from inside The Shema Movement-my co-founders view’s Neighborhood

Revolution

a Wentzel
Dec 5, 2007
2 comments

I was looking at blogs from friends of people I know on vox and stumbled over someone named "hole in the roof."

All his blogs were amazing

so I asked my mother who he was, since I got him off her neighborhood

she had no idea.

we looked up his myspace,

and it turns out hole in the roof ministries is a church that has the stopconsuming campaign as a partner

then it got me thinking about how interesting it is how revolutions happen

ideas are everywhere

dormant in peoples minds

ideas aren't rare

simply a leader to get things moving

Jesus preached something completly new

and while the pharisees tended to dismiss him as blasphemy

there was the newer crowd

who new there were problems with the system,

just didn't know how to change it

how else would jesus have gotten so many people to spread the world so fast

and perhaps shema or stop consuming is the next revolution

or maybe it's not

-just a thought

girl trouble

a Wentzel
Dec 3, 2007
3 comments

this week my friend got in a fight with his girlfriend

It wasn't so much as a fight though, as a drama

What happened was, his friend apparantley used to like him

not any more

but she tends to be the person that gets very friendly to people,

so his girlfriend suspected her of still liking my friend

it wasn't a big deal, but it ended up today that everyone in school seemed angry at him,

and he broke up, and got back together 3 days later

this got me thinking, and I was inspired to use this as my personal blog.

people in life, especially cities, tend to become restless in life

they get bored with school and family,

they seek drama.

so they tend to find something to excite them,

something to fill their void.

so people unconcouisly seek out what society deems as normal,

obviousley, they find this through tv.

T.V tends to introduce 3 destructive addictions, drugs, violence, and relationships

drugs and violence are the extremes, and are often seen as negative along the mass public.

Relationships, however, never seem to be seen as negative.

Once, I was looking through a magazine with my mom laughing at all the stupid pictures and such,

and one of the articles talked about how models tend to have addictions like drugs and sex.

However, it never mentioned how they glamorized fashion, and allowed it to consume their lifes,

doing as much damage as any other addiction (i'm not saying it will kill you like drugs, but you get the point)

When I look, I find a much better way

Jesus said that he could give bread, and if you ate it you would never hunger again,

and it's true.

There is no feeling that I've ever experienced better than going to a homeless shelter.

not better than winning a soccer game

not better than getting straight A's

not better than when you get a computer for christmas.

That is what will fill the void of restlessness.

And if ever anyone needs proof of god, that's it

Gearing up for a big push....

spencer
Apr 11, 2007
1 comment

Wow have things been crazy since the last blog. We had Easter, which was awesome....and a bunch of other activities and stuff.

April 12th is my Dad's birthday and also the day we launch the Campaign to End Consumer Christianity. T-shhirst are on their way, patches have arrived websites are 95% done, stop consuming saturday is coming up here in arlington heights---which will be fun to do with the kids and folks. Things are definitely starting to get crazy...just pray for us as this thing starts to move that we can keep up.

Our advertising hits Relevant Magazine May 1st---which is really our drop dead day---although going to the Gospel Music Awards on April 21st is kinda looming...sure would like to have everything together by then.....wow.

I know our message is right on target. I know we can communicate it effectively. I know this is important. I know God stands behind up supporting us, and goes ahead of us carving a path---so I'm not sure why I would be stressed. I guess I'm not so much stressed as I am ready to get The Campaign rolling...I just want to see this issue dealt with in the Church, and see hundreds of thousands of people empowered to serve...finding out what a life of living out the Shema actually looks like--a powerful life.

I feel like I used to the night before a big track meet at Mizzou....liuke "lets get this thing goin' already---lets do this."

guess I'll have to wait---but not too much longer....

goodnight...off to website work I go.

spencer

ps...I totally shaved my head---check it out.

pps..other photos from a fun easter 07'

ppps--yeaterday it was 57 degrees today i woke up to 2 inches of snow---welcome to chicago

Matzo balls, africans, koreans and Jesus

spencer
Apr 6, 2007
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So today is good friday. Maybe the second most special day behind Easter. Definityly the most dramatic day of Jesus life---the 14th of Nisan. I sit here in the Shema house and write this blog as I listen to Banach play some acoustic music and listen to 3 teenagers discuss in the kitchen their plans to make Matzo balls for tonight Good Friday dinner.

Tonight is our 1st Good Friday dinner with the arlington heights community. Hopefully the first of many....I listen as Kwame, our new housemate here at the Shema house laughs at the kids---he's from Ghana Africa---via London---cool guy. I hear Kyong from Korea via LA--as he helps the kids figure out what the heck they're doing....what a cool place to serve God...what a cool place to live.

Who know if the food will be any good...but who really cares? This Good Friday reminds me of the importance of others, the importance of doing life together. I understand why Passover is celebrated in the home and not in the synagogue..I also see why Passover is the most attended festival...when Mom and Grandma have spent all day cooking for an important occasion---you better be there.

Community--watching people from around the world gather to cook and celebrate the death and coming raising of Jesus---the savior of the world. It makes me so grateful to be a part of a community that does life together and so proud to be a part of the grand consparicy that is The Church.

We here in the movement have so much going on--and here in arlington heights ther is so much growth happening with so many new and happy faces....and with the coming Campaign and tour and all the expectations of what God is going to do in our lives and in the lives of those across the world....wow.....w..o..w.

Words just dont seem to fit right now---just don't do justice to the calm before the approaching storm that is the RAGING LOVE OF GOD....i feel so blessed to be a part of the conspiracy of God re-working the way we see each other and the way we see The Church.....

well I got a kid who wants to tell me about how he shared his faith at his school.....back to life.... tonight we will take time remember what Jesus did for all of us...and have some matzo ball surprise???....haha

I love the snow but...

spencer
Dec 19, 2006
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I love the snow but this is a bit much [16 inches]...although it seems appropriate now that the holidays are upon us. It seems God has pretty good timing. I wouldn't ask for the snow but then again I would probably always have it sunny and warm, and that gets old [trust me i lived in Phoenix--it gets old]
anyways things are going great at Shema--we have budgeted and planned 2007. I'm really excited to be able to get out there and speak and share what has been going on with people. It starts for me early in Jan at a camp--where I will speak for two weekends in Wisconsin to high school and junior highers--should be interesting. I'll let you know how that goes, but first Christmas and decorating and New Years. I don't miss working for a church--worrying about the holidays seasons with all the red tape and stress. I think I'll concentrate a little more on the reason behind the celebration. Well, gonna try to make this a daily thing---I'll catch ou tomorrow---check out the view outside my front window--pretty Norman Rockwellish eh?