Christian Carnival CCLXXXVIII – Caravan Route Edition

Welcome to the August 5, 2009 edition of The Christian Carnival – Caravan Route Edition

Introduction

Before one takes out a trading caravan, one must have some sort cargo to carry or business to conduct.   In the Christian Carnival our business is Christianity and so only posts that relate in some way to the purpose of the carnival are included.  When you submit a post to the carnival, make sure that there is some type of Christian confession on your blog.

Note that while the dates of caravan travel are obviously pretty strict–if the caravan leaves it has left–I have given some grace on post dates, though not too much.  Please check the dates on what you submit and only submit posts that fall within the prior week.

Preparing to Leave

Greg Chaney presents Not So Grand Opening: Part 1 posted at the practical CHRISTian, and gives us a bit of a surprise ending.  He says that part 2 will be out by August 5.

On the Trail

Mel Turley presents 4 Ways Christians Can Help Each Other posted at Christian Kindred,  and gives four practical ways Christians can fulfill Galations 6:2 and bear one another’s burdens.

Commerce Along the Trail

We are to be in the world but not of the world, and that involves doing some business and making a living.  Several contributors wrote about our business, finance, and tithing.

FMF presents Grow Your Career and Find a Job at Church posted at Free Money Finance, saying, “Networking at church = good career move.”

When you are doing well financially, it can be easy to trust in your bank account – but our trust should always be in God – He is our true provider, as ChristianPF reminds us with Trust in God, not money posted at Money in the Bible | Christian Personal Finance Blog.

Big Larry presents Getting Creative With Tithing posted at Out of Debt Christian, saying, “Maintaining your commitment to tithe can be challenging during these tough times. But a little creativity will help remind you that abundance is always there for those who give of themselves first!”

Time to Rest

Tracy Dear presents Tired? posted at New Mercy, saying, “I’ve been tired lately, and the solution seems contrary to what I think I need: get up earlier and be energized by God.”

“Fatigue affects our ability to serve God well,” Ridge Burns tells us in Fatigue posted at Ridge’s Blog.

Around the Campfire

At night the caravan must stop and a variety of things will happen around the camp fire.  It may be a time to sing, to reflect, or simply to blow off steam.  All of these things have spiritual counterparts, both good ones and bad ones.

Paul Dixon presents Developing a Youth Worship Program posted at Youth Worship, saying, “Tips on Developing a Youth Worship program.”

Sticking with the Mission / Keeping our Focus

Rodney Sutton tells us that the starting point to finding a solution may be in facing up to the truth about ourselves in Facing The Music posted at Happy Hog Speaks!.

Ronnica has a simple point:  not everything is about sex, in her post It’s Not about Sex posted at Ignorant Historian.

The Mission

A caravan has a mission of getting people and cargo from one place to another and conducting commerce.  Our mission as Christians is to proclaim the good news both in word and in deed.  Here are some ways we can do it.

Jaime presents Did you know you are naked? posted at For His Glory.  She thinks we’re not all that different from Adam and Eve, check out her post to see just how!

NCSue of IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING seems to want us to take Jesus seriously when he says:  “I was in prison, and you came to visit me.” – Mt. 25:36 – *.  Egads!  Just think of what might happen if we actually took Jesus seriously!  🙂

Ralph Jean-Paul presents A Bugs Life: Applying the Success Principles of Ants posted at Potential 2 Success.  He tells us, “Because of their success principles, if ants were human, they would be the most successful group of people on the planet. Learn the work ethic that enables them to accomplish so much and apply them to your own life.”  Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. — Proverbs 6:6

Selecting the Team

One way in which Christianity is very much unlike a trading caravan is in who is welcomed.  The master of the caravan will carefully select guards and workers, and only allow those he believes are reliable to travel with him.  God, on the other hand, often seems to love “questionable” people.

Barry Wallace presents To Every Human Being: “God Loves You” « who am i? posted at who am i?, saying, “Is it accurate to say that God loves everyone?”

andriel presents The Necessary-Satisfaction Theory of Atonement posted at ReturningKing.com, saying, “Part of an ongoing series entitled “A Pastoral Soteriology.”

Chris Brooks looks for the context of Titus 2 in Does Titus 2 Require Wives to Stay Home? posted at Homeward Bound.

Follow the Leader

Moving a caravan through dangerous terrain requires that everyone follow the leader’s directions closely.  Christians are often beset by danger.  Do we respond as  a team–as disciples of one person?

Bible SEO presents Christian Disciple – Seven Conditions | Bible Study Lessons | Bible Studies | Inductive Bible Study Guide posted at Bible Study Exposition Online.

Roberto Montanez presents A Simple Word – Do you mantain your Christian Word? posted at Vida Nueva Christian Ministries, saying, “Words are a vehicle for us to express our thoughts, feelings and beliefs. With words, people and nations have been built and crumbled. Words have the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21). Our relationships are based on our words and the actions that follow them. Our words reflect character. It reflects who we are and what we are. The question is are you keeping your word as a Christian?”

Looking Back

When the journey is complete, we look back and examine what we have learned.  This section is for posts that are primarily about theological reflection.

Weekend Fisher considers the question whether morality is about rules, principles, or people — and how Jesus’ claims about himself call for us to rethink those lines in Jesus and the meaning of morality posted at Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength.

Jeremy Pierce presents The New Perspective on Paul, Anti-Semitism, and Anti-Catholicism posted at Parableman, saying, “The New Perspective on Paul is often seen as being more tolerant of Jews than the traditional approach, but it unintentionally leads to an anti-Catholic view.”

Diane R presents The Real Word of Faith Message posted at Crossroads: Where Faith and Inquiry Meet, saying, “There is a lot of good theology in the Word of Faith message, although you have to sift through it with a fine tooth comb. And, finally, we are seeing New Kind of Faith teachers with the Real Message.”

Kerin Gedge presents Does Christianity Contribute to the Destruction of the Earth? posted at Kerinthian’s, in which he looks at the role of Christianity in western capitalist society and some corrupting practices.

In Is Jesus Really the Answer? (posted at The Minority Thinker0 Shannon Christman suggests that when a Christian phrase is quick to roll off our tongues, we should think about how our listeners might understand it

The Destination

Every journey requires a destination. One carnival participant talks about finding a destination.

GP presents Making it in Montana « Musings from Montana posted at Manely Montana, saying, “G-d has brought us to the”last best place” we call home”

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Our journey for this week is complete.  Thanks to each person who participated.   Please visit some of the contributing sites and join in the discussion.  If you have participated before, consider responding to a future call for carnival hosts.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Christian Carnival using our carnival submission form.

An almost up to date archive of Christian Carnival editions can be found here. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page. Next week’s host is Parableman. There is a weekly reminder list for the carnival as well.

Images of the wagon and the campfire are from ICONS etc.. The Montana mountain image is my own.

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