what church is not about.

the candid truth...

2009-12-04T18:26:00.003-07:00

I know it has been awhile since my last post...a lot has happened: job lay-off, car troubles, depression, etc. Now before you all think this is going to be a pity party where I compare myself to Job, let me stop you. I truly believe this is all God's will. In the beginning, it seemed like it was the end of the world, but I got over that. It is because of Job that I know what I still have. He lost literally everything: family, riches, property, etc. I still have family, some money, and a place to sleep at night. I am even reminded of the little things we overlook: seeing, hearing, speaking, touching, etc. All the rough times over the last couple of months have really made me grow. My marriage of seven months is better than ever...my wife has remained supportive through it all while working up to 16 hours a day...I thank her everyday. God is slowly opening a door that would provide a career and schooling opportunities. I pray for further vision and direction as I work toward this door. Please continue to pray or to think positive thoughts, whichever you prefer.

...social media and Jesus.

2009-09-22T19:36:00.015-06:00

I thinks it's crazy how many people actually use Facebook...I'm not just talking about the occasional post here and there, but people who live on it: every detail of their life is shared with everyone! I have also noticed that a lot of ministry related groups are also going this direction. Church communication has grown beyond the Sunday morning bulletin: some churches have multiple campuses, while others stream live services via internet. Podcasts have also become another popular way to grab your favorite pastors' sermons. This makes me curious as to if Jesus had walked this earth present day, would he have utilized social media? If so, how would his message have impacted those not in his network?

..."It's showtime!"

2009-08-16T17:43:00.003-06:00

Just in case you ever wanted to host a U2 concert at your church...

...thank God I'm a Christian atheist.

2009-08-10T18:44:00.014-06:00

I recently discovered an interesting concept: Christian Atheism, the idea of accepting the teachings of Jesus, while rejecting the idea of God and the divinity of Jesus. A Christian atheist is someone who tries to blend the teachings of Jesus with an increasingly secular world. Often not happy the current state Christendom, Christian atheists want to make it more appealing by meshing faith and culture. Jesus is still central to Christian atheism, but not considered divine; He is the only way to humanity and not heaven. They are to learn from Jesus what it is to be a human in a physical world rather than a soul in a spiritual world. As much as I could easily bash this concept, I think some of us are guilty of doing this same thing; It's easy to say we follow Jesus' moral teachings and believe he walked on earth, but we sometimes miss the fact that Jesus is God. We can read about His miracles and signs of wonders, but forget it was all from God. It's one thing to model our physical lives after that of Jesus, but ignoring that we are also spiritual beings is another.

...an exciting new book.

2009-07-28T17:19:00.009-06:00

I just received my advanced copy of Craig Gross and Jason Harper's latest book: Jesus Loves You This I Know. I'm really excited to start reading this and wanted to start some buzz about this book. Craig is one of the founder's of XXXchurch, an online community involved with helping men and women overcome addiction to pornography. XXXchurch even goes as far as going to porn conventions across North America reaching out to pornstars and their audience. In recent months they have started The Strip Church, which is unlike any other church out there. I plan on posting a review toward the last week of August, so keep your eyes peeled for Jesus Loves You This I Know coming in September!

...who's in the house?

2009-07-27T14:03:00.003-06:00

Didn't you love Christian music in the 90's?

...a letter to God.

2009-07-01T18:42:00.009-06:00

I wanted you to enjoy this honest letter written by Matthew Paul Turner:

Matthew Paul Turner-On Questions from Cross Point Church on Vimeo.

...what church is about.

2009-06-30T19:20:00.009-06:00

Sunday's message really hit me hard. It was about love...and I know every pastor's message somehow is about love, but this one was different. Trinity's message was based around John 11, and I say "around" because I'm not of those Christians who brings their Bible with them every Sunday...just to be honest. Anyway, Jesus was coming to Jerusalem during Passover. This is where he rides in on a donkey and people grab palm branches and shout, "Hosanna!". During this time Israel was under Roman rule, so they were looking for someone to rise up and deliver them from their oppression; "hosanna", literally translated, means "save us now!". We all know that Jesus never fulfilled their demands of being a military/political leader. Trinity's ultimate point was that we, as Christians, sometimes have our own agenda for Jesus; it becomes no longer about love and Jesus. This is what hit me: I have tried for so long to get people to realize this, that it has become my own agenda! It's the title of this blog! I'm starting to look at Christianity the same way I look at the world; it's not about me and my agenda. It feels good to know God has me where he wants me...and that is what church is about.

