Friday, March 30, 2007
"Dead Reckoning" Released!
This is a fun post today! Ok, so every now and then I become REALLY obsessed with a certain band who puts out amazing music. Well, I have been really excited about these guys for a few years now. They are Threshold. They are gifted virtuosos, all of them. I cannot stop listening to their first single off their new CD, "Dead Reckoning." The single is called "Pilot In The Sky Of Dreams." Such a good song! Dead Reckoning is available right now through amazonuk or hmv.co.ukThreshold is what would be considered progressive rock/metal. Most bands like this are usually very tight musically, layering themselves with opulent keys, precision drumming, decibel bending vocals, bottom dwelling bass, and perfectly timed guitar threads. Threshold are above the crowd when compared to others like them. For one, their sound remains signature, although with this new release, they have tried some new elements to their overall sound that I think adds punch and depth. Two, Mac's vocals are always strong and continues to amaze me with his well placed range in his voice. The man can hit some high notes strongly! Three, Johanne's drumming is so tight...yet, he makes double bass drumming sound easy and relaxed. Double bass drumming in general is not obviously easy, but he keeps this band moving through their complex and furious time signatures very well. Fourth, my favorite element of this band has got to be Richard's keyboard playing. This guy adds so much to the sound. He fills it out beautifully, whether pounding on the keys with these metallic like samples or barely touching them down for an underlying symphonic tone beneath everyone else. You can really see just how hard this guy works when you watch Threshold's DVD, "Critical Energy."
Ok, so here's where I solicit this fantastic group. If you want to download the single, it's available through Itunes, Napster, or Nuclear Blast. You can also watch the video for "Pilot In The Sky Of Dreams" on YouTube...which I have posted above. Check this band's website out, give them a listen. When the CD comes to the states later in April, go out and pick up a copy. And if you don't like it, mail it to me...I will take it off your hands gladly! Hope you enjoy. More later...
Threshold Official Website:
www.thresh.net
Thursday, March 29, 2007
I was recently given an interesting letter to read. And so, as I can and will, I need to comment on it so to see if your blood will boil as much as mine did and does when I know there is propaganda out there like this. See, when you are a part of a church community, you have the option of joining that church, thus supporting that place with time, talent, and money. The church in return is to minister to you and your family as best as it can. Well, that's the most simple textbook definition I can come with. You most likely get giving envelopes, the newsletter, and "important" mailings that come your way regularly. Now, I hate the term "member" to define the term of one who chooses to associate themselves with a church. It sounds as if I am all of a sudden joining the damn country club...which sadly, sometimes churches act as if they are just that. The last church I was serving, one of the very first questions the senior pastor asked me was, "So, do you think you are going to join the country club?" Mind you, the fee for it was like $1900 a year or some lavish amount like that. I mentioned that I would rather give that money to the poor and hungry. He seemed amused at my answer, as if that was something he had never thought of before!
Associating yourself with a church community should not be seen as "membership." Churches who are serious about having people come into the community, should teach people that they are disciples; people learning how to be who Jesus calls them to be, and everything that comes along with that. People should be taught how to see their lives through a lens of faith in a way that asks them to think about others beginning with how to think about someone other than themselves! See, churches should not assume that people have this faith thing all figured out. It is the church's fault if people are not being taught how to place their feet into the footprints of Jesus leading. People need to be given room and space to learn how to see their faith and work it out. But, churches also need to give people some tools.
What I am saying is that if churches are these places that are meant to train people for living out their faith and giving them a better sense of hope around them, sometimes these churches don't always do that so well. People come and go in churches...reality! Certain churches need to relax, because when people leave because of this or that, don't take it so personally. Maybe you failed them, and so they felt a need to leave because they need something more to chew on rather than the rigid and inflexible ways of seeing through your particular lens.
