tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-193157462011-11-16T12:10:09.775-08:00There is a method to it....Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.comBlogger1891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-3019316811098957162010-02-26T11:13:00.000-08:002010-02-26T11:14:23.255-08:00

Come check out the new blog @ this address http://is.gd/9ggB0

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-79049342863044649202009-12-04T13:17:00.000-08:002009-12-04T13:22:05.585-08:00

Are there any churches that are truly Pentecostal and emerging? Is that an oxymoron? In class we talked about how the participatory aspect of Pentecostalism is similar to the Emerging church but it is definitely not the same. There is way more high volume expression in a Pentecostal church. I think the emerging Church demographic is mostly white and they definitely would not express in the same

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-49985023855346922152009-12-04T13:16:00.001-08:002009-12-04T13:17:18.208-08:00

IntroductionGarcia introduces Latino/a theology by describing it as inclusive and commuting. It commutes between cultures, geography, reason and faith. It is a fluid, postmodern, communal experience. Latino/a theology includes any item that affects latino/a life.Chapter 1Next Garcia talks about Latino/a theology as a practical theology. It is because this theology is located in the church. Praxis

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-4481537063539139352009-12-01T22:23:00.000-08:002009-12-01T22:33:31.192-08:00

I love the anabaptist definition of the nature of church. It is made up of believers who are supposed to live in a particular way. The emphasis is on faith and a lifestyle that reflects that faith. It has nothing to do with the state and everything to do with the cross. Last year in April we had the opportunity to visit the Amish and Mennonite Center in Berlin, OH and viewed a cyclorama of

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-16224673047043770852009-11-29T22:16:00.000-08:002009-11-29T22:18:55.136-08:00

IntroductionVan Engen states the need to find new avenues for contextualizing congregations. Most pastors prioritize maintaining members happiness and to keep getting paid by members. This leaves them frustrated and not fulfilling God’s purpose for the local church as a missionary congregation. Chapter 1The author states that there needs to be closer relationship between the concept of mission

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-70984469201607328532009-11-29T21:05:00.000-08:002009-11-29T21:14:38.057-08:00

Our professor said that no matter what the church movement a tradition is formed within one generation. It makes me feel very vigilant about what traditions have been formed in our local church and whether they are relevant to what is going on in our local cultural context. Even though we have developed traditions they are not sacred and they are only to be used for the purpose of mission in our

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-61833730829126319882009-11-24T21:04:00.001-08:002009-11-24T21:04:38.921-08:00

Chapter 1The authors describe Pentecostalisms different streams and the fact that there is no one Pentecostalism. Next they point toward progressive pentecostalism in the two thirds world as the one stream that gives hands and feet to social engagement. In their study the authors include the transcendent experience of the Spirit as a factor in Progressive Pentecostalism’s social engagement and

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-558548352060418452009-11-24T12:14:00.000-08:002009-11-24T12:19:10.842-08:00

In class yesterday, Professor Bolger said that the average person needs 6 to 10 hours a week with a community in order for them to be influenced by that community. This got me to thinking...How can we as a church influence people for the kingdom of God in this culture? The only regular environment where people spend 6-10 hours together I believe is the workplace. Do we train people adequately to

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-41383962300253504512009-11-22T19:10:00.000-08:002009-11-22T19:22:40.530-08:00

The New Monastic Movement seems like one of the few bright spots in contemporary North American Christianity where people actually learn what it means to follow Jesus. Cultivating the Christlike practices of hospitality, peacemaking, and economic sharing could go along way in delivering a prophetic word to the world but also to the church. My one hesitation is that by having a certain segment of

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-21444734015151270022009-11-18T14:36:00.000-08:002009-11-18T14:42:32.962-08:00

It seems that as we study the Catholic church there have been great strides in contextualization but also has limited contextualization. The Jesuits had some stand out priests who became like the ones they were ministering to but at the same time the church kept insisting on sameness and exalting the style of church that was imported from Europe.

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-78972332309234153182009-11-17T19:49:00.001-08:002009-11-17T20:39:38.085-08:00

Introduction-Dr Karkkainen lets us know that ecclesiology and pneumatology are connected and defines "ecclesiology proper" as the study of what makes church church?Chapter 1-The Eastern Orthodox understanding of church draws on the church fathers of the east and is very spirit sensitive. The church is the image of the trinity and represents identity and mutuality or unity in diversity. Unity is

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-9469025892752703712009-11-16T11:59:00.000-08:002009-11-16T12:01:16.429-08:00

Here is a new site to find good airfare called KayakI like it because they give you optional dates and prices on a calendar.