...the agenda-less faith.

2009-06-28T21:42:00.011-06:00

This is an entry from one of my favorite lyricists/writers, Andrew Schwab taken from his site. I felt convicted after reading this and wanted to share it with you.

THE AGENDA-LESS FAITH - 2009-02-22
Recently I was on an airplane, sitting in an aisle seat in a row all to myself. I had been traveling and playing shows with my band the previous several days and we had had like three hours sleep total in as many days. Now we were finished with our work, exhausted, with only one long flight standing between us and home. Needless to say this open aisle next to me was like a chunk of gold. At this point in time it was my greatest treasure, as if God himself had lowered a bed straight form the heavens itself. I sat there, alone praising Jesus for this gift that he had bestowed upon me. As I secured my belongings and plotted my nap, I watched as the flight attendants prepared to shut the cabin doors. I glanced to the side of me, visualizing how amazing it was going to feel when my head was nestled against the side of the aircraft, my body stretched across all three seats in the row. All I needed to do was get through the takeoff and I would be in dreamland. I closed my eyes, sitting, waiting... All of a sudden I heard a noise. My eyes flew open like window shades. Just as the flight attendant was about to shut the door, a man shoved himself through the opening. Panting, he spoke in a loud voice, thanking the somewhat annoyed attendants for holding the door. Good for him, I thought. I’ve been there many times. I closed my eyes again, not being able to hide the smile on my face, still taking in the beauty of my empty row. The next thing I knew my eyes were flying open for a second time. And the same guy was standing right next to me with a huge grin on his face. “Can I sit in the window seat?” He asked me. Inside me, my stomach fell like an anvil in a Wiley Coyote/Roadrunner cartoon. “Sure,” I replied, getting up, smiling, trying desperately to hide how I truly felt. I felt like I had just been stabbed in my spine with a large Ginsu knife, and I was ready to go on the warpath. I looked to the rear of the aircraft and there plenty of other places for the guy to sit. Yet, he chose to spoil, no, to absolutely annihilate my chances at lying down and sleeping. Yet, at that moment I started feeling heavy inside. I started feeling the weight of conviction gnawing at my gut. I heard God’s voice in my head, spurning me on toward being friendly, cordial, and accommodating to this thief of a man, this criminal. I asked him, silently, What are you doing, Lord? I was just in the middle of thanking you for what seemed like a gift... He began speaking to me almost immediately. He told me his name, and asked mine. I shook his hand, begrudgingly, again hiding the fact that I was fighting an epic battle behind my eyes between my conscience and my emotions. We began exchanging small talk, he, asking questions, me, responding. I actually would have cooled down faster if he had just sat down in silence and left me alone. After all, this happens on every flight in the world, every day. It was just that...I had gotten my hopes up so high. I tried to cling to the hope that when we took off I could still sleep sitting up in my aisle seat. I mean, hey, it was better than a middle seat, right? Yet, the guy kept talking to me. I began to throw subtle hints that I didn’t want to make this a long conversation, like giving short answers, or grabbing a magazine from the seatback in front of me. Every time I did so, silence would ensue for like seven seconds, at which point he would begin talking again. This happened over and over again. But as this cycle continued, the Holy Spirit began to calm me, and I remembered who I was. I remembered why I was put here on Earth. What if this was a divine appointment? What if this was an opportunity to share, to witness, to win a soul? As the flight took off I resigned myself to the conversation and engaged the guy. His name was Larry. We discussed football, politics, music. He was actually a nice guy, around my age, with many of the same interests. We spoke for a good majority of the flight, and it wasn’t bad at all. I was pretty tired the whole time, but as we were flying home, I did have the hope of rest in my own bed a just a couple of hours. I successfully beat the selfishness out of myself and did my best to show him kindness and love. We laughed frequently. I was building the backdrop, the setup, for sharing something more meaningful with him, though. My