The dysfunctional church

I like this article by Mark Galli: "Grace - That's So Sick." He says, "The church seems to be an embarrassment to everyone... except its Lord."

I actually just put on my church's website yesterday that we are slightly dysfunctional. It was much the same idea as this column. It's the truth, and why are we ashamed of it? (Actually, we are REALLY dysfunctional).

I never understood when people accused Christians of using Jesus as a "crutch." Dern right, he is. No doubt about it. I NEED Jesus. I NEED the church. Not too proud to lean.

The desert experience

Good little morsel from preachingtoday.com.

When we follow Jesus into the desert, we are likely to experience what could be called ego desperation. Basically this means acknowledging that our life is not nor ever will be completely under our control. In the desert, the pillars of human power, pleasure, and possession are smashed. One feels powerless, miles away from sources of immediate gratification, the owner of little or nothing of material value. One cannot barter one's way out of loneliness and silence. One can only wait until it passes on the wings of faith and hope.

—Susan Muto in Pathways of Spiritual Living. Christianity Today, Vol. 32, no. 14.

Bootless Jane

Me lovely lady finally gets to walk without her huge boot. We went to the doc this morning. It will still take another four to five months to heal (not heel) all the way. And she needs to buy a larger shoe for her right foot.... but at least she is free of this cumbersome animal now. And she can drive again!!! Hopefully she will return to work in a couple of weeks too.

Jason Ringenberg & Farmer Jason at fairview

What an awesome weekend! Friday night we had a Jason Ringenberg concert at our outdoor pavilion. Joel Levi (at right) opened and completely blew everyone away. What a great young singer/songwriter/guitarist. And Jason (left) was phenomenal as usual. He rocked the house into the moonlit night, weaving funny and historical stories throughout. God was certainly good too, as the weather could not have been any better. I'm guessing there were 80-90 people there, and I believe a GOOD TIME was had by all!!! (The only bummer was Sunny Taylor being unable to perform - but congrats on the new pregnancy!).

Saturday morning was equally good. Robin gave a nice story about Creation, then Farmer Jason took the stage by storm. He may have rocked more Saturday than Friday. And he had a super-attentive audience filling the front row of straw bales. Kids young and old thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Then everyone got a picture taken with Farmer Jason and made a cool "farm" picture frame. We even had a few adults get in on the action. Randy and Bobbie gave rides in their pony cart; and the attendance was about the same as the night before.

There is nothing I can say but -- super! It was an incredible weekend on so many fronts. I met some wonderful people. I never would have guessed Fort Wayne, and even Ossian, had so many Jason fans. There were by far more people in attendance who don't attend our church than those who do. Which is what it was all about. Jason said afterwards that this will be a show that stands out for him. How much better can it get than that.

I have some pics of the Jason show HERE, and the Farmer Jason show HERE - if I can figure out this stinkin kodak gallery (there's even a pic of the infamous MR). :)

Thanks be to God.

Carrie's new place

Well, the daughter is moved. The four of us unloaded her stuff in only half an hour. All went well (other than a brief discombobulation with the couch). Worst part of the day was closing the door and walking down the stairs to leave. Here are my two favorite women in all the world lounging afterwards in the spacious nothing-on-the-walls-yet living room. Well done, Carrie Jade!

Prayer

Another gem from Will that I copped off of Milton's blog:

In Theolog's "Blogging Toward Sunday" feature, William Willimon reflects on the Lord's Prayer:

Prayer, at least prayer in “Jesus’ name,” as Jesus practiced it, does not come naturally. Most people I know think that our prayers ought to be “heartfelt” or “sincere.” Jesus apparently could care less about such sentimental mush. He has a definite, peculiar notion of what constitutes prayer. Prayer is not whenever I spill my guts to God: prayer is when I obey Jesus and pray for the things that he teaches me to pray for and when I pray the way he prays. Prayer is bending my feelings, my desires, my thoughts and yearnings toward Jesus and what he wants me to feel, desire and think.

