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A while back I said I was done talking politics on this blog until after the election. It’s over, so I’ll say this and move on: Barack intrigued me in the primaries, but the more I read/followed the less I liked about either of our available candidates. I still leaned towards Democrat (regardless of leader), but it was ever so slightly and not enough for me to feel a strong conviction for the party. Thus, I DID NOT VOTE.

Thank goodness I base very little of my existence on who is leading this country. Barack, Biden, McCain, Palin, and the Balance of Power (which if you didn’t notice is now completely Democrat, which I’m not sure that’s a good thing either) does not affect the outpouring of who I am and what I do with what I’ve been given.

I strongly believe, as some of you can attest, man does not grant authority nor determine who is a leader. God grants us our leadership and qualifies us for His work regardless of our social status, economic standing, education level, degrees obtained, or your “I Voted” sticker. Usually I spout this off when church “leaders” try to exert misplaced power over people in ministry, but it applies to country as well.

A few weeks ago, Margaret Feinberg asked “Are you a November 4th or November 5th Christian?”

Are you more concerned with who wins on November 4 or how you can be a part of rebuilding and healing our nation on November 5 and the years to come? I’m all for voting, please don’t get me wrong, but it’s going to take all of us–together–to turn our nation around.

It’s simple to say, important to hold to, and difficult to live out. Don’t get me wrong, I think we should be responsible with our freedoms, including the freedom to (not) vote, but after months of one of the nastiest political scenes I can remember (I don’t remember too many of them (’88-present), i’m young okay), here we are… whichever side of the fence we land on, we must move forward and live our lives to the fullest of our ability for Christ.

If we as the Church become the hands and feet we are called to be, we wouldn’t have to concern ourselves so much with programs, “socialism,” and big governments. I’m the guiltiest of them all; I see things that I am moved to take action for and yet the action follows slowly or not at all. It’s time for me to stop talking and blogging about submitting to His service and actually doing so - beyond serving in church on the worship team (where everyone gets to see me), beyond dropping the check in the offering bucket, and beyond the encouraging words that I try to offer to friends and coworkers. Not in place of these things, they have merit and should by no means be abolished, but certainly in addition to.

So, lets move on together; become men, women, and children of action, not out of obligation, but from the outpouring of the Love that has been gifted to us.

Don’t let me make excuses.

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Category : Culture, Current Events, Empyreal, Enabling, Family, Politics, Quotable

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From time to time a book will come along and blow your mind away with deep spiritual truths, setting off a series of emotional responses much like those experienced during youth camp or an Innovate Conference. Perhaps the drug wears off over the next few weeks as your spiritual mind and body return to normal, or maybe you’re able to hold on to the transformation that took place so quickly and powerfully because the book was just that damn good.

unChristian (David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons) is NOT one of those books.

Your imagination will not be captured, your spirit will not soar, and your soul’s craving will remain unsatiated. What you will find is a challenging, thoughtful, practical look at what a growing number of outsiders (The author’s term for those outside of the Christian faith) aged 18-30 perceive about our faith, and more importantly, an analysis of our execution of the faith we so strongly profess.

… in 2007, we found that most of the lifestyle activities of born-again Christians were statistically equivalent to those of non-born agains… Over the last thirty days, born again believers were just as likely to [gamble, lie, steal, fight, become drunk, badmouthed others, sought revenge, et. al]… Here is what all of this boils down to: amoung young outsiders, 84 percent say they personally know of at least one commited Christian. Yet just 15 percent thought the lifestyles of those Christ followers were significantly different from the norm. - p47-48

The book is choke full of similar statistics, highlighted by personal stories and quotes from those surveyed, presented in such a manner that does not bog down nor overwhelm the brain. While the results provide necessary context to the discussion, the real strength of the text is in David’s ability to show fairness concerning where and how we’ve failed coupled with a straightforward approach towards change, specifically as it relates to six areas.

