Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Video: Elevate Your Faith Campaign: Final Three Months!
Click Here to See Video
This Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 marks the three year anniversary of our Elevate Your Faith Campaign here on the Westside of the Seattle Church of Christ. We purchased our Queen Anne church home on August 28th, 2007. Please keep us in your prayers as we take the final lap of our three-year financial campaign. Our pledge commitment deadline is only three months away. This video starts out with a few of the many locations we've rented for Sunday services. There are glimpses of our special night at the Mountaineers Club when we pledged together to give $1,430,000.00 toward a future church home.
Click Here to See Video
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Planting Seeds of Hope in the Northwest
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Calling-Driven Life
Several years ago, a book of similar title swept the nation and propelled a California pastor into the limelight. Among other things, the book confronted the amazing fact that in modern America, we are a land full of opportunity, but lacking fulfillment; a country of ambition lacking moral position; a people who work as hard as any on earth—job, family, soccer, school, community—but occasionally and secretly wonder, “what for?”
I think this is part of what drew each of us to God and His church—an offer of spiritual purpose. Like Jesus, we wanted to find not just our own salvation, but to join his commitment to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). At times, we ran a little wild with this concept, insisting that it was our sole purpose in this life before we meet our Maker. This apocalyptic view of life—forget about daily concerns, all that matters are eternal things—was convenient in our youth. We could eschew participating in this world because participating at that age (most of us from campus ministry) meant studying (ugh) or partying (worldly). Of course I’m oversimplifying. And many of us were not converted as students.
As we got older, participation reared its ugly head—if we wanted to keep our job, let alone get promoted, we had to invest in it. If we wanted to stay married after more than 7 years (the first tension/crisis point for most marriages), we had to actually spend time with our spouse and not just with “our ministry.” If we wanted our kids to mature, we needed to attend them in exploring their world—in school, athletics, clubs, you name it, all the while praying for them to love the Lord. (Most really do).
As I near the quarter pole of turning 50 (April, sigh), I realize that how we live this short life God gave us includes the paradox of both fully participating in this world and preparing for eternal things. God wants both eternal life to come and abundant life right now for each of us. If I’m right about this, then our sense of The Great Commission shifts from “forget everything else and go make disciples,” to more “as you go in this world, make disciples of all nations.” Yes, full time ministry people will feel this differently; our “as you go,” actually is evangelism (!), as well as shepherding.
Where does that leave you (you non-full time minister!)? My answer at 50 is this: pray for, search for, and embrace your calling. Each of us has gifts from God to use in this world, first for the kingdom (Matthew 6:33), second for the planet. Stay focused on this word calling. God has precious work for you to do in this life—you are a steward of your gifts, your vocation, your money, your friends, and your family. Act like it. Ask the Lord to make clear His calling in your life and then go live it. Without a doubt, it will directly touch upon all things eternal.
—Scott Green, Elder, Senior Minister
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Worldwide Ligaments in the Body of Christ
Reagan-era House Speaker Tip O’Neil used to observe, “all politics is local”—meaning that people inevitably care more about what’s near and personally relevant than about what’s going on in the rest of the nation or the world at large. This is normal and its true in God’s church too. “Good news” from around the world is a welcome thing, but not something, as disciples of Christ, we think about all that much as we live our daily lives in Seattle, Washington.
Having said that, it’s important for us here in the hub of the universe (oh, you have a hub too? Cool!) to spend some of our time relishing the fact that we really do have a worldwide family of churches—over 500, with over 80,000 Christians. What’s happening in those places can inspire us and support us. This winter has been a wonderful and poignant reminder for me.
The day after our congregation commended the Wallaces, the Brumleys, the Tachers, and the Greens as Elders & Wives, Lynne and I took off for Hong Kong and China. We had a terrific time reconnecting with Hong Kong leaders—Steve and Jane Chin, Turner and Elizabeth Sinn, Dan and Elexa Liu and many others, then flew to Mainland China where we conducted our first-ever marriage retreat for one of our most prominent underground churches. These disciples live a most inconvenient Christian life, but their convictions call us higher. Here’s a brief clip, a hodge-podge of Hong Kong and China!Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Teen Disciples and Teen Leaders Retreat - "As One"
Friday, January 1, 2010
Everything New
- In 2010 I'd like Lynne to have first place (after God of course) in my life. I'm not sure anything has had first place in the past few years--I've allowed so many demands and needs to take the oxygen out of the room. In 2010, I'd like it to be obvious to her that she is #1!!!
- I want to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). "Walk" is the operative word here. What does it mean for us to walk together, day by day. I want to renew my search to find out.
- Surrender more, do less, and be content--since "each day has enough trouble of its own"
- Search for daily inspiration. Is that a run? Yoga? Cheesecake? Whatever. We all have so many "shoulds" in our lives, and often these are good and appropriate. But if we don't take care, the shoulds run everything and we forget to make real choices--what do we WANT to do for God and for each other? What choices inspire us?
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Eve Highlights
From the Green fam:
- Finished her first semester of study at Gonzaga University. Hard to believe she has left us as Empty Nesters!
- Wants to pursue studies and skills in computer graphics, art, and gaming
- Is a Crafter par-excellence (ISTP). Just send her the parts and she'll build you a jet.
- Still loves chocolate as much as her Dad (thank God)
- Almost done with his junior year at Washington University-St. Louis. Majoring in Political Science and Chinese
- Gave up college football this year, but the legacy of "31" lives on...
- Continues to produce rap & hip hop tracks--his stuff is terrific
- Makes a buck or two at college ref'ing intramural basketball games--money for being an authority!
- Continues her strategic leadership of Womens' Ministries for the Seattle church.
- As a three-year cancer survivor, continues to servea and advocate locally, particularly with her therapy dogs at Children's Hospital
- Serves as a board member of the international charity HOPE worldwide
- Loves working with border collies in sheepherding
- Has started a distance Masters program in Communication and Leadership
- Continues to serve as Senior Minister of the Seattle church of Christ, focusing on strategic building and staff development
- Is nearly finished with his Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy (June!), with an emphasis in Narrative work
- Won an academic award for his paper "For Healing's Sake: Letters to Christian and Narrative Therapy"
- LOVES swing dancing with his wife; we will take our second class this winter
- Harbors a secret desire to make wine someday