Let me give you the example that was given to me a few weeks ago by some friends. This letter is from a Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod church around where I live. The letter was sent out to presumably folks who have not been to this church for some time, and it was sent out to remind them of that. Let me quote this thing for you:
"We are truly concerned that you have not come to church in a long time. You have not heard God's Word in worship through the lessons and sermon, nor have you publicly praised Him in song and prayer, nor confessed your faith in Him with fellow Christians through the Creeds and joint worship. That is why we are writing this letter with a simple request. Are you able to come to worship and Bible Class? Do you plan to come to worship and Bible Class on a routine basis? If you are able to attend, then please come now as you promised on your confirmation day, and as you learned in the Third Commandment...We are not writing this letter to be harsh or rude or to give you a hard time, but we are writing it as we, the lay ministry board, church council, and Voters are very concerned with you, your soul, and your faith, and where you will spend eternity. Jesus warns , "the reason you don't hear my voice, is that you don't belong to me" (John 8)."
OK, this is where it gets really good! The letter finally closes with these sentences:
"If we don't hear from you by _____, WE WILL TAKE THAT TO MEAN THAT "YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT BEING A MEMBER AT ______, NOR A MEMBER OF CHRIST'S EARTHLY CHURCH AND A FOLLOWER OF OUR LORD JESUS ANYMORE." Which would be grounds for excommunication, which means that your name will be removed from church membership and that if you stand before God through death or His return, you would be locked out of heaven, and suffer eternity in hell for unbelief."
What kind of awful, hurtful, exclusive shit is this? It makes me so angry that churches out there use this kind of scare tactic to remind already hurting people that their eternal futures are questionable! This crap is dished out and unfortunately, people buy into it. Putting fear into people's hearts are not going to get them back into your doors again. It will only drive them further away from your venue of fear. I have read this letter over and over, and there are NO tones of love or grace, or welcome at all. I read nothing but judgment and threat. This particular letter disturbs me. I wonder what kind of people would write such a letter. And, who in their disturbed mind actually attends this church and is OK with such a terrible theology of exclusion? It would be interesting to see how many people this church takes in versus how many of people this church hemorrhages out. Maybe people leave because they have to. Maybe they are sickened by a church's exclusive self-understanding of righteousness. It's so stupid. But, then again, even evil people can be dressed up as pastors and lead whole churches of people who are deceived by the ease of evil. How hard hearted for this church to assume they know what's best. The devil also thinks this too. I say resist, and he will flee!
See, I know how difficult it can be to keep track of all the people a church takes in. People come and go, and you want to make sure that people don't get lost in the mix. If they feel like they are not valued, noticed, or connected in a community, they will leave. If a church is not giving them tools to make sense of a faith lens that is wide enough to see how much love the world needs, then that church is failing to be faithful to the gospel. People have the right to leave if that church is not the most loving place possible for them. They can and should leave if that church is not doing everything it can to grow that person in a healthy, holistic way. People are going to come and go because Jesus has an uncanny way of sometimes thinning out the crowds as his teachings get more difficult. People will come and go to listen to him, but how many will actually stick around and follow Jesus because they really want to? If that church frankly, sucks at being a community of grace, welcome, redemption, and healing, it should be abandoned and left for dead!
Why mislead people only to make yourselves even more self-righteous? People's souls are at stake yes, but I would rather people commit themselves to a church that actually cares compassionately and empathetically for their souls than tears them apart by deceiving them. This letter reminds me why people leave churches with relief. People leave because churches can become a place that evokes hurt and mistrust as the leadership (senior pastors most of the time) cares more for his own reputation as a leader than he does for the people who pay his salary. Then again, maybe churches are simply a venue where hate and anger and resentment are alive and aggressively taking over its ethos regardless of how nice or good a pastor might be. That church's DNA is one of suspicion, which its own people have willingly built upon generation after generation. Churches like this need to die now, before others are hurt in its wake of purposely hurting its people. More later...
Associating yourself with a church community should not be seen as "membership." Churches who are serious about having people come into the community, should teach people that they are disciples; people learning how to be who Jesus calls them to be, and everything that comes along with that. People should be taught how to see their lives through a lens of faith in a way that asks them to think about others beginning with how to think about someone other than themselves! See, churches should not assume that people have this faith thing all figured out. It is the church's fault if people are not being taught how to place their feet into the footprints of Jesus leading. People need to be given room and space to learn how to see their faith and work it out. But, churches also need to give people some tools.