Concerning Hypocrisy:

But it is easy to miss the fact that so much of our lives is made up of the simple conversations and interactions we have with people - what is said in the hallway after church, the tone of voice someone uses, the parties you are invited to (or not), the genuineness of people’s concern, how people respond to you and your child. - p59

Halfway through the work and this is the sentence that stands out the most. When I originally read it, three things immediately came to mind: how we talk about homosexuals, how we talk about abortion, and in these southern parts at least, how we talk about hispanic immigrants. The conversations we have are often heard by ears who have deep feelings towards one of these subjects which might not align with our offensive spewing of words. We are often so passionate about abortion and homosexuality that we fail to grasp or refuse to recognize that they are real issues that people struggle with, even within our church walls. To the girl who has struggled in silent depression in the five years since her emotionally gut-wrenching decision to abort, words “abortions is murder! how can anyone stoop to that level?!” are not words of love and healing.

Concerning the “Get Saved!” mentality:

Out of ninety-five million Americans who are ages eighteen to forty-one, about sixty million say they have already made a commitment to Jesus that is still important; however only about three million of them have a biblical worldview… We have probably contributed to that by giving people a superficial understanding of the gospel and focusing only on their decision to convert… Our enthusiasm for evangelism is not matched by our passion for and patience with discipleship and faith formation. - p75-77

Concerning the anti-Homosexual mentality:

We must acknowledge that everyone has sexual baggage but also has the potential for sexual wholeness… gays and lesbians should not be surprised to find us working side by side with them to address HIV/AIDS and to end workplace discrimination in nonreligious settings. You change a country not merely by bolstering its laws but by transforming the hearts of its people. -p104, 106

I will visit the final three discussions and leave any parting thoughts upon completion of the book…

What do you think? Is the perception problem real or just blown out of proportion by the liberal media? How concerned should we be with our image as Christ followers?

Let’s discuss.

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Category : Books, Church, Culture, Current Events, Empyreal, Enabling, Good Readin, Quotable, Reviews

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i hate all your show and pretense
the hypocrisy of your praise
the hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show

away with your noisy worship
away with your noisy hymns
i stop up my ears when you’re singin’ em
i hate all your show

instead let there be a flood of justice
an endless procession of righteous living, living
instead let there be a flood of justice
instead of the show

your eyes are closed when you’re praying
you sing right along with the band
you shine up your shoes for services
there’s blood on your hands

you turned your back on the homeless
and the ones that don’t fit in your plan
quit playing religion games
there’s blood on your hands

instead let there be a flood of justice
an endless procession of righteous living, living
instead let there be a flood of justice
instead of the show
I hate all your show

lets argue this out
if your sins are blood red
lets argue this out
you’ll be white as the clouds
lets argue this out
quit fooling around
give love to the ones who can’t love at all
give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
stand up for the ones who can’t stand at all

I hate all your show

- Jon Foreman, “Instead of the Show” on Summer, http://jonforeman.com/
lyrics reprinted without permission… but they weren’t anywhere else online, so i typed them out by hand… i’ll gladly take them down if Mr. Foreman requests.

Should we be offended? or challenged?… hurt? or ignited? … is Jon judgmental? or justified? …

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Category : Empyreal, Enabling, Music, Prosetry, Quotable

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For some reason, I started chewing on this a couple of Sunday’s ago:

As a Christian, how you worship on Sunday is not near as important as how you serve Monday through Saturday… Churches: Likewise.

-me

I know it’s not earth shattering or anything, but it’s funny how it doesn’t seem to play out that way in either case… (*sigh* proverbial disclaimer that there are plenty of exceptions to both observations /*sigh* )

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Category : Church, Empyreal, Enabling, Quotable, Sundays

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I don’t educate myself enough on politics and have never voted in any election for a reason… God’s sovereignty. I know that is a bad excuse and we should be responsible with our vote and our privilege that so many people around the world don’t have… yada yada yada. But this year has been different in a weird way … I’ve still not educated myself to the degree I need to in order to make a responsible vote, but I somehow get sucked in to the political vacuum whenever the subject arises. And boy do I get riled up…

Two things are helping my sanity:

1) Rick summarizes the most level headed thing I’ve read about politics in a while:

Two groups of intelligent people watching the same coverage and hearing the same speeches, but hearing vastly different things, I think, based mostly on your own opposing perspectives.

The first thing that jumps out at me is that everyone else must be idiots for disagreeing with me. I’m fairly intelligent, I heard this or saw that and of course made the correct assumptions and analyses, right? You do it, too, wondering how anyone else missed what was so blatantly true in your mind. Two same intelligent people see the same thing, hear the same thing, and somehow come to opposing “truths”. How does this happen?

