speechless

"I am speechless, in Your presence, Lord. "
- Steven Curtis Chapman, 1999

I want to invite you to pray with and for the speechless prayers of the Chapman family.

Read the story HERE.

slow motion rasberries

Once upon a time, someone decided to invent the internet.

I'm quite positive it was for this video to be available all over the globe, as it should be.

Although I'm not sure the person who wrote this song ever imagined this would be one of its uses.


ht marko

buckets of affirmation

We all intrinisicly know this - certain people fill us up, some empty every ounce of our energy, and others don't seem to affect us much either way. Over time this can change, for I've had "fillers" become "emptiers" and vice-versa. Likewise, the "neutrals" have at times gone up and down based on context and relationship changes.


But what if you could influence that in some way?

If you had the opportunity to guide your interactions with others toward "mutually-filling" relationships, would you?

Some time ago I came across a resource in the book "How Full Is Your Bucket?" by Tom Rath and Don Clifton. The authors do a good job of helping people recognize how each person we connect with desires for us to "fill their bucket," but it must be more than trite compliments and friendly-isms. For bucket filling to be meaningful to the recipient, it must be personalized and specific to what that person needs.


Have you ever stopped to "interview" the people closest in your life about these questions?

1. By what name do you like to be called?


2. What are your “hot buttons” – hobbies or interests you like to talk about a lot?


3. What increases your positive emotions or “fills your bucket” the most?


4. From whom do you most like to receive recognition or praise?


5. What type of recognition or praise do you like best? Do you like public, private, written, verbal, or other kinds of recognition?

Speaking of which, here are my answers.

By what name do you like to be called?

Tony. "T" is good, too.

What are your “hot buttons” – hobbies or interests you like to talk about a lot?

Who Jesus Christ really is; how amazing it is to be married to my wife; the blessing my boys are to me; the potential for the Church to be what Jesus dreams it could be; my good, good, good friends; the energizing people I work with; the God-sized movement we call Connection Church; creative TV/movies with good writing;

What increases your positive emotions or “fills your bucket” the most?

When people are authentic... it drives me crazy when others won't talk with you but freely talk about you. Also, acts of service and gifts rock. I also find that right after I pour myself out - like after preaching or cooking or something that requires a risk - I am most appreciative of genuine affirmation... but need about a day to be ready for criticism.

From whom do you most like to receive recognition or praise?

Those who know me best... although it is interesting to hear about first impresions from people I first meet.

What type of recognition or praise do you like best? Do you like public, private, written, verbal, or other kinds of recognition?

All of them rock, but each depends on the circumstance. I never know what to do with public praise because it's just weird to be celebrated... I like it, mind you, but it's weird since most of the good things that happen through my life are because of God. Private is nice when it's from someone I know well.

Feel free to add your answers in the comments.

narnia

Saw Prince Caspian last night... I hope you enjoy it. The series of books it's based on rock.

I'm posting this, though, because in case you have some time to waste you might enjoy discovering what you'd like as a Narnian creature. If so, click here.

If you do it, link to your pic somehow in a response.

a season for a season

Shhhh.

I know you may be familiar with the text you're about to read. The Byrds used it to give guts to the song "Turn! Turn! Turn!" back in the mid-60's... it's been shared at more than one memorial service as a means of comfort to tragedy... and even Kevin Bacon quoted it in Footloose when John Lithgow inappropriately told him the Lord was against dancing (even though the whole town was made up of professional dancing teenagers).

Shhhh.

Quiet those references down for a moment, because sometimes our familiarity with something sacred can turn it into something less than what it is. Lean into what God is about to breathe on you through this:

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

• a time to be born and a time to die,
• a time to plant and a time to uproot,
• a time to kill and a time to heal,
• a time to tear down and a time to build,
• a time to weep and a time to laugh,
• a time to mourn and a time to dance,
• a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
• a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
• a time to search and a time to give up,
• a time to keep and a time to throw away.
• a time to tear and a time to mend,
• a time to be silent and a time to speak,
• a time to love and a time to hate,
• a time for war and a time for peace.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

Shhhh.

Which of those words jump out to you in each phrase? Answering that can help you gain a footing regarding what has happened, is happening, and will happen to you. Whether you're facing the consequences of your own hands or are engaged in circumstances that others have put upon you, either can bring extreme joy... or exhausting tension.

And apparently... there is a time for both.

Shhhh.

For a while, I have been practicing and putting intentional space in my routine to better hear from God and understand the "time" I'm in.

• All throughout the day, I pray a simple prayer that asks, "God, where are you at in this and how should I respond?"
• Once a day, I build in a pocket of time to reflect on what the Holy Spirit has shown me and how He is nudging me.
• Once a week, I take a Sabbath where my family and I spend our time differently than the other six days... all to remind us that the world doesn't run on our energy and voice mail works just fine.
• Once a month, I get away for a day of reconnecting. That sounds hyper spiritual, but it's just a simple practice of slowing down, looking into people (instead of just "at" people), walking in familiar places and situations with a fresh set of eyes, and asking God to break my heart in all the places it's gotten hard.

Are you up for this kind of practice? Stilling ourselves so that we can hear God is becoming a critical discipline in our techno world.

