The post down there about lousy/great music/sermons got me thinking...

How did the modern evangelical church service structure come into being? At my church, it goes something like this:

1. Come in and grab a seat
1a. Maybe a quick opening instrumental song
2. Announcements
3. Stand up and meet the people around you
4. Music (the band plays, the lyrics are up on the screen, the congregation sings along)
5. Prayer
6. Everyone sits down
7. Band plays while offering plates are passed... very few people sing along at this point
8. Sermon
9. Closing prayer
10. Everyone leaves

Whose idea was this? Every church service I've ever been to has been similar, if not identical, to this format.

Those of who are opposed to stem cell research, would you still have a moral dilemma with it if there was a way to harvest stem cells from non-embryonic cells?

According to James Thomson - the doctor who set the controversy in motion to begin with - such cells can be derived from skin.

Article Here

ETA, so i don't have to repeat myself:

I have run into more than a few people who are all for vaccinations, advil, and yearly physicals yet are vehemently against certain kinds of medical advancements. they feel it is 'playing God' to, for example, identify and stop autism in the womb. it seems that they feel that if the research can lead to cloning or chimeras - even if its unlikely to be used for those purposes - they don't want any part of it. i am surprised no one else has run into that.

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. -Habakkuk 3:18

1) Are you joyful about your salvation?
2) How do you express that joy?
3) Have you told anyone lately about this joy?

--cross posted all over the shop--

Hi folks

My name is Tim, I'm a research student based in Sydney, Australia. I'm currently working on a research Masters which concerns itself with community ritual making and identity formation. I'm really interested in doing a case study on a New Monastic/intentional living community.

I'm writing because I'd like to make contact with a few people in different communities around the place to try to get a picture of what their daily lives look like. My focus is on the rituals that communities use, how they have developed, and to examine the function rituals play within the community's daily life, and in the formation/projection of its identity. I'm particulaly interested in what might be called 'spiritual disciplines' - the spiritually formative habits that are practised within the community.

So I'm really wondering if anyone here knows of, or is part of, a Christian collective that functions along the lines of an order (or maybe you're part of a more traditional order that is attempting to reinvent/reinvigorate their own ritual practises - that's interesting to me too), and wouldn't mind talking about it with me, could you send me an email? My email is: timkurylowicz [at] gmail [dot] com (or you might just leave a comment on this page - whatever suits!)

As I've said, I'm based in Sydney, which means I'm extra-specially keen to chat with Australian-based guys and girls because it's a bit easier for me to organise a research visit if you're local. I'd still LOVE to speak first hand with folk wherever they are in the world. Your group doesn't have to have published their own liturgy resources or pioneered a new whiz bang ritual, either (though if you have, i'd really really like to ask you about it!) - if you regularly share a meal or pray together from time to time, that's interesting to me too.

If you email me, I'll get in contact with you and maybe we can organise a time when I can call you up (my expense, of course) and chat. Perhaps you know of a brilliant resource or website that's out there too - please feel free to email it to me.

Thanks very much for reading this. Have a top day!

Tim Kurylowicz


The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. Rom 8:29

I have been praying lately for guidance to know what God's will is in a crossroads that I have come to, but I don't really feel any help from the Spirit on this one. I realize that maybe I'm not that great at listening to the Spirit. I know that some people feel that the Spirit is always guiding them, even for really small and routine decisions, but sometimes I don't even know how to listen to God for big decisions (though sometimes God makes sure I listen to Him, particularly when I'd rather just be left alone to do my own thing--funny how that works). I know that this is a ridiculously broad question, but how can I tune in to the will of the Spirit when the Lord seems to be particularly quiet? I don't think it's unusual for God to really convict us in certain things more than others, but this is something that I think that I should feel convicted about and I don't. So what I want to know is, how do you "listen" to the Spirit when it doesn't come easily?

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says:
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
This seems like a contradiction of Matthew 16:24, which says:
"Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
A cross doesn't seem like a light burden, to me. I may, of course, be reading them all wrong. Can anyone share some insight on these two passages? Thank you!

Gold star to anyone who gets the subject reference...

"50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split."--Matthew 27:50-51

I am just curious, since this was brought up a bit ago. How do you interpret/what do you feel are the implications of the Veil being torn? I have heard a few things and am curious just how many diverse ways people read this.