A Prayer Missionary, Musician, Theological Book Connoisseur (sort of).
I'm Not Bored by Any of it.
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© 2010–2013 Evan Olsen
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1 year ago (Tue, Aug 23rd, 2011)"Whoever says Friendship is easy has obviously never had a true friend!"- Bronwyn Polson
If you’re interested in the living heart of what you do, focus on building things rather than talking about them.
- Ryan Freitas
I feel that I have done the Internet a disservice
I haven’t blogged in months. I would love the ability to videoblog. All in time.
been working on this one for a while, not finished yet but hopefully it will be soon
Phoenix: this recording is sounding amazing!!
I’m in It For Love — Misty Edwards and Issac Meyer
I miss something I could never have know.
I miss a place I’ve never been, and a relationship that I can not remember.But I know the ache of it, the yearn to return there.I miss a person who has done the greatest for the least before they even existed.
I want to know Eden, The way earth was made to work, and feel, and how I am to see it.
The few time’s I have cried in worship, I realize now, that it was in longing for a place, not for something that could be done for me, or to me.
I want to be pure in heart. I want to see him face to face. I want to fear him and dwell with him.
I wish I had words.
I want to see Jerusalem. See a place that has roots to Jesus, David and Abraham. I want to know the place they lived to know them more.
selah.
This incredible research done by the National Study of Youth and Religion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill highlights what faith (or better, lack thereof) American teenagers have. The results are shocking. The “Christianity” the profess to have is actually more clearly defined as Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.
“Moralistic Therapeutic Deism consists of beliefs like these:
- “A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth.”
- “God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.”
- “The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.”
- “God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.”
- “Good people go to heaven when they die.”“
“Moralistic Therapeutic Deism is also “about providing therapeutic benefits to its adherents.” As the researchers explained, “This is not a religion of repentance from sin, of keeping the Sabbath, of living as a servant of sovereign divinity, of steadfastly saying one’s prayers, of faithfully observing high holy days, of building character through suffering, of basking in God’s love and grace, of spending oneself in gratitude and love for the cause of social justice, et cetera. Rather, what appears to be the actual dominant religion among U.S. teenagers is centrally about feeling good, happy, secure, at peace. It is about attaining subjective well-being, being able to resolve problems, and getting along amiably with other people.”“
That’s scary. Really scary. What does all this research mean?
“We must now look at the United States of America as missiologists once viewed nations that had never heard the gospel. Indeed, our missiological challenge may be even greater than the confrontation with paganism, for we face a succession of generations who have transformed Christianity into something that bears no resemblance to the faith revealed in the Bible.”
“We now face the challenge of evangelizing a nation that largely considers itself Christian, overwhelmingly believes in some deity, considers itself fervently religious, but has virtually no connection to historic Christianity. Our responsibility is to prepare the church to respond to this new religion, understanding that it represents the greatest competitor to biblical Christianity.”
We must pray for the youth of this nation. What will this nation look like once these teenagers have children and teach them according to their pluralistic beliefs? What if we refused to write off this generation as too hard to reach, prayed for, and set our focus to disciple these teens? Can God not reveal Himself and change hearts?
I highly recommend you read the whole article. Read the full article »
today…in a nutshell: wounding.
In about 4 months I have realized:
That I am a hearty fool. That his grace covers my….numerous short comings.That I hate the cold, HATE the cold. That I can’t fast when I’m lonely…I can’t pray when I’m pre-occupied,I can be more lonely in a crowd then alone(weird I know). I don’t count cost very well, and I am sorely dependent on electronics. (and they like to get submerged in water lately)
I wish this season wasn’t a rudder to steer the whole rest of my life…but I realize that it is.I wish I had been home sick before in my life so this was easier to take. God has been showing himself quite often to me since I left…But I don’t feel I’m in an acquitted receiving mood. I have seen healings, felt Jesus walk into a room, had a vision and had countless dreams, But all the while my mind feels distant, my heart feels estrange, over the last 2 weeks I have found it harder and harder to focus on anything, and though I can put on a happy face I have a ache in my heart to see Tallahassee grab the vision of what is going on in Kansas City.
I feel that I could not go back if I could not equip people to carry the fire that is up here, or even receive it in full myself. But I am so jealous for Florida to stop playing games and to grow up! Going through the same old cycles over and over again like it will change something. The church has so little biblical foundation in it’s structure that it is rightfully on the verge of collapse.The houses of prayer struggle because no one wants to die to themselves, commit time and effort into something that will gain them no earthy wealth.
There are Christians who know all ABOUT God/Jesus/Holy spirit, But have never truly met him. Like reading about a great president, knowing his birthday, his wife’s name, all his speeches…but never taking to him, never dinning with him, never listening to him, person to person heart to heart.
There are countless American’s going the to eternal suffering cause we want it easier.We want more money, more people, more programs.Our TV shows and games and computers dull us to sleep and isolation until we are too old to know any different and the only ministry we know is passive and with true zeal.
And in the same moment, I sit 300 or so feet away from an company of people that are not paid to take the hardest roads, to raise their own money, to teach at a higher level withstand from offering messages and how to make your life better, and teach Christ crucified.
That close…and sit on a computer….I watch TV….I play games….I judge others….I read the book of James over and over and defy it at every turn.
I have seen the glory of a people who love Jesus enough to take him at his word, and I don’t want to go back.Yet I am too weak, too poor (lack of money) and I fear, too faithless to see the miracles.
Why was I made for this time? Why did I have to leave the city I love just as doors opened on every side? Am I really a Jonah? why did God bring such a glorious group of teachers, musicians and pearchers to a city in the middle of the country….why did I have to come to it.
Other take a lifetime of family funds to get here, have radical transformation stories, sell everything they have, come here and are content. I feel like I got here, and I have peace, and I have growth, but no contentment and just feel even more lowly then before.
This is all a season, But I want to take it into my own hands and end it here,Move back home. Do all of this long distance. But respect is not shown to the man who never leaves home. “Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown.”
I’m no prophet, But I understand this fully now.
Who did I ever think I was?