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-65774337913343655342009-11-15T20:32:00.000-08:002009-11-15T20:36:07.774-08:00

"Proclaiming the truth of gospel afresh in our changing culture raises questions about the shape of the church"-Bishop Graham Cray. There are no good old days of church. There has always been challenges, problems,and sin in the church. The only thing that we can do is strive to be faithful to what God is doing and discern what he wants to do with and through the church and its interaction with

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-40332856359582428392009-11-10T21:47:00.000-08:002009-11-10T21:53:13.235-08:00

Today in class I finally figured out what makes community, church, and ministry so hard in the LA context. Life in LA is a clear example of what it means to be in a network society. Everyone is spread out and the relationships are not all located in one physical space. This makes it more difficult to do centralized ministry. It is better to decentralize and release people to do ministry wherever

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-63885862670312593432009-11-08T21:16:00.000-08:002009-11-08T21:26:25.942-08:00

In class we learned that one of the reasons why people have done so many ungodly things in the name of Christ is because they did not separate the church from the kingdom of God. So the church became the enforcer of God's will on people without any checks or balances. I believe this is always a danger when the church aligns itself with a political system or culture. Then that political system or

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-85540520529272363232009-11-03T14:45:00.000-08:002009-11-03T14:50:44.777-08:00

Many orthodox churches are tied to a nation state. This makes Christianity a matter of passive acceptance and not a voluntary commitment. Most who are born in these nations believe that because I am a citizen of this country therefore I am orthodox. There are parts of the United States that are like this (Bible belt :)but we are so pluralistic and have never had a state church so this attitude

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-5908435321888309892009-11-03T14:42:00.000-08:002009-11-03T14:45:21.920-08:00

Ch 1 Western church must study culture because of the incarnation. A big cultural difference between the United Kingdom and the United States. The United Kingdom has a club culture and virtually no Christian subculture. The lack of Christian subculture creates a high social cost for those who become decide to follow Christ. Because of this the church in the U.K. has had to contextualize much

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-53888801414909569802009-10-31T21:24:00.000-07:002009-10-31T21:30:29.367-07:00

Constantine called for all the councils in order to regulate the faith throughout the empire. He could not afford to have division between the one thing that consolidated his empire: Christianity. The councils helped to establish our now orthodox views on Christian doctrine but the councils were not initiated by the church. It was the emperor who gathered the bishops together not because of a

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-44182399762724361382009-10-28T07:21:00.000-07:002009-10-28T07:23:57.442-07:00

We have been going over the Lord's prayer and reciting it throughout the day as a church. I have gotten some interesting feedback about this excercise and I thought I'd give my translation of the Lord's prayer from greek class. Can you spot the slight changes?Our Father who is in heaven.Let your name be made holyLet your kingdom comeLet your will become As in heaven also on earthOur necessary

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-82409275043721490382009-10-27T21:30:00.000-07:002009-10-27T21:37:35.844-07:00

In looking at the preConstantinian church it seems to me that the bigger things get the more structured and hierarchical they become. I do not see any way around it. Some may champion a smaller church but if you do smaller church good then inevitably it will grow. This is what happened to the early church. The smaller church grew and morphed into more structured forms. So what is the way forward

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-67167182657073130922009-10-25T19:13:00.000-07:002009-10-25T19:21:11.350-07:00

As we took a look at the pre-Constantine church we see steps toward formalizing baptism, leadership and the Lord's supper. What amazes me is that these are the things that we have recently formalized at our church. I wonder if this is a good thing or a bad thing. We have added structure to them because we did not want people to 1) make mistakes in conducting them and 2) Not be a bad witness to

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-511808491993474912009-10-20T21:33:00.000-07:002009-10-20T21:41:43.146-07:00

1st century Christian leadership was flat, fluid, functional and many times female. This is also the kind of leadership that we need in the 21st century. We need flat leadership with less hierarchy or no hierarchy at all (although sometimes that's inevitable). We need fluid leadership with people not stuck in permanent roles and becoming institutionalized. We need functional leadership that is

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-84701739498958172662009-10-18T21:51:00.000-07:002009-10-18T22:03:41.096-07:00

One of the best things that I learned during my years of dating was to "Find your well". What do I mean by "Find your well." It means to go and serve where the kind of person you want to be your spouse congregates. Isaac's wife was found at a well serving. Moses wife was found at a well serving. Jesus even met a woman at a well and she turned out to be a great addition to his bride the Body of

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-1438400157160735022009-10-18T19:56:00.000-07:002009-10-18T21:34:28.539-07:00

Chapter 1In this chapter Tickle explains what the "Great Emergence" is and shows how every 500 years institutionalized Christianity is shattered and renewal and new growth take place. When this happens a new living form of the faith comes into being and the older tradition is revitalized. At the same time the faith spreads into new geographic and demographic areas. Chapter 2This chapter shows how

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-86397013320861661052009-10-17T19:14:00.000-07:002009-10-17T19:19:20.587-07:00

All leaders are usually teachers in some capacity or another. It is in the job description to define reality and to train others. In the five fold ministry passage(Ephesians 4:11-12) there has been debate over whether there were just plain old teachers in the early church. I know some people nowadays who can teach and only teach and I would not say that they were leaders necessarily. It seems to

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-20381627818792838572009-10-13T12:32:00.000-07:002009-10-18T21:35:06.481-07:00

Jesus' church is much more holistic than our modern version of church today. It seems like the parts flowed into a seamless whole. The sacramental act of baptism was initiation into community but it was also a means of forgiveness. Forgiveness brokered outside the wealthy and religious power bases was a characteristic of this community and at the same time community was a form of mission as those

