Teaching ideas to develop...

Now that seminary is over, there are several ideas which I would like to develop for Sunday Schools, sermons and all around discussion. Just to post a few in order to see if there is any energy/feedback on certain areas. If not, then I will know that perhaps I am not plugged into where people are.

Christian Symbols:
Shepherd
Breathing
Jesus in Red
Flowers/Vines

What the gospel writes were saying about Jesus by placing him in different locations for his teachings:
Sermon on the mount (Matthew)
Sermon in a boat (Mark)
Sermon on the plain (Luke)
Sermon in conversation (John)

Orbs of Hermeneutics (different ways of reading the Bible):
Literal/Historical
Allegory
Moral
Anagogical

Body Symbolism in the Bible:
Heart
Soul/Throat
Belly
Hair
Eyes, Ears, Mouths
Hands and Feet

Becoming a Micro-lender

For sometime now I have been fascinated with Micorcredit. According to Wikipedia Microcredit:

"is the extension of very small loans (microloans) to the unemployed, to poor entrepreneurs and to others living in poverty who are not considered bankable. These individuals lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history and therefore cannot meet even the most minimal qualifications to gain access to traditional credit. Microcredit is a part of microfinance, which is the provision of a wider range of financial services to the very poor."

I know Kiva.org has been around for a while now and it is nothing new, but it is something which I have begun to seriously consider as a way of shifting from acts of mercy to acts of justice. At Kiva.org you can lend money to entrepreneurs whom you like and over time the loan you give (as small as $25) is repaid which you can then re-lend, give to Kiva or keep for yourself.

It is my hope that one day the church could get into microcredit at the local level. It is the whole give a man a fish vs. teach a man to fish idea. Microcredit is an easy way for people like you and me to allow people to learn to fish!

Pictures

When I see this I think of abundance.

When I see this I think of being in over my head.

When I see this I think faith.

When I see this I think challenge.

When I see this I think adrenaline.

When I see this I think suprise.

When I see this I think disruption.

When I see this I think shock.

When I see this I think WAKE UP!

When I see this I think joy.

When I see this I think faith.

When I see this I think worship.

When I see this I think worry free.