plan was to bring up the idea of church and ask him what he believed. towards the end of the flight. Perhaps God would open the door for me to lead this guy to salvation. I prayed that heaven would help me to choose my words carefully. I began to feel warm and fuzzy as the plane began to descend, satisfied that I had persevered in patience. I thought to myself, I almost missed this opportunity. Had I consented to my shallowness, I would have forfeited this appointment. I felt like an insightful, obedient, Son. Like my dad was proud of me for understanding a lesson he was trying to teach me. I spent the last few minutes of the flight planning how I might best work God into the conversation. But the right moment had yet to present itself. In fact, it never would. We touched down and gathered my things. Larry did the same, and we exchanged some more small talk as we began to exit the plane. I prayed again, but it just didn’t seem like it was in the cards for me to bring up my faith. I didn’t want to force it because I didn’t want the subject to come off as trite. Perhaps I could get the guy’s e-mail address and we could start a new conversation later on down the line. As I was about to ask him for his information, he said it: “Andrew do you go to church?” The question was completely forced, blunt, and awkward. Needless to say I was a taken aback. The irony of the moment was just a little too weird. So I responded, trying to hide my reaction: “I do...Why do you ask?” I replied, curious. He then went through a very rehearsed invitation to attend a meeting with a group that he was a part of. It was an invite to attend a Christian cult gathering with an organization known for heretical teaching, manipulative tactics, harassment, and coercion. I politely declined his invitation and went on my way, thanking him for the talk. The whole thing had been a setup. I felt like I had just been tricked into attending an Amway seminar. It turned out he had targeted me when he entered the plane and our entire conversation was pre-planned. This group actually trained one another to spot potential “victims” and walk them through a very specific set of questions and conversational strategies to secure the “victim’s” attendance to said meeting. At that meeting they would obtain my phone number, address, and other personal information, at which point they would begin a series of blackmail tactics to secure my commitment to the group. I knew all this because I had had several encounters with these people over the years (in similar fashion to Larry, always declining the invitation of course) and had studied this particular group quite extensively in the past. At first, I felt ripped off yet again. Again! Twice in one day, by the same dude! If he had just been up front with me I could have taken a nap!! UGH!!! I stopped walking and dropped my head. Then, I started laughing because of the irony of the situation. One of the biggest complaints I hear consistently from people who do not profess faith in God is that "Christians always seem to have a hidden agenda." In other words, the world views many of us as frauds, as shallow, as inauthentic. This is why I cannot overemphasize the importance of what I like to call “the agenda-less faith.” I believe that we are not called, as Christians, to sermonize or attempt to convert every single person we meet. We aren't commanded to make a shallow pitch, a clever presentation, or a witty speech. Nor are we meant to be proud bearers of "bumper-sticker Christianity," complete with tactless t-shirts, tracts, and tokens which advertise spiritual slogans. God doesn't want telemarketers. Why? Because no one likes salesmen. I believe we are called to love, through all things. Jesus said this was the greatest commandment. True, lasting life change through salvation was meant to be modeled against the backdrop of the genuine. And genuine relationship can only take place when the motive behind our actions is love. Love as an end in and of itself. What will separate us from the false and the shallow? An authenticity that says we have nothing hidden behind our eyes, nothing to sell, nothing to coerce people into. Just a real faith that translates into everything we do. We don’t need to do anything beyond naturally allowing Him to be displayed in all we do. Then people will gravitate toward what we have hidden inside of us, and we will not need to plot or manipulate. When we are authentic in our love our fruit will be lasting, and those who are affected by us will be affected profoundly. That is faith without an agenda.

