WHY? #Reimagine...
To reimagine is not to change what we believe
But to reconsider how we think about what we believe.
If we are unable to differentiate between our beliefs (theology, doctrines) and thoughts (ideas, applications, systems, best practices), then we will ultimately be unable to defend our values and discern the foundations of social change and political preferences.
To reimagine, is to rethink, review and revise, prompted by a Holy Spirit revealed fresh-for-our-times application of the unchanging truth of Scripture. We are blessed by and greatly benefit from but are not bound by tradition. Transformation requires fresh application.
To reimagine is not to rely on human imaginations; just the opposite, it is a yielding to the revelation of the Holy Spirit that infuses human thinking with the mind of Christ which allows us to know the will of our Holy God. A unique application to our times and our trials.
To reimagine, individuals – cohort groups - congregations – collaborations, must employ the gifts of the Holy Spirit (especially prayer) and the resource of scripture.
To refuse to reimagine, is actually an act of disobedience, because we are commanded to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we ( individually and corporately) demonstrate God's will is good for all. So that means our leadership and ministries, not just our personal moral life must be transformed: our disciple making, prayer, evangelism, church itself…
We should expect the renewing of our mind, a reimagination led by the Spirit, to result in great works for a great God.
CHURCH. THINK. DIFFERENT!
#ItSeemsToMe...Christians need to "repent" of behaviors AND beliefs that are not pleasing to God.
["Greek was the language of the gospels and the word “repent” was recorded as “metanoia.”
"Meta” means “after” and it bears the concept of “shift” or “change” (as in the word metamorphosis).
“Noia” translates to “mind.” “Metanoia” is a clarion call to transformational thinking. Suzette Martinez Standring]
Take faith! #Reimagine
Phil Miglioratti
Curator for The #ReimagineFORUM
NEXT STEPS ~
1. Affirm that you need to #Reimagine... if your church/ministry/team/group is going to be successful at reaching people with the Gospel and making disciples.
- >>>Praying through this Coaching Session Interview
- >>>Read how to reimagine like Romans 12:2 (scroll to also see guest commentary)
- >>>Reading Designing YOUR #Reimagine Journey...
- >>>Listening in prayer
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
Jeremiah 33:3
>>>KEEP SCROLLING for RELATED CONTENT & COMMENTARY, RESOURCES & REPLIES<<<
>>>KEEP SCROLLING for RELATED CONTENT & COMMENTARY, RESOURCES & REPLIES
What’s Wrong With My Tunnel Vision?
November 11, 2024 by Beverly R. Green
tunnel vision: noun
Sometimes tunnel vision is a bad thing, like in definitions 1 and 2 above. This week, I have the definition 3 type of tunnel vision. It is performance week at school, and I am the drama teacher. To complicate matters, I suggested a mystery dinner theater this semester, which means not only a play, but a dinner, reservations, a host, servers, a big clean-up, games, prizes … I wake up at 2:00 a.m. wondering how to arrange tables so everyone can see … and hear; I spend my lunch hour running lines with students who are unsure of how to say something; I eat dinner agonizing over the price per ticket–Is it enough? Is it too much?; and I lose track of my evening trying to remember what I have forgotten. My brand of tunnel vision is the fast-track to stress!
It’s all in God’s capable hands, right? My team prays daily for the practical things, that all will go smoothly and according to plan, and also that He will use the whole event for His glory. After all, it is much easier to get an unsaved family member or friend to come to a mystery dinner theater production than to come to church. We pray that He will receive our loaves and fish and grow them into something useful for His purpose. Yes, it is all in His most capable hands.
Even knowing all that, the details of the project are all-consuming in my mind right now.
What do the scriptures say?
There are scriptures about tunnel vision.
In Psalm 27:4, King David declares, “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.”
Matthew 6:33-34 quotes Jesus, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).
The right kind of tunnel vision
I suppose there are all kinds of things in the world to cause us to have tunnel vision. That is probably the secret, right there–things in the world. Job, family, studies, plans, and the like, can consume one’s thought process. I guess my tunnel vision would be more beneficial if it were spiritually focused:
Philippians 4:8-9 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
I would gladly trade the stress of my tunnel vision for the peace of God’s vision. I’m going to try …
God bless you and give you His vision.