And it just might help us remember what matters most.

don't try this at home

You may or may not know this about me, but I spent several years in Student Ministry before doing what I do now. During that time I was a proponent of helping kids have fun on the journey of getting to know Jesus Christ better. In the spirit of such gurus as Mike Yaconelli and Wayne Rice, I found myself often looking for fresh concepts that pushed the envelope.

Maybe you're familiar with games like this, for they've often been talked about by The Oprah and other daytime deities. I once had a mom let me know that her son was not allowed to play "Chubby Bunny," for instance, because The Oprah said not to. In this case, The Oprah was right... the game involves stuffing a marshmallow into your mouth, saying "Chubby Bunny," and then repeating the process until you can do it no more.

(And by the way - I was calling her that long before Rush Limbaugh, back when she hosted AM Chicago when I was a kid... because that matters.)

Over the years I learned the perils of other "games," too. Another youth group favorite is "Sardines" - this is a reverse game of hide and seek where one person hides and the group searches. When found, the "finder" hides with the "hider" as does everyone else who stumbles across them. This leaves one lonely kid who can't find anyone and never wants to come back to hang out with the church again (not to mention groups of teenagers in the dark with their bodies touching each other - no problem there, eh?)

So it is with that in mind that I present you with the "secret stash." What follows are games I've thought of but chose not to do (for obvious reasons), as well as a few concepts I've heard in passing from others whose brains went too far in the planning stages.

• Soiled Toilet Brush Baseball
  


• Backslap The Senior Pastor (Until He Complains)
  
  
• Pass The Mousetrap
  


• Shave the Freshman's Mustache
  


• "Dump Pews Over" Relay
  


• Catch The Flaming Sock
  


• Spam Soccer
  


• How Sharp Is Your Ginsu?
  
  
• Quick Dry Cement Pedicure
  


• The Big Bad BBQ Grill Lick
  


• Corn Syrup Chug
  
  
• A Pool, A Piranha, and You
  
  
• Count The Straws In Your Nostrils
  
  
• Guess The Dog Breed Gnawing On Your Leg

who's the boss

Over the weekend I read a buddy's blog post about how hard it must be for a Jewish person to reimagine their faith (should he/she consider becoming a Christian). To many people, this is a spiritual shift - hard enough in itself. A Jewish individual, though, faces a shift on a cultural and familial level as well.

When I was in Israel some years ago, I saw this firsthand in the dramatic ways the whole city shut down on Saturday to honor the Sabbath... from towns of businesses that shut down to how elevators automatically went from floor to floor in buildings (so you wouldn't have to do the "work" of pushing a button). Perhaps "dramatic" is too misleading a word... maybe this is actually normal, but our Western departure from it is what is actually "dramatic." There is something a cultural Jew seems to get that many Christians don't.

On the other hand, there is that whole Messiah matter. Christians recognize that the Messiah figure in the Hebrew Scriptures is Jesus Christ... and many Jews don't.

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. (Is 11:1)

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King [the Messiah] who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land” (Jer 23:5)

Perhaps it would be easy for a Christian who feels he "gets it" to critique a Jew for this, but maybe one should walk in their shoes for a moment.

Imagine that you have tickets to see Bruce Springsteen in concert... live... front row... direct access (which is good in case he wants to pull you up stage during "Dancing In The Dark" and help launch your career as he did Courtney Cox) .

Whether or not you're a Springsteen fan, you're stoked.

And then you get there... the crowd is crazy... and finally the emcee announces, "And now... the moment you've all been waiting for... THE BOSS!!!!"

Only...

instead of Bruce coming out, actor Rick Moranis takes the stage and begins singing, "Born in the USA."

"He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him." (Isaiah 53:2)

I wonder sometimes if this is how the Jews feel, while we say, "Well, I know He didn't show up as you thought He would, but... you know... he did do Sprinsteen songs, so technically..."

cheap shot at pizza

Yesterday our area Papa John Pizza locations had a special "23 cent" special for a large, one topping pizza. It has something to do with the company making amends with fans because they put their logo on a t-shirt that razzed Cleveland basketball player Lebron James (#23), calling him a "crybaby."

This made fans upset. Some Papa Johns in the Cleveland area were even threatened with boycotts... and some with other types of threats.


So the company tried to redeem itself and the buzz was all over town - "pizza for under a quarter." My wife and I planned on dropping in, picking up one for lunch, and then dropping in later, and picking up one for dinner (customers were limited to one each).



The only catch is that this was the line I saw... keeping in mind my camera phone could only pick up about half the crowd as I turned the corner.





I'd heard other locations were worse - some people waiting 1-3 hours for their 23 cent pizza. One of our church members said she saw people lined up there in the morning, too - way before the place opened. A few people were arrested at various locations for disorderly contact... and several parking tickets were written (turning the 23 cent deal into a slightly more expensive deal).

We, on the other hand, decided to eat leftovers for lunch... and frozen pizza for dinner.

It was a bit frustrating to be let down, which makes me wonder if we who live in the whole Cleveland/Akron area might be tempted to be "crybaby" types as we complain...

and dislike Papa Johns all over again...

which sort is ironic, don't you think?

love and marriage

I was talking with someone about an article I wrote for the newspaper recently and realized I didn't ever put up a link here to it. If you're married, I hope this speaks to you.

http://wp2.medina-gazette.com/2008/02/25/accent/religion/creative-dating/

green software?

I was loading a program I downloaded from the internet the other day and read this.

I didn't realize software had gone green. And given it's the honor system, there's something rather interesting about that, too.