...mad blog props.

2009-06-18T18:51:00.008-06:00

My friend, Vinny, has recently fired back up his blog. He talks about ALL things on his mind. Vinny is a free thinker and doesn't like to sugarcoat things; his thoughts are always raw and uncensored. Vinny is also an activists, diving into the awareness of Darfur as well as the Invisible Children movement across college campuses. He is planning a trip to Washinton D.C. later this summer to do some rallying to promote awareness for current issues. You can find his info at his blog if you are interested in supporting his trip financially.

...reality check.

2009-06-12T10:26:00.008-06:00

My goal for this blog is to be transparent with you...there is a lot I know and a lot I don't know. My postings are only half the conversation...the rest come from you. In a faith that has so many different denominations, doctrines and theologies, it is hard to reach a middle ground. As much as Christ should be that common ground, He can easily get lost in the traditional and Emerging church practices. A lot of us are set in our ways...unwilling to open up our closed minds. This certainly is the same for me...I was so eager to rip your skull open and shove all I know in there. I'm finding that the farther I go along in my faith, the less I know...Sunday school answers are no longer good enough. I just wanted to be real with you. Thanks for the reality check.

...giving a *#&!

2009-06-11T20:03:00.006-06:00

"I have three things I'd like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. Second, most of you don't give a shit. What's worse is that you're more upset with the fact that I said shit than the fact that 30,000 kids died last night." -Tony Campolo

I have grown to love this quote and wanted to share it with you in its raw form. Tony's point was to "shock and awe" you by stressing a greater point than what was originally presented. It's the same with the following quote:

“The twin towers fall every day in Africa for lack of clean drinking water...7,500 or 8,000 people dying every day and the church does not appear to give a shit." -Derek Webb

As a reader, I wanted to let you digest this; take it all in and decide what it is really being said...and to some of you, maybe it's better to give a shit than just talk it.

..."Christian"-izing stuff.

2009-05-18T17:23:00.012-06:00

I noticed that we Christians like to "Christian-ize" things and hold the original product out at arms length. For example, we made a "Godtube" out of YouTube and a "Godwitter" out of Twitter. We even have "Christian" alternatives to Facebook and MySpace! Seriously? These are today's biggest and most powerful social networks that bring together so many people. Have we forgotten where Jesus spent a lot of his time throughout the New Testament? Water wells; social networks that included all people from all walks of life...prostitutes, tax collectors, etc. If Jesus wasn't afraid to get his hands a little dirty, then why are we? I don't ever recall there being "Christian" and "secular" water wells.

...you make the cut?

2009-05-13T17:42:00.018-06:00

I wonder if the person holding this made the list...?

...my Pug could be Jewish!

2009-05-11T17:30:00.014-06:00

My wife & I bought a puppy a few days ago. We planned on getting a dog later than sooner, but we fell in love with Paisley when we went "just to look." We immediately went to PetsMart and bought her some toys, leash, collar, etc. I kind of wish we had waited...because I found the coolest site. When I was younger, I had this strange infatuation with wanting to be Jewish. Don't ask why, I just don't know. Anyway, this site brought back some funny memories: JewishBazaar.com

...new Thrice music!

2009-05-08T17:15:00.003-06:00

I figured I would warm up with something light-hearted and entertaining...Thrice has always been one of my favorite bands; amazing music by amazing guys. I was talking with Teppei (the lead guitarist) the other night about when we could expect some new music. He said to be expecting something to drop late summer time and pointed me to some footage of the new material on Youtube...I wanted to share my finding! Enjoy!

...how small/BIG is God?

2009-04-08T17:51:00.009-06:00

I thinks it funny how we apply terms that we use to describe a particular size to a God who is multi-dimensional. We use phrases like "God-shaped hole" to describe a void within ourselves and just by "asking Jesus into your heart," you can contain Him within. Then there is the other end of the spectrum: God is massive and we are infinitesmal. We sing songs like Delirious?'s My Glorious which states that "God is bigger than the air I breathe." What would happen if a multi-dimensional being subjected itself to our phyical laws of time and space in our measily three dimensional world?

...bored with your Bible?

2009-03-30T16:08:00.017-06:00

For those bored with the Message Remix and/or any other translation of the Bible: The Brick Testament.*

*Disclaimer: I do not advise the use of the Brick Testament in your daily Scripture reading...but I do have to admit it is kind of fun!

...pulling things out of "Heaven's" backdoor.

2009-03-30T10:40:00.030-06:00

Finally...someone has actually figured out God and a way around His prayer games; Elisha Goodman knows all the right words and "golden key" prayers to tickle His little heartstrings. In Prayer Cookbook for Busy People, not only has Goodman guaranteed 222 prayers that will "open Heaven's backdoor," but she has also guaranteed results in 10 days or less! Look out Billy Mays and ShamWow guy...she's selling a product backed by God Himself! This goes up there with Edgar Whisenant’s 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Happen in 1988; 300,000 copies were mailed free of charge to ministers across America, and 4.5 million copies were sold in bookstores and elsewhere. When the predicted Rapture failed to occur, Whisenant followed up with later books with predictions for various dates in 1989, 1993, and 1994. He continued to issue various Rapture predictions through 1997, but had no success...obviously. The only thing Whisenant predicted was a series of ruptures. Both these authors must have pulled these ideas from their own "backdoor" rather than Heaven's.