What I am saying is that if churches are these places that are meant to train people for living out their faith and giving them a better sense of hope around them, sometimes these churches don't always do that so well. People come and go in churches...reality! Certain churches need to relax, because when people leave because of this or that, don't take it so personally. Maybe you failed them, and so they felt a need to leave because they need something more to chew on rather than the rigid and inflexible ways of seeing through your particular lens.
Let me give you the example that was given to me a few weeks ago by some friends. This letter is from a Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod church around where I live. The letter was sent out to presumably folks who have not been to this church for some time, and it was sent out to remind them of that. Let me quote this thing for you:
"We are truly concerned that you have not come to church in a long time. You have not heard God's Word in worship through the lessons and sermon, nor have you publicly praised Him in song and prayer, nor confessed your faith in Him with fellow Christians through the Creeds and joint worship. That is why we are writing this letter with a simple request. Are you able to come to worship and Bible Class? Do you plan to come to worship and Bible Class on a routine basis? If you are able to attend, then please come now as you promised on your confirmation day, and as you learned in the Third Commandment...We are not writing this letter to be harsh or rude or to give you a hard time, but we are writing it as we, the lay ministry board, church council, and Voters are very concerned with you, your soul, and your faith, and where you will spend eternity. Jesus warns , "the reason you don't hear my voice, is that you don't belong to me" (John 8)."
OK, this is where it gets really good! The letter finally closes with these sentences:
"If we don't hear from you by _____, WE WILL TAKE THAT TO MEAN THAT "YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT BEING A MEMBER AT ______, NOR A MEMBER OF CHRIST'S EARTHLY CHURCH AND A FOLLOWER OF OUR LORD JESUS ANYMORE." Which would be grounds for excommunication, which means that your name will be removed from church membership and that if you stand before God through death or His return, you would be locked out of heaven, and suffer eternity in hell for unbelief."
What kind of awful, hurtful, exclusive shit is this? It makes me so angry that churches out there use this kind of scare tactic to remind already hurting people that their eternal futures are questionable! This crap is dished out and unfortunately, people buy into it. Putting fear into people's hearts are not going to get them back into your doors again. It will only drive them further away from your venue of fear. I have read this letter over and over, and there are NO tones of love or grace, or welcome at all. I read nothing but judgment and threat. This particular letter disturbs me. I wonder what kind of people would write such a letter. And, who in their disturbed mind actually attends this church and is OK with such a terrible theology of exclusion? It would be interesting to see how many people this church takes in versus how many of people this church hemorrhages out. Maybe people leave because they have to. Maybe they are sickened by a church's exclusive self-understanding of righteousness. It's so stupid. But, then again, even evil people can be dressed up as pastors and lead whole churches of people who are deceived by the ease of evil. How hard hearted for this church to assume they know what's best. The devil also thinks this too. I say resist, and he will flee!
See, I know how difficult it can be to keep track of all the people a church takes in. People come and go, and you want to make sure that people don't get lost in the mix. If they feel like they are not valued, noticed, or connected in a community, they will leave. If a church is not giving them tools to make sense of a faith lens that is wide enough to see how much love the world needs, then that church is failing to be faithful to the gospel. People have the right to leave if that church is not the most loving place possible for them. They can and should leave if that church is not doing everything it can to grow that person in a healthy, holistic way. People are going to come and go because Jesus has an uncanny way of sometimes thinning out the crowds as his teachings get more difficult. People will come and go to listen to him, but how many will actually stick around and follow Jesus because they really want to? If that church frankly, sucks at being a community of grace, welcome, redemption, and healing, it should be abandoned and left for dead!
Why mislead people only to make yourselves even more self-righteous? People's souls are at stake yes, but I would rather people commit themselves to a church that actually cares compassionately and empathetically for their souls than tears them apart by deceiving them. This letter reminds me why people leave churches with relief. People leave because churches can become a place that evokes hurt and mistrust as the leadership (senior pastors most of the time) cares more for his own reputation as a leader than he does for the people who pay his salary. Then again, maybe churches are simply a venue where hate and anger and resentment are alive and aggressively taking over its ethos regardless of how nice or good a pastor might be. That church's DNA is one of suspicion, which its own people have willingly built upon generation after generation. Churches like this need to die now, before others are hurt in its wake of purposely hurting its people. More later...
