I’m switching churches

Since being back in the States I’ve had the opportunity that most people in full-time ministry don’t get; the chance to attend a different church each week.  Now I know the classic pastoral response is to find a church “home” and get plugged in.  I think that will happen in the future, but right now going around and visiting friends in the ministry at the place they call home every Sunday.

This has helped bring me some perspective on a few of the “basics” that ministers sometimes forget; like what it feels like to be a first-time visitor, a nameless face in the back row, someone who after a long work week would rather Sunday be a day off rather then an action-packed work day.

Does this mean I won’t go back to ministry in the future? Not at all! I think this is just a great opportunity to gain some perspective on what a congregation is like.

There are two factors by which I judge (yes judge) a church:

1. The Cringe Factor. This is anything that makes one eye close in agony while the other one is wide open in disbelief that this is actually happening in the house of God. Some people don’t like that I have this “Cringe Factor,” but it’s not as bad as it seems.  Sometimes large churches can make a person cringe, sometimes it’s small churches. It’s not just a wrong note that makes me cringe, it’s just a wrong attitude that one can sense in the service.

2. The Right Factor. This is the feeling that you get when it’s just “right.” The church doesn’t have to be huge with lots of lights or a great speaker; it just has to feel “right.”

A few things I’ve noticed over the last two months:

1. As a first time visitor I had to walk about 2 blocks in the rain because the parking lots were SO packed. Normally this would make someone not feel welcomed and never want to go back (that’s what the “stats” say), but the service was so “right” that it didn’t matter.
2. One of the “smaller” churches we went to was really one of the better services we went to.
3. Bigger isn’t always better. If not for the preaching at the largest service (about 800 in the service, 2500 in the church), I would say it was just eh.
4. Churches/pastors/greeters/leaders, if they are going to pray for anything, should always, ALWAYS ask for God to speak, show up and move during a service, rather then have a good show.

The Noticer” Book Review

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

This is one of the best quick reads I have come across in awhile.  Andy mixes truth, fiction, allegory and humor to keep you guessing and turning the pages. I read 80 pages in one night and finished it the next.  Rarely will a book engage me like this one did.

If you need some perspective on life or know someone who does this would be a great book.  It’s not invasive or confrontational.  In fact, the way Andrews weaves the story makes you feel like you are apart of the story, which is all about gaining perspective on your life.  Pick this one up for you or a friend and you won’t be disappointed.

Christmas Detox

Well, I should be waiting until the new year to officially begin my resolution of eating healthy and living right; but I decided to start a few days ago and ramp up towards New Year’s.  My hopes are that I will hit the third week blues during the first week of 2010 thus riding the coattails of excitement from other Resolutees.

A few ways I’ve started this Christmas:

• No seconds.  Now on Christmas Eve and Christmas day that just meant large first helpings. But for the most part I’ve only tried to eat good portions and not to snack after 8 pm.
• Cut down on the soda.  This usually isn’t a problem since Katie and I don’t keep soda at our house. But while staying at other people’s places this readily available elixir has been far too tempting!
• Read the Bible daily.  Now this isn’t legalism or the first time I’ve done this.  In fact I’ve been a big fan of www.youversion.com and their daily reading plan.  However when I left Australia I also left the iPhone and the bible I had become attached too.   But lifechurch.tv & youversion recently released new reading plans that track your progress.  I like this.  I’m still doing the classic Robert Roberts version, but there are several that are really cool.  NT in 21 days, Bible in 90, Chronological, etc.
• Walk/Run.  Again, in Australia I was running 3 miles a few times a week. But being back in the States, my schedule has been a bit off and so has the running.  Yet, since we got Jackson (our dog) back, I’ve been walking/running/chasing him 2 miles a day.  1 in the morning, 1 at night.  Not great, but again a re:start.
• Community.  Since I don’t have a local community or set of friends that I feel I can really get involved in, I’ve taken some time and tried to call old and new friends and tried to encourage them as well as just remain involved in their lives. (If you want a call, I have unlimited minutes so send me your number)

So that’s about it.  What about you?

Primal – Mark Batterson review

Primal - Mark Batterson

This past week I was given the gift of a preview copy of Mark Batterson’s new book Primal.  You too can get it here. Batterson has also written a few other books, most notably In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day.

I do a pretty good job of keeping of with Batterson via his blogs and tweets, and am always inspired by what he has to say.  Not having read any of his other books (still waiting on someone to give me In a Pit with a Lion), I was eager to crack this book open.  Unfortunately, I may have hyped myself and the book up a bit too much.