As much as we all hate to admit it, there is intelligence on both sides of this political argument. I know not everyone who disagrees with me is an idiot… i know there are glaring issues with Obama the guy I support, just as there are glaring issues on the other side. Yet, we all get all loud and demonstrative when someone sees things from a different angle… even if none of us are educated… we make claims that we supposedly “know without a doubt” but we’re usually just regurgitating it second hand from Ron Suskin or Glenn Beck (not that there is anything wrong with regurgitation, birds and pregnant women do it all the time)… At the end of the day, though, it’s just perspective and I can live with whatever yours is…

2) When all else fails, i throw the headphones on and head over to Pandora.com for a bit of the “mellow mix” if i need to calm my nerves, or the “alt rock” if i want to feed the fire.

Anything else i should be doing?

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Category : Culture, Current Events, Politics, Quotable

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A world where in theory everybody is a somebody is a radically different place from a world divided into somebodies and nobodies.
     - John Bowe: Introduction to Nobodies

Bowe is discussing the eye-opening topic of modern-day slavery right here in our own back yard (yes, within the borders of America) along with the darker impact of free-market/economic globalization. I’m around 2/3 through and will write my thoughts on the book when I’m done, but this particular quote struck a chord with me on a different level.

Just as we tend to dehumanize the poor, far too often we dehumanize the ugly, fat, annoying, disabled, sickly, pale, weak, and generally “different” individuals around us in our every day lives. All too often I sit at a table at lunch or lounge around on break and hear one disparaging remark after another based solely on how someone looks, talk, or walk after a short 5 second interaction. Sadly enough, this scenario plays out just as often with my Christian friends as it does with those who do not yet follow.

Are the they less than human? Or perhaps they woke up one morning as a child and say “today I start my journey to obesity, ugliness, and halitosis!” As we sit and laugh at their expense, usually behind their back -despite our own obvious health issues, failures and internal ugliness - the dehumanized are simply wanting to be accepted for who they are so perhaps they can start their journey with a friend towards a healthier or more fulfilled life.

Obviously not every Christ-follower falls into the trap of dehumanizing those around us. I often speak up, as do many of us, despite the ridicule that is returned my way… I know one unfortunate Christian who considered this ridicule “persecution,” thinking that she then must be blessed because “blessed are the persecuted.” but.. i digress..

There is no doubt in my mind, though, that a large portion of people who claim adoption into the family of Christ still live under the influence of our society in which social status, good looks, and popularity mean more than the heart and emotions that make up a person. If you talk right, look right, have the right money (or at least appear to have the money), carry yourself a certain way… you are a somebody… everyone else is reduced to a person to point at, laugh at, and ultimate emotional manipulate…

To illustrate, Lindsey shares two stories, both true that she experienced first hand of those who get it… and those who don’t.

Perhaps the majority of us, Christ Followers or not, do not endorse or enslave others for our personal gain; it’s becoming increasing clear, however, that our world remains a world of “somebodies” and “nobodies.”

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Category : Books, Church, Culture, Empyreal, Enabling, Quotable

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Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.  -Proverbs 31:8-9

If we are to advocate and speak up, we have to know what we’re talking about. More importantly, we have to know WHO we are talking about.

The average American -and maybe average American Christian- sees the global poor as lazy, uneducated, backwards, uncivilized, unreliable, dependent on everyone else, unwilling to change, corrupt, weak…

Why do we hold these prejudices? I think we hold these prejudices to justify our own inaction, our own place at the front of the line, our own wealth, and really we justify these because we dont know the poor. We know about them, but we don’t know them…

You and I are so dangerously close to a subtle dehumanization of the poor. I have thought and wrestled with this… It is the only explaination why men and women of faith with resource to spare allow such inequity to exist.

And other wonderfully loving compassion and action from Andrew Syed can be heard here.

Andrew’s Organization - 10/10 Project

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Perhaps one day I’ll share the concept behind the birth of this quote. But for now… a simple reminder to challenge the status quo… don’t allow yourself to be told what to think and how to act without challenging the source… if you find status quo to fit the Truth, embrace it… otherwise, blaze your own trail.

Jesus challenged the Status Quo when it didn’t line up, despite what the religious leaders of the day thought…

White rapids are more fun than placid ponds
 - Lindsey Parks

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Category : Culture, Current Events, Empyreal, Quotable

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