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
My thoughts exactly! This is a bumper sticker I can live with and appreciate! Actually, I heard something on the radio this morning that I knew but, it was interesting to hear an actual troop who has been in Iraq say it. He said, "President Bush really does believe that we are expendable. He just does not care how many bodies it takes to fulfill his dream of winning." You know, aren't presidents who get nothing accomplished in the White House labeled Lame Ducks? Bush is not the whole duck mind you. Bush is the water tight butthole of the duck itself. More later...
Monday, March 26, 2007
Let me tell you how "rednecky" it is where I live. I have recently noticed how many backwoods, in-bred, gun rack type, dixieland characters are actually living within the greater Janesville vicinity. Now, I usually don't care if someone wants to let other people know just how much of an idiot they really are by choosing sides for the brand of pick-up truck they drive by having a sticker of a little person pissing on that brand's logo. I find it actually humorous since, those people pretty much have not left that high school mentality behind, say some twenty years ago where it should be. No, I am talking about the type of person who has the word "redneck" on the back window of the pick-up, but that's not the worst part. The worst part is that the word is actually cut out in the colors of the confederate flag. I ask you good thinking people, "why?"
This past Saturday, my wife asked me if we could all go out to lunch somewhere? I agreed, that would be alright. So, we packed up my trusty steed (rednecky comment maybe) to look for sustenance. As we were on our way to Perkins, we came up to a stop light. In front of me was this overgrown Dodge pickup with "Dale" stickers all over it. Now, that usually grinds at me. Remembering some dead and gone Nascar driver is a bit strange for those of us who would rather spend our time and money on something more intelligent, say bullfights in Ecuador. As I was sitting there waiting for the light to change, I notice that hanging from this already jacked up truck was something you just don't see everyday. Hanging from underneath the trailer hitch was a flesh colored resemblance of the male genitalia, uh, known as the balls and sack. Now, I had to do a triple take and actually focus on what my eyes thought they saw. Yes, that was actually what my eyes were looking at. Ok, first of all, "why?" Why let people know that you have "balls?" Uh, is that not assumed for you pal? OR, are you trying to say that your over-bloated truck is actually compensating for your small unit? What is the message this sex toy abuser is actually trying to say to the driving public at large? Frankly, I am not sure I want to actually know anyone who prides themselves with hanging a facsimile of what all males are afraid to have kicked or violently twisted underneath their overpriced gas sucker (I have one too...uh, that gas sucker pervert).
Are people that desperate for attention? I must live in the most rednecky city in Wisconsin. See, because it's not just him. I see all sorts of imagery that makes me believe I live in the deep south when the north was battling the south. Maybe I am too much of a "yankee" to actually buy into this crap of juvenile laziness and enabling. I don't want to encourage people even more to live out their days as racist, or ball hanging idiots who want to tell me just how "badass" they are. Come on. A real badass would not advertise it. They would kick the shit out of you first, then buy you a beer or a Guiness if they are Irish! More later...
This past Saturday, my wife asked me if we could all go out to lunch somewhere? I agreed, that would be alright. So, we packed up my trusty steed (rednecky comment maybe) to look for sustenance. As we were on our way to Perkins, we came up to a stop light. In front of me was this overgrown Dodge pickup with "Dale" stickers all over it. Now, that usually grinds at me. Remembering some dead and gone Nascar driver is a bit strange for those of us who would rather spend our time and money on something more intelligent, say bullfights in Ecuador. As I was sitting there waiting for the light to change, I notice that hanging from this already jacked up truck was something you just don't see everyday. Hanging from underneath the trailer hitch was a flesh colored resemblance of the male genitalia, uh, known as the balls and sack. Now, I had to do a triple take and actually focus on what my eyes thought they saw. Yes, that was actually what my eyes were looking at. Ok, first of all, "why?" Why let people know that you have "balls?" Uh, is that not assumed for you pal? OR, are you trying to say that your over-bloated truck is actually compensating for your small unit? What is the message this sex toy abuser is actually trying to say to the driving public at large? Frankly, I am not sure I want to actually know anyone who prides themselves with hanging a facsimile of what all males are afraid to have kicked or violently twisted underneath their overpriced gas sucker (I have one too...uh, that gas sucker pervert).
