This has been rattling in my mind for quite a while and it all kind of poured out of me during Catalyst in my journal. This is an idea. A catalyst. Some primal desire for change, but nothing we do should be outside the scope of community. So, my friends, readers, critics… I need your help. I want input and ideas. Let’s make this some sort of collaborative conversation. I’m looking for change. I’m looking for something more. I’m not even sure why I’m writing this, but I’d like to hear from you about this manifesto.

A Manifesto of Revolt and Activism in a Journey

Out of the Cluttered Woods of Faith

This is a clearing, a walk in spiritual anticipation for a tribe of earth shakers, lovers and heretics.

1. First and foremost, we are followers of Christ, lovers of God and chasers of the Spirit.
2. We the people are discontent with the way churches are today.
3. We want to do the work of Jesus and join in the healing of a broken world.
4. We are fueled by compassion, driven by love, and broken by God’s unfathomable grace.
5. We will not complain or bicker or dissent about the current state of the broken church, but we will incite change through our actions, meditations, prayers, and love.
6. We will pray and seek the Lord in the world around us.
7. We will break the mold of religious traditions and the American dream because we are sojourners, aliens, nomads following in the steps of a wandering Aramean.
8. We are social and religious heretics who are only accountable to the sovereign creator of the universe.
9. We are lovers of change, hope and compassion and will shake the status quo by how we step outside the herd and barbeque the sacred cow.
10. We will work out our faith in transparent community of broken followers stumbling after Christ.

Keep us in prayer this week. We are starting a new endeavor. This is one of those things that the Lord has begun about a year ago, slowly leading us up to this point. We are starting a new service for youth in our area. It’s something very different in approach. It will be something very simple. Nothing fancy. Our pursuit is simply contemplation, conversation and community.

This whole thing came about from a conversation with a student, over coffee, who wanted something to bring his atheist friends to, but knew they would not step foot in a church service.

So we’re not doing a church service. It’s more of an experiment. We’re facilitating a place where conversation happens and doubts and questions are welcome. But our goal is to establish a sacred space where youth can step outside of their loud busy worlds and come in to talk, contemplate and experience the Lord. It will have a more quiet, prayerful, meditative tone to it. Ventus begins this Saturday at 7pm.

Over the course of the summer, with the non-stopped pacing… The Ramblings lost it’s way. It lost it’s teeth.

Well, I’m here to tell you that I’m back, baby, with a vengeance. The coffee is kickin’. I’m awake. And let the rants and rambles return!

So, hello again…

A facelift is in progress.

Welcome to the new theRamblings.org website.

If you have my site bookmarked, you will need to change it (sorry) . All of the posts have been transfered. The blog continues with no interruption.

Same service. Same sarcasm. New look. More changes to come. Thanks for being here.