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-17402019623300070042009-10-12T14:02:00.000-07:002009-10-12T14:12:15.482-07:00

This past Sunday I talked about the left hand being weak and how God uses weakness to show how powerful he is in our lives. As a way for us to implement a theology of weakness in our lives I have taken an excercise from The Emotionally Healthy Church workbook by Peter Scazerro called "Writing a Resume of Weakness" This is an exercise where we write out the weaknesses and deficiencies that we have

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-46829245633331931862009-10-12T09:35:00.001-07:002009-10-12T09:43:31.079-07:00

I didn't have the time to include and explain this comparison in my sermon this past Sunday on Judges 3:12-19 and the story of Ehud the left handed Benjamite but Ehud is very similar to Christ in the way that he defeated Israel's enemy Eglon the king of Moab:He gave him a message of judgement. Satan and our sins were judged by Christ on the cross.He cut his flesh. Jesus flesh was cut on the

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-53308946225500307222009-10-10T20:20:00.000-07:002009-10-18T21:36:26.802-07:00

So many times I think what can we do to bring Jesus people? Is there a particular outreach strategy that the church is supposed to use? We just recently learned that the most effective outreach strategy is to be a community that lives distinctly and in close proximity those who have not yet experienced the kingdom of God. Then I am left with the questions: What does a distinct life look like in

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-88284008204654364032009-10-06T20:30:00.000-07:002009-10-06T20:37:00.646-07:00

My exegetical method class with Dr. Love Sechrest requires me to translate passages from greek to english. It is a very eye opening process as I have read the Bible so many times that many of the phrases are hard wired into my brain. This makes it hard to come up with my own translation and not just copy what the NIV, KJV, ESV have done. One of the interesting nuggets that I am chewing on is the

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-7435372300994791172009-10-06T20:27:00.001-07:002009-10-06T20:30:22.409-07:00

This is a great recipe that I found in the 15 minute fuss free cookbook Yvette gave me for Father's day. You can find it here on the Food Network site. It is an unusual take on spaghetti but I love it. The pepper and the garlic flavor keep it exciting even though it doesn't have a thick sauce. We ate it with spinach and it was delicious :)

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-10074943797345082322009-09-20T16:18:00.000-07:002009-09-20T16:28:51.876-07:00

Leadership Journal's Out of Ur blog has a story about two churches merging to becoming multiethnic. As I look at the two churches I see that they are both baptist churches and it raises two questions: Is denomination more important than ethnicity? How are they going to merge the two different contextualized styles of worship, leadership, serving the community etc. This should be interesting. Here

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-31404188114816383762009-09-19T16:27:00.000-07:002009-09-19T19:02:30.992-07:00

It is totally ironic to me that Obama stated that we live in a post racial America when:1. His whole presidency was shadowed by race from the controversy over Jeremiah Wright's sermons and theology to the fact that he is the first African American president2. The whole incident with Henry Louis Gates and the Boston police officer James Crowley3. The outburst of South Carolina Rep Joe Wilson

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-34255236616482642312009-05-28T09:44:00.000-07:002009-05-28T09:49:13.070-07:00

Last week I preached on the greatness and majesty of Christ and how that evokes a response of awe inspired worship. It was a hard thing to communicate and although Steve Harvey is a comedian I think he gets it. You can especially see it at the end of this video. Check it out

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-22225444917860135782009-05-25T09:34:00.000-07:002009-05-25T09:41:52.126-07:00

This past week I went to the doctor because of a sinus infection. It turns out that it was renal sinusitis. Sounds alot worse than it is :)So now I have to take some penicillin three times a day and it is totally killing me down in the bowels if you know what I mean. The funny thing is that in my trip to the doctor I found out that my blood pressure was above normal and so I need to go on a low

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-69589259923465424562009-05-01T12:56:00.000-07:002009-05-01T13:22:53.441-07:00

Christianity and capitalism have come together once again in the Holy Land Experience. Check out the video To me this cheapens the Bible and makes Christians look like money grubbing opportunists. Didn't Jesus whip the money changers out of the temple?On another note this also is very inauthentic. Most of the actors are white including Jesus and Mary. Still many brainwashed white people go to

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-25099521799887431072009-04-28T14:16:00.001-07:002009-04-28T14:17:51.221-07:00

Check out this cussing evangelist I bet he gives Mark Driscoll a run for his money!

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-68726854992397023462009-04-21T16:27:00.001-07:002009-04-21T16:36:50.760-07:00

Its that time of year again. Vacation. I wont be on the blog as much but I will make a commitment to come back with pictures. THis year will be a little different as we will be in cleveland and orlando visiting friends and family. Kaydon will finally see the other side of the family in Pittsburgh and Cleveland and Orlando will be especially fun as we will be seeing one of Yvette's best friends

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-84827289139813473412009-04-21T16:17:00.000-07:002009-04-21T16:23:46.199-07:00

As I am trying to figure out who I am/becoming in this new context of pastoring Sylar from Heroes is struggling to figure out who he is after all that shape shifting. Anybody familiar with code switching can feel his pain? Maybe it isn't as bad as waking up with a different face and an extra tooth but it does leave you disoriented.