Why Reimagine? Because Even the Most Brilliant Minds Are Resistant to A Different Way of Thinking!
And when we resist even considering new ideas, we thwart progress/change/improvement . . .
The Romans Were Resistant to Zero
The Roman numeral system, though effective for basic counting and trade, became cumbersome as calculations grew more complex. Without a zero symbol, Roman mathematicians and merchants struggled with place values, making arithmetic operations such as multiplication or division challenging. This absence of zero also meant the system was unsuited to large-scale mathematics or scientific calculation, though that didn’t seem to significantly impact the Romans’ impressive engineering designs.
When the Hindu-Arabic numeral system, which included zero, arrived in Europe through Islamic scholars in the Middle Ages, the Romans initially resisted using it. Zero was not just a foreign concept but was also seen as a potential philosophical threat, symbolizing “nothingness” in a way that seemed unsettling to those accustomed to tangible numbers and symbols. Aristotle believed that “nature abhors a vacuum” and asserted there was no such thing as nothing. The Catholic Church also rejected the numerical concept of zero due to its association with the infinite, an idea that conflicted with religious teachings at the time.
Credit: Bettmann via Getty Images
An Italian Mathematician Helped Bring the Zero to Europe
Italian mathematician Leonardo Pisano, better known as Fibonacci, introduced the Hindu-Arabic numeral system to Europe through his groundbreaking book Liber Abaci (The Book of Numbers) in 1202. He referred to zero as zephirum, a term derived from the Arabic word ṣifr, meaning "empty" or "nothing." This Arabic term, in turn, originated from the Sanskrit word śūnya, which also means "empty." Over time, zephirum evolved linguistically, becoming zefiro in Italian and "zero" in modern English.
By the late Middle Ages, zero and the Hindu-Arabic numeral system were being used throughout Europe, especially in fields such as commerce, astronomy, and engineering. Accountants and merchants had discovered the usefulness of zero in bookkeeping and calculations, while scholars used it to advance mathematical theories. Though Roman numerals retained ceremonial use, the acceptance of zero signaled an important mathematical and philosophical shift, making it possible to conceive of innovations in science and technology that required a more comprehensive numerical framework.
Trust the Process
Written by Dynamis Ministries
The name Sam Hinkie may not mean much to you, but you may be familiar with an expression he helped contribute to pop culture, one that you may even use today. Hired as the General Manager (GM) of the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team in 2013, Hinkie quickly caught a lot of flak among the league and the team’s fanbase for some of his questionable business decisions. The year prior to hiring Hinkie, the 76ers just missed making the playoffs by only one spot, yet in the first three years under his leadership, the team finished as one of the worst in the league.
GM Hinkie was criticized for trading away some of the team’s core talent for draft picks or to free up cap space, which caused the team’s short-term success to plummet. But through it all, Hinkie had a plan. He was reorchestrating the team’s roster with young talent, which needed time to develop. In the midst of all the criticism and frustration during the early years, Hinkie was constantly reminding the team and the fanbase to be patient and to TRUST THE PROCESS. This manta became a battle cry of sorts for the franchise as, eventually, the 76ers began winning and became one of the top teams in the league.
While this manta didn’t originate with Sam Hinkie, the “trust the process” saying was certainly popularized during his tenure as a GM. In fact, the team’s star player, Joel Embiid, was even given the nickname “The Process” because of his vocal defense of Hinkie’s strategy. We still hear this expression today, whether it’s on a sports team, in the classroom or at work. It’s a reminder for us to persevere when we’re in the midst of challenges, to not give up when things go bad and to focus on long-term success over short-term gains. There’s certainly a lot of merit to this credo. It’s something we can all benefit from to keep us going. But there’s a flip side to this as well.
What if the process is flawed?
If that’s the case, when a process stops working, it’s time to find a new process.