Are people that desperate for attention? I must live in the most rednecky city in Wisconsin. See, because it's not just him. I see all sorts of imagery that makes me believe I live in the deep south when the north was battling the south. Maybe I am too much of a "yankee" to actually buy into this crap of juvenile laziness and enabling. I don't want to encourage people even more to live out their days as racist, or ball hanging idiots who want to tell me just how "badass" they are. Come on. A real badass would not advertise it. They would kick the shit out of you first, then buy you a beer or a Guiness if they are Irish! More later...
Thursday, March 15, 2007
I am so PROUD of my Dad! He can do something that I want to eventually do. He writes books! The books above are most of the books he's written. He has written books since I was a kid. The market he writes for predominantly is WWII aviation, although he has written about the Air Force's "jet age" a few times, which I actually like. Anyway, he is quite the accomplished author, and I am so impressed with what he does. He is currently writing another book, although he has said to me that this next book is his most nearest and dearest to his heart as it has to do with the time he was growing up on a particular Air Force Base in the sixties. Definitely looking forward to reading this one.
The thing about my Dad's writing is that it takes so much time and preparation for research, that I am amazed that he has the patience to do it...I certainly do not. Hell, I almost torched my apartment in college twice in frustration over my senior thesis...and that was a lousy 40 page paper! But, these are actual bound books. And he does a damn fine job at writing them, conceptualizing them, editing them, approving artwork for them, and frankly, selling them. His office is basically a shrine to all things Air Force, which is great, but that his current office used to be my bedroom when I lived at home. Weird to think that that place he visions his books is where I used to kiss the finest of young ladies...but then again, they were kissing me back so it was all worth it!
Man, I just checked out Amazon, and one of my Dad's out of print books is running for a smooth $219!!! Now, I have to ask...do you think my Dad sees any of that scratch? Not a one. That sucks! Makes me want to call this evil bookseller and explain to him a thing called royalties...now that I think about it, can one earn them off used books? They should.
It's funny when I am at my parents house. My Dad gets mail from all over the US and the world for that matter. I mean tons of mail...pictures of airplanes mostly, and stories of those airplanes. He gets boxes of stuff...it's awesome when you start digging through this history. You realize the sacrifice, horror and reality that men went through during WWII, and you find a deeper respect for them when you connect stories and pictures, and actually get to talk to some of these guys. So for me, it is through my Dad's work, that I have this deeply ingrained respect for ANY and ALL veterans who have served this country. Even though I might have some political differences with our current President, I continue to pray for and support our troops who are, well, doing what they do, even though maybe like a majority of us, they have no idea why they are doing what they do. I guess my heart goes out to veterans in this country, both older and younger. People who willingly and decisively lay their bodies on the line for me and my generation are to be applauded and given firm handshakes of thank yous. I have also found myself over the years wanting to learn more about Vietnam, and how that war was what it was...costly in all aspects. Talking to those vets is eye opening! I definitely respect our Vietnam vets who fought in an unpopular war during an unpopular time...thanks so much for what you gave guys!
So, if you are interested in maybe checking out my Dad's books, go to schifferbooks.com and do an author search. And if you run into a vet or a troop, thank them for what they did and are doing...they are often moved by that small gesture of thanks, and genuinely appreciate it. More later...
The thing about my Dad's writing is that it takes so much time and preparation for research, that I am amazed that he has the patience to do it...I certainly do not. Hell, I almost torched my apartment in college twice in frustration over my senior thesis...and that was a lousy 40 page paper! But, these are actual bound books. And he does a damn fine job at writing them, conceptualizing them, editing them, approving artwork for them, and frankly, selling them. His office is basically a shrine to all things Air Force, which is great, but that his current office used to be my bedroom when I lived at home. Weird to think that that place he visions his books is where I used to kiss the finest of young ladies...but then again, they were kissing me back so it was all worth it!
Man, I just checked out Amazon, and one of my Dad's out of print books is running for a smooth $219!!! Now, I have to ask...do you think my Dad sees any of that scratch? Not a one. That sucks! Makes me want to call this evil bookseller and explain to him a thing called royalties...now that I think about it, can one earn them off used books? They should.