In most churches I visit, a time of prayer is often preceded by a time of “Joys and Concerns.” I notice that in every congregation, the only concerns expressed are concerns for people in the congregation who are going through various health crises. Prayer becomes what we used to refer to as “Sick Call” in the army. Where on earth did we get this idea of prayer? Not from Jesus. He healed a few people from time to time, but he doesn’t pray for that. He prays for the coming of God’s kingdom, for bread (but only on a daily basis, not for a surplus) and for forgiveness for our trespasses. It’s curious that physical deterioration has become the contemporary North American church’s main concern in prayer. Jesus is most notable for teaching that we are to pray—not for recent gall bladder surgery—but for our enemies!

To be a Christian, a disciple of Jesus, is to pray like Jesus. Therefore Luther called the Lord’s Prayer “a summary of the whole gospel.” A Christian is someone who talks to God about what the Lord’s Prayer talks with God about. Thus this prayer is not only a gift that Jesus gives us, but also judgment against us as we measure our own fidelity against the standard of Jesus.

And I say, "amen."

Turn me over...

Ugh. Tis moving day for Carrie's stuff. I loaded up the truck/trailer last night in the rain... and I think I'm cooked. Fortunately Isaac is making a mad dash over to help unload it. I think Jane overdid her bum foot. I was glad to have the neighbor kid around though. Two days in a row he has helped me out of a jam. Nice kid. Now if I could just get up outta this chair...

And go figure...... it hasn't rained in how long, and it waits until the day I'm loading furniture, and we're having an outdoor concert. Gotta love life. :)

I don't want a pickle...

But I no longer have a motorcycle. (song?)

Some years ago we were in a church and the pastor told the congregation that the biggest mistake he'd ever made was being honest with them. He wasn't talking about the truths of the Bible, but rather sharing from his heart. I thought that was a terrible and sad comment, and I don't know that I believe it still... but I now know what he was talking about. There is nothing worse than sharing something and having people use that against you later.

I came across these two helpful posts last night.

• Scott W. tells of buying "moments of peace and hope for people who wonder if anyone cares."
  
• Will W. shares 5 of the 10 "Rules of leadership" from Pastor Anthony Robinson that are particularly applicable for pastors... They are: 1) Give responsibility back 2) Expect trouble 3) Value small steps 4) Plan 5) Identify the vital few.

wtf

So... I've been writin like a madman in the paper journal. The one my lovely daughter gave me. I'm just not in the mood to be livin out loud so much right now, and it's never good to unload publicly when you're pissed off. It's just one of those 'when-it-rains-it-pours' sorta things.

Some of the best advice I ever heard was from a now-retired preacher. I said to him once that I felt like I was beating my head against the wall and I was tired of it. So he told me I should stop. That was it. Just "stop beating your head against the wall." Good idea, I thought. Because when you get right down to it, who really gives a rip anyway, right? And the truth is that nobody ever really knows the real story. So....................

Yeah...

Ryan Hirschy at fairview

We had our worship service outside under the pavilion this morning. Ryan (accompanied by Brad) did an outstanding job. I knew he was good, but was still impressed by the range of his voice as well as the variety of musical styles. He kind of reminded me of Steven Curtis Chapman (though it's been a looong time since I've heard/seen him). It was also an almost perfect morning to be outside - other than the wind blowing Brad's music around.

Sermon on the mount: 1

So I started with Matthew 5:1-12. This is the Contemporary English Version. I really like the wording of this translation.

Matthew 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the side of a mountain and sat down. Jesus' disciples gathered around him, and he taught them:
God blesses those people who depend only on him.
They belong to the kingdom of heaven!
God blesses those people who grieve.
They will find comfort!
God blesses those people who are humble.
The earth will belong to them!
God blesses those people who want to obey him more than to eat or drink.
They will be given what they want!
God blesses those people who are merciful.
They will be treated with mercy!
God blesses those people whose hearts are pure.
They will see him!
God blesses those people who make peace.
They will be called his children!
God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right.
They belong to the kingdom of heaven.
God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.

Well, this is a start. My first thoughts from this first part... Am I more like those in 'the crowd,' or those 'gathered around him' to be taught?

Bob Roberts stuff

This guy scares the hell outta me! Not necessarily in a bad way maybe, but... yeah. I'd read his blog some, have heard 'about' him, and to be honest, he kinda rubbed me the wrong way. I'm sure I would do the same to him. But after hearing him speak at our conference I can see why people wanna link up. He was AWESOME. Good stuff. But he didn't look at all like the pic on his blog.

