NoelHeikkinen.com

“Don’t Shoot Me Santa”

Nov 30, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Merry
.:itunes:. Dirty Pretty Things by suca

I know the last two days have been nothing but videos, but I have been working on my new project and I have only come up for air for meaningless breaks. These have resulted in you getting videos!

Thanks to stereogum for this awesome Christmas song from the Killers. I am a huge Killers fan, so this made my Christmas season.

Cooties PSA

Nov 30, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Infected
.:itunes:. Gloryhouse / Justice by Gloryhouse

Thanks to Best Week Ever for this brilliant PSA:

Coley Thinks This Is Funny

Nov 29, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

My New Project

Nov 28, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:.
.:itunes:. Background Noise by Luka Bloom

For several years now, I have been wanting to write a couple books. I talked about it recently here and here.

Please pray for me the next two days. I am going to get away to an undisclosed location to write, pray, and plan. I will not have any internet access, so I won’t be blogging during that time.

However, when I get back I will need your help.

I have always valued those of you who visit this blog for your input, so I will need it. Monday at noon EST (I’m intentionally doing it during lunch time for those of you who work), I will be hosting a half hourish phone call on Talkshoe. If you have internet access or a phone, you can join in on the conversation as we talk about ideas for the book and the website that will go along with it.

Even if you don’t want to participate, you can join us at noon to listen in.

To listen, just click on this link on Monday at noon:


To participate (I wish you would do this)

By Phone:

Dial: (724) 444-7444 on Monday at noon
Enter: 81026 # (Talkcast ID)
Enter: 1 # (or if you are a Talkshoe member, enter your PIN)

By Computer

Join from your computer:
Become a TalkShoe member
Download and install TalkShoe Live client
Click here on Monday at noon to join the Talkcast

I am the problem

Nov 28, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Sinful
.:itunes:. Tell Me ‘Bout It (Live from the Bowery Ballroom) by Joss Stone

Thanks to Darryl for these two quotes:

“I cannot pray but I sin. I cannot preach to you or any others but I sin. I can do nothing without sin; and, as one expresses it, my repentance wants to be repented of, and my tears to be washed in the precious blood of my dear Redeemer. Our best duties are as so many splendid sins.”
- George Whitefield

…The Times in London invited several eminent authors to write essays on the theme “What’s Wrong with the World?” Chesterton’s contribution took the form of a letter, and was probably the shortest and most accurate reply they received. What’s wrong with the world?

Dear Sirs,

I am.

Sincerely yours,
G. K. Chesterton

This struck me so much because this week I was challenged for something I said last weekend during my sermon. I mentioned that I was sad that there are at least 300,000 people in the Greater Lansing area that don’t know Jesus. Here’s part of the note she sent:

Who are you to denegrate one of God’s pathways?

Buddhists are worthy.

Christians are worthy.

Jews are worthy.

Muslims are worthy.

Hindus are worthy.

Sikhs are worthy.

Here’s part of my response to her:

The bottom line is that I believe Jesus’ message is true. And part of that message was (in his words): “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” He also said “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”

If I am going to be consistent in following Jesus’ message I have to believe that he is the only way. There is no other way to be consistent with his life and message.

The reason I am sad? Because I believe no one else is coming to rescue us. Jesus is the only one coming and it saddens me when people don’t see that because I love the people around me so much.

Something else in your blog post made me think that you love people in the same way: The statement that “Buddhists are worthy…Christians are worthy…Jews are worthy…Muslims are worthy…Hindus are worthy…Sikhs are worthy…” obviously shows your love and care for all people which is awesome.

At the same time, I want to add Paul’s words (in the book of Romans in the Bible). He says this: “No one is righteous—not even one.” In other words, none of us is worthy. Jesus died on the cross to give us the righteousness that we cannot have apart from him.

It’s good for me to constantly remember that I am not worthy.

Jesus did it all.

He paid it all.

I am what is wrong with the world.

Bravo

Nov 28, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

I Feel Naked

Nov 27, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Naked
.:itunes:. the fire and the knife by The Difficulty


After church Sunday my piercer (and friend) Renee and I were chatting. Apparently, she agrees with Jimi: my eyebrow is rejecting my piercing. Apparently the gauge / size of the piercing was too big so gravity is literally pulling it down and out of my face. It’s just a matter of time until it comes completely out, leaving a whacky scar.

So today, she took it out for me.

It feels so weird…my piercing is just part of me. And now it’s gone.

I am counting down the days until January 27: the day I’m going to re-pierce it. Apparently it needs to heal first. Renee said she could temporarily pierce my nose or other eyebrow for me, but I decided against it.

Oh, and I am going with titanium next time. It is much lighter and shouldn’t reject.

Quote of the Day

Nov 27, 2007 Quotes

.:mood:. Serious
.:itunes:. I Don’t Wanna Know by Phil Collins

Via PastorHacks:

“The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one’s work seriously and taking one’s self seriously. The first is imperative and the second disastrous.”
-Margot Fonteyn

Acceptance

Nov 27, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Good
.:itunes:. Can’t Be Right by Kristian Stanfill

Thanks to ken for linking to this video:

The First Mega-Multisite Church

Nov 24, 2007 Uncategorized Hodge Podge

.:mood:. Great, Actually
.:itunes:. We Know Too Much by Michael Been

I have often pointed to Jerusalem Community Church as the first Mega Church, but I have never thought of it as Multi-site. JD Greear does a great job detailing this out. Here is a snippet.

Consider the church in Jerusalem. Here’s a few salient points to let marinate:

They had a massive growth problem: The 2nd chapter of Acts tell us that within a few weeks well over 10,000 people had come to Christ (5000 men…) and people were being added “every day.” Acts 2 records the crowd’s response to Peter’s sermon as, “What should we do?” Peter tells them and 3000 souls respond, and in Acts 3 5000 responded, and they are only counting the men. That created a “Holy cow, what should we do?” question for the 120-person core group also! They were dealing with going from 120 to over 10,000 in one week. No conscientious Christian ever says “we’re growing too fast” any more than a cancer patient says “I’m healing too fast.” The Jerusalem church scrambled to do what it could to accommodate that growth.

What was their answer to solving the growth? Staying one church and going multisite.