As humans, we all share a desire to live a satisfying life. However, there are many different processes we follow to achieve it. In today’s world, some may think that significance comes from status, wealth, power, security or life experiences. We think that steps to gaining a bigger net worth, a greater social media presence, a better work title, a bigger home, a better body or a unique lifestyle is the process for “a wonderful life.” While these processes can deliver short-term gratification, they will leave you wanting in the long run.
The Bible teaches us a different process to a meaningful life. It’s one of selflessness, humility, modesty, compassion and generosity. These lifestyle processes seem backward or upside down, but those who have followed them can testify that they bring more fulfillment than any other one that’s out there.
We cannot live to our greatest satisfaction and potential if we don’t trust the RIGHT process. Take a moment today to reflect on what process you’ve been following and whether it’s yielding the results best for you and the people around you. Maybe it’s time to change your process. Maybe, right now, during this holiday season—the most generous time of the year—it’s time to try a new process, one of more selflessness, compassion and generosity!
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Our Contact Information
Dynamis Ministries
2700 Duncan Lane
Batavia, IL 60510
630.643.0009
http://www.dynamisministries.org
Why Tradition in a Church is Good and Traditionalism is Not
By Chuck Lawless on Feb 12, 2025 01:00 amYears ago, I heard Chuck Swindoll, long-term pastor and now the chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary, speak about the dangers of traditionalism. I also read his devotion on the same topic, where he defined traditionalism as “an attitude that resists change, adaptation, or alteration.”* Dr. Swindoll is much, much more brilliant than I, but here’s how I describe both concepts in light of the local church:
Why tradition is good:
Why traditionalism is not good:
Tradition, in my opinion, is a good thing in our churches. Traditionalism, though, is a problem. What are your thoughts?
* http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/todays-insight-chuck-swindoll/today-s-insight-august-18-2017.html
#tsearchradition,
Jesus doesn’t want us to apologize.
He wants us to repent.
Change the way we think
…so we change the way we go.
: to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life
: to feel regret or contrition
: to change one's mind
Mark 1:15
Phil Miglioratti
Reimagine.Network
Spiritual Curiosity
Key thoughts that came out of a recent small group discussion . . .
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:1–5)
One of the most consistent qualities of young children is that they are insatiably curious.
· In what ways do children express or demonstrate their curiosity?
· What is universal among children is they are almost constantly asking questions, about almost everything that catches their attention.
· What would prevent disciples of Jesus from developing or demonstrating curiosity?
Fear, embarrassment, arrogance, misunderstanding of what it means to have faith (i.e., certainty, no doubt or questions), laziness.
What is spiritual curiosity?
“Children are insatiably curious. We start out life as curious humans. We know we don’t know and when we don’t know, we ask questions. But as we age, we sometimes lose our sense of curiosity. Spiritual curiosity is the innate human drive to explore and understand the spiritual world, seeking to connect with something larger than oneself and to understand the meaning and purpose of life. It involves a desire to learn, explore, and engage with spiritual concepts, traditions, and practices. We are all children of God regardless of our years on this Earth. Yet for some, as we age, we can get set in our ideas, ways, and expectations and totally convince ourselves we know the outcome of life events yet to unfold. That tendency can stop us in our tracks and limit possibilities.”
What are some aspects of our beliefs and Christian lives might a disciple of Jesus might be curious?
· Since we believe that God exists, then all things to do with knowing God better: God’s nature, how God works in the world, what God’s will is for humans.
· Since we strive to follow Jesus, all things related to knowing Jesus better, his life and his teachings and how to imitate his example and put his teachings into practice.
· Since we claim that the Bible is one of our main connections with God—and for many our almost only way of connecting with God—and our only way of knowing the life and teachings of Jesus, then all things about the Bible: what it is, how it came to be, what about the passages that are hard to understand, etc., etc.
· How we can put our faith into practice in our day-to-day lives.
What beliefs, attitudes and/or practices would be true of the spiritually curious person?
1. Openness to considering new ideas
2. Desire for greater knowledge and deeper understanding of God, Jesus, the Bible, etc.
3. No fear of uncertainty realizing that, like Paul, in this life we can only know in part
4. Willingness to ask questions and give people’s answers respectful consideration
5. Less judging, more wondering; less jumping to conclusions and more listening and asking questions; less criticism, and more wonder and amazement.
