pastor jeff's neighborhood

Ideas

“When ideas fail, words come in very handy.” –Goethe–

Idolatry

“It’s easy to get attached to idols, good things inappropriately adored. But when you have Jesus in the center of a room, everything else only junks up the decor.”
–Chuck Swindoll–

“This is golden-calf country. Relgious feeling runs high, but in ways far removed from what was said on Sinai and done on Calvary. While everyone has a hunger for God, deep and insatiable, none of us has any great desire for him. What we really want is to be our own gods and to have whatever other gods that are around help us in this work. This is as true for Christians as for non-Christians.”
— Eugene Peterson, Subversive Spirituality, 151. —

“Calvin saw the human heart as a relentlessly efficient factory for producing idols. people commonly see the pastor as the quality-control engineer in the factory. The moment we accept the position we defect from our vocation. People want things to work better; they want a life that is more interesting; they want help through a difficult time; they want meaning and significance in their venture. They want God, in a way, but certainly not a “jealous God,” not the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Mostly they want to be their own god and stay in control, but have ancillary divine assistance for the hard parts.”
— Eugene Peterson, Subversive Spirituality, 152. —

Image
The preoccupation with projecting the perfect image, of being a model Christian and edifying others with our virtues, leads to self-consciousness, sticky pedestal behavior, and bondage to human respect. As my spiritual director Larry Hein said…”‘Give up trying to look like a saint.’ It’ll be better for everybody.”
— Brennan Manning —

Imagination
“Imagination is the greatest gift God has given us and it ought to be devoted entirely to Him.”
— Oswald Chambers —

Impossible
“When we are facing the impossible we can count upon the God of the impossible.”
— Amy Carmichael —

Indecision
“I’m not indecisive. Am I indecisive?” Jim Seibel, when Mayor of St. Paul, MN

Individuality
“Basketball develops individuality, initiative, and leadership. Now get out there and do exactly what I tell you to.”
— Dick Vitale —

Integrity
“The most effective argument for Christianity is still the good lives of those who profess it.” A.W. Tozer, The Set of the Sail, 16.

Intelligence
“I want to gain 1,500 or 2,000 yards, whichever comes first.”
— George Rogers, New Orleans Saints Running Back —

Interest (Spiritual)
“If spiritual interest is on the rise and yet the church isn’t the dominant location for exploring this interest, then doesn’t this tell us something as leaders?”
Ron Martoia, Morph!, 22.

Intolerance of Intolerance
“I hate intolerant people.”
— Gloria Steinem —