"New Day" Discussion Blog

Thanks!

Steve — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:58:04 +0000

Well, although it took a while, we are now complete.

Thanks for playing along. Be sure to keep Chapter 11 handy over the next few months, it has some great tips on how to start a New Holiday Revolution.

We probably could have been a little bit faster by covering 2 chapters a week, so thanks for hanging in there.

Chapter 10: Weekend Warrior

Steve — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:58:19 +0000

Featured Excerpt: Turn Off the TV (page 89)
Scripture: Everyday matters just as much as the next one
Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2: 23-28)
23One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked
along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why
are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” 25He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the
house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And
he also gave some to his companions.” 27Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. 28So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

THINK GLOBALLY

>Do you ever have too much of a TGIF mentality?
>Is the weekend still a time of rest?
>How can we get back to the Sabbath as a time of rest and relaxation?
>What are some good ways to get others involved in doing good work?
>How can we use our free time to lay foundations of making a difference?

ACT LOCALLY

>How can your community use the weekend to do good instead of just
going to church?
>How can your church better engage the local community on the
weekends?
>What opportunities for service and community can your church create?
>How can your church be out in the community more than it already is?
>How can your church reach out to those who work on weekends?

Chapter 9: Cleaning Up and Cleaning Out

Steve — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:07:35 +0000

Featured Excerpt: Stop the Junk (page 77)
Scripture: What do you need to get rid of?

The Rich Ruler (Luke 18:18-30)

18A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19”Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.
20You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not
steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” (…)

THINK GLOBALLY

>How many people could be helped by just what’s in your closets and
pantries?
>Why does our culture prize possessions so much?
>What would it look like if the church embraced an economy of sharing?
>Be honest: What do you have that you don’t need?
>How has our world confused the words ‘needs’ and ‘wants’?

ACT LOCALLY

>How long could you go if you only ate what was already in your pantry?
>How could the members of your church pool what they don’t need to
meet the needs of others?
>What are the things that your church has, but doesn’t need, that could
benefit another church in the area?
>How can your church community encourage a routine of ‘getting rid of’
among its members?
>How can you help others decide when enough is enough?

Chapter 8: Ec(ology)

Steve — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:47:03 +0000

Featured Excerpt: Audit Yourself (page 67)
Scripture: What we do at home matters

At the Home of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42)
38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman
named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the
Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations
that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my
sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41”Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many
things, 42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not
be taken away from her.”

THINK GLOBALLY

>Can you make housework a spiritual discipline?
>How can entire communities and cities become more ‘green’?
>If you could save a significant amount of money with just a few changes,
what would you do with it?
>What creative energy-saving ideas or measures have you heard of?
>What would our communities and neighborhoods look like if we
committed to live in smaller homes?

ACT LOCALLY

>Have you ever done a home energy audit? What about your church?
>What energy-saving measures could you implement at your church?
>What percentage of your church’s budget is spent on energy?
>What parts of your plugged-in life could you unplug, and what positive
effects would it have?
>Could you organize an electricity fast at your church?

Chapter 7: Buying and Selling

Steve — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:11:09 +0000

Featured Excerpt: Take the Bag Back (page 60)
Scripture: God cares about commerce

Mark 11:15-19
15On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those
who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and
the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise
through the temple courts. 17And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written:
“ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
18The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. 19When evening came, they went out of the city.

THINK GLOBALLY

>Do we treat shopping as a spiritual practice? Should we?
>What do we know about where our goods come from?
>Does Christianity talk enough about money and shopping?
>How long could you go without buying something new?
>What does our checkbook say about us?

ACT LOCALLY

>What fair trade shopping opportunities exist in your area?
>How does you church support local businesses?
>What would be different if we realized that Christmas was not our
birthday?
>How does your family distinguish between needs and wants?
>Could your church do an ‘alternative gift fair’ for the holiday season?

