HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU!

Yesterday (8/29) marked the one-year birthday of this blog (motions to follow) let's take a look back, shall we?

• One of the first things I wrote about was Perry speaking at Clemson FCA.
  
• This blog used to be titled "Ryan Sutherland Writes Volumes"
• Thanks to Whitney King, Matt Feiling, Ashley Barnett, Brittney Harris, Scott Murray, Pudge Huckaby, Alden Ellis, Megan Hendricks, B. Long, Alan Adams, and others for their comments over the year!
• My blog has also been made available on my Virb site in the past few months!
• The first picture I had on the main blogsite was me being semi-attacked by a rubber python!

That's the trivia. Take a look back and see what you can find in the archives section. There are lots of different teachings, ideas, commentary, and inspirational blogs as well as old photos and great video links!

As a blog writer, I would like to meet you, the readers! If you read this blog on a regular basis or have read it for the first time on this post, please leave a comment! Let me know who ya are!

Happy blogging! Advance the Kingdom!

I Will Teach You What I Know About ________ in the Next 10 Minutes

One of my current goals is to create a series of teaching videos to be used by churches and Jesus-loving organizations, but also without demographic. Similar to Rob Bell's NOOMA, the MOMENTUM videos will be roughly 10 minute long teaching videos in which speakers will share what is most passionate to them, the issues people care about, and teach what the Word of God says about those topics.

The purpose of Momentum is two-fold.

1.) To implement an element of change by discussing relevant topics for all people in a way that shares the love and gospel of Christ.

2.) To allow speakers a platform from which to share valuable experiences, teachings, and revelations that are engaging and in a way that inspires others to seek meaningful relationships with Christ and people.

This is my vision. Just as NOOMA presents a new format, MOMENTUM will build on that format to change the world and serve the Kingdom.

Look for the first MOMENTUM video, TRASH, to be produced within the next few months.

If you are interested in this project please leave a comment below.

Continue to build the Kingdom... continue to be an element of change.

"Look at all these sinners...."

I think the video illustrates how we think about evangelism sometimes. We see the word as black and white, us and them. We fail to remember that we were once without hope and that we are all unworthy of God's amazing grace. In its worst forms, evangelism stands upon this dichotomy.

Crazy guy with the sandwich boards

The Guy with the bullhorn

The Pamphlet People

The Bible Givers

the list goes on. Jesus DID NOT do what is portrayed in this video. He didn't set an example for people to always walk up to people saying "I'm-a-Christian-are-you?-You-need-to-visit-
my-church" attitude. There was no condemnation towards people who did not yet know him.

Jesus taught us to love people by investing in a relationship with them.

EMPHASIS ON 'RELATIONSHIP'

I believe God wants us to form relationships with people so that we can use that relationship as a mirror image of what he wants with us. You can't do that if you're always moving 100 miles per minute, giving people the "How ya doin?" without really caring.

We have to be careful we don't fall in that trap. It's dangerous to fool ourselves into thinking we are doing God's will when we don't take the time to get to know people.

Love God, love people. If you want to change the world, all you have to do is summon the courage to make a friend, to impact the lives of the people you meet. Then, God might use that relationship to show His glory and to begin a relationship with his lost sheep.

The Message of Spider-man

So I just had this random thought which seemed good enough for me to blog (speak in public, shout, whisper, pray, think) about.

I think this thought may (just maybe) have something to do with the old Spidey comic I read last night while in the bathroom (I'm not ashamed to admit this....I needed some reading material, and you know that all good ideas occur in the bathroom!)...

'With great power comes great responsibility'

Everyone knows that was the great lesson that Spidey/Peter Parker learned and lived by. Granted, I haven't done battle with green goblins, octopi, and other dangerous criminals, but I think the lesson resonates within each of us beacause of its beauty and truth.

As followers of Christ, I think we should realize that we have been endowed with many great and powerful gifts. Our super-power is the heart of God within us.

If you are a follower of Christ you just know that you are because of the impact you have on the world around you. You have experienced and accepted God's love (received a heart transplant) and that powerful love overflows. We are called to be known as Christ-followers by the love we show others.

As a church, we are called to use this power -- this love -- to change the world around us for the better. We are called to serve God's will through loving the underpriveleged, the untouchables, and the people beside us. I believe that we have the reponsibility to build meaningful relationships with these people so they can experience Christ through us and hopefully move towards a relationship with Him. Would that not change the world in incredible ways?

'With great power comes great responsibility.'