Dare to Journey with Henri Nouwen

After graduation from seminary, a favorite professor of mine, Dr. Rene Chanco gave me a devotional book, "Dare to Journey with Henri Nouwen" by Charles Ringma. I'm not really a fan of devotional as I want to have my readings straight from the Bible. But this particular book got me. When I started reading it, I was caught. My heart was pierced as with a double-edged sword. I always bring it when I'm out-of-town so as to reflect and dig deeper on my heart.

The past two months, I was looking for that book and I cannot find it. Good thing I have another book by Henri Nouwen "The Genesee Diary" which is his written account of his long spiritual retreat when he entered a Trappist Monastery. Which hopefully I can use to salvage my failing spirituality.


The whole point of this post? I miss my book "Dare to Journey" and I need to buy another one like that.

This is one of the reflections Charles Ringma shared on the book,

WASTED TIME: taking time for inner renewal (Suggested Reading: Psalm 46:10)

There is just so much that needs to be done. Extra demands at home and at work. More time with the family. Keeping up with our exercise program. planning the next holiday. time out for friends. Involvement in our children's school activities. Completing the new management course.

So we try to do more while our energies ebb away and we become like uprooted trees with our roots wildly gropping for  the sky. Thus we anxiously throw our arms toward heaven, praying for extra grace and special enabling, when instead we should be planted again in nourishing soil. That soil is not meant to make us do less, but to change our priorities so that we take time to be still. And in the stillness, find new strength and hope.

Henri Nouwen reminds us that "time given to inner renewal is never wasted." In fact it is the fuel for the journey, and more importantly, it is the discipline that will shape the fabric of our being.

Share |

On Making Disciples (Part 2 of 2)

This is part 2 of the 2-part series on Discipleship we used during the FUSION Youth Ministry Planning Retreat at Baguio City last June 12-14, 2010. You can view part 1 HERE.

Ice Breaker Questions:

1. Who is Jesus in your life?
2. What’s the most challenging ‘word’ or ‘command’ you got from God?


WORD (Luke 5:1-11 NIV)

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.


MAKING DISCIPLES IS ALL ABOUT
1. Obedience (v.5)


2. Partnership (v.7)


3. Sacrifice (v.11)

Like what we usually do in Facebook, comment on this:

“Discipleship is relationship”

This statement hit the nail on the head. The right to disciple is earned through a framework of relationship. Joey Bonifacio, not only coined the term; he even entitled one his blog sites with it.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Challenging Quotes:

"Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ."

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Change the campus, change the world!” 

-Rice Broocks

“In the spiritual life only one thing produces genuine joy and that is obedience.” 

-Richard Foster 

"One can believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ and feel no personal loyalty to Him at all - 

indeed, pay no attention whatever to His commandments and His will for one's life."

-Catherine Marshall

“I always try to turn my personal struggles into something helpful for others.”

-Henri Nouwen

APPLICATION QUESTIONS

1. One important lesson from this passage and how will you put it into practice?

2. How is God talking/challenging you as of now?

3. Name 1 or 2 of your friends or relatives whom you want disciple for Jesus. Pray that you would have an opportunity to minister to them.

PRAYER

Again, thanks to Greenhills Christian Fellowship Paranaque, to our ever supporting Pastor, David dela Paz, Elder Laverne Demetria and Arnold Ordiales for organizing this timely planning retreat.

Share |

On Being a Disciple (Part 1 of 2)

I just want to share the material we used during our recent planning retreat at Baguio City. I hope it can be of great use to you.

"ON BEING A DISCIPLE OF JESUS"

Ice Breaker Questions:
1. Who is the most influential person in your life?
2. While growing up, what is the most important lesson your parents told you. Do you still apply it in life?
2. Given 3 days off, whose company would like to be with?

WORD: Matthew 4:18-22 NIV

"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. Come, follow me, Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him."

DISCIPLESHIP is to...

1. Follow Jesus (v.19)

2. Fushionize/Fellowship with other followers(vv.20-22)

3. Fish men (fish for non-followers) (v.19)

Like what we usually do in Facebook, comment on this:

“Anyone who follows Jesus is called to help others follow Him as well. When Jesus commissioned us to make disciples, He called us to reach out to our family and friends, teaching them to obey all that He commanded.”
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Some Challenging Quotes:

“Sow a thought and you reap an act; Sow an act and you reap a habit;

Sow a habit and you reap a  character; Sow a character and you reap a destiny.”

-Samuel Smiles

“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”

-Galadriel, Lord of the Rings

"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”

-Jesus Christ

“He wants to make us like Jesus Christ before He takes us to heaven.

This is our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility and our ultimate destiny.”

-Rick Warren, PDL

APPLICATION QUESTIONS

1. One important lesson from this passage and how will you put it into practice?

2. Are there any commands of Jesus that you are having a hard time obeying right now??

3. Name three or more of your friends or relatives who do not have a relationship with Jesus. Pray

that you would have an opportunity to share the gospel with them soon.

PRAYER

Thanks to Greenhills Christian Fellowship Paranaque, to our ever supporting Pastor, David dela Paz, Elder Laverne Demetria and Arnold Ordiales for organizing this timely planning retreat.

Prayer from a Pastor's Heart

"Dakilang Maykapal, patawarin Nyo po kaming mga relihoyoso kay Kristo na walang pagmamalasakit sa aming Kapwa at Bansa. Patawarin Nyo po kami at baguhin ang kaisipan at kalooban tungo sa kabutihan ang aming mga barangay at pamayanan!"

-Ptr. Jack Alvarez (he is a pastor of a small church among the poor and the weak in Manila)