I wish I'd have posted when all of this was fresh, because there was much that I wanted to say and much I didn't write down. As usual, I can't remember a lot (sometimes I think I'm developing alzheimers). Anyway, here are some things I jotted down. Some of this is what Bob said, some are my own thoughts based on things he said.

• You find the kingdom of God in only one step - OBEDIENCE.
• What has God stuck in front of my face???
• Mission is not something you do, it is WHO YOU ARE.
• How do you become/be a Christian: SEEK GOD & OBEY GOD.
• WHAT IS GOD PUTTING IN FRONT OF MY FACE?
• Transformation takes place with DEEP REFLECTION.
• When will Jesus be enough for me?
• What if the whole church was the missionary?
• I need to begin studying the Sermon on the Mount.
• Israel was a picture of what a nation looked like when God blesses it.
• Quit thinking of things in religious terms and start seeing all the world as God's (no difference between secular and sacred).
  
• We need to engage society from the outside in, with faith a part of every element of it.
• Pick 1 spot and stay there.
• To engage the world it's better to hook up with the non-religious groups than the religious ones.
• Make your life your #1 ministry.
• People in their early twenties and younger understand the world the way the world does. Those of us who are older need to learn from them, because the western mindset will not last.
• What has God stuck in front of my face????????????????
  

I think he said these were the 8 chapters in his one book (haven't looked yet):

1. If we're going to engage the world, we need to send the whole church, not just missionaries.
2. Follow Jesus on CNN. Wherever hell is breaking loose, that's where God says we should be.
3. Bang on the front door first. Places may be closed to institutions, but not the gospel.
4. Decrease the West so we can learn from the East.
5. The point of the gospel is to create culture instead of trying to change it.
6. Seek not to convert, but serve because you've been converted (do things because Christ has changed me, not necessarily so I can change others. Live the life of Christ and serve people).
7. Be Ghandi's best friend (Love should be our motivation; don't water down our faith; be tolerant of other religions).
8. Fear not. Bob said, "I've watched people die of cancer real slow. There's nothing wrong with a quick bullet."

Lots to think about. Glad I got to hear Bob. I kinda dread reading his books, because I think it is going to change me. I need to read the Sermon on the Mount.

This land is our land

This is a picture of our corn field. Jane inherited a few acres of Illinois farm ground. We swung by on our way to the conference in Decatur, IL. The corn is doing mucho better there than it is here. I guess "technically" it isn't really our field just yet - not until after this crop is out. So that's kind of a weird feeling. I'm thinkin of gettin me some bibbed overalls.

This crow tastes funny

Okay, so this conference hasn't been too bad. There have been some really good speakers.

Glenn Smith, director of New Church Initiatives, talked a couple times. One was new material, one session I had already heard. They were both good though.

Tom Bowen spoke the first night. He was a rescue worker at 9/11. Man, he had everybody in tears. It was a good way to kick things off.

Kent Hunter, the Church Doctor, spoke to us again. We've heard him several times, and I thought this was the best time yet.

Bob Roberts, Jr. spoke to us twice yesterday and will again once this morning. I was not particularly looking forward to hearing Bob after reading his blog and some things he's written. He seemed wayyyyy to high energy for me. But he has actually been really good. I bought both his books. Yeah, to put with that stack of other ones I need to read.

Daren Streblow did a show last night. He is a comedian who I had actually seen on tv one time. I remember seeing him on tv because I thought he was hilarious, and THEN discovered he was a Christian comedian. I didn't know a Christian comedian could be so funny. It was a good laugh last night.

I will say though... as I suspected, this is too much for me. I think we need more free time, or less stuff. The speakers and entertainers have all been good, but I am way worn out. Half a day left and then the drive home.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

Our hotel has been nice, but the first night, after we checked in we went to leave and our door wouldn't lock. So they put us in another room. Someone else had the same problem. I've had keys not OPEN doors before, but never had one that wouldn't lock.

I had the opportunity to speak at conference yesterday as part of a panel sharing "Stories From the Front Lines". I believe that was my first time to speak at one of our conferences. Man was I nervous. It's been awhile since I've been that nervous before I spoke in front of people. It was alright once I started. And I didn't talk very long - not even 10 minutes. I guess it went alright. People laughed at the right times. But I resisted sharing a 'Blazing Saddles' line that would have been good.