It's funny when I am at my parents house. My Dad gets mail from all over the US and the world for that matter. I mean tons of mail...pictures of airplanes mostly, and stories of those airplanes. He gets boxes of stuff...it's awesome when you start digging through this history. You realize the sacrifice, horror and reality that men went through during WWII, and you find a deeper respect for them when you connect stories and pictures, and actually get to talk to some of these guys. So for me, it is through my Dad's work, that I have this deeply ingrained respect for ANY and ALL veterans who have served this country. Even though I might have some political differences with our current President, I continue to pray for and support our troops who are, well, doing what they do, even though maybe like a majority of us, they have no idea why they are doing what they do. I guess my heart goes out to veterans in this country, both older and younger. People who willingly and decisively lay their bodies on the line for me and my generation are to be applauded and given firm handshakes of thank yous. I have also found myself over the years wanting to learn more about Vietnam, and how that war was what it was...costly in all aspects. Talking to those vets is eye opening! I definitely respect our Vietnam vets who fought in an unpopular war during an unpopular time...thanks so much for what you gave guys!
So, if you are interested in maybe checking out my Dad's books, go to schifferbooks.com and do an author search. And if you run into a vet or a troop, thank them for what they did and are doing...they are often moved by that small gesture of thanks, and genuinely appreciate it. More later...
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Sevendust "Alpha" - Favorite CD of the year so far!!! Aggressive, crunchy, kathartic, vicious, and powerful! Morgan Rose's drumming is tight, risky, and just damn good! So many songs are empowering for me, as most lyrics speak to these ideas of betrayal, hurt, lack of trust, and living blindly. Amazingly well produced, and sonically brutal on the ears! Threshold, Marillion, and Dream Theater will surely challenge this one with their upcoming releases. I cannot wait! More later...
Sunday, March 4, 2007
God, right now, this baby looks, sounds, and even smells tasty...and I don't even have one in front me. Can there be any more worse piece of food we eat than this artery clogger from our good friends at Hardees? Not sure, but boy is it tasty once every five years after the stress tests, cholesterol check, colonoscopy, blood sugar analysis, cardiograms, EEGs, blood tests, physicals, and a urinalysis! Bring on the meat!!! More later...
Friday, March 2, 2007
As a "spiritual shaman," I have the distinct honor of being invited into the bits and pieces of what makes up a person's life. Sometimes that life is filled with poverty, divorce, addiction, depression, disease, etc. These are all very difficult and challenging for the human heart to endure and survive. Yet, what makes this invitation special is that people are willing to show me their hurts because of who and what I represent, which frankly is not about me, nor should it be. That's a huge responsibility, and one that I do not take lightly. Over the years, I have had to learn how to do this, and I have not always been so sensitive or empathetic to those who have momentary needs as opposed to those who have invited me in to counsel or pray for their life. People who have momentary needs are often there because of circumstances then and now. How they got into those circumstances or predicament is something that will always amaze me and frustrate me. And yet, I question how people assume that the average church in average city USA, can help them out with their problem(s), even though most churches struggle to understand the task of networking, building discretionary funding budgets, and having the most basic of people power to even listen or talk to them. I have often felt like my hands are tied, even though I may not know if that person's intentions are honest, to which Christ would say, "Who cares if the intentions are honest?"
For example, I have seen people seek my help out for money to pay a bill or rent that day, even though they have known about that bill or rent for five or six weeks. I have met people who are driving around with an empty tank of gas, but by the smell of their clothes or breath, can afford cigarettes or alcohol. I have bought bus tickets for people, taken them to the bus station, watched them get into the bus, only to talk to local police officers later that the people I put on the bus were running from the state because of outstanding warrants. I was obviously told a different story as to why my bus going passengers needed to leave, and so I believed their stories. My experience as taught me that every person has needs. Need for attention, care, love, or hope.
Now, don't get me wrong. I know that living as Christ lives, is to help each other out, pick each other up and try to meet those needs. Unfortunately, I have seen the not so appreciative ways or the deceptive ways that people have used the church as a crutch to get what they need, because they assume the church will give them what they need, no questions asked AND they keep coming back with the greatest hope that one day the church will just give in to their need. The other unhealthy assumption is that people assume that because it's a church, it must have oodles of money, just waiting to be given away to anyone who asks for it. Delusions of grandeur...definitely! Truth be told, most churches cannot prove the assumptions right. Churches are clueless, unable, unwilling, ill staffed, strapped, and ashamed of what kind of help they can offer. What's funny about the Lutheran mindset and their giving, is how Lutheran churches tend to throw money at global issues, hoping that by doing that, those issues will somehow fix themselves.
