Simple, never easy

I've been struck lately with Shane Claiborn'e quote "simple, never easy." To reach out and love someone is almost always simple, but rarely easy. What really gets me about it is I'm always trying to figure out how our church is suppossed to love our neighborhood and how we are to be involved in it, in fact I'm always trying to figure out how I'm personally suppossed to love and be involved in our neighborhood. I always lack creative ways, saying it's very complicated in our context to love our neighbors. That's a bunch of BS and I know it. What we need to do is very simple, but I know it is hard, so I make it complicated so I have an excuse not to do it.

Last night three neighborhood teens stopped by while some of our neighbors were celebrating national roast a marshmellow night over a fire in my backyard. They sat down with us and enjoyed the fire for a few minutes. I asked them if they would be interested in hanging out once a week with me, occasionally sharing a meal, and talking about the Bible, God, and life. They all seemed so interested and they all said they would do it. Loving these kids is so simple, yet I know how hard it is. I pray I can simply love them.

Go Bucks!

Just in case anybody ever has OSU football tickets for a game this season and is not able to go and they can't figure out who to give them to I want to volunteer me and my wife to use them for you. (Hey, it's worth a shot)

being Christian

I’m so committed to having our church be a church where our number #1 outreach strategy and evangelism strategy is living Christian lives. That sounds pretty and all, but I wonder if it is a cop out to avoid the work necessary to invite others to follow Christ with us. I think it is a balance, I think it involves intentionality, and I think it actually involves planning. I struggle to understand it all. Any thoughts?

Capitalism?

I'm having a discussion with a friend about capitalism and I need to know what is wrong or right about capitalism from a Christian perspective. Also, who is a good definition of capitalism that is serious and not sarcastic? Any help would be appreciated.