I wonder, though, what future stipulations we'll see on software:

• Feel free to use this software as you'd like for 30 days. If you keep it after that, though, we need you to look up a few of our old classmates from high school and (ahem) "send them a message," if you know what we mean.
  
  
• This software is provided for you free of charge. As long as you continue to watch The Oprah everyday.
  
  
• The program you're about to use is freeware. This means you don't have to pay anything for it, even though we spent time making it. That's right... we made it ourselves, just for you. So can we just get back together? It won't be like it was last time, baby. We promise.
  
  
• You're loading a program that is yours to keep forever. We want absolutely nothing in return. Except to sleep on your sofa when we're in town. And a bagel.
  
  
• Are you seriously that cheap that you can't pay five bucks for a free program? What kind of sick sicko are you, sicko? You know what? Fine. Just click on the icon to start this program, but know that if you do it's a sign you really, really, really need help. Go on. We dare you, you sick sicko.
  
  This message brought to you by 1-800-PSYCH-4-U. Only $19.99 for five minutes of counseling. Operators are standing by.

Um... yeah.

darth

To all of you who aren't into the past two posts I've put up, here's something from the other side of my brain for you to enjoy.

emergent questions - pt 2

So with a bit of my personal journey established, on to answering my buddy's questions.

The primary question being asked here is if there are certainties when it comes to theology. The secondary question seems to be how certain individuals in the Emergent Village might handle this question. And then there is the issue if some of the current conversation being had on this matters is constructive or destructive.

Obviously, I am under qualified to answer every one of these questions with accuracy. I can, though, offer my thoughts and feelings in the context I was asked - "With your contact with some from the movement..." As mentioned in the last post, I do have a bit of history here.

I remember when I received my first email to join in on a Google group for the Emergent coordinating group. While that was intriguing in itself, what was even more interesting is the fact that my email address was buried in a list of "who's who" in the "to:" line. Sure, there were some other guys and gals I'd never heard of before, but it felt kind of cool to be asked to sit at the cool table.

So I pulled up a chair.

I understand that the source of many questions about the Emerging Church and Emergent Village has to do with the voices that have been published. Keeping with the metaphor I've established, these people are like the upperclassmen at the cafeteria table who have been around the halls a bit longer than you. This doesn't mean you don't walk the same halls and can't come up with observations of your own, but there seems to be a bit of confidence in the things they say that cause you to think, "Hmm... maybe I should consider that."

In that analogy, though, I'm sure we all knew a few upperclassmen in high school who were just "off" a bit. Maybe they drank too much or were too consumed with one niche of high school at the expense of the rest... I'd argue that in any group of people you'll find extremes like this. For instance, there are some ultra conservative theologians who find that their "spokesmen" often speak for them, and other times they embarrassingly don't.

It's funny how quickly a "poster boy" can become a "wanted poster."

What I found through the Google Group is that there was clearly a line between the "Emerging Church" and (what would later become) "Emergent Village." To abuse another high school metaphor, the former group were interested in a "pick-up game" whereas the latter group formed a "team." There is still a friendship between both sides, but one has become more defined.

The reason I'm establishing this framework to answer the questions is because there is a difference between the Emerging Church and the Emergent Village... EC is the present-future of the church, whereas EV is an example/element of the present-future of the church. This has a few immediate implications:

• An "emerging" Christian implies one on a journey with God. This is a person who is looking for something, but it doesn't mean they haven't something... rather, they believe there is the potential for growth into more.
  
  Example: Consider the mandate of Philippians 2:12 to "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." This implies the continual emergence into something new about something old.
  
  
• An "emergent" Christian implies one who has been on a journey with God and arrived at a set of conclusions. This person has "come into view" of something... and it took them some labor to get there.
  
  Example: E-V's beliefs can be found here.
  
  
• A "fundamental" Christian implies one who didn't see the need to get on the journey with God because the fundamentals were enough. This person has fixed his view on something... perhaps four spiritual laws (no need for five, apparently) or a a certain mantra "The Bible says it, that settles it."
  
  Example: I remember talking with someone once who said, "At my age I guess I'm just set in my ways when it comes to church." I responded, "Does that sound like you're willing to grow anymore?" He gruffed at me.

From my vantage point, there are things we can be absolutely certain of when it comes to theology. There is only one Savior and His name is Jesus Christ... apart from His redemptive offer of grace alone through His cross and resurrection, we are stuck in our sin and eternally separated from a fully-alive relationship with the Trinity. I think you'd find that most EV people would agree with this... but not all of them do.

And that's the rub. Especially when one or more of them get published, seemingly speaking for the whole group. But they don't, much like a person in a church might believe a certain way about a certain thing that the rest of the church sort of smiles at but doesn't really endorse. Maybe it's an old lady who believes you need to pray in tongues during worship songs or a young guy who thinks that tipping is a greater principle than tithing since God says to give "cheerfully." Imagine if that person published a book and said they were a member of your church... others would assume the whole church thought that way.

What I'm getting at is that there seem to be several different people in the Emergent Village:

• Those interested in renewing: This is the dominant thread of E-V people I connect with... men and women who are asking, "What's really in the Bible?" and "What are our roots?" These are valuable and productive questions, for many church traditions started out nice but along the way became canonized where they shouldn't.
  