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-51529294251171391932009-04-20T10:58:00.000-07:002009-04-21T16:17:16.639-07:00

I have always wondered why I have had a missionary heart while having the gifts of pastoring and teaching. I used to think maybe I was supposed to pastor and care for missionaries overseas. Maybe that is in the cards for the future but I feel right now I am in the zone as a pastor of the fringe. I think this is a great need as we see ourselves in a Western culture that is secular and becoming

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-4867861127155580572009-04-18T19:16:00.000-07:002009-04-18T22:44:19.654-07:00

Has anyone seen the Emerging church panel discussion that was done in Dallas at the Christian Book Expo about a week ago? Here it is if you haven't seen it For what it's worth I have been watching this emerging church conversation from a distance and also feel like I have participated in it as our church exhibits some of those qualities. In some ways I feel as if we go beyond the typical emerging

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-90579011425415189692009-04-16T17:10:00.000-07:002009-04-16T17:19:13.465-07:00

The class I am taking this quarter is called "The African Roots of Black Theology". Besides being taught by one of the best professors at Fuller, Ralph Watkins, it also is full of meaty content. I mean this stuff is good enough to sop up with a biscuit!We have been reading some thick stuff on the African origins of civilization and how that has influenced the Judeo Christian tradition and how

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-84547746376121151942009-04-15T22:51:00.000-07:002009-04-15T23:01:55.095-07:00

The nerves. The jitters. The expectation. The climactic finale. No it wasn't a broadway musical or an american idol performance. No it was my first Easter service. It is amazing how much I was geeked up. I think its because if followers of Jesus have a day to claim it is Resurrection Day. The one thing that I realize in the aftermath of it all is that when it comes down to it Resurrection Day

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-48775189012381204932009-04-10T20:59:00.000-07:002009-04-10T21:14:13.529-07:00

Today is Good Friday. Some may say what is so good about it. I think they have valid reason to question the goodness of this Friday or any day but...I beg to differ. This Friday is uniquely good because of what was done on a hill in Palestine over two thousand years ago. Something that was not clean cut and pristine but something that was gruesome and bloody. The scene of one of the most violent

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-70475904086356740522009-04-04T10:44:00.000-07:002009-04-05T22:57:52.295-07:00

Well this is the end of the first week being the "senior" pastor" (I still don't like how that sounds) and I feel energized and refreshed and at the same time dead dog tired. After meeting with interns, working on the sermon, meeting with one of our resident artists Matthias Thornton Bivens otherwise known as Matt Bivens, Sending out emails about the service, baptism, follow up materials and

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-30519998143032830972009-01-14T11:06:00.001-08:002009-01-14T19:31:06.336-08:00

One of my biggest struggles is when the content of something is devlivered in a less than spectacular or at the least unsuitable form. It's like when people over 50 try to rap. Now don't get me wrong soon enough most rappers will be 50 (not 50 cent :) but they grew up in the culture and time period of rap. I think the question of delivery vs. content is why we laugh at things like "The rappin

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-68580298642877854212008-12-23T22:07:00.000-08:002008-12-23T22:21:49.822-08:00

He came to his own and his own people did not receive him John 1:11Sometimes our search for belonging ends up empty because we do not realize that life as a believer is always full of paradox and tension. Why? It is because our Lord and Master is full of paradox and tension. Fully God and fully man. Poor and rich. Weak and powerful. One of the most striking paradoxes is that he belonged and did

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-13947275126445838902008-12-20T10:20:00.000-08:002008-12-20T10:27:46.216-08:00

It has been a few years since I have been around the place where I grew up-Lynwood, CA. Just recently I had to stop by the So Cal Gas Company's Compton base which is right next to Lynwood and I saw so much poverty and darkness that I couldn't believe my eyes. It was hard to imagine that just a little over ten years ago I was walking these same streets. As much as it was hard to look at it did me

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-78436490576692172002008-12-18T17:29:00.000-08:002008-12-18T17:43:21.460-08:00

I am grateful to God for the opportunity to go to seminary. I never was that motivated in school even though I aced every exam (I didn't do the homework so I got by with C's). Now I am motivated and energized and acing everything. It is clear that I am supposed to be here and this is where my heart fully comes alive. After the first quarter is over I have ended up with more questions than answers

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-59330871742847230802008-11-22T06:38:00.000-08:002008-11-22T06:57:07.562-08:00

In this day and age I have seen some shameless schemes for profit. These schemes were not suprising from the world but also from the church. I think the use of religion for profit is deplorable for our day and age as much as it was for the apostle Paul in his day. There have been numerous things sold in the name of religion. In the reformation days it was relics-the goatskin of John the baptist,

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-46856694266066922292008-11-19T21:21:00.000-08:002008-11-19T22:02:02.973-08:00

"Who am I? This or the other?Am I both at the same time? In public, a hypocrite and bymyself a contemptible whining weakling? Who I really am,you know me, I am thine O God!"-Dietrich Boenhoffer Who am I? It is interesting to me how excruciatingly difficult it is to be self critical. In a way being too self critical erodes self confidence. It puts you in a place where you question everything.