The church where this is being held is pretty nice. It used to be a Carter Lumber store, but you would never know it. The only problem is they need a spotlight for the speakers. All the light is behind the speaker, so you can't really see them. But... the music is good, the chairs are fairly comfy, they have a pop machine and usually have coffee, and just being with Jane is always nice in and of itself.

I suppose I should get packed and ready to roll.

Peace out.

Make mine plain

It's off to another conference. This time it is the "regional" conference for our denomination. We do these every year, whereas the "general" conference meets only every three. My region consists of church leaders in our denom from Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana.

I actually hadn't thought much about this year's conference until I grabbed a coffee cup this morning. It seems many of these type events give out free mugs. And I have one thing I'd like to say....... I really like getting coffee mugs - it's something I use - but I wish more people would just give out the regular sized ones. We have them in all shapes and sizes, and do you know how hard it is to stack all these different sized mugs in what little cupboard space we have? In fact, you can even save yourself the expense of fancy artwork too. It doesn't make my coffee taste any better. But.... I know, I know.... that's just me.

I did read a good post this morning on "Why Your Fancy Website Sucks." It's much the same principle. And that's perhaps one of my pet peeves - when people ruin my ability to comprehend or enjoy something because they think glitz and glitter will make it better. I dislike emails that come with a background; I can hardly read magazines and textbooks that have items separated all over the page in boxes. I suppose it's the same with powerpoint presentations and packaging and commercials. What is wrong with simple - black and white, say what you mean, mean what you say, and all that?

I could even go so far as to say the format for these conferences suffers in the same way. I really appreciate all the work people put into these things. I do. But I know the one I'm heading to this week is packed just FULL of stuff. A variety of speakers, entertainers, break-out sessions. And I am sure a lot of people will enjoy it. But as for me and my weary head... I almost feel overloaded before it's even started. I would prefer a single bullet to a shotgun blast. The more that's thrown at me, the likelier I am to duck and run. But... you know... that's just how I am.

I think life is complicated enough already. I wish someone would just pour me a cup of simplicity and let me sip at my own pace. But then I would probably find something to complain about that. Yep, not complicated; just difficult. Besides, I think I'm merely rambling to put off packing. So, never mind.

Now where did I leave my coffee cup......

The bible as a gem

I caught sight of this on Milton's blog. Good stuff from RB - I need to remember.

The true orthodox faith is deeply mysterious, and every question that's answered leads to a new set of questions. A lot of preaching tries to answer everything. At the end of the sermon, people walk out with no more questions. But if it's truly proclamation of truth rooted in God --

The rabbis believe that the text is like a gem: the more you turn it the more the light refracts. I heard a guy one time say, "Oh yeah, I got a sermon on that verse. I got it pretty much nailed." What? Are you out of your mind? You have that nailed? I just endlessly turn it.

I did a six-month series on John 3:16. I did a sermon on the word that. You have to ask questions. Some Christian traditions think a text has a meaning and if you apply the right method, then you can pull out the correct meaning. That's the ultimate in arrogance. If it's a living Word, then turn the gem.

- Rob Bell

(Via PreachingNow)

A new lease...

On life. Yesterday we took our little girl to Findlay, Ohio where she signed a lease on her first non-college apartment. It's one of those bittersweet, cool/hard things. In a couple weeks she begins working at Winebrenner Theological Seminary (my alma mater). So, we helped her find a place to live, set up a new bank account, stopped by the drivers license place, etc.

It's weird, because it was almost 11 years ago exactly that our whole family moved from Buda, IL to Findlay. Carrie did her entire middle school there (6-7-8), and almost 8 years ago exactly that we moved here to Fort Wayne. Hmm.

It will be different not having her around again, even though she's basically been gone for 4 years already. But she'll always be our little girl. Look out, Findlay, here she comes! :)

I guess this is what happens...

...when you play hardcore music. Son Isaac meets his guitar up close and personal at HMA's first show. I'm told it looks worse than it was and all is now well. I think a video is posted of their first gig, but I'm not sure if it was really a show or just an "open practice." Whatever. "Watch out for that long thing that sticks out the end of yer fiddle, boy." :)

Jason Ringenberg in whatzup

How cool is Whatzup magazine? Man, I purchased a single ad for the minimum price, and they not only did an outstanding job designing it (see it here, or on p. 20 of the July 12-25 issue), but they put Jason's name on the front page, and he was also one of the three "PICKS" for their Three Rivers Festival double issue on p. 24!!!