Most churches I know willingly and somewhat stupidly take care of their own needs of maintenance and arrogance first, and they pretend to care about the poor and hungry around them when it's convenient and safe. These churches spend way too much time in meetings, too much time bickering, too much money on upkeep of the building, too much time lamenting ministries that are dying or are not working as they did 50 years ago, too much time feeding into the status-quo with offering their bland, watered down, deadpan worship services, and too much money paying their emotionally disconnected senior pastor to control and manipulate things to his tastes. Not much of a church if you ask me, but then again some churches are where people go to die, thus becoming a living cemetery.
It's funny, but the most needy people might not be the people that are looking for a tank of gas, a bill paid, or even a handout at the church. Maybe the most needy people in those churches are the parishioners who hold the church back from being what God has dreamed it to be. Maybe the most needy people are the people who refuse to tithe their percentage to the church because they want whatever the church can give them...they want the church to kneel down and kiss their asses because they have the money cards dangling in the open for all to see. Whenever money is involved with anything, politics of money will rear its ugly head. Additionally, there are always going to be those people who want the whole church to see just how much they give, so as to send the message that the church shouldn't fuck with them or refuse their requests, less the sugar coated givers walk away. Who says there are no more Pharisees in Christ's church? I say, let them leave...God does not want your money with those attachments or fingerprints of selfishness on it. I say let the big givers leave and screw up some other church. Oh, and don't let the church door hit your well groomed ass as you stomp out Mr. & Mrs. poopy-pants!
You know, I honestly wish the church could be a place where all people no matter who they are, what their stories are, and how much they need, could help. I wish the church would open its hand wider to the poor, hungry, and homeless around town. I wish the church would meet the most ignored needs in the community and lead the local town or city in making life change for people. The church is and it isn't this way. It helps, but only so far. It wants to reach out, but can't take its hand out of its pocket for fear the feeling of money in the pocket will be forgotten. There is a weird tension between wanting to help people out, and actually having the money, time, and heart to do it. I was just having lunch with a friend of mine today, and he and I were talking about this. His response was interesting. "If you really want to help someone, you have to be willing to see what you may not like, or understand. To really go there, to take it the full distance, the church needs to get that." Great point. When are we going be the church that can BE the body of Jesus who no longer question why we aren't? When are we going to use our resources to make sure people are fed, clothed, employed, and healthy so that people can live out their dreams? When are we going to build the church by building bridges to networking an end the quest for the most basic of needs of living? When are we going to shut our mouths, and let our hands and hearts take up the cause to build a church that meets people's needs without any attachments, without any agenda, without any ego? Now would be a good time to do it. More later...
For example, I have seen people seek my help out for money to pay a bill or rent that day, even though they have known about that bill or rent for five or six weeks. I have met people who are driving around with an empty tank of gas, but by the smell of their clothes or breath, can afford cigarettes or alcohol. I have bought bus tickets for people, taken them to the bus station, watched them get into the bus, only to talk to local police officers later that the people I put on the bus were running from the state because of outstanding warrants. I was obviously told a different story as to why my bus going passengers needed to leave, and so I believed their stories. My experience as taught me that every person has needs. Need for attention, care, love, or hope.
Now, don't get me wrong. I know that living as Christ lives, is to help each other out, pick each other up and try to meet those needs. Unfortunately, I have seen the not so appreciative ways or the deceptive ways that people have used the church as a crutch to get what they need, because they assume the church will give them what they need, no questions asked AND they keep coming back with the greatest hope that one day the church will just give in to their need. The other unhealthy assumption is that people assume that because it's a church, it must have oodles of money, just waiting to be given away to anyone who asks for it. Delusions of grandeur...definitely! Truth be told, most churches cannot prove the assumptions right. Churches are clueless, unable, unwilling, ill staffed, strapped, and ashamed of what kind of help they can offer. What's funny about the Lutheran mindset and their giving, is how Lutheran churches tend to throw money at global issues, hoping that by doing that, those issues will somehow fix themselves.