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-21591046747907047682008-11-18T20:51:00.001-08:002008-11-18T20:57:06.755-08:00

You will go into debtYou may lose your faith or at least dampen your faithYou will spend hours and hours researching, thinking, and writingYou may acquire tons of knowledge that you will never useYou will not necessarily be prepared for ministryYou will meet sinful, arrogant, and hypocritical seminary studentsYou may become arrogantYou won't necessarily know where God wants you to serveYou will

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-33058972204820011902008-11-18T20:45:00.001-08:002008-11-18T20:50:49.227-08:00

You can learn alot about GodYou can meet very interesting people You can get BJ's indian curry every wednesday or thursdayYou can get an MA, MDiv, or PhDYou may need to go in order to be ordainedYou can learn to articulate yourself eloquentlyYou can learn to back up your theological claims with well done researchYou can hear world renowned professors and speakersYou can save yourself from

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-74421212259042808312008-11-18T20:38:00.000-08:002008-11-18T20:44:50.826-08:00

Is there a difference between our being made in the image of God and Christ being the image of God? This question challenges us on many levels:The ontological/functional level. Is the image of God a part of our being still or as Christians do we live in the image of God: ChristThe gender level. Is the image of God to be equated with being male and female? If so then how is Christ male and female?

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-4220656245745650952008-11-10T11:07:00.000-08:002008-11-10T11:17:25.391-08:00

I have been in a daze from school, work, and baby so I haven't done any wild partying in honor of Obama's victory. I am very proud and I am glad that there is a black man who is President of the United States. It is also cool that this was not just a victory for black folks but for the rest of the world. America is now seen again as the place where there is equal opportunity no matter who you are

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-45552216068962815212008-10-28T16:01:00.000-07:002008-10-28T16:18:19.221-07:00

In my last posts I let everyone know I was voting for Obama because in my opinion his approach is holisitc, humble, and relational. I did not let you know what that means:Holistic. I believe this country is very polarized. Right and left. Republican and democrat. Religous and nonreligous. As a black male I have been a witness to many of the problems in America and they are not onesided issues.

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-61137969135977909042008-10-23T16:05:00.001-07:002008-10-23T16:09:07.131-07:00

I was just about to go get something to drink and start working on my assignments when another burning question that needs to be answered came to me:How can global theology play a role in the Vineyard a movement that wants to break out of the suburban white mold and relate to other ethnic groups? I think this is significant because John Wimber challenged the Western world with his teaching on

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-2380752087328492792008-10-23T15:46:00.000-07:002008-10-23T16:01:37.109-07:00

As with all theology I have come from the symposium with more questions than answers. Here are a few of my questions:What role does the diversity of global theology have to play in a multiethnic theology for North America? Most of the talk in multiethnicity has been in regard to ecclesiology or missiology. How do we hammer out a theology or a christology for a multiethnic setting?What role does

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-73755880563103747952008-10-23T15:06:00.000-07:002008-10-23T15:46:33.867-07:00

Well I still never asked anyone what a symposium is but I experienced one. My experience says it is when professors write papers on a particular topic, share their thoughts and other professors respond to them. So this one was on the topic of global theology and also was connected to the publishing of the Global Dictionary of Theology. I couldn't afford it even with the 40% discount but it sounds

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-45094073751337296562008-10-23T09:39:00.000-07:002008-10-23T09:43:59.179-07:00

Today I am about to go to the Future of Global Theology symposium. Never mind I have no idea what symposium really means. I know a bunch of expert get together and talk. This one is going to be great because there are so many issues on the table as theology and the Christian faith are moving more towards the Southern hemisphere in places like Asia, Africa, And Latin America. The speakers are

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-3294775808913281812008-10-20T17:33:00.000-07:002008-10-20T17:39:37.041-07:00

This current election has two candidates who represent not only different politics but different worldviews. There is one worldview that is arrogant, prides itself on being an expert, and is very narrowminded and compartmentalized. There is another worlview represented by the other candidate that is humble, prides itself on being in relationship, and is holistic in it's approach to issues. This

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-58489772548449480652008-10-20T17:18:00.000-07:002008-10-20T17:33:44.473-07:00

I recently had a close call on Sunday afternoon while I was on the phone with a friend Julian. Some democratic party supporter came to the door and after a few seconds of discussion I discovered that I needed to register since we moved to Pasadena. Monday was the deadline to register and so I immediately filled out the form so I could do my part in the current election. The question for me that

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-77882190740760247422008-10-07T20:22:00.000-07:002008-10-07T20:25:31.593-07:00

We protestants say that scripture is the final authority for everything. It is the "infallible rule of faith and practice". The question remains is that an ideal that we strive for or is it an absolute fact. There are so many things that go into the interpretation of scripture (culture, gender, tradition etc.) that it is hard to say that scripture is the final authority. What do you think? Is

