http://www.brianniece.com ... worship as a communal lifestyle Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:08:04 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en My friend, Chuck, died Thursday night. Chuck was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just a few short weeks ago.  He went through a succesful surgery, which I sat through with him.  He had been released from the hospital just a few days ago. Something happened with his heart and the blood thinners he ... http://www.brianniece.com/2008/08/30/my-friend-chuck/ I wonder what Jesus would be doing today if he were that 12-year old boy who snuck away from his folks to teach the rabbis in the temple about life with the God he called Father. Today I'm sitting in Memorial Hospital in Savannah, GA.  My friend (our 70-year old church ... http://www.brianniece.com/2008/08/13/my-fathers-work/ God has been working in me.  My relationship with Jesus has been reaching new levels of trust and discernment.  I'm still trying to process and live it out.  I'll share with you some of what I've been discovering ... Through the transitions in life as of late, God has provided for ... http://www.brianniece.com/2008/08/06/not-living-by-bread-alone/ If you are a frequent (or even infrequent) reader of this blog, I'd love for you to suggest some things for me to write about.  Notice the little box to the right.  It's powered by Skribit.  You'll want to register as a Skribit user.  Then you can suggest anything by ... http://www.brianniece.com/2008/07/18/help-me-blog-suggest-something/ Our office manager told me Courtney was on the line for me. "Courtney?" "She said, 'Hi, is Brian in; it's Courtney.'" I know some Courtney's ... but none that casually.  Who knows ... "I'll take it." Courtney started out by asking if I received the really nice pen with Grace Community Church imprinted on it ... http://www.brianniece.com/2008/06/25/well-then-how-do-you-promote-yourself/ If I was still living in Nashville, ministering in Nashville, pressed by the crazy schedule I worked on staff at the megachurch, with that corporate mentality, with the agenda generated by other paradigms, I would never have witnessed what I just experienced. I was walking from the kitchen to my study ... http://www.brianniece.com/2008/06/24/the-art-of-presence/ It's been 14 years!  14 years, I tell ya.  14 years since the sounds of "My Name is Jonas" first rang in my ear and opened me up to a whole new musical genre. I've waited with anticipation for Weezer to captivate me like they did with their debut album: Weezer ... http://www.brianniece.com/2008/06/16/exegeting-weezer-red-album/ Cavanaugh has regularly been a voice of dissent in the face of accepted cultural norms of post-modernism.  Yet, his is not a pessimistic voice, but a voice that speaks into the hope of God's reconciling and redeeming work. This little gem of a book is an easy read; quite unlike his ... http://www.brianniece.com/2008/06/12/book-comments-being-consumed-economics-and-christian-desire-by-william-cavanaugh/ Who feels pressured on all sides? Or who feels pulled in multiple directions?Me ... and me, too! I'd bet we all do. The challenge (and great mystery) is how to effectively cope with all the pressures in a healthy way. I'm convinced the only way to deal with our pressures ... http://www.brianniece.com/2008/06/12/sharing-the-journey/ Life has been a whirlwind of late. Financial strains, life circumstance, not feeling in control of it all (that last one is hard for me to deal with).Last week, the Nieces were in Nashville, TN visiting family and friends. I was looking forward to a fun time of ... http://www.brianniece.com/2008/05/14/where-is-god-in-brokenness/