I couldn't figure out how to copy and paste the blurb under "Picks," but it has this pic of Jason with the chicken, and says:

Often cited as one of the primary influences on the Americana/Alt-country boom of the late 90's, Jason Ringenberg's work with Jason and the Scorchers in the 1980's was only the start of his career. Now an established solo artist with a healthy touring itinerary, Ringenberg has carved out a place for himself as a goofy, twangy roots rocker.

Born in Sheffield, Illinois and currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee, Ringenberg has in recent years been working with Steve Earle, Lambchop and The Wildhearts.

Be sure to check out Jason Ringenberg (as well as Fort Wayne's Sunny Taylor, who is set to open) on Friday, July 27 at the Fair View Pavilion in Yoder, Indiana for only $5.

That's just too cool. And downright nice of the folks at Whatzup. Much obliged.

Mission & vision

My church really falls short in the mission and vision department. I like the "finding direction by following Jesus" thing, but I don't really do anything with it. Today in my reading of Rick Rusaw's book "The Externally Focused Church" he mentioned Vineyard Comm. Church of Cincinnati's statements, and I thought they were innaresting. They are:

Our Mission

To love the people of Cincinnati into relationship with Jesus Christ and to give away to the world what God has given us.

Our Vision

Imagine a ragtag collection of surrendered and transformed people who love God and others. They are mesmerized by the idea that this is not about them, but all about Jesus. They are transfixed by His story and His heart for their city.

They are seedthrowers and firestarters, hope peddlers and grace-givers, risktakers and dreamers, young and old. They link arms with anyone who tells the story of Jesus. They empower the poor, strengthen the weak, embrace the outcast, seek the lost. They serve together, play together, worship together, live life together. Their city will change because God sent them.

They are us.

We believe that small things done with great love will change the world.

Yes terday

I'm just not sure what to say anymore. And probably shouldn't say a lot of what I want to. So let me tell you about my day yesterday. I got a haircut. I have always dreaded getting haircuts - all my life. It's like going to the doctor or dentist. I don't know why. It's not that I really even care what it looks like, but maybe something about being held captive under a cape in a funky chair for 30-45 minutes; having to pay attention; and wanting to go to sleep. Plus I have always wanted long hair. But yesterday I went to a new person, because I didn't feel like a counseling session with my usual hair-cutter; so I went where the rest of my family goes (and really likes). And it was actually interesting. She is this gorgeously beautiful woman, but she talked about the coolest things. I got a history lesson on Oxford, Mississippi; heard tales of concerts; and she has actually traveled to see Elvis Costello. So that was good. And my haircut turned out better than the last one (I think). She also seemed genuinely excited to come to our concert on 7/27.

After that Jane and I traveled around FW putting up fliers at anyplace we could think of - music stores, guitar shops, libraries, coffee houses, etc. That was pretty fun too - other than the people that were jerks about it. I went into this one store that sells musical supplies and the guy says, "Apparently you're not a customer here, or you would know we don't post fliers." I said, "Well, actually I HAVE been a customer here." And under my breath as I was leaving I muttered that I WON'T BE anymore. Too bad, because I had actually been thinking of going there to look for some used sound equipment. But their stuff is all crap anyway.

That's about the extent of it - other than meeting up with Tom for breakfast, doing some office work, visiting an old lady, chatting with the cleaning lady at church, walking the dog, shooting baskets, and... stuff.

Reading the bible

I think I went 7 or 8 years or so where I read through the Bible each year. Then I got a 2-year Bible - one of those that breaks it down for you with an OT, NT, Psalm and Proverb each day and it takes you 2 years to get through. Then I used a Daily Bible Reading Guide from the American Bible Society - which basically has about a chapter a day. They say it 'covers the basics.' Then... I thought, 'you know, this is really getting mundane; I just read because I have to, so I'm going to quit.' And I did. For the past many months I have hardly read the Bible at all other than to study for sermons or whatever. And I don't know that it was wrong of me to stop reading on a daily basis, because it had become a bit of a grind. But yesterday I started again. I NEED to read it every day. I believe God's word is "living and active"... but I don't know how alive and active it is if I'm not interacting with it. Yes, it is time. I will start back with the ABS Daily Bible Reading Guide, but either mid-year, or at least at the beginning of next year, I want to start reading through the Bible every year again, or every 2 years. It's a new day...