  Someone decided not too long ago that being a Christian meant you vote Republican, picket abortion clinics, talk about "the media" with rolled eyes, clap at Christian concerts whenever someone says "Jesus Christ" (yet hiss in restaurants whenever someone says the same), pass out tracts to people that "explain" Christianity, and boycott anything Disney. And be sure to have a 5am quiet time.
  
  What if there is more? The large majority of people who believe these traditions are often robotic about them, though, be it through denominational loyalty or fear of change.
  
  (I think this is why they categorize E-V with the next label.)
  
  
• Those interested in reimagining: There are only a few folks I've met that clearly have an agenda to reimagine Christianity. Obviously this is destructive and I won't cite the individuals, but the situations have included everything from personal agendas about gender equality to matters of how science could redefine how we understand the Bible. I wonder, though, if this is just exclusive to E-V. Perhaps in any local church, denomination, association, and so forth there are people trying to reimagine the system into their own image.
  
  Again, this is destructive. One of the reasons I have felt led to remain in E-V is to ask questions when I think someone is pushing something they shouldn't.
  
  
• Those interested in rebelling: Even fewer in numbers than the rest, there are a couple of people I've connected with who just want to be "against" the system. Again, this is to be expected in any group. For instance, a church plant can start out this way being "against" the other traditional churches in town. Maybe this is why many of those churches don't last... you can't be against something and last. You have to be for something.

If you asked me to summarize that all, I believe we're talking about 75% in the first category, 15% in the next, and 10% in the last. That is completely opinion, though, so don't cite that.

Speaking of which, Tony Jones is a Christian. This means he's not into universalism, but rather he's trying to foster a framework for all this conversation to take place. The idea of such a deep ecclesiology might frighten some, but what is interesting is that Tony is the most cautious about it of all... fully aware that every slice of structure he helps coordinate has massive ripples to it. I don't envy that role, yet I pray for him in it.

So were the great theologians of the past wrong? To the people of their era they were... and yet here we are, basking in "recent" shifts in thinking like pre-millenial eschatology and the salvation by grace alone. Sure, those were always around... but it took some emerging theologians in the more recent centuries to help us understand what that all meant.

Which is odd how they're right to us, even though they were severely questioned in their day.

For all we know the next revelation in theology is on a blog named "Frank Likes Cheese," and since theology is just that - revelation (not reinvention) -we'd best be praying for Frank.

emergent questions - pt 1

A friend of mine who is also in pro-min (that's my new short way of saying professional ministry, but since I had to explain it I really lost any need to be witty, didn't I?) recently emailed me this query:

Hey Tony! How is all over there in church planting land?

I have been thinking, reading and discussing the emergent church stuff lately... With your contact with some from the movement, can I shoot you some questions? I will take that as a yes...because of the long pause :-)

With all the "postmodern" thinking and theological bent, I understand all the arguments for epistemology "beyond foundationalism" etc. but aren't there some certainties in our theology? I get the feeling that those in the E-Village do not want to nail down some doctrines of the faith based on Biblical and Historical roots. Specifically in regards to Jesus being the only way to have eternal life or the Scriptures being inspired and without error. Is universalism an option for Tony Jones, Brian McLaren etc.?

I have appreciated many of their thoughts about justice, the Kingdom, inclusion and love, but is it at the cost of Truth and Doctrines? Have many of the great theologians of the past been wrong all this time? What is your take on all of it?

Thanks man. I value your wisdom.

Ah... here's where the rubber meets the road for me, isn't it?

Let's start with some personal history.

• I grew up loosely Catholic, bordering on atheism for several seasons of high school. Then I got slammed by grace when Jesus Christ allowed me to encounter him during my junior year. Through a process, I came to place my faith in Him because of a rather innovative church who spoke concrete Truth into my life in a way that was absolutely relevant and refreshing.
  
  
• After high school, I wrestled with a call to pro-min because I knew squat about God and the Bible compared to everyone else. I realized, though, that in such matches the Lord has a way of winning (lest you walk away with a limp). It took me a year, and I finally gave in... which meant (given my personality) that I was intentionally enlarging my capacity to sponge up everything that I could about God, the Bible, theology, church history, contemporary methodology, shepherding others, and loving people with the kind of love Jesus demonstrated and the Holy Spirit has empowered me for.
  
  
• My first experience in ministry was at the aforementioned church, which has always been something I look back on with excessive gratefulness. Although I would eventually figure out the educational side of all of this, those initial years out of high school for me were beyond formative... because of the church's capacity and its integrity among national and international ministries, it was like hoping you're going to be a reporter and then getting a job at the Chicago Tribune or the New York Times. Simply by rubbing shoulders with the people I rubbed shoulders with, God chiseled things into me and out of me that I'd have to beg for in any other context.
  
  I took a job as a third shift janitor at the church, which took things a step further - for I was able to study the habits of the pastors I looked up to... I hate to admit it, but you learn a lot about a guy by cleaning up his office. Add to that eight hours every night of listening to audio teaching from the Bible on every topic imaginable and I was morphing around the clock.
  
  
• Finally, school... I needed to settle that issue as well as matters of ordination. To answer both, I jumped into a denomination that helped me take the next steps of processing theology with an anchor of common agreement. I noticed, though, that because I didn't grow up in that denomination I had a wider-eyed view of what it was teaching than those who seemed to be working up the ranks of the system. No matter, though, for no system is perfect and yet God chooses to use any theological system that attempts to root itself in the Bible as a complementary tool to keep us ever hearing but never understanding, not to mention ever seeing but never perceiving.
  