...church marketing sucks.

2009-03-18T20:23:00.009-06:00

I came across this exciting website: Church Marketing Sucks. They are a community of people whose mission is to frustrate, educate and motivate the church to communicate, with uncompromising clarity, the truth of Jesus Christ. There is also an alternative URL for those of you who are offended by their use of the word "sucks": Christian Marketing Stinks. Bon appetit!

...what's on God's iPod?

2009-03-14T15:11:00.007-06:00

There has been more music (edifying and non-edifying) written about God than any other theme in the history of music. I'm curious as to what music would be on God's iPod. I can definitely see some U2; circa the Joshua Tree era. I could maybe see God listening to some Blues Traveler...maybe even some Counting Crows. Who else do you think God would listen to?

...I found Cheesus!

2009-03-12T20:25:00.004-06:00

Every once in awhile, I'll be flipping through the TV channels and will stumble across a news clip about the appearance of a Jesus figure on some random object. I've seen everything from the Cheetoh dubbed "Cheesus" to the face of Jesus showing up in an ultrasound photo. Jesus seems to appear in the most random of places and there is almost always a little news segment about these strange events where people are amazed and can't explain what they are seeing.

These images hold lots of value and have sold on eBay for thousands of dollars. Some people have gone as far as saying that they are signs from God. The image of Jesus has appeared in the fur of a cat named Brandy, a burnt fish stick, a water-warped ceiling tile, and a piece of toast; all of which have made the news at some point and have made a lot people look toward the sky in curiousity and wonder as to who or what could have caused this phenomena. Can you imagine what could happen if some people actually saw Jesus in some us?

...iron sharpens iron.

2009-03-07T16:04:00.027-07:00

I really like the direction this blog is going; it's no longer mine, but ours. My goal is to continue to write posts that add to the conversation among all of us, whether you are a person of faith or doubt. ALL are welcome to leave comments and even suggestions about future posts.

I love the idea of a community that challenges each other with thoughts and ideas, bringing new perspective and insight on subjects that we grew up learning and thought we had down solid. Some people may not be comfortable with this, but that is ok...their input is welcome too. Thank you to all of you who have encouraged me to continue with this blog. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Prov. 27:17

...seeking the spiritual high.

2009-03-05T19:24:00.013-07:00

This guy's name is John Crowder and he is head of a ministry called The New Mystics. They are all about experiencing God and His "drunken glory." I've never been one to "put God in a box," but this is a too little much for me. John Crowder and his followers are known for shooting "Godka", "tokin' the Ghost", and having "no high like the Most High." Some of these antics kind of come across as irrevent. I believe that people can experience God in supernatural ways, but where do we draw the line? How do we determine what is of God and what isn't?

...a night at This Generation.

2009-03-03T19:57:00.016-07:00

A few years back, I was pretty bored with the young adult/college group I was a part of at the time and needed something new and refreshing. I remembered hearing about This Generation on Weber State University's main campus, so I went to scope it out. I've been going ever since. Sitting here, I see familiar faces and some not-so-familiar faces; people like myself have moved on and have been replaced by others also looking for something fresh and new. Everybody is looking for something different; some for social connections, some for a significant other, and some for spiritual truth. I've been privileged to discover all three. I'm glad to see that since moving on other people have moved in to take my place...maybe they'll discover what I was so lucky to find.

...Rob Bell is Dwight Schrute.

2009-02-24T15:40:00.035-07:00

If you have have ever seen NBC's The Office and are familiar with the Emergent church, then you know who these guys are. Below, I have provided a few facts in a short bio on each that could prove that Rob Bell is indeed Dwight Schrute.

Dwight is a person who is all about wanting to change things around him, introducing new policies and procedures as the "assistant Regional Manager." Everyone who works around tends to get fed up with his antics and tend to not take anything he says seriously; they sometimes show this by placing his wallet or stapler in jello. Dwight has an interest in pop culture and is very technologically sound. Dwight is vocal about his views on social justice. He also claims to have performed his own circumcision.

Rob, similar to Dwight, is all about changing Christianity by introducing new ideas and insight on doctrine and theology. Some Christian pastors and writers are fed up with his teachings; they sometimes show this by placing his Bible in jello. Rob loves to blend culture and technology with the Christian faith. Much like Dwight, he is concerned with issues of social justice. As a child, perhaps his pastor circumcised him...or wanting to break the Christian tradition, Rob could've done it himself.