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-48819083837208429112008-10-07T18:24:00.000-07:002008-10-07T18:31:58.568-07:00

Recently my facebook status messages have referred to baby poop. It is not my passion only my reality. Some may think that it is sacrilegous but most think it's funny. I think it suprises some how it can be related to theology but in a way that is where our real theology shows up and becomes apparent-in the "poop" of life. That is why I am going to seminary. It is because all of life is infused

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-57147147581855318932008-09-28T14:51:00.001-07:002008-09-28T14:51:10.142-07:00

I HAVE BEEN ABSENT FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE FOR FAR TOO LONG. THE GOOD NEWS IS I HAVE A FUNCTIONING COMPUTER NOW! MORE BLOGS TO COME IN THE NEXT WEEK

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-53395179733774078132008-08-20T15:48:00.000-07:002008-08-20T15:56:13.473-07:00

I posted about the Lakeland Revival some weeks ago and was already leery but I did not have enough info. I just know that there is always something that we as Christians jump on without discernment. I know that God moves today. I have seen him move on me and through me but at the same time there should be a strong desire to know who God is. I don't know what happened to get so many Christians to

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-51293420888465255832008-08-20T15:31:00.000-07:002008-08-20T15:41:54.318-07:00

Here is a list of unbiased...well kind of unbiased news sources. It may help you as you follow the presidential campaign trail. Compliments of Aaron Dobruck.apbbcnprpbsAmerican Public RadioCBCClick on these and let me know if they are truly unbiased or if you suffer from severe "biaswashing". I think these are ok since they are from Aaron. He is a cool guy. He taught me how to wear a lobster hat

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-90283686841373403802008-08-19T21:15:00.000-07:002008-08-19T21:31:40.676-07:00

Well I have been listening to many comment on the presidential campaign and especially questioning Obama's patriotism. This has sparked the question of whether it is ok to be Christian and a patriot? Would it have been ok in the Roman empire? In the antebellum south the Confederate soldiers would have been considered patriots? Where do we draw the line in being christians and also for our country

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-66549274125494396212008-08-14T22:38:00.000-07:002008-08-14T22:45:18.150-07:00

Interestingly enough most of these objections I am hearing from conservative Christian radio. One last objection is that Obama should not be president because of his theological views. If that is the case then many of our founding fathers should not have been presidents either. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison were all deists. What is a deist? Someone who believes God created

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-34341428687299240792008-08-14T22:26:00.000-07:002008-08-14T22:34:58.174-07:00

Another objection to Obama being president is that he is only a good public speaker and not good on his toes in a debate. This is honestly one of the most ridiculuous arguments I have ever heard of. A president's merit and ability to fulfill the duties of his office are not contingent on his method of communicating to the public. The real issue is what is he going to do for the American people.

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-58236806912377631752008-08-14T22:12:00.000-07:002008-08-14T22:24:36.115-07:00

Should I vote for Obama because he is black? Should I vote for Obama because he is non white? Should I vote for Obama because he looks better in a suit than Mccain? Should I vote for Obama because he is an inspiring orator? I think one of the objections to Obama being president is that he is playing the "race card". What exactly is the "race" card? I think it's the card that most white candidates

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-8943243644020460662008-08-12T15:29:00.000-07:002008-08-12T15:48:23.238-07:00

Just to unpack the children as arrows thing a bit more...Aimed at the right target. This means we are shooting them towards God's glory and not ours. Most parents are satisfied if their children are good citizens or moral people. They would love it if their sons and daughters pursued and obtained the american dream of being married, having kids, a dog, a cat, and two cars for your two story house

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-57298992949302708472008-08-07T22:16:00.000-07:002008-08-12T15:47:40.301-07:00

Psalm 127:4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. As I have been holding Kaydon in my arms this verse has become real for me.Children are like arrows in many ways:They are shaped and crafted with excellence for a specific purpose. You have to be skilled and precise when creating an arrow. A wrong mistake and it's not going anywhere. They are made with one express

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-72281252436847487062008-08-07T22:09:00.000-07:002008-08-07T22:16:00.983-07:00

I am so grateful to God for our newborn son Kaydon. There is so much that I want to say but having him in my life is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I had to spell it out. So Yvette went into labor two weeks early. It was a day after we spent all day out with church, my birthday celebration at Bubba Gump's (Did u know they make u shake your booty for ice cream on your birthday?), and some errands/chores that we

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-52194672868059369212008-07-25T17:26:00.001-07:002008-07-25T17:34:08.396-07:00

Nas is going up against Fox News racist smears with a petition. Can anybody say "If I ruled the world"? A big shout to Nas for standing on the side of justice and a big shout to fellow Fuller student C. Wess Daniels at Gathering in Light for getting the word out first. For more of the story you can check out the hilarious and downright sarcastic Stephen Colbert Reports If you wnat to be involved

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-54162538428425143902008-07-25T16:43:00.000-07:002008-07-25T17:14:46.777-07:00