  Every one of us should have a "lover's quarrel" with whatever theological system we're in - "lover" to be a proponent of its motives, and "quarrel" to be sure that its conclusions are God-sized and not human-sized.
  
  
• One blessing school afforded me was a study trip to Israel after graduation. This was a scholarship I'd been nominated for, which basically meant all I had to worry about was food and incidentals. My wife and I had been married two years at this point, and someone paid for her to go as well... which is a trip neither of us could have even imagined we could take part in ever. Somewhere in between climbing Mount Masada and standing on the first-century cobblestones of the cell Jesus was beaten in, I resolved that whatever ministry I would be involved in would be God's. Perhaps this is to be assumed of every pastor, but what it meant for me is that I would continue to ask a simple question with complex application every day of my life - "Is whatever this is (i.e. this church, this theology, this idea, etc) of God or man?"
  
  We'll come back to that question later.
  
  
• At some point in my journey, I started to question if the modern approach to ministry was all there is... is the concrete teaching it offered (i.e. "The Bible says it, that settles it") our only tool to share redemptive love and transformation? Should we debate people into the Kingdom and jeer at their "idiocy" if they believe anything other than what we do? Is giving people "fill in the blank" outlines really the best way they learn? Might there be a better goal than getting people to become faithful attenders of church things? Is Christian music really better than non-Christian music... and what makes music "Christian," anyway?
  
  I asked questions like this for I noticed that most people around me wanted to "wash, rinse, and repeat" what had "worked" for many years than generate and invest the spiritual calories required to remain authentic and useful in a changing world. This was a problem, for what reached out to people in my generation wasn't connecting as it once did with the emerging one.
  
  And as a side note, the word "emerging" isn't a bad word - it's an indicative word that describes "what's next," whether we like it or not, based on certain catalysts that bring it about.
  
  Also, please note that all of this this was a question of methodology - not theology.
  
  
• Around this time I had struck up some friendships with some people who were asking similar questions. I was immesely thankful for the conversation, and especially grateful that we could engage in such talks about methodology that helped us ask risky questions about our theology.
  
  I know, I know... hang with me.
  
  Jesus said that the fruit of a tree tells us something about the tree, so it stands to reason that if our methods need examination that we should equally examine what led us there in the first place. For instance, there is a great discussion right now on another blog about the role fear plays in trying to convert someone... should it? If you read the comments on that blog you will quickly find that it's more a theological question than a methodological one.
  
  So maybe the question isn't "Should we question our theology?" - maybe the question is "Why shouldn't we?" or "What does our reluctance to do so reveal?" I think sometimes we secure ourselves to creeds more than we do to Christ... which is perhaps why Jesus once told a rather theological young man that he was "not far from the Kingdom of God." I wonder if that guy took it as a compliment... when it was in the same breath a declaration that he wasn't yet over that line.
  
  In simple terms, it's easier to become a "follower of followers of Christ" than it is to follow Christ.
  
  
• Finally, those conversations took on life... for we weren't just talking about the "how to" but the "why to." Isn't that what's most important? For whatever reason, most of my peers in ministry wanted to figure God out by copying and pasting creeds from the denomination, statements of faith from another church, or the conclusions of historical Christians.
  
  I am careful in saying that by quickly following it up with this disclaimer - I support this effort, as long as we don't put periods at the end of such creeds, statements of faith, or church father conclusions.
  
  Isn't the point to instead honor their theological sweat with some of our own that continues the journey? Or should we just inherit our the "family business" and never innovate... take it into the next century... rethink the methods of how we go about it and the ideas that got us into it in the first place?
  
  Lest we end up attempting to treat real diseases with Coca-Cola instead of Penicillin?

This was refreshing.

At least... for a while.

More to come.

one more mom update

I just wanted to share my thanks again for your prayers for my mom. She's on the upswing and doing well as she recovers from heart surgery, or as she says it, "The Lord has been good to me." Given her financial issues and uphill battle to keep getting by, that's rather inspiring.

Although I think my favorite quote of hers this week is, "I'm glad I live in the 'world of tomorrow' or else I wouldn't be in the world today."

funny stuff

I'm adding this site to my links and wanted to draw your attention to it:

http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/

la la la la la

First off, sorry for being off-line. It seems as though the past week has brought more than its fair share of unexpected issues with people I care about (my mom, church family, good friends), only to be capped off on Friday with my laptop tasting its last byte of life.

A couple updates:

• My mom will be coming home today. Your prayers have meant a lot, as the first few days were very rough. Once she turned the corner, though, it became a matter of time and tests to bring her back our way. Again, thanks for your support.


• We have had two dogs in our home during this time - our dog as well as my mom's. Um... not sure about doing that a whole lot more.

Now, what I really want to get to in this post is a bit of a rant.

It all started when I was at the hospital with my mom that first day and had to use the restroom. A gentleman whom I know only by his shoes came in and sat down to do his thing. Standard bathroom etiquette states in section 4 of sub paragraph D-6 that "One should always consider the climate. If a public restroom is quiet, you are to take part in quiet activities that utilize courtesy flushes when necessary." Perhaps this young man was unfamiliar with that text, which is why he decided to use his cell phone to play hard core rap music.