Chapter 6: Chow Time

Steve — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:13:42 +0000

Featured Excerpt: Waste-Free Lunch (page 51)
Scripture: How you eat matters
Luke 14:7-14

7When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them
this parable: 8”When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of
honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9If so, the host
who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated,
you will have to take the least important place. 10But when you are invited,
take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move
up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests.
11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be
exalted.” (…)

THINK GLOBALLY

>Do you know what you’re eating, how it was made, or where it came
from?
>How can we use lunch as a tool for good?
>What are the realities of nutrition and access to food in other countries?
>How does damage to the environment and global warming affect food
supplies in poorer nations?
>What might a ‘theology of food’ look like?

ACT LOCALLY

>Does your church buy food locally?
>How can your church bring up the notion of a CSA?
>Do you have any farmers in your congregation?
>Can you commit to not eating out once a week and donate the
difference?
>Who in your community can your church feed? College students? The
homeless? Needy families?

Chapter 5: Surf’s Up

Steve — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:54:33 +0000

Featured Excerpt: Get a Newsletter (page 43)
Scripture: Both the message and the medium matter
Many Samaritans Believe (John 4:39-42)
39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s
testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40So when the Samaritans came to him,
they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words
many more became believers. 42They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the
world.”

THINK GLOBALLY

>How much time did you spend online last week?
>Does our time and attention online distract us from other areas?
>How do you navigate that fine line between utility and idolatry?
>Has our world become too digitized?
>What are some great Web resources for making a difference?

ACT LOCALLY

>What kind of technological training happens in your area?
>How easily can your church be found online?
>How does your community address issues of Internet safety?
>How can your church initiate online conversations and interest in
offline change?
>How could technology connect different people better inside your own
church?

Chapter 4: Cool Beans

Steve — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:52:57 +0000

Featured Excerpt: Personalize the Mug (page 37)
Scripture: It’s more than just something to drink
Mark 14:23-26
23Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.
24”This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them.
25”I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when
I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.” 26When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

THINK GLOBALLY

>Do you know where your coffee comes from? Could you point it out on
a map?
>What are the benefits both to you and the grower of choosing the right
kind of coffee or tea?
>Where does your church go on mission trips? Is there a coffee
connection there?
>How does the way you enjoy your beverage of choice affect the
environment?
>What else could you learn about where your coffee comes from?

ACT LOCALLY

>What kind of coffee does your church serve?
>How might your group help your church be aware of issues like fair
trade?
>What would be the financial or social impact of bettering your church’s
coffee?
>Is your church a third place? Could it be?
>Where is that third place in your community? What if you held church
there?

Another Great Book

Steve — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:57:31 +0000

I have been reading a good book called “Serve God, Save The Planet” by Matthew Sleeth.

Sleeth offers his view of creation care and the need to be concerned. He lays most of his thoughts out in terms of what a doctor might see as environmental to our health.

He was an Chief of Staff in a New England ER before he decided to concentrate his life work on preaching creation care.

Just thought I’d share this book. There are many others on the subject, but I recommend it above the others not because of the author’s knowledge of the subject but because of his family’s ability to live it out everyday.

Chapter 3: Taking Care of Business

Steve — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 03:31:01 +0000

Featured Excerpt: Use the Back (page 25)
Scripture: Your work matters
The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
14”Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and
entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two
talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his
journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money
to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.
18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and
hid his master’s money. (…)

THINK GLOBALLY

>Do we put too much emphasis on a career and finding our identity
there?
>Which best addresses the needs of the least of those among us: churches,
nonprofits or businesses?
>What do you think of the concept of multiple bottom lines?
>How can charities and businesses better work together?
>How can we redefine our understanding of work to better align with the
Kingdom of God?

ACT LOCALLY

>How much time do you spend at work?
>Are we being good stewards of the positions we have at work?
>How do you go green at the office?
>What kind of conversations do you have with your coworkers?
>What are examples of good businesses in your community, and why?