Let me clarify: there is absolutely nothing wrong with this book, or the author.  I think this is just a case of misplaced expectations from the reader.  He jumps around A LOT from illustration to illustration never quite diving deep into what it means to have a Primal Christianity.  The back of the book quotes

“Our generation needs a REFORMATION. But a single person won’t lead it. A single event won’t define it. Our reformation will be a movement of reformers living compassionately, creatively, courageously for the cause of Christ.  This reformation will not be born of a new discovery. It will be the rediscovery of something old, something ancient. Something PRIMAL.”

Now, that made me want to crack open the book and read it in a day.  But what I found after getting about 2/3 through the book was that he hadn’t delved past that initial statement.  Batterson just provides a bunch of illustrations (personal, researched and from his church) that support the idea that “something” is happening.

So in my opinion.  This is an average book.  Much the same way you wouldn’t give someone who has never listened to U2, their POP album. You would start them off with Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby. If you were getting it for someone, make sure they have read Batterson’s stuff before. Otherwise start them off with In a Pit with a Lion.

Dancing upon Injustice

 

 

 

Dancing upon injustice.

 

A lot has been on my mind and heart lately.  The move is coming up, I’m trying to finish things on the house and we are working hard to help with the leadership transition for the Hope Center.

 

It would be easy, well easy isn’t the right word.  It would be convenient to just push through these next three weeks and make sure everything gets done on time.  Anyone who moves from a house knows there is usually a whole lot more involved in the move then originally anticipated.  No matter how many lists or budgets or Google calendars we make to help us organize something is always bound to come up.  It can be the same for a job, a position, a ministry or volunteer opportunity.  Now is definitely one of those times.

 

One of the things I enjoy about my wife is the same thing that kind of lured me into falling for her to begin with.  She loves to hate injustice.  Not just social injustices (human trafficking, poverty, lack of adequate water/food); although that’s her specialty, rather she hates all injustices.  It could be someone showing up late, a child who doesn’t know how to read or the sanctity of marriage.

 

Jesus’ taught that the entire law of God can be summed up with two things: to love God with everything you have, and to love your neighbor as yourself.  Josh McDowell explains the love as simply protecting and providing for.  The love interest could be your relationship with God, your own personal well being or a loved one.  Katie helped me with this concept during this past weekend.

 

She saw, where I did not, a potential for injustice in our marriage by us not having much time for each other over the next few weeks.  So she sprung into action and planned a 5 hour road trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama.  A quick night of camping, a few hours at the beach, then back to the dirty dirty to finish up our time in Louisiana. 

 

There are many people in the world who are into the trends of fighting for causes.  But there are few people like Katie, who not only fight all injustices big and small, but thrive to see them brought to the light and fixed.  There is a song called “Did you feel the mountains tremble?”  It is an older song, but a powerful one nonetheless.  There is a line in the song telling of “dancers who dance upon injustice.”  There are those who get caught up in trends, and usually get caught up in something else.  Then there are those who thrive, who dance upon injustice.   

 

 

Leaving for Africa

Update, leaving this morning for Africa. Check out blog and more updates here.

Atomic Veterans

First of all, I would like to post a cowardly disclaimer:

This post in NO way is meant to dishonor or belittle the work of any veteran of any military, especially atomic veterans during WWII.  Like most blogs these are only thoughts that were provoked by a bumper sticker.

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A few weeks back I was riding through beautiful historic St. Martinville and noticed a large truck (like a F-250 or Chevy 2500) with several incredibly designed stickers on the back of the truck expressing the owners gratitude of a certain member of the Atomic Veterans from WWII.  Not knowing anything about the Atomic Veterans, I just let my mind wonder in careless thought.  Here are a few things that sprung up:

1.  How would it feel knowing you are responsible for killing 80,000 civilians? 

2.  If we had a chance to talk to those civilians, what would they say? 

3.  If the tables were turned, and their was a massive attack on the United States, an attack from a country we’ve attacked, what would our response be?  If there could be a one on one dialogue with invading soldiers how would it go?  I imagine it would be like this:

Me: “Why are you doing this to us?”

Soldier: “Your government attacked us, we are retaliating.”

Me:  “But I didn’t even know my gov’t was attacking you, and I certainly don’t agree with what they’ve done.”

Soldier: “I thought your gov’t was one of the people, by the people, and for the people?  Isn’t it your responsibility to govern your government?”

