open.notes

Global Cities Roundtable recommended reading list:

Desiring the Kingdom –James K.A. Smith

Failure of Nerve  -Friedmen

When the Church Was Family –Hellerman

Putting Amazing Back into Grace  -Horton

Exclusion and Embrace –Volf

The Measure of Our Success –Lovejoy

Bonhoeffer- Metaxas

Charity and Its Fruits –Jonathon Edwards

The Leadership Pipeline –Charan, Drotter, and Noel

Crisis of the American Church –Olson

UnChristian and You Lost me–Kinnaman

Culture Making –Crouch

Falling Upward –Rohr

Center Church –Keller

Primal Leadership –Goleman

Spiritual Influence -Lawrenz

Back to Virtue -Kreeft

I need your grace

to remind me

to find my own.

-gary lightbody

equally skilled by jon foreman:

How miserable I am
I feel like a fruitpicker who arrived here
after the harvest
There’s nothing here at all
There’s nothin at all here that could placate my hunger

The godly people are all gone
There’s not one honest soul left alive here on this planet
We’re all murders and theives
Setting traps here for even our brothers

And both of our hands
Are equally skilled
At doing evil
Equally skilled
At bribing the judges
Equally skilled
At perverting justice
Both of our hands
Both of our hands

The day of justice comes
And is even now swiftly arriving
Don’t trust anyone at all
Not your best friend or even your wife

For the son hates the father
The daughter despises even the mother
Look! Your enemies are right
Right in the room of your very household

And both of their hands are equally skilled

Equally skilled

No, don’t gloat over me
For though I fall, though I fall
I will rise again

Though I sit here in darkness
The Lord, the Lord alone
He will be my light

I will be patient as the Lord
Punishes me for the wrongs
I’ve done against him

After that he’ll take my case
Bringing me to light and to justice
For all I have suffered

And both of his hand are equally skilled
At ruining evil
Equally skilled
At judging the judges
Equally skilled
Administring justice
Both of his hands
Both of his hands are equally skilled
At showing them mercy
Equally skilled
At loving the loveless
Equally skilled
Administring justice
Both of his hands
Both of his hands

Keep the earth below my feet
For all my sweat, my blood runs weak
Let me learn from where I have been
Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn
-Marcus Mumford

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

Mark Twain

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion

Psalm 51

I never learned to count my blessings. I choose instead to dwell in my disasters. 

-Ray LaMontagne- “Empty”

And love, this city breathes the plague of loving things more than their creators.

Marcus Mumford

If you look back on your journey thus far, you can see that days of extreme weakness have been some of your most precious times. 

Sarah Young- Jesus Calling

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. 

Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Live in harmony with one another.

Do not be proud, but willing to associate with people of low position.

Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 

On the contrary:

If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. 

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.

Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.

-Paul- Romans 12-