God.
        Genesis 1:1 says "In the beginning God."
        I know that there are people who are atheists who will say God doesn't exist.  But, I beg to differ.  So this blog most definitely assumes the existence of God. 
        So God is.. or God exists and God created the heavens and the earth.  If God created the heavens and the earth that means God is pretty powerful, right? 
         So God is powerful. 
         Throughout history man has tried to explain God.  We read the Bible and we have our idea of what God is like.  And, if someone disagrees with us, why, they must be liberal or something.  After all, we KNOW what God is like.  This is funny because we have never seen God. 
         So, where is this going? 
         Because we have our idea of who God is and what God is like we have a tendency to put God in a box.  We make this nice, neat box and we put God in it and if anyone tries to let God out of the box... whoaa boy! They get a theological whipping.  They are told that "GOODD belongs in the box!
         I have always had a problem with this kind of thinking.  I mean, come on.  We are talking about God.  You can't put God in a box.  But some try. 
         Our third core value at The Retreat is to think outside the box.. do some unconventional things.  One of the reasons I've sensed the need to plant a church is that we are not reaching people like we should.  And one of the reasons we aren't is we are doing lots of the same things we have done for years even though times have changed.  Yet, when you try to do something new you often hear the 7 famous last words of the church which are.. "We've Never Done  It That Way Before." 
         So, we keep God in our nice box.  Folks, we don't have to protect God.  God can take care of himself.  Let God out of the box and don't be critical of those who don't keep God in a box. 
       At The Retreat In Dallas we are going to be open to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and do some new things.  In the process, God just might get out of the box!