from every avenue: the Center for Disease Control, the federal government, the state government, our own county health officials and city leaders. Stay home. Close down anything that isn’t essential. Stop the spread. Flatten the curve.

As a church, such restrictions are extremely difficult. The church is designed to be in community, not isolation. And we have been apart for almost two full months. That has been hard.

Now, with Missouri’s governor opening things back up, albeit slowly, and our own local authorities doing the same, we have a plan for how we will reestablish our physical services, with a strong eye towards the safety and security of everyone.

In doing so, our leaders have weighed three equally important truths: the call from God to meet together (Hebrews 10:25), the requirements given in Scripture to obey our government (Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:13-17), and the safety and security of those people under our watch (1 Peter 5:2).

To that end, we have developed a plan for reopening and meeting together as the body of Christ. Our target date is this Sunday, May 24th. But in order to make sure our services are as safe as possible for those who are at a higher risk, or for those who are more worried about the state of the pandemic at this time, we are taking every possible precaution and safety step that we can, and we are asking a few things from our church as well to help us out.

This quarantine and social isolation has really been a difficult time for many. As a minister, I have found it to be both a very difficult experience, and a very enlightening one. In this episode, I share a few of the things I’ve realized during this time.

I have leaned a few lessons in at least three areas. The first area is my family. This isolation has given us the opportunity to prioritize family time in greater ways than we have been able to recently, in various ways, like family movie nights, and more meals together. The second area affects my role as a minister and the church I serve. How we approach the process of canceling service, and now reopening them, has been an eye-opening experience. The third area… Well, you’ll need to watch the video to find out what it might be.

The crazy thing is that God can use even times like these to make himself known to us in ways that we might not have ever noticed. I have seen God do some pretty amazing things in my life an din the lives of those around me during this time. What has he been doing in your life through this quarantine? Have you been watching?

About Random Ramblings:

Random Ramblings are just that: they are random, and I’ll probably ramble. It’s an opportunity to share a little about what’s going on in my mind. From resources, to things I’m thinking about or studying from Scripture, to fun stuff, I hope these ramblings can be a fun part of your day. These brief videos will be shared here and on my YouTube channel. You can jump over there to subscribe for only video updates, or subscribe here to be notified of posts of all kinds.

Links:

Ozark Christian College (Mug I’m using)

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The Second Temptation Of Jesus In Matthew

A Look At Matthew 4:5-7

When Satan attempts his second temptation of Jesus, recorded in Matthew 4, he throws Scripture into the mix, twisting it to say something different that what it really says. But Jesus sees right through it and stands firm.

The Second Temptation Of Jesus In Matthew

After the failure of the first temptation, which played upon Jesus hunger, Matthew tells us that the devil takes him into Jerusalem, to the temple. This was most likely a visionary experience, and not a literal move to a new location, because the scene ends with Jesus still apparently in the wilderness.

Just what part of the temple is meant by “pinnacle” is also uncertain. Different scholars and commentators have suggested three different alternatives. First is the apex of the temple itself. A second option could have been the top of Solomon’s porch. And finally, a third possibility was at the top of Herod’s royal portico. This third option is probably the most likely. It was found at the southeast corner of the temple area, and provided a broad view of the valley of Kidron. At the time of Jesus, it was — and still is — the highest part of the temple.

Regardless of which option is correct, the temple itself represented the presence of God Himself, and was a place where many assumed that His protection was certain. This is probably why Satan quoted Psalm 91, which speaks of God protection and his willingness to rescue his people. Satan suggests that Jesus test this protection by forcing God’s hand, making Him demonstrate his power and faithfulness.

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Coffee Break – 05.11.2020

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

Time for a Coffee Break! On this day in history: In 330, Constantinople, previously the town of Byzantium, was founded. In 1858, Minnesota, my wife’s home state, was admitted as the 32nd U.S. state. And in 1934, the first of many dust storms swept across the Great Plains, sending dust and topsoil flying as far east as New York, Boston and Atlanta.

Coffee Break

Today Is National Twilight Zone Day!
Catch an episode or two of this classic show!

Turkish Coffee – Have you ever tried Turkish coffee? It’s really an excellent way to brew yourself a cup of coffee. And it pairs well with figs. Mmmm….

The Cactus That Crawls Across The Desert – I kind of like most cacti, and this one is especially interesting. Cut out the evolution language and realize that God designed it, and you have a unique part of the ecosystem that inspires a little awe.

The Longest Straight Line Land And Sea Route – A burning question that keeps you up at night is finally answered. What’s the longest straight line in the world? Here you go.

Why This Lake Is The Deadliest In The World – Have you ever heard of a lake that explodes? It’s a real thing apparently.

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What I’m Drinking: Ritual Coffee, Los Gigantes

Coffees You Should Try

You may know that I’m a pretty big fan of coffee. I began this journey many years ago after having the opportunity to visit a coffee plantation in Costa Rica. Over the years since that time, I have explored and learned a lot about this amazing drink.

Los Gigantes, Colombia - Ritual Coffee

I have also discovered several amazing coffee resources, tools, roasters and more. I hope to share many of these resources with you, and even more as I discover new things myself. With that in mind, I’m starting a something new that will be a regular part of things around here. I’m calling it, What I’m Drinking.

Through these articles, I will share with you my current coffee, and what I think of it. I’m not planning on overwhelming you, but you can expect to see something along these lines once or twice a month.

Right now, I am enjoying a bag of beans from Ritual Coffee in San Francisco. In the inaugural episode of Random Ramblings, I talked about a coffee subscription service that I have joined, called Trade Coffee. This coffee from Ritual is the second installment from that subscription: Los Gigantes, from Huila, Colombia.

And I am very impressed with it. I have tried it various ways, but keep coming back to the Chemex for this particular bean.