Ben Laatsch at fairview

We were graced with the music of Ben Laatsch this morning at our worship gathering. He made a late night trip home from Pittsburgh to be with us. I am glad he came. I only wish he would have played longer. And it would have been nice to have had a few more people there. We missed our low attendance for the year by 1 (59). I don't care how much people say attendance doesn't matter - it makes a difference to me. Anyway, if you ever get the chance to hear Ben play, you should do it. A few more pics can be found HERE.

Jason Ringenberg concert

This is the awesome ad that will appear in Whatzup - the top entertainment magazine in the Fort Wayne area. Fine work by Doug and his crew. Oh... and we'd love to see you there if you can make it! :)

Sunny Taylor cd release party

Tomorrow night (7-7-07) at 7:30 is the release party for Sunny's new cd: "Lock The Door and Leave." If you are in or near Fort Wayne, you might want to check it out. The "Queen of the FW music scene" as I like to think of her (even though she didn't like it too much when I mentioned this to her) will be playing with her band, and it should be GRAND.

The party is at C2G, which is an excellent facility. It is perhaps the nicest all-ages venue I have ever been in. Yes, it is a church; but you don't need to be a church-goer to attend concerts at c2g, and you won't recognize it as one when you are there. It's on Baker Street, next to the old train station, which is just 3 blocks straight south of the new library on Webster.

8 random things meme

I've been tagged by a couple of people now (Randy & Mike) so I need to try to think of 8 things that you all don't already know about me. Might not be possible, but here are 8 random things:

1. The middle and ring finger on my left hand hurt most of the time. I don't know if it's arthritis or what, but it sometimes makes playin' the guitar a bitch.
   
2. My dad was my high school principal.
3. My favorite time of day is early in the morning when it's kind of cool and the birds are singing.
4. I have always liked cats. Some of my favorites have been: Sox (the first one I remember), Jimmy Carter, Smokey, and a series of cats named Mama Kitty.
5. I can't decide if I would rather be a really good guitar player or bass player. I've lately been leaning towards bass, because a really good bass player can make up for a whole lotta mediocrity, and bass players usually just get to kinda "hang out" off to the side. But, really, I would settle for being "kind of" good at either one.
   
6. I eventually regret almost everything I say or do.
7. I take medicine for high blood pressure.
8. I play multiple games of yahtzee every single day.

I never know who to tag with these things so...... I tag EVERYBODY!

Congrats to Carrie!

My very favorite daughter in the world got herself a job today. I will save the details for when its all official and whatnot, but let's just say God has some pretty good timing (long story). Of course I've been telling her she needs to "get out there and look, because nobody's going to just call you up and offer you a job." Yep, dear old dad was wrong again. :) Anyway, I think she's pretty happy; which makes me and hop-a-long (that would be Jane) pretty happy. I wish it wasn't in another state, but... it's not too far away. And I think she'll be working with some pretty good people.

Sometimes it's not so bad.

The problem with my church

Yesterday our church had a rather impromptu gathering for the fourth of July. We cooked burgers on the grill, had everyone bring something, read the Declaration of Independence, and just hung out under the pavilion. It was a nice time – and we even had 9 people show up who don’t attend our church. Someone brought a relative, and also invited their neighbor – who is the guy whose wife recently passed away and we had her funeral – and he brought a couple of his kids and grandkids. The only problem was… there were as many of them as there were people from our church. Not counting me, Jane and Carrie we only had 9 people show up. Man….
(The problem was not that people who aren't a part of our church showed up - that is GREAT. The problem is that not many from our church were there).

I know I didn’t give much notice. And I said it was for people who didn’t have anything else to do. But… you know, that’s a problem we have: the people in my church just don’t like to get together with one another. Oh, we can TOLERATE each other… for an hour once a week. But there is no social interaction; no fellowship; no sense of community. And the truth is, it's not just "my" church that's guilty.