6. Albert Einstein said, “The important thing is never stop questioning. Curiosity has it own reason for existing.”
I think Jesus tried to inspire curiosity. As a great spiritual teacher, Jesus wanted people to learn and grow spiritually, but so often he did it by using parables and stories that made folks think. He seldom just come right out and give them simple or pat answers.
I recently read this statement:“In fact, in the gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions, but of the 183 he was asked, he only directly answered three. Three!”
Regardless of whether or not these are accurate figures, it is pretty obvious that Jesus’ biographers show Jesus as one who preferred to answer questions with a question of his own or respond cryptically or with a story. Jesus wanted people to be curious, to think, to feel, to contemplate and to eventually discover their own answers.
Here are some of my general thoughts about being spiritually curious:
1. It takes humility be curious; to accept that we don’t know everything about anything or that what we think we know may be just partial or even incorrect.
2. It takes trust to allow those around us to be curious; if we tell people they can be curious but they better come up with the answers that I agree with, then we aren’t encouraging curiosity.
3. We’re being like Jesus and we’re following in the steps of Jesus by being humble enough to be curious and trusting enough to encouraging and supporting others in being curious.
4. What are some aspects of our spiritual lives that you are curious about right now?
Prayer: Like Jacob in Gen 36, may I never stop wrestling until I receive a blessing. May I be like Paul, who, in spite of his many, rich and varied spiritual experiences, said that there were lots of things he still didn’t know and even what he knew he only knew “in part.” May I be more like Jesus encouraging others to be curious by not giving “pat answers” but by encouraging all those around me to be curious enough to search out for themselves, and refusing to expect that they come to the same conclusions that I have. May I have the humility, the courage, the trust, and the faith to be curious for the rest of my life. Amen!
Here are some ideas I found that would help develop my spiritual curiosity:
1. Keep an open mind. I don’t know everything about anything. And I may even be wrong about some things I think you know!
2. Don’t take things at face value. Try to dig deeper beneath the surface of what is around me. Don’t accept pat answers or trust others who are absolutely certain about what I should believe or know.
3. Ask questions relentlessly. What, why, when, who, where, and how are the best friends of curious people. Be child-like in my search to know more and do more.
4. Don’t label something as boring. Whenever I label something as boring, I close one more door of possibilities. I will never enthusiastically do whatever I consider to be boring.
5. Instead, see learning as something fun. If I see learning as a burden, there’s no way I will want to dig deeper into anything.
6. Have diversity in my learning. Over time explore a variety of subjects or topics using a variety of resources (books, sermons, classes, podcasts, discussion groups, have more than 1 study partner, etc., etc.). And consult a broad array of worthy experts, especially those whose conclusions don’t fit into my mold.
I found a helpful article on being spiritually curious.
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/strategicmonk/2018/04/21/practices-fr...
[Just trying to do my part in being spiritual curious and encouraging spiritual curiosity in those around me.]
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Verse of the day
Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
- Mark 10:27
Voice of the day
The exercise of imagination is dangerous to those who profit from the way things are because it has the power to show that the way things are is not permanent, not universal, not necessary.
- Ursula K. Le Guin
Prayer of the day
God, in your image we were created. Light a spark within our hearts to imagine a better world and bring us into building one in return.
A Life Lesson From Albert Einstein
Nicole Villeneuve
When asked about the process behind his scientific discoveries in a 1929 interview, Einstein credited a perhaps surprising trait: imagination. “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” he told The Saturday Evening Post. “For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination encircles the entire world.”
Einstein’s famous thought experiments — including picturing himself racing alongside a beam of light when he was 16 years old — showed that visualizing the impossible could help unlock new scientific truths. Other pursuits also gave his imagination room to meander. Playing violin often helped him work through complex problems, and sailing, which he loved but did not exactly excel at, gave him time to let his quiet mind wander.
For Einstein, imagination wasn’t an escape from science but a key component to his breakthroughs. Facts played an important role, certainly, but it was all that daydreaming that first led him into the unknown.
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