Most churches I know willingly and somewhat stupidly take care of their own needs of maintenance and arrogance first, and they pretend to care about the poor and hungry around them when it's convenient and safe. These churches spend way too much time in meetings, too much time bickering, too much money on upkeep of the building, too much time lamenting ministries that are dying or are not working as they did 50 years ago, too much time feeding into the status-quo with offering their bland, watered down, deadpan worship services, and too much money paying their emotionally disconnected senior pastor to control and manipulate things to his tastes. Not much of a church if you ask me, but then again some churches are where people go to die, thus becoming a living cemetery.
It's funny, but the most needy people might not be the people that are looking for a tank of gas, a bill paid, or even a handout at the church. Maybe the most needy people in those churches are the parishioners who hold the church back from being what God has dreamed it to be. Maybe the most needy people are the people who refuse to tithe their percentage to the church because they want whatever the church can give them...they want the church to kneel down and kiss their asses because they have the money cards dangling in the open for all to see. Whenever money is involved with anything, politics of money will rear its ugly head. Additionally, there are always going to be those people who want the whole church to see just how much they give, so as to send the message that the church shouldn't fuck with them or refuse their requests, less the sugar coated givers walk away. Who says there are no more Pharisees in Christ's church? I say, let them leave...God does not want your money with those attachments or fingerprints of selfishness on it. I say let the big givers leave and screw up some other church. Oh, and don't let the church door hit your well groomed ass as you stomp out Mr. & Mrs. poopy-pants!
You know, I honestly wish the church could be a place where all people no matter who they are, what their stories are, and how much they need, could help. I wish the church would open its hand wider to the poor, hungry, and homeless around town. I wish the church would meet the most ignored needs in the community and lead the local town or city in making life change for people. The church is and it isn't this way. It helps, but only so far. It wants to reach out, but can't take its hand out of its pocket for fear the feeling of money in the pocket will be forgotten. There is a weird tension between wanting to help people out, and actually having the money, time, and heart to do it. I was just having lunch with a friend of mine today, and he and I were talking about this. His response was interesting. "If you really want to help someone, you have to be willing to see what you may not like, or understand. To really go there, to take it the full distance, the church needs to get that." Great point. When are we going be the church that can BE the body of Jesus who no longer question why we aren't? When are we going to use our resources to make sure people are fed, clothed, employed, and healthy so that people can live out their dreams? When are we going to build the church by building bridges to networking an end the quest for the most basic of needs of living? When are we going to shut our mouths, and let our hands and hearts take up the cause to build a church that meets people's needs without any attachments, without any agenda, without any ego? Now would be a good time to do it. More later...
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Go out and pick up this book today!!! "Sex God" by Rob Bell. Amazing read, very fast. Rob is dead on when it comes to his connections, his assertions, and his challenges. Everyone who is at least somewhat interested in human sexuality being informed by the creative ways of God in that sexuality should read this book. You will be challenged as you will be just as blessed. What is inspiring to me is that Rob takes these notions of "caution" we have with sexuality and brings them into a focus and probes them out in the light of the overwhelming presence of God in our own sexual makeup. For Rob, sexuality is more than the act; it encompasses and informs the whole person. Sexuality is deeply connected with who we are on the inside, who we are in the heart. I also appreciate that Rob addresses the destructive issues of objectification and the dehumanizing of people. Definitely two of the most hurtful and demeaning things we are capable of with each other. How do we begin to reorient ourselves into the viewpoint of God, so that we do not easily and carelessly practice objectifying and dehumanizing each other? Overall, Rob addresses sexuality in a healthy way, in an authentic way, and in a faithful way. Another excellent book from a genuine voice who speaks prophetic truth...the needed truth that asks us to question, "Why aren't we willing to listen to that truth?" It's about time someone came out with a book that addressed sexuality without any attached agenda to it...and looked at it holistically and guiltlessly. It's about time we started to hear a voice that speaks love and healing into our wiring of sexuality among the oceans of negative caution, avoidance, intolerance, and scare tactics! Thank you Rob. More later...
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