Fail

I am preaching this week. I haven't preached since Christmas Eve because of my Greek class that I just finished last week. I am beginning a series called "Love is the Movement." (Yes, I stole the phrase from the twloha t-shirt.)

I've been reading Brian McLaren's book Everything Must Change this past week or so. In it, McLaren writes:

"More and more reflective Christin leaders are beginning to realize that for the millions of young adults who dropped out of their churches in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, the Christian religion appears to be a failed religion."

McLaren goes into the ways in which the established Church has failed to live out the ideals and example of God through Jesus Christ. He cites that many have been concerned about escaping this world rather than being the hands and feet of Christ in it. I've heard many times that the story and the message of Jesus is the "Greatest Story Ever Told." We can look around us at the divorce rate, depression, drug/alchohol abuse, porn/sex addictions, war, genocide, poverty, child exploitation, inequity of social classes, etc., etc., etc., and we see that "a message purporting to be the best news in the world should be doing better than this."

Certainly McLaren writes this with the purpose of being provacative, but there is truth in the statement. In Western Christianity we often miss the mark (like the dog in the picture) and forget what Jesus taught us. In Mark, chapter 12, Jesus is asked what the greatest commandment is. He replies, "The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all our heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this; Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these."

What kind of a movement would it be if we truly loved God and our neighbors? What if we loved the illegal immigrant at Wal-Mart the same way we loved our own son or daughter? What if we really started to send aid around the way rather than promoting peace through "redemptive violence?" What would it look like is we joined with our brothers and sisters in our communities and truly prayed for one another? We would see a movement of love that the world has only seen in Jesus. We would see God's Kingdom in full effect. You see, while Christianity- as an organized religion- has failed on some level, God has not failed. And is faithful to work through those who live a life of love.

Are you ready to join a movement? Are you ready to live love? Join me in the movement.

Interesting Friday Night

Andrea and I went out together on Friday evening, thanks to babysitting extraordinaire Carey Phalen. We had dinner at home with the little munchkin and then headed down to the beach. Our plan was to catch a movie and then go to TGIFridays for dessert. We ended up seeing Bride Wars since we missed the beginning of Defiance. Here are a few things learned from the evening.

• For you soon to be brides, don't let your wedding get scheduled on the same day and place as your best friend. Evidently bad things happen. Bad things, man.
• Kate Hudson evidently just agrees to act in one kind of movie. Granted, she nails the part every time, but I can't think of a Kate Hudson movie other than one from the romantic comedy genre. Can you? I know I could look it up on IMDB, but it must not have been memorable if I can't remember it.
• Movies filled with middle school and high school students really aren't that enjoyable. Yes, I have been youth pastor and really love these students, but last nights movie must have had 40 students sitting in a group. As the movie went on they just got louder. I wanted to throw my tub of popcorn at them because the tallest guy in the group was still pre-puberty and a foot and a half shorter than me.
• The students noise wouldn't have been so bad if it was because of the movie. When I saw Dark Night and Indiana Jones, there was cheering and emotion because of the movie. This noise was more along the lines of answeing cell phones and asking for lip gloss.
• As Andrea and I got out at Friday's, a mob of people where working their way to the door. At first it looked like a drunken conga line, but then I realized it was a brawl. A real brawl at TGIFriday's! We quickly turned around to leave, but before we did we heard it was a server who got fired and her boyfriend being forcefully escorted out of the restaraunt. We went to Applebees.

That was our date night. After a month away (but home on weekends) it was nice to spend a night together!

Inauguration Day Randomness

Happy Inauguration Day to everyone! It's as good as any day to make a random catch up post, which is mostly what I have been doing since Greek started almost four weeks ago.