So I have been watching this whole Lakeland Revival thing from afar. It seems to me that every couple of years or so there is some new "prophet" or "move of God" that captures our attention and I wonder is it just the result of our American consumerism and desire for more? Is it the natural outcome of a warped spirituality that always needs hype and glam to satisfy it's perverted longings. One

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-9818230320406610852008-07-08T14:42:00.000-07:002008-07-08T14:48:08.062-07:00

I used to avoid reading novels and other sorts of fiction. I felt like if I'm going to read a book then it has to further my success in life-a very pragmatic approach. The one thing that I have learned is that through fiction we are immersed in reality. We get to taste the sins, mistakes, joys, and triumphs of ourselves and others. This has been really helpful as a pastor. Reading through the

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-77156404867887600932008-07-03T20:02:00.000-07:002008-07-03T20:07:43.283-07:00

It can be summed up in one word: waitingI hate plane flights in general not because I'm scared or there are terrorists on the loose out there but because you are cooped up in that box in the sky. You can't get off. So you wait. I have problems with transition and being on a plane is just a big transition. You have left your place of residence but you have not arrived at the destination. That is

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-3352463644802035582008-06-30T19:10:00.001-07:002008-06-30T19:10:44.545-07:00

Ok so i forgot i could blog from my cellphone. If this works then i will send pics of the baptism

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-72011122401709957912008-06-30T12:15:00.001-07:002008-06-30T12:21:31.743-07:00

Ok so I haven't blogged for a minute and I am trying to keep a steady consistent pace with it so I can keep people updated on this next season of life while me and yvette are at Fuller. Well we have been moving and it was the best move ever!!! It all got taken down to Pasadena in one day without a U-Haul or professional movers.So we r in Fuller housing! I am starting a new job in the Fuller

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-31209187497596130662008-06-25T15:21:00.001-07:002008-06-25T15:25:28.937-07:00

So if you haven't heard of Wale you need to...I haven't been excited about hip hop for a while. Most of it sounds the same..it's the same old topics. Killing, stealing, stripping, jewelry. I think we have been blessed with some great albums in recent years from Nas, Kanye, Common, Jay Z, The Roots but these guys have been outstanding among garbage. Now with Wale we have great rhymes and a new

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-28704819027039179302008-06-25T14:54:00.001-07:002008-06-25T15:10:47.318-07:00

Ok so just in case some may think I am a narrow minded fundamentalist basher of other religous views here is my upside to Eckhart Tolle's book. I think the church can take some lessons from his overall approach in presenting his brand of spirituality. Eckhart Tolle's New Earth has become popular and has drawn people in for several reasons and I think he has a beat on the spiritual terrain of our

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-86164795109864880902008-06-20T10:33:00.000-07:002008-06-20T10:39:54.198-07:00

That is one thing that I have seen in the black church. I believe this is where the Vineyard genetic code and the black church meet. Growing up pentecostal I have seen some kooky stuff! People all of a sudden believing they could play the piano without any training. Then they get up in the middle of the church service and try and it sounds like a cat walking across the keys! I have seen holy

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-61829574100034587272008-06-20T10:29:00.000-07:002008-06-20T10:31:53.023-07:00

If you didn't already know I am highly connected to Ethiopia and the Vineyard church planting movement that is going on there. What a wonderful place full of wonderful people! I am missing the injera and tibbs as I speak. Here is a report from Jim Pool on his recent trip there on behalf of our Vineyard Missions Partnership. Check it out here

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-25372392037824084242008-06-19T16:21:00.000-07:002008-06-19T16:23:11.749-07:00

I just finished reading Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth and I am peeved. What am I upset about? Well it is definitely not his take on spirituality. I am not upset about his thoughts on peace and not having a war mind set. I am not upset about ending suffering in the world or even the very humanistic purposes of the book i.e. a better way of life, personal happiness. What I am upset about is this:

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-58656464307467480932008-06-18T22:42:00.000-07:002008-06-18T22:48:55.740-07:00

Ok so telemarines..tele=distant+marine=sea....They spoke with spanish accents. They were a threat to the kingdom of Narnia....So much of a threat that they could not be beaten except for a supernatural incident involving water.....I could be reading into things here but it sounds like the bad guys in Narnia and the way they were defeated bears a striking resemblance to the English war with Spain

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-17028397253631177142008-06-14T12:03:00.000-07:002008-06-14T12:08:46.873-07:00

We are about to move in to our housing at Fuller! D day is in two weeks and then we wait for Yvette to bring Kaydon into the world. This is going to be a crazy year but that is what God does when he does a new thing. He set a precedent in the beginning. It says the earth was without form and darkness covered the face of the deep. There was chaos and then there was creation. That's the perspective

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-65640716968152361442008-05-21T17:42:00.000-07:002008-05-21T17:59:52.720-07:00

Me and Yvette wanted to celebrate yesterday and we decided to go to this sol food place called Aunt Kizzy's Back Porch. It has been frequented by tons of black celebrities and they have left pictures on the walls. We went on an off night (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday). So we didn't expect to see a celebrity but right there in the corner grubbin down on some chicken and collard greens or

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-24298393082653154142008-05-16T11:44:00.000-07:002008-05-16T11:59:20.479-07:00