When I look at the Bible, especially the book of Acts, it seems to me community was the very essence of what being a follower of God/Christ was all about. It is what made the church the church. They met together daily, broke bread together in homes, praised God together, went out together, and on and on. God showed up in their midst.

What really frustrates me is that I feel like I have talked to our leaders over and over about our need to work on this sort of thing. Guess how many were there? Notta one. I know some people had very legitimate reasons for not being there. But that’s the problem… there always seem to be good reasons to avoid fellowship… discipleship… worship… ministry… and everything else that SHOULD be important to us. I’m not pointing fingers at anyone. I just don't know what to do anymore.

I think what it does is it castrates the church. I believe this, more than anything else, is what keeps the church from being the church. It hinders our effectiveness. It limits God’s work. It is a roadblock to the mission of Jesus. It gives the finger to the Holy Spirit. It gives in to things like self-centeredness, pride, jealousy, laziness, and a whole host of other "character flaws."

Well, I know the answer is Jesus. I'm just not sure how to fit it in. And maybe that's the real problem - we think it's all about trying to fit Jesus into our lives. I think what he wants is for us to surrender our lives to him - completely and wholly - and follow where he leads us.

What I see

Just thinking about stuff while I hold an ice cube on my lip after biting into it while eating my morning whole wheat bagel with whipped cream cheese since Tom didn't show up for our pastor's meeting which was fine since the Brew Ha was closed anyhow because apparently this is a holiday which the cleaning lady informed me of when I walked into the church building and she couldn't believe that I would work on the fourth of July so I came back home until she will be done.

Lemme tell you this... bagels don't taste as good with blood mixed in. I think I will survive though.

So... what got me started on this "seeing" post, you ask? The other day I was reading a blogger lamenting that his readership was way down. Yeah, sure Frank, he was only getting between 300-500 hits a day. Ha! That's like a millionaire complaining about getting low on funds. Anyway, it got me to thinking about you - my readers. I assume most people know that the term "in the privacy of your own home" is just a cliche when it comes to internet viewing, right? I mean, I can tell who looks at my blog, or at least where you're from; along with a whole host of other information. Granted, I try not to look too much - because - you know, it can lead to things like vanity, or frustration, or some other type of inner security issue. But just imagine what the pornographers can find out about people with their stat counters! You ain't alone even if you think you are.

Just in case you're wondering about my stats... there have only been a few times when I topped the 200 mark in a day. Very rare. Usually I average around 50-80 hits a day - which is interesting - because that's about the average Sunday attendance for my church too. What is FUNNY though, is that the week I wasn't blogging; when I hid everything for a few days; changed the title; stuff like that... I had more page loads when I WASN'T posting anything than I have now that I AM posting again! Weird. Maybe people would rather see me NOT post than read what I DO write (?).

I guess it is kind of sad when I lose a reader. Kind of like when somebody leaves church. You always wonder if it was something you said or did, or didn't say or do. But sometimes there's just not much you can do. People come and go.

And I don't know what's up with the lack of comments lately. Geez, what... has there only been 1 from someone other than meself since June? I know, I know... there's not much to comment on, is there? Yeah, and I suppose some of you might even be wondering if I've had a faith crisis or something, 'cause I don't seem to write too much about God and/or church anymore. It's possible. But I've kinda just been in a different frame of mind lately. Sometimes people freak out if preachers don't constantly talk about God and Jesus and sin. I freak out sometimes when I don't. But I really think it's okay. Only gypsies are made in a day sorta thing. It's a long haul... And, I suppose it's no coincidence that I've only preached 1 sermon since May. That might not mean much to you, but it has meant A LOT to me.

Hey, this has triggered a thought which has nothing to do with this. I gotta go do somethin else. Besides, my ice is melted. Happy fourth! Peace and all that.

Hiroshima, mon amour

So, me boy Isaac is in a new band. Not to be confused with the film, 'Hiroshima, mon amour,' is also the name of their band. They have 1 song posted on their myspace page.

I will say, hardcore is not a style of music I have listened to much. But I like this song compared to any of the hardcore bands I've ever seen. And I like the incorporation of the 'ambient' and 'experimental'.

Anyway, here it is. Isaac and Austin were here at the church yesterday, helping me move some stuff and we chatted in the sanctuary for a bit. I wish them well. They have some shows booked for later in the summer.

Should I stay or should I go

That would be The Clash. High School dayz.