• First, thanks to everyone who asked about my hand. It is/was broken, and I waited almost 2 weeks to see a doctor. Thankfully the bone is set correctly, and so far, I have not needed a cast. I go back on Thursday to see if everything is still alright. Other than taping it, I can do pretty much anything I want with it (including typing!).
• There are three more days of Greek class left. It has been a positive experience, which is good because it is a required class. Hopefully I will be able to finish strong on the final three days.
• We ended class early today to watch the Inauguration of Barrack Obama. I will admit being excited about Obama in office. I believe that there needed to be a change of direction in the White House and in our government. I know that one person cannot change everything, but I am praying the Obama can be a catalyst of change and can inspire the American people and the world. We can often get a messiah-complex when we talk about our leaders, and I know Obama will not save us from anything. I pray that he will use wisdom while in office. I am committed to praying for him and the other leaders of our country.
• Ironically, Obama's Inaugural Address sounded a lot like a George W. Bush State of the Union speech. Obama talked about fighting against evil and ones who use terror, and how America will win that battle. He said that America is strong and that we'll overcome the obstacles in our path. There must be a template for all major presidential speeches. I know there are speech writers who get paid a lot of money for those things, but at times I would like to see a President speak from the heart rather than the teleprompter.
• I thought, on first listen, that Rick Warren gave an excellent invocation prayer. I know the liberals weren't thrilled about Warren giving the invocation, but I think Warren can be a positive voice/counselor for the President on certain matters. One of them, I hope, is the continuation of the AIDS Initiatives in Africa that George W. Bush began. I did read (although I can't provide a link) that Obama would like to continue that program, but with the economy in the toilet, one wonders which programs will get cut first.
• I watched the Inauguration (I have no clue if I am spelling this right) at Palmer Seminary, which is located south of Philadelphia and situated between the rich Main Line and a much, much, much poorer section of Philly. Many of my classmates are African-American and it was exciting to witness history being made with them. I think at least one classmate from my Greek class traveled to Washington to witness the events for herself.
• While they flubbed the Oath of Office a little, I enjoyed seeing Obama smile/laugh a little when he and the Chief Justice had a little difficulty. It was better than the stoic/presidential face.

Why there are no new post.

It's been awhile since I posted anything. I have some good excuses.

1. I'm in a month long Greek class. Sure, I could suck it up, but then I wouldn't be able to pass my class.
2. I broke my hand. Really, I did. It was playing football. I have the cast to prove it. Yes, I could suck it up and type one handed (as I am now doing), but I type one handed slower than a church trying to change worship styles.

I will post as I am able, but that could be awhile.

Wait...it's 2009 already? I'm Going Back to Bed.

The month of December is over and 2009 is upon us. Somehow, I haven't posted in several weeks. Here's the latest.

It's All Greek To Me
I started a month long Greek class on December 29th. That means I'm staying at the Logans for a week at a time and coming home on the weekends. Class hasn't been too bad so far. I just take a class at a time. I must admit, it's going way better than Spanish ever did!

Tolling The Bell
I got to read Rob Bell's new book, Jesus Wants to Save Christians, during the week of Christmas. I really enjoyed it, and was challenged by it (in a good way). While I have written this before, I will try to post more on it later.

Lend Me Your Ear
Well, that's what Abbie was saying anyway. She had a double ear infection over Christmas, which equals fun! (note the sarcasm dripping from that last phrase) I was spared as I was in class during the day. She seems to be on the mend as she hammed it up for the college students last night.

Re:Think
Among our staff at church, we're beginning to dialogue about what it might look like to rethink church. It's something I've been reading about. Bell's book (mentioned aboved), N.T. Wright's book "Surprised By Hope," and so many others that are out right now talk about rethinking how we approach church, faith, christianity, etc. I have to admit that the more that I read and think, the more I believe that Jesus might not recognize Christianity in America. He might say, "What is this? This is not what I asked you to do!"

Certainly there are people and churches who are the hands and feet of Christ, but most of the time I feel that churches "do" ministry to satisfy themselves, rather than to reach out to those who have never heard, those who are poor/naked/hungry/etc. The problem is that Western American Christianity is so engrained into us, that it would take a monumental effort to break free from cultural Christianity and truly to pursue Christ...to love God and love our neighbor.

My prayer for myself, and for you, in 2009 is that you might ask God to help you Rethink your faith. What does it mean to be a Christian? To be a part of a worshipping community? What does it mean to love God and our neighbor. Maybe we can enter in a dialogue about what this might look like.

Many blessings to you in 2009!