..."complex ideas reduced to bumperstickers."

2009-02-22T20:10:00.021-07:00

Every once in awhile, I'll see a bumpersticker that really makes me think. Then there are those that make me say, "Why would you even put that on your car?". This man, Dan Merchant, has chosen to put both kinds of bumperstickers on to strike up conversation...your thoughts?

...led by the Spirit.

2009-02-21T19:31:00.022-07:00

"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert..." Matt. 4:1

I will be working on some pieces for my friend Ryan Lind from Ream of Paper. He has invited other bloggers like myself to participate in the ROCKIN’ LENTEN BLOGSTRAVAGANZA! Each week we will be posting on a particular theme related to Lent. Join us on our forty day journey into our spiritual desert as we remember Jesus' time in His.

...elephants, donkeys, & Jesus.

2009-02-19T03:12:00.040-07:00

We live in an era where the American church is better known for what it is against rather than what it stands for. The modern practice of Christianity seems to just be about increasing church power and the church's influence over politics and society; we love to hold our rallies and protests with signs in-hand, desperately wanting the world to understand us. This is the total opposite of what Jesus taught in the Gospel. Jesus was well aware of the world around him and understood how to affect change.

America is divided, left and right, on some of the very same issues that surrounded Jesus. We spend way too much time trying to push political agendas in the name of Christianity that we end up taking Christ completely out of Christianity. Since when does it take political labels like "conservative" or "liberal" to affect change in the world around us? Couldn't "Jesus" be enough?

...we could emerge.

2009-02-16T10:26:00.014-07:00

In my last post, I brought up the emerging church and some of the stigmas that come along with it, but feel I made a separation between them and the rest of the Church. I don't think it is so much a classification as it is a mentality. Emergents are restless for a reason; the Church is known more for what we are against rather than what we stand for. If we could just grab onto this emerging mentality, we could do so much more.

We could emerge if we...

...quit trying to make the world understand us and do the opposite.

...actually get things done without other political agendas.

...care more about social justice.

...give a little more grace and mercy.

Feel free to add to this list.

...signs you might be an Emergent.

2009-02-15T01:18:00.092-07:00

According to Wikipedia, the emerging church (sometimes referred to as the Emergent movement) is a Christian movement of the late 20th and early 21st century that crosses a number of theological boundaries: participants can be described as evangelical, post-evangelical, liberal, post-liberal, charismatic, neocharismatic and post-charismatic.

Participants seek to live their faith in what they believe to be a "postmodern" society. Proponents of this movement call it a "conversation" to emphasize its developing and decentralized nature, its vast range of standpoints and its commitment to dialogue. What those involved in the conversation mostly agree on is their disillusionment with the organized and institutional church and their support for the deconstruction of modern Christian worship, modern evangelism, and the nature of modern Christian community.

You might be an Emergent if...

...you own or want to own this Mac.

...you listen to bands with Christians in them rather than "Christian bands."

...you're a regular at a local coffee shop or at Starbucks.

...your idea of discipleship is a conversation about philosophy and postmodernism over a cup of house blend.

...you find some "secular" music to have spiritual overtones.

...you know who wrote Blue Like Jazz.

...you don't know the difference between "Arminianism" and "Calvinism."

...you prefer the Message over any other translation of the Bible.

...you prefer the Message Remix over the original Message translation.

...you know who these guys are.

...you put quotation marks around "organized religion" and other "theological" words.

...you read other blogs similar to this one and don't take this seriously.

...the ol' "I'll pray for you" trick.

2009-02-12T02:24:00.016-07:00

In Christianese, "I'll pray for you" literally means: "Too bad about your situation...glad it's not me" or "Glad I don't really have to do anything to help...see ya!" This simple catchphrase has become sort of a cure-all for all uncomfortable conversations by creating an end to the awkward silence; it's something we all like to hear, but something we rarely like to do. After saying "I'll pray for you", how often do we actually pray for YOU?

I think this same mentality can create "negligent caring" or an "apathetic compassion" toward our brothers and sisters and the rest of humanity. I do believe in the sincerity of some people's prayers and know its power, but I also feel that actions speak louder than words. It would be like going to Africa and throwing a Bible at a starving family rather than feeding them with a loaf of bread; we tend to become ignorant of the real need and then say: "It sucks to be you!" We need to quit "putting it in God's hands" (literally translated as: "Don't expect me to help you."), and take it into our own.