 

See, it is our responsibility to govern that which governs us.  Whether this is our government, our churches, or our schools.  If there is an element that we do not agree with, then in a civil and ordered way, we need to address our governing bodies.  But if that does not work we have two choices: 1.  Sit back and do nothing.  2. Rise up against.

What was the charge of Socrates death?  Corrupting the minds of the youth.  People would get paid to speak their mind in a very poetic and elegant way in the forum.  Socrates came in and began to argue with these orators and was able to get them to contradict themselves.  He realized the educators and governors were no longer in their industry for others, but for themselves and their pocketbooks.  The very people he challenged, sentenced him to die.  Sounds familiar to a carpentar and his cross.

I am not promoting anarchy.  We must have order, but I believe that if we don’t agree with something (gas prices, taxes, foreign policies) then it is up to us the common people, the government of the government, to do something.

Top 5 Summer Songs

As I was driving today, I heard a variety of songs welcoming in the inevitable summer season.  I remembered back to Matt LeRoy’s blog a year ago on how we officially know when the first day of summer is.  So to honor him and the summer, here is my top five summer songs.  Feel free to add to them.

5.  Sweet Home Alabama – Skynard

4.  Summertime -Fresh Prince & DJ Jazzy Jeff

3.  What I Got – Sublime

2.  Jack & Diane – John Mellencamp

1.  Sleep Walk – Santo & Johnny (This is Joe Santriani’s version, you’ll know it when you hear it)

 

Cops – Hope House style

Yesterday was a busy day of rest.  It was capped off by something I think I may have always wanted to see but never really expected to see.  As my wife and I were coming home for the night, at about 9 pm.  A woman who has come to the Hope Center before, and a woman we’ve helped go from being homeless to having a low-income apartment, came up to me.  “Can you spare $5 for a homeless woman?” 

I smiled, laughed a little to myself and said “Alyce (not her real name), didn’t we help you get into an apartment two weeks ago?”

She replies “Oh yeah, but I’m still hungry, do you have $5 for a hungry woman who used to be homeless?”  At this point I’m almost laughing outloud.  Not necessarily at her, but at this situ.  Well this situ turned into a situation at about this point when a cop car pulled up. 

The cop (african-american as well as alyce) gently said “Alyce, you’re going to have to come with me.  It is illegal to go door to door and ask for money.”  She said, she didn’t ask for money from no one.  An obvious lie.  But he insisted and pulled out the cuffs.  Well she takes off running.  Now before you think this was a “hot pursuit” let me paint the picture a little more.  I am still standing on the sidewalk where she first stopped me.  This is about 5 feet from where her and the officer are talking.  And then she runs back towards me only about 2 feet away as I am now on the concrete leading to my door.  Alyce is about 50 years old (or looks 50), is medium build but has a protruding belly as if she was 6 months pregnant.  However she is not pregnant it is probably a tumor or cyst of some kind.  I also noticed that she is not much of a runner.

The officer is medium build for an officer.  Not overweight, but not athletic, probably early 30’s.  By the way the events transpired, he looked as if he had played football for St. Martinville Senior High.  I say that because when she took off and got about 2 1/2 steps away he reached, grabbed her shirt then wrapped her up and wrestled her to the concrete…2 feet from where I am still standing.  At this point, 3 young honkies who were volunteering at the fire department a block away come running.  “Do you need help with her?!” They were yelling in a violent blood lust tone.  The entire time the cop is still wrestling with her yelling “You’re resisting, you’re resisting.”  Alyce was questioning “What did I do? What did I do?”

I’ll be honest here for a bit:  This seems like a good case of the St. Martinville Police Department doing their job.  Except that two weeks ago I called and complained of a man walking up and down the street yelling, cursing and talking about how he was gonna kill a cop.  The response I was given was “Oh yah, that’s the man who’s been doing that from main and Hyacinth.  He’s alright.”  And yet Alyce who was quiet and more of a minor annoyance then anything else, is worth tackling to the ground?  It’s confusing to me.  Especially when you throw these 3 young white guys into the mix of this racially motivated small town on the bayou, it just gets fishy.

My wife and I were deeply disturbed by the entire event and I can now say it is something I never wanted to see live.  Anyway, that was just the end to another Day of Rest.

Idea for the Wesleyan Website

There is the employment page on the  Wesleyan website and even on IWU’s ministry home page where church’s can post jobs.  You can even find something at Tony Morgan’s site.  But there is nothing where young or old ministers can post resumes or put themselves out there.  Anyone have any ideas on how to start something like this.

Also, a side note, can anyone really tell how someone works (ministry or otherwise) from a resume?