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| the weekly eWell | 12 december 2007 / issue 24 |
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In this issue: • latest news • community groups • well said • more info • classifieds
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"Really Bad Clip Art" Cari Bradley I didn’t grow up in church. I don’t innately know the lingo that “lifers” use. Some people call it Christianese (not to be confused with Chinese). Whatever it is, the only vocabulary I understand is what I have picked up over the last 6 or 7 years. And to be completely honest…I don’t like it. Yeah, yeah, I know. How can I be a Christian and reject the very language I need in order to co-exist with others? Please don’t get me wrong, I wholeheartedly appreciate (and secretly envy) a deep-rooted education in the Bible. It breaks my heart to know that I missed out on a childhood founded on the truths of Scripture. But seriously, Christianese can be obnoxious. Let’s get real for a second. We started this church to reach a new dynamic of people in Tallahassee that aren’t being reached; people that didn’t grow up going to church. And, I think it’s safe to say, they don’t know Christianese either. Since the beginning of The Well, we have focused on evaluating the way church has been done and finding new ways to do it more effectively in order to reach our culture that is constantly changing. (If you are a member at The Well then you understand this concept already, and if you are new to us, then you’ll grasp it quickly). We strive to think outside the box. The last thing we want to do is alienate the very people we are trying to reach simply because we’re too stubborn or too stupid to see how the world is changing and our need to adjust with it. So…what does that mean for me? Do you see how the rest of the world views Christians? You know the stereotype…we are out of touch and boring, we use really really bad clip art, we dress strangely or have really obnoxious facial hair, and everything we touch seems to be about 15 years behind mainstream advances (music, technology, have you ever seen a Christian movie???). My challenge to you is this: take a minute to look at yourself as a Christian. Do you speak Christianese fluently, and frequently? Does your attitude tend to push people away because they don’t go to church? Do you have the song “I’m not cool and that’s okay, my God loves me anyway” on your iPod? Are you capable of having a “water cooler” conversation with a co-worker about the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy, or A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila (just kidding, but did you even know that is a show)? There is a very delicate balance between relating to the people in your life and maintaining the difference that separates us as Christians. Finding this balance is the key to making a difference for Christ in today’s culture. We have to go build real, genuine, caring relationships with the people in our lives. And you can’t build relationships when you speak a language they don’t understand. Are you out of touch? Meet your friends where they are, speak their language. Show them that you are normal, and that you care. And then bring them to The Well. (Cari Bradley is a graduate from Florida State University, with a degree in Studio Art. She currently works at a local printing company as a color specialist and graphics designer. She has lived in Tallahassee for seven years, and is currently in charge of all things creatively designed at The Well.) |
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This Sunday we will be meeting at Godby for Sunday service, but the last two weeks of the year we will be meeting at Cafe Cabernet! 12/16: @ Godby, 6:00 p.m. 12/23: @ Cafe Cabernet, 6:00 p.m. 12/30: @ Cafe Cabernet, 6:00 p.m. We'll be back at Godby in the New Year! HEATHER... LIVE Heather Stuyverson will be playing a show with Teri Jackson and friends at Cafe Cabernet on Thursday, December 13 at 10:30 p.m. Come out to listen to and support one of our great band members! NEW YEAR'S EVE Matt and Jessica Folsom are hosting a Rockin' New Years Eve Party on 12/31! The Folsom's house (at 4415 Blue Bill Pass) will be open from 8:00 - 12:30 and you can call 850.443.2344 for directions. Meat and drinks will be provided--please bring a side dish, dessert, or $5 and enjoy the bon fire and s'mores! SERMON PREVIEW This week Dean's sermon is titled: "The True Hollywood Story: Mary & Joseph, Before They Were Stars".
Sunday Service is held at Godby High School. Join us in the auditorium each week at 6:00 p.m. The Well WEBCASTS Dean's sermons are now available online at nomorethirst.org. Save them to your IPod, burn them on a cd, or listen to them over the internet. Sermons will be added each Sunday night following the service. PRAYER POINT Tiffany Singleton, in Africa to serve for nine months. eGIVING eGiving is here! Log on to nomorethirst.org and click the eGiving link to set up your eTithe. Please remember to make it eNormous. The Finance Team ePpreciates it! |
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Visit www.nomorethirst.org for more info! |
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| Dean Inserra, Pastor Scott Simmons, Worship Leader dean@nomorethirst.org scott@nomorethirst.org | |
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| Copyright 2007 © The Well Sunday Nights, 6:00 p.m. @ the Godby High School Auditorium | |