Allow me to highlight the experience a bit further... for when I say his cell phone I don't mean that he had downloaded some studio tracks that he was enjoying. Rather, I am referring to music he had recorded with his cell phone speakerphone and was now playing with the same speakerphone.

And when I say music he had recorded, I should more specifically qualify that it sounded like him singing to his own (or perhaps someone else's) background tracks that he recorded in "area microphone" fashion with his cell phone.

And when I say singing, what I am actually stating is that it was a combination of rap lyrics containing street language that encompassed how he felt about "the man" as well as several thoughts about female canines (that he seemed to have a love/hate relationship with)... which was an odd combination of thought, if you ask me.

Now, for reasons you don't need to know regarding how my body was handling lunch that day, I found myself unable to get away from this individual's unique musical stylings. This left me with a few options... do I listen in to the free concert? Or should I use some of my speciality ringtones on my own cell phone to audibly duke it out with him, stall to stall? Maybe I should just cover my ears and sing a song in my head that could help me combat it internally, doing my best to honor section 4, sub paragraph D-6.

I opted for the third option.

Now... you might think at this point that the rant of this post is everything I've just mentioned. Far from it... that is only the prelude to the rant.

Here's the rant.

The song that came to my mind as I covered my ears? Was it one of the fine pieces of music composition that has been deposited into my brain?

• Classical music I picked up over the years? From Mozart and Beethoven to amazing musical scores from John Williams and Bugs Bunny cartoons?


• Singer-songwriter stuff I've enjoyed? From Bob Segar and the Beatles to U2 and John Mellencamp?


• Period music of certain decades I've been alive? From the Bee Gees and Bryan Adams to Bon Jovi and Nirvana?


• Contemporary Christian artists? From old school Amy Grant and Michael W Smith to new school Switchfoot and Casting Crowns?


• Worship music tunes? From Rich Mullins and Keith Green to Chris Tomlin and David Crowder?
  

No.

None of that.

Nilch.

Nada.

Nay.

No.

This..

this is the exquisite piece of music that my brain drew upon.


Maybe you've seen these commercials featuring the slacker-esque guy dressed like a pirate and singing about how he should have gone to Freecreditreport.com. Or maybe you've seen the one where the same slacker-esque guy is singing about how his dream girl didn't have good credit and now he's living in her parents' basement.



He has a rap version like this, but I think I've only memorized the first one because it was the best representation for the company. I didn't think it was a very good idea for the guy in the second ad to essentially say, "If only we had checked credit reports first then I wouldn't have made the terrible mistake of getting married!" Bad move. If you had your own good credit, you wouldn't need her as a cosigner, would you? And how about some unconditional love, Romeo?

So back to my "stalling" situation... first I began humming the tune, only to realize that I knew the chorus. And once I started whispering it out loud, I recognized that I knew the verses, too.

Argh.

"Thankfully," the hospital had free wi-fi so I could afterward look up the information about who the catchy artist was (perhaps he had any other songs available, like something that took place in a mine shaft, for instance).

Many web sites have the guy in the commercials correctly listed as Eric Violette, but what they don't understand is that he isn't the actual voice on the commercials (he's a French-Canadian "comedian" who doesn't speak much English, so he lip-syncs that catchy tune with a slightly creepy/cheery/dazed-looking mouth). The songs were actually performed by a studio artist and written by David Muhlenfeld via "The Martin Agency" (who also did some pretty funny commercials for Geiko, too)

Surely this information has changed your life.

Ever get a song in your head you can’t get out?

Maybe those around you are experiencing this right now, from the thirty-somebody singing Phantom of the Opera songs at work to the teenagers performing High School Musical tunes out in the grocery store. There are obvious spiritual applications we can make about this, from the way sin can subliminally plant itself into our lives to how our thought life becomes influenced by the world (to the point where we say things like, "I know it's bad, but it doesn't affect me," which is a sign that it has, in fact, affected us).

I could go there... but I can't right now, because for some reason I have to go visit FreeCreditReport.com.

Thankfully the song hasn't affected me.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

heart stuff

If you're a praying type, I'd appreciate your prayers today for my mom. She's undergoing heart surgery (planned and everything), and at the best hospital for it in the country (which divinely happens to be 45 minutes from us). Her odds are amazingly great... and as I sit here on the free hospital wi-fi, I'm thankful for the comfortable atmosphere all around that has soothed her into her procedure.

Nonetheless, prayer would rock. Thanks!

a perfect search for the imperfect leader

In these days of political debates and "candidating to be a candidate," I am greatly puzzled at our snarky attitudes about anyone in power.

Anyone.

I am too young to remember anything different, for it seems like from the time I've been able to turn on the TV there have been critics about anything and anyone in "Washington D.C." - which sort of sets the stage for general cynicism all around. (Maybe that's why The Daily Show and Colbert Report have had appeal to me over the years.)

Yet I hear that in my parent's and grandparent's generations there was an era where those in office received respect from those they were entrusted to lead. Can you imagine that? Instead of distrusting our political leadership, we put all our marbles in that basket.

(Yes... I'm aware I said that phrase wrong. Think about it.)

Somewhere around Nixon a clear shift occurred, but even before then there were rumors that JFK had a thing for Marilyn Monroe.

Of course, that was unfathomable for many.

And yet...

• It led toward the country not being so sure Johnson was being up front about Vietnam....