The next important value to the Vineyard is contemporary worship in the freedom of the Holy Spirit. I think this really starts getting prickly on both the black and non black sides. Black culture is a culture of expression that goes all the way back to the soil of Africa. One of the things that is repulsive about the Vineyard to many African americans is the worship. One of the reasons is because

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-52639980833544584982008-05-01T19:06:00.000-07:002008-05-01T19:13:23.103-07:00

When will the world learn that a spade is a spade is a spade? This whole Jeremiah Wright thing has been taken out of context in the name of worshipping the idol of America and patriotism. God is not for one nation and when one nation is responsible for bloodshed and crimes against humanity then that one nation will get what is coming to it. The whole 9/11 tragedy was the harvest of seeds of greed

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-37750974609031397932008-05-01T17:08:00.000-07:002008-05-01T17:12:10.499-07:00

Well when it comes to this aspect of the genetic code I would have to say that there is a great need in the African American community for clear and accurate biblical teaching. I grew up in the pentecostal church and I have seen it all :) Doomsday prophets predicting that Reagan, Bush, and now Oprah are the antichrist. They skipped Bill Clinton...I wonder why? I have seen people claiming that

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-32562711844252201082008-05-01T17:05:00.000-07:002008-05-01T17:07:34.580-07:00

We are planning to attend Fuller Theological Seminary in the fall and we are going in on a wing and a prayer. It cost so much money and they do not give scholarships to first year students. There is some other money but compared to what Fuller costs it doesn't really make a dent. At least not with our financial situation. If anybody knows of any money for school that's out there let me know.

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-29692895743654615392008-04-16T16:00:00.001-07:002008-04-16T16:04:38.860-07:00

I have taken the task of actually thinking about the Vineyard Genetic Code and how that can be or whether it can be contextualized for the African American worship experience and culture. In order to do that I think it is important to really get a handle on the Vineyard's particular genetic code.-clear, accurate, biblical teaching-contemporary worship in the freedom of the Holy Spirit-the gifts

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-37785366289163359792008-04-16T15:46:00.000-07:002008-04-16T16:05:25.986-07:00

I am happy to announce that in august a testosterone filled Mayo will be arriving to us. That's right we are having a boy. We are still figuring out the names. It's kind of hard because we were really sure the baby was a girl. I am feeling a little more weight now that we know the gender. Partly because now the fact that we are having a baby seems more real. I think this has to do with gender

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-86206766000683444602008-04-16T15:34:00.000-07:002008-04-16T15:41:52.224-07:00

Will black people ever truly fit in the Vineyard church context? In my opinion this is a very tough issue. Black people are kind of not hard to miss anywhere by virtue of our physical appearance. That was one of the advantages of using us as slaves-easier to catch the runaway. If a black person put on different clothes and talked differently there was still the hair, the lips and nose, the skin

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-73769574980038930152008-04-09T11:49:00.000-07:002008-04-09T11:53:28.968-07:00

We have been preparing for a conference called Seize the Day! It is focused on already existing or those who desire to become multiethnic multicultural churches and ministries. Also in line with that is our preaching series at Vineyard Xtreme called "Can't we all just get along?" This is a huge issue considering our current presidential election. My question is how come this topic didn't become "

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-64476643530792318212008-04-09T11:47:00.000-07:002008-04-09T11:49:33.135-07:00

It's been a hectic season for the Mayos and their madness. Filing taxes. Going on vacation. Applying for Fuller Seminary. Yes I said applying for seminary! I am applying for special student status at Fuller. That means somebody who does not have a bachelors (like myself) can go to seminary provided they have substantial ministry and work experience. So getting that done as well as being away in

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-38777460979344340302008-03-11T17:56:00.000-07:002008-03-11T18:01:32.824-07:00

We have moved on to the next parable Jesus introduces which is the parable of the yeast. It was very interesting that in my boy Jason's bible it says that the yeast was mixed into sixty pounds of dough. That is alot of dough. You could make alot of tortillas or some kind of cake! Sock it to me! Chocolate! Pound cake anyone? Whatever kind of cake it is for more than just a nuclear family of four.

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-50365203854082260232008-02-29T16:08:00.000-08:002008-02-29T16:25:28.936-08:00

Matthew 13:31,32The size of the kingdom doesn't matter. It is not about the big grandiose whiz-bang- flash things, It starts of small. I think this flies in the face of our American super size culture. We are always waiting for the next BIG THING! The next BIG THING actually has a small beginning. I think we are impatient with small beginnings. The kingdom of God isn't necessarily about big

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19315746.post-62878030793159677612008-02-26T21:18:00.000-08:002008-12-11T11:37:43.289-08:00

I just got a chance to see Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind and I think it is wonderful. Jim Carrey did an awesome job and he finally got my respect as a dramatic actor. Kate Winslet did great as well. You could never guess that wasn't her real accent.The movie really made me think about all the past relationships I've had and my marriage to Yvette. I think it is truly better to go ahead and

Ramonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10317677891109457375noreply@blogger.com0