...playing devil's advocate.

2009-02-08T03:35:00.001-07:00

A devil's advocate is someone who takes a position, sometimes one he or she disagrees with, for the sake of argument. This process can be used to test the quality of the original argument and identify weaknesses in its structure; I find myself doing this quite a bit. I don't feel like I do it to be a douche bag or just to start an argument; it's more about challenging the pop culture of Christianity. According to Wikipedia, Christian pop culture is the vernacular Christian culture that prevails in any given society. The content of popular culture is determined by the daily interactions, needs and desires, and cultural 'movements' that make up everyday lives of Christians. It can include any number of practices, including those pertaining to cooking, clothing, mass media and the many facets of entertainment such as sports and literature.

Culture, as a way of defining one's self, needs to attract people's interest and persuade them to invest a part of themselves in it. People like to feel a part of a tribe and understand their identity within that tribe. This works well in small communities and people feel needed and special in their small world. However, mass culture lets people define themselves in relation to everybody else in mass society; we have to fight harder to find and keep our identity. I hate to point this out, but Christianity tends to reflect the Christian pop culture more so than genuine and authentic faith.

I'm well aware of the saying, "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones." In no way do I separate myself from this problem; I read the books and listen to some of its music. I think a lot of us get caught up in this culture and end up forfeiting our own thoughts, ideas, and faith. I don't think the entire glass house needs to be shattered, but a few windows could stand to be broken. I think it's alright to toss a few rocks, just as long as we are not casting stones.

...speaking Christianese.

2009-02-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

If you have grown up in church or have ever been involved in a Christian social circle, then you are well aware of the church lingo called "Christianese." According to Wikipedia, Christianese is a form of jargon sometimes used by members of the Christian church, especially within, though not limited to, contemporary Pentecostalism and Evangelicalism. Christianese is characterized by the use of certain words, theological terms, and catchphrases in everyday conversation in ways that are only comprehensible within the context of Christian belief. For example, the phrase "washed in the blood" in Christianese literally means "my sins are forgiven because I believe in the terms of salvation as defined by Jesus."

Now please do not misunderstand what I'm saying...I am well aware that some of the terms and phrases we use are Biblical and have been passed down from early church leaders and writers through tradition and doctrine. To the Church, these are words of life and are precious and irreplaceable. However, when we throw them at someone who is unfamiliar with the Christian faith, these words and phrases can lose their sacred meanings and sometimes even come across as condescending. Some churches appeal to a younger generation because they steer away from Christianese, offering something refreshing and new, while other churches hold fast to our strong heritage.

I think sometimes we feel like we have to be spiritually "bilingual;" keeping up appearances with our Christian counterparts, while trying communicate simple faith to the rest of the world. I believe Christianese has complicated the Christian faith by making a distinction between "us" and "them," rather than all humanity suffering from depravity. Maybe we need to stop using such BIG WORDS and start using little ones...?

...playing "Operation" with the body of Christ.

2009-02-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

To the right is a crash course of the body of Christ; anyone who is a believer in Christ has a place here. As an organism, the body has many functions, internal and external for different reasons; this can also be applied to the body of Christ. Some people are called to be hands, feet, muscles, veins, nose hair, etc; all working together for the greater good of the Church.

Sometimes we like to "play operation" and remove the breadbaskets, rubber bands, and funny bones from the body of Christ. This is where we often make the mistake of pointing out the body's blemishes. Just because we don't necessarily agree with a particular denomination's doctrine doesn't mean we have amputate that part of the body. There are several other examples: worship style, dress code, church venues, etc. We even go as far as to grab the tweezers and pluck individual hairs that give the body a bad image. I don't think there is anything wrong with trying to make church new and exciting, but when we forget our history and tradition and blast churches that are considered traditional or "old school," this is where we go wrong.

Diversity in the body of Christ is a beautiful thing; if it was all the same, I think it would eventually become bland and bore some people. As long as we have a common vision, a unified spirit, and overlook the uni-brows we see in the mirror, we can do such good to the world around us. It's OK to mix spiritual fruits with religious nuts; a bag of trail mix has something for everyone!