• not to mention Nixon after he resigned because of Watergate...


• and Ford went under fire for pardoning him...


• only to find that Jimmy Carter was the target during the whole hostage crisis that no one was sure he handled right...


• which Ronald Reagan took car, but certainly stirred up some more doubt of Presidential leadership when rapid inflation happened (not to mention Iran Contra)...


• and then George Bush was the "new hope" (please note subliminal, double-edged "Star Wars" reference), but after the Persian Gulf we all wondered if the next World War was about to happen...


• but it didn't, because as Clinton entered the scene we had great confidence in his charisma... and he did speak well... even during his impeachment trials...
  
• so when George Bush won (did he?) and the country was divided (is it still?), we sprung back for a brief moment... about 911 minutes... only to run back quickly in opposite directions.

I wonder if we've just been ready to criticize George Bush from the get-go because we've trained ourselves to do so.

And I wonder if the next President even has the chance to be the hero every voter hopes he/she will be.

(Yes, I included "she" - doggone it.)

I also wonder sometimes if the real issue with our critique of the Presidents has only increased as more and more news outlets have given us more access to them. Some of the "great leaders" like Washington and Lincoln probably had a whole lot more faults than we know about because CNN wasn't around (even though Larry King may have been).

In my opinion, we will never truly have the perfect president we all try to vote for every year. We know this, of course, and yet perhaps it's the illusion of our vote actually making this happen that pacifies us.

Which, again, causes us to doubt anyone in positional authority. Maybe this is why...

• Water cooler gossip easily happens about the boss.
• People wonder "what's really going on" with televangelists.
• When someone dies, families fight with the executor of the will (especially if it's a family member).
• Church congregations might second-guess goals set by committees or staff teams until they gain momentum and are "safe" to get behind.
• Parents in the athletic stands yell at the ref/ump/coach.
• No one wants to buy a used car from a used car lot.
• Even news stations are views as too slanty one way or another.

Perhaps all of this hints at our need and unconscious wanting for a Savior who is, in fact, quite perfect.

After all, there was a time when kings and presidents didn't exist... and God did.

I hear that it was described from His vantage point as "very good."

totally tubular rescue

Ever want to pick a fight with a strange kid in a Play Place?

This week I struggled with that when I took my boys out to grab some lunch. Afterward we hung out in the play place and I let them do their thing in the tubes, crawling and climbing into the stratosphere. Within a few minutes, though, I heard some commotion up in its far reaches... apparently one of my boys had gotten slugged by another kid.

Keep in mind, I'm all for kids working out their own issues whenever possible. Given the enclosure of those tubes, though, I was a bit concerned it would continue since most kids assume adults can't get up there. Thoughts of "two men enter, one man leaves" began to pound within my head, so within seconds I'd climbed up into "Thunderdome."

I discovered a five-year old boy was the culprit, and he was smiling about it. Yes... he was actually smiling. You see, this kid didn't accidentally step on my son's toes - he slugged him and he didn't care.

Meanwhile, I could spot his mom in the next room who was hearing from the kid's big brother what happened. She eventually came over... after she ate her fries and sandwhich first, not to mention a free drink refill.

Here's what I realized as my blood began to boil - one of my boys was hurt, this other kid did it on purpose, no one was helping, and I didn't want it to happen any further.

And so I found myself itching to pick a fight wth a strange kid in a Play Place.

But not really.

Well, yeah... I guess really.

Nothing bad, though - I did swing a good Clint Eastwood stare down (sorry, I'm not perfect).

Let me step out of my carnality to share a God connection here.

Jesus Christ hears the cries of His people everyday and engages in a passionate, all-out search and rescue for us. His love is seen in His death by crucifixion and life through Resurrection, and yet it transcends it - for while these events happened in time they leap up into the "tubes" of eternity to connect with us on a daily basis. God's constantly dealing with a devilish adversary who smiles while hurting those the Lord cares about... and He doesn't want it to happen any further.

And here's what's even more amazing...

when you and I decide to join Him in ministry, we help stop the pain from continuing on.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph 2:8-10)

Keep in mind that no church is perfect, and there will be times Christians who genuinely love God accidentally step on one another's toes. This is different from an intentional slug, and so if it happens let's be real about it with the right people so reconciliation can happen. Doing life together is messy, but we connect with a God who unites and connects us.

God dreams for us to stop the real "pain" from continuing - the kind that allows people far from Him to continue on without Him. Did you know the Church is His "plan A" to care for the hurt, stop those who are harming others on purpose, rally others to help, and prevent the unnecessary pain from happening any further?

That's why I think it's worth spending time in the Bible, in prayer, and in key discussions together about how this all fleshes out. Something tells me that every Christian matters in what is about to happen over the next years of church history, and so if that means you I hope you're looking forward to what God will ask of you and I so that we can each do what He asks.

But... that probably doesn't include laying a smackdown on a mean kid.

Please let me know if that changes, though.

(Yes, apparently I'm still imperfect and messy)

clean slates

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.


So apparently everybody gets a clean slate.

I believe that.


Everybody.


And yet...

there are some people I find it hard to do this with.

I don't mean to, and I really am trying.


In recent weeks, I've been aware of this on more than one occasion. People whom I believe "should have known better" made choices in the recent and distant past that were detrimental to others, let alone me.

And I found that it's hard to give a clean slate when you have a good memory.