Last night I went to open mic. I wasn't planning on staying though, but just wanted to ask Sunny Taylor a question regarding flyers. I also wanted to post the flyer about the Jason/Sunny show on c2g's bulletin board before her cd release party this Saturday. But... I ended up staying for the whole thing ('til 10). First person I saw when I walked in was Ben Laatsch. How cool is that? He's playing at our church this Sunday. I really didn't want to spend the night there, but I was so glad I got to hear him. He is so awesome. I can't believe he's not famous yet. I think it's only a matter of time. He certainly stole the show last night. Once he started everything just sort of stopped and focused on him. It was cool. And I love his grandpa's old Gibson acoustic.

It was also nice to hear Sunny play several songs. She is so good on stage, but I have to admit... I feel weird talking to her. I get this vibe like she doesn't really wanna talk to me, which makes me doubly uncomfortable. I dunno, I'm glad she's still planning to open for JR later this month. She is an incredible performer/singer/songwriter/guitarist. And she laughs a lot. :)

Miss-e-lany...
Jane made it to the Pavilion Ladies Bible Discussion Group this morning. Kind of a long name, but who gives a ship. Had an older lady start this up. She has endured limited attendance, and I was glad to see several new faces today. I REALLY need some people here who can endure, because I'm no good at it anymore.

It's hard trying to get across to people that I don't want them to be like me. In fact, what a church really needs are people that are NOT like the pastor to assume some responsibility. But I've pretty much given up on trying to get people to assume responsibility. All I do is make people feel bad. I'm just gonna 'do my thang'.

It's wearing me out getting ready for this show at the end of the month. Not that I'm not looking forward to it - I really am. And I think I really do like making the contacts and whatnot. Working with bands and musicians seems to be something that ignites me, but I hate doing the promo stuff. I wish I had someone I could consult, just someone to bounce ideas off of (besides Jane). But... you know... whatever.

My verse for the day from 'Living Water for the Soul' is Proverbs 14:30: "A relaxed attitude lengthens life; jealousy rots it away." The little blurb after it says, "If life hasn't treated us fairly, we may think we have a right to be jealous of others, especially those who have more than we think they deserve. But jealousy only robs us of our inner peace. Be good to yourself -- say no to jealousy and yes to contentment." Good advice. Trying.

Tommy Womack - there, I said it!

I just now finally listened to the newest release by the man himself - Tommy Womack. Lemme tell you somethin... this guy is nobody's hero. And there's a whole lot of us nobodies out here!

It's not like we really even know one another. I mean, I've been to his house; we've chatted a couple times; even hugged; an' he grew up in a preacher's house. So at least on my side there's this kindred spirit type thing. We're also the same age; and in his book and his songs he speaks things from MY heart and soul. Nobody gets any realer than TW. My kinda guy. You should buy his stuff (go to his myspace and give a listen - especially "Nice Day" and "Alpha Male & the Canine Mystery Blood"; and I wish "A Songwriter's Prayer" was posted).

Long live Tommy Womack. My hero.

Full Circle at fairview

Now this is what I call a good day. This morning we had the band Full Circle at church. We planned for them to play until around 10:30 - then I was going to do a mini-sermon, the offering, prayer, and stuff. But they ended up playing until more like 10:50... and I couldn't have been happier. Not only can I save my sermon for next week, but it was just a really good time too. There weren't a lot of people there, but the ones that were really seemed to enjoy it.

As you can see in the pic, Full Circle is a 6-piece band. The guy on the left (Dave) plays all kinds of stuff: saxophones, flute, hand drums, and a host of percussion add-ons - including a gong. That really adds to the sound of John's steady drumming, Mark's solid bass, Jack's subtle guitar, and the other Dave's double keyboards. And no offense to these guys, but perhaps the best instrument is Jenny's voice. A blue-jean girl who floats like an angel and sings like a gentle breeze. Man, if I were 20 years younger and not married... uhhh, never mind. :)

Anyway, even though there wasn't a real sermon, I did share briefly from Habakkuk 3:17-19. One of my favorite texts; Jane was able to hobble over; a nice relaxing time; EVERYBODY seemed to enjoy it... and yes, the Spirit was definitely in the house. Amen and amen. Looking forward to Ben Laatsch next Sunday.