Hmm... maybe that's the one and only praise about Alzheimers.


I'm learning that the only way to combat this is through intentional grace. The kind that looks for the good in those people so that you can go out of your way to celebrate that in them. It feels forced and awkward, but I'd rather feel that than let the errors of the past become poisonous.

I say that because while I have forgiven these people, I still find that I haven't forgotten.


Yet I am a Christ-follower.

Which means I need to follow Christ.

And if He's commanded me to forgive and not hold someone's sins against them, then that's the growth curve I need to be on.


You know what? That sounds lame. "Growth curve." I was about to delete that but I want to leave that there to make a point. Saying "growth curve" means I'm too lazy to obey right now so I'll say something euphemistic so I sound righteous without having to become righteous.


Sorry... this is a bit messy for a blog post.

Please forgive me.

quick slices

A few items of note for some fun and serious news:

• New Ohio Chick-Fil-A makes people stand in line overnight
  
• Upcoming Ben Stein documentary explores Intelligent Design
  
• Facebook's growing through the over 25 demographic (click here to see our group)
  
• Michigan teen builds a tank (be careful OSU fans)
  
• 52 girls saved from Texas polygamist ranch
  
• Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure set to be remade - EXCELLENT!
  
• A spinoff of The Office is in the works

I'm sure those last two changed your life.

a loose book review: why we're not emergent

DISCLAIMER: This post may skip right over you if you don't understand some of the terminology I'll be using here... words like "Emergent" and "Evangelical." That's okay if it does, and I'm sorry to not include you in on this. I leave that on its own because it actually helps me prove the point I'm about to make.

Today I was hanging out in a bookstore and came across a rather intriguing read. By "read" I mean to say that I found myself digesting it as best as I could as salivating sales-people floated by like birds of prey, hoping I'd make the purchase. I'm usually able to read things fast, though, so I ripped through it and walked out of the store with my $14.99 + tax still in my pocket.

Score.

I share that because while I'd like to offer a thorough review of this book, I am only able to give you a recommendation from that context.

That said, I am very intrigued by the book Why We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. DeYoung serves as Senior Pastor of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan, while Kluck runs his own web site where he shares the latest things he's doing as an "author/speaker/screenwriter." Their collaboration on this book is an attempt to explain why ideas and people of the "Emerging Church" should be questioned, although most points made deal specifically with "Emergent Village."

Most people confuse the two.

Splitting the writing load by every other chapter, DeYoung hits the theology angles hard while Kluck's approach is more narrative in nature. They hold in common an attempt to tactfully deconstruct Emergent by exploring quotes from blogs, lines from books, and topics from conferences.

This could easily be something Emergents would raise their shields at.

Yet I wonder what would happen if instead the critique was embraced? Granted, not at face value for nothing should be treated as such. Nonetheless, what if Emergent Village participants - or any group of people who consider themselves theologians... Reformers, Calvinists, Arminians, etc - were more curious about the perception of the conversation than may normally be natural.

After all, for many people perception is often more powerful than reality. I wonder how much of our theology is merely one perception that a number of people have clung to for many years.

The truth is this book is geared to hit a unique target audience who is looking to dismiss Emergent. DeYoung pastors in midwest Michigan, an area I know from personal experience to be an evangelical bubble at times. Kluck resides in Orlando, Florida, another piece of geography known to be a hub for unique church empires. One could belittle their ideas as them merely trying to give the naysayers more "nay" to "say."

Yet what if behind it all is an attempt to explore their own concepts of God? And if Emergent is truly a diverse community, is there room to celebrate biblically-centered criticism in order to allow counterintuitive ideas to sharpen that which is dull, anchor that which is drifting, and simplify that which is wise?

I'd really like to think so.

It's like your crazy uncle at family gatherings. Everyone knows he's going to say something loony, and yet he's allowed to sit in on the meal. And yet every once in a while he says something profound... something that makes everyone stop and reconsider life. Until he belches.

Ever notice how when we use analogies like that we always know we're the sane ones. But... what if you're the crazy uncle?

If any of this has stirred up some interest, you can download the intro and first chapter for review. Also, Dan Kimball has written much more on this than I have through some personal interactions with the authors.


And again... if you didn't follow any of this...

good for you.

an honest chat with God

I just wanted to share something I recently read. This was written by a gal I know (I once was her youth pastor) who has a very honest approach to writing:

• Me: (Question)



• God: (Answer)



• Me: Are You sure?



• God: -blank stare-



• God: Am I sure?! Are YOU sure? No, you're not. Who needs to be sure here, Me or you?



• Me: Both?



• God: Nope, just Me.



• Me: But if I'M not sure...



• God: Then you've got to trust Me.



• Me: I get really frustrated when You say that.



• God: I know.



• Me: You say that a lot.



• God: I know. Cause you don't do it a lot.



• Me: True. I need to work on that...



• God: I'll help you.



• Me: Thank You.



• Me: Committment scares me.



• God: I've noticed. Sometimes you have a hard time comitting to ME.



• Me: I've noticed.



• God: Sometimes you stink at it.



• Me: Uh-huh.



• God: But that's okay with Me. I fill in where you fall short.



• Me: Christ.



• God: Exactly.



• Me: Thank You for That, by the way. I...



• God: I know. And you're welcome. It is My Pleasure.



• God: Are you honouring Me?



• Me: Trying to.



• God: