Barna on skepticism and frustration w/ christianity

Storing this article by Barna for later comment: A New Generation Expresses It's Skepticism and Frustration With Christianity.

Land of giants

Jane and I made a brief trip back to the homeland yesterday. It didn't take long to notice a second wind farm has been erected where we're from in north central Illinois. I believe there are about 70 of these windmills (or turbines) stretching across the countryside there. They stand 230 feet tall, and a single blade is a third of the length of a football field. If you click on the bottom pic you can see a pickup truck parked under the turbine in the foreground. These things are huge, and it just looks weird to see them marching out along the horizon. Makes me feel like Don Quixote. Jane thinks they're creepy. But they supply power for over 40,000 homes.

Music at the mercy house

Last night we went to Anderson, IN for a show at the Mercy House (Isaac's church). Three pretty good bands - all playing different styles of music.

First was the Joel Levi band. They sounded really good - with Joel on guitar, backed by Graham on bass, a wild-haired Henry on drums, a sweet-voiced beauty on keys and backup vocals, someone on clarinet, and a very cool sounding cello. I really like Joel and his musical style is probably more what I'm accustomed to. He has an ability to connect with the audience that is hard for many to learn. He also made Jane and I cry.

Next was Dignan, a cool band from Texas. They used a bunch of different instruments - like violin, accordian, trumpet, but were still heavily bass and guitar. Very nice sound. I bought their cd and let them keep the change for gas money. They had a stage full of people dancing with them at the end. That was cool. These guys (and girl) seemed super nice, and HMA is actually playing shows with them in Indy Friday and Cincinnati Saturday. They met at the Cornerstone Music Festival this summer.

Dignan may have been the headliner, but Hiroshima, Mon Amour closed out the night with an awesome set. They sounded better than in Bluffton, and several people said this was the best they've sounded. They even survived Isaac blowing a cable - and kudos to the Dignan guy for jumping onstage to loan him one of his. I will admit, I don't *get* the scream thing.... but obviously a lot of people do, and I think they do it well. It is definitely better (to me) with their *ambient* sound than just straight hardcore.

The pic at right is of HMA setting up (Isaac is on the right with the hat, tie, and vest; Joel is on left, Graham in the middle, Aaron is obscured by the drum set, and Austin - the singer - is missing). The pics I took on my phone didn't turn out too well when the lights were out (like the one of HMA at the top), so it's hard to tell, but there was a really good crowd (I thought). All in all, a very nice night musically, but a bit sad in that it will be the last time we'll see Isaac, Graham and Aaron play together for awhile at least, and it was the last time we'll see Joan before she leaves today to move to D.C. These three guys have been playing together since 7th grade. Something to be said for that.

The future is our friend...

I have been having major problems getting into the sermon today, so I finally just decided to finish reading Warren Wiersbe's "On Being A Servant of God." As I stated in an earlier post, this is a great little book for church leaders or those who want to be. Each of the 30 chapters is only about 3 pages long. It's simple, easy-to-read, and practical.

In the last chapter Warren talks about the future. He says:

During my lifetime, the church has been warned about the disastrous effects on society by movies, radio, automobiles, communism, alcohol, television, "the pill," the population explosion, nuclear weapons, liberalism (theological and political), conservatism (theological and political), electing a Roman Catholic president, the cold war, pollution, ecological time bombs, abortion, sex education, ERA, the national debt, and several other threats that fell through the cracks somewhere along the line. Just about the time we thought we could breathe freely again, somebody told us to reach for our wallets and prepare for another peril.

And yet, here we are!

Isn't that the truth. He also says, "One thing about change hasn't changed: it still fascinates some people, frightens others, and provides a good living for a prophetic minority."

He goes on... "I can't do much about changing the world... But I can do something about bringing God's presence into the world in which He has put me, and that's what ministry is all about."

Hmm. Yeah. That's what I want. And he told the perfect story next. He says...

Years ago I read a fable about an ant who asked a centipede, "How do you know which leg to move next?" The centipede pondered the question and replied, "I guess I've never thought about it." But the more he thought about the question, the more perplexed he became until finally he was so confused he couldn't walk at all.

We can get so wrapped up in pondering the perplexities of the future ("Which leg shall I move first?") that we fail to seize the opportunities of the present and do the work that's needed right now...

This is why I hate watching the news. It seems all they're out to do is paint the absolute bleakest picture, hoping to stir the biggest controversy or create the massest hysteria - all so their ratings will go up.

I kinda feel that way about books on ministry anymore too. And that was partly why I enjoyed this one so much. I am tired of everyone talking about how terrible the church is; what's wrong with the church; so on and so forth... And it's not that it might not be true, but what the heck are we gonna do? Deconstruction can only take you so far. I think some people are addicted to it to the point that they're like the centipede; or they like to tear down, but don't know how to build up. Unfortunately, I have been too much like that myself. It's time for a change.

On the very last page Warren says, "I'm encouraged about the future because God is in it and Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church. The future is our friend when Jesus is our Lord."

Amen and amen. Thanks Warren.

I'm not, but...

I don't have any plans to give up caffeine, but I thought this pic was HILARIOUS! MR is giving it up (and that's where I got the pic). He says it's helped his stomach, helped him sleep better, and made life all-around pretty good.

I actually should give up coffee. I have cut back, and I hardly drink pop anymore. I could do better though. I just read this morning that to increase your metabolism you should eat something every four hours. Otherwise your body thinks you're starving and it starts to store fat. Of course, you need to be careful WHAT you eat every four hours. Processed foods are of the devil (chips, cookies, canned foods). Natural stuff is best. I try to snack on fruit or a veggie between meals.

So... aren't you glad you know that? :) Time to bug out.

Night with a lover

That's probably a strange title about a night out to c2g in Fort Wayne. It had been awhile since we'd been there. Man... and every time I go I end up drooling over their set-up and all the lights and equipment and stuff that they have. But anyway...

Last night we went to see Dave Frincke in concert. I believe he is the worship leader at c2g. This pic is the cover of his latest cd. We've seen/heard him play a time or three at open mic nights, but never a concert. I always liked what he had to *say* as much as his singing, so I wanted to go - because God knows I needed to hear some positive thoughts from a Christian perspective. And Dave delivered big time.

Here is a guy who sang and talked almost exclusively for over an hour about nothing but the wonder and greatness of God, and his love for Jesus. Sometimes people like that can really rub me the wrong way - you know, wanna make you puke. But Dave is such a humble guy, and he has this infectious smile that just sort of sucks you in. He's also a whale of a musician/songwriter. It was just so very refreshing to spend an evening with someone so in love with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, his family, his church, people in general, and life itself. He even gushed about his dog and cat (with pictures, of course).

Some of my thoughts while listening:
- The visuals playing on the screen add so much to a performance (when done right).
- I wish I could forget all the "business stuff" I have to deal with, and just concentrate on Christ.
- I wish I had a worship leader like Dave. Someone who had no agenda, no bone to pick with anyone, but just loved God and wanted to help others fall in love with him too.
- I'd like to get Dave to come and do a concert at our church sometime (just can't stop thinking business).
- There was other stuff, but... you know, gotta watch what you say.

All in all, a nice night. Thanks Dave, for pointing me toward the One you're in love with.

What's in your name?

An anagram is a word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase. For example, Elvis to Lives. Brother Maynard pointed me to this cool place on the 'net that will do it for you.

Did you know that my name can be arranged to spell:

hardened owl
a held wonder
a held downer
head nerd owl

Plus a whole lot more.

Check out THIS SITE and see how the letters in your name (or anything) can be rearranged.

A trip to the art museum

Yesterday the lovely lady and I strolled through the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. We have talked about it since we've lived here. Finally decided we better go. It was pretty darn nice.

My favorite piece was by Jack Earl (I think). I took a pic of it with my phone, but the art police must have confiscated the transmission, 'cause it never made it to my computer. I'm still trying to find a pic of it online.

The thing I noticed while looking at art..... You could either look at it like, "Yup, that's art," and kinda just rush through. You could also stand there all day and try to take in every last detail of each and every thing (well, the good one's anyway), and analyze and over-analyze until you drove yourself crazy. But there's this fine line that exists where you look at something long enough to see that it's more than just clay, or more than just a painting, or more than just the obvious center... but you don't look so long as to become obsessed.

I think the real beauty of art is learning to see those things which aren't obvious. That's what I liked about the Earl piece (I can't remember the name of it - it was a long name). It's like, the more you look at it, the more you see. Kind of like it's growing.

So... how much is that like life? I mean, who is a better artist than God? And how tempting is it to want to rush through life just because we think there are "things to do;" or we obsess about every little thing and we fail to see the rest of this great big beautiful Creation.

It was a good day. It was $5 to get in. We were there maybe 2 hours. I think the first Sunday of every month it's free, but... you know, then you'll just feel guilty and have to make a donation, so..... :)

See what Dylan has to say

ht - emerging grace & brother maynard

I am sorry

You know... when I started this blog, I thought it was pretty much just like a journal. I wrote down the thoughts that were runnin' through my mind, and never really thought that anyone would read them. I knew it was dangerous, but... it happens. I still write from very much the same angle.

A problem with that is... on the one hand, there are some people that I just don't think should read blogs like mine. These people tend to take things at face value, they take things very literally, they don't understand that just because someone thinks something, and may even blog about it, doesn't mean it is real or will ever be a reality (like me playing bass in a punk rock band. I would never REALLY do that).

On the other hand though... I can be a reckless blogger too. I try to not be offensive, but... sometimes I am. Oh, there are times when I've been a bit harsh with people, and I meant it. But there have probably been way too many times when I inadvertently offended someone, and I feel terrible about those times. To you, I apologize for not being mindful of you; for thinking too much of myself and not enough of others.

I could be wrong, but I am wondering if I recently offended someone. If it's who I'm thinking... believe me, I had no intention to do so. However, I can still remember when the hippie teacher of my Senior Lit. class assigned me to read "Don Quixote." It wasn't her fault, and even if it's not mine, it is my responsibility (if you know the formula, you can do the math).

I just feel really bad for a lot of people and I don't really know what to do or say.

Rich Mullins: self-forgetting

This morning I jumped over to Tammie's blog and she had THIS POST about Rich Mullins. It stopped me in my tracks. Man... Rich Mullins. He has probably had as much to do with my formation as a Christ-follower as anyone. I loved his music, enjoyed his concerts, was mesmerized by his mini-sermons, and his writings made so clear thoughts I was unable to put together myself. And... I had forgotten him. Which is made even worse by the fact that we'll be singing one of his songs at our worship gathering this Sunday. 'An Arrow Pointing to Heaven' was a truly incredible book. I need to read it again. Anyway, I can't do justice here, but I am really glad Tammie reminded me of Rich. Here is a quote she had on her blog by him:

Christianity isn’t about being self-sacrificing - it’s about being self-forgetting. Forget yourself once in a while, and open your eyes. Focus on this big, beautiful world God has made. If you walk to school, learn to identify every plant that you pass on the way. At night, learn to identify every constellation in the sky. Get to know birds by their feathers , flight patterns and songs.

It’s a big world - and it reflects the character of God.

People who become self-centered lose contact with the outside world. They spend all their time and energy worrying about bad grades, or unfriendly friends, or mean parents. Forget about those things once in a while, and allow yourself to become involved in the lives of people who have equally bad situations. Open up and let other people matter to you.

When we take a bigger view of things, God will give us more grace and love for others. We’ll find ourselves responding to the needs and to the goodness; we’ll find ourselves angered by injustice to others.

And we’ll have a bigger appreciation of even small things, like the smell of a wet dog on a mucky day. Let go of yourself - and God will show you a whole new world.

(from Campus Life, June 1991)

Michael Frost clip - missional living

Hmm. I just watched this great clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YaXbkD1sgs) of Michael Frost talking about missional living. I don't know where it was shot or anything, but it's really good - especially if you're a church leader or if you give a hoot about such things. It's like 49 minutes long. There were some great stories I want to recall later. Two quotes I wrote down:

One by a businessman who was speaking to Michael who said, "You've got a bloody good product, but your delivery system is screwed."

The other was Michael saying, "If we all could learn to be like this man (Jesus), this world would be perfect."

Why do I pray?

I just counted my prayer list: 184 names. The list hangs on the wall in front of my desk so I am sure to see it everyday. Please understand that I am not bragging by any means. I’m just saying… I have a list of 184 names that I go through every day (with a few *items* as well). Most of them are the people who call me pastor (and our church theirs). Some are friends in ministry elsewhere. Some are just friends. Some are people I don’t really even know, but for some reason feel compelled to lift their name before Almighty God.

I try to pray for these people every day. Honestly though, some days I forget; some I just don’t feel like it; and on more days than I care to mention, sometimes I just look at the list of names. Blank.

Today – Today I was going through the list and…. I began to wonder why I was even doing it. Does it make any difference? I mean, does God really care that I pray for these people? Does He even know I’m doing it, or acknowledge that I’m doing it? Would it make any difference if I stopped?

Maybe I don’t even do it for God’s sake, or for their sake. What if I’m just doing it for myself? You know, to legitimize my existence; my paycheck. It often amazes people that I can remember their name. It’s not because I necessarily have a good memory, but if you look at someone’s name each day, and visualize their face, and think about their life, and ask God to bless them… it’s really not that hard. I kind of feel like I am getting to know them.

But I often hear I need to get out more. I need to get together with people and play basketball, or to *do lunch*, or chat over coffee. You know – socialize and develop relationships. To be perfectly honest – that scares the hell out of me. I’m just not good in one-on-one situations. So maybe I’m really just hiding and trying to justify it as “my contribution.” Some people have even called me lazy, and maybe they’re right.

Perhaps… I know… perhaps this is what God has *called* me to. Maybe it does make a difference. And maybe the biggest difference it makes IS in my life. And maybe that’s of use somehow in the grand scheme. And maybe the devil is just trying to plant this seed in my head. But today…. Today it feels like I am losing.

And… please… understand that I am not asking for any answers. I am merely thinking out loud. The last thing I want is for someone to try to cheer me up. It’s not about that at all. It’s just that…. maybe it’s just that it’s late September. I don’t know. The days are supposed to be getting shorter, but they sure do seem long.

I’m just wondering. Wandering maybe.

He's on the grass, and I can't sleep

I woke up at 4 am on the dot this morning. My right arm was asleep, I was hot, and I was WIDE awake. Not sure why. Then I started to hear these strange noises. I lay there for awhile and as I listened closer... I finally realized it was Bogey's stomach. The poor guy was laying down by the foot of the bed; I put my glasses on and looked at him, and he lifted his head and looked back at me like, "I don't feel so good." So I prayed for Bogey... prayed about some other things... my ear was kinda bothering me... then MY stomach started growling... and I finally just got up at 4:27 am.

I checked the computer, read through some emails about the Scorchers tour through Europe, and Ginger (from the wildhearts), Mikey's Funnies, then got on the blog. I actually had some comments left during the night. And I was visited by about 7 different countries. Then, sure enough, here comes the short little dog waddling towards the back door. Yep, he wanted out. And guess what he immediately does? He heads for the grass - and starts nibbling.

I thought I remembered there was a reason dogs ate grass, so I googled "Why do dogs eat grass" and found a ton of sites like THIS ONE. There are a variety of reasons they eat it, but one is definitely for stomach problems. It makes them throw up. Isn't that weird that they instinctively know to do that? When we run to the medicine cabinet, they run out and chew some green. Apparently though, some dogs actually like to eat vegetables too (to help with digestion, and just because they like it). Hmm... never thought about offering him some broccoli.

Well, after a couple of trips outside, it appears the grumbling tummy must be getting a little better. I suppose it's too late to try to go back to sleep. This day may require a nap.

And another one...

I just got off the phone with a guy who pastors a church down the road from me. It is the nearest church in proximity to ours (3 mi.), and also in the same denomination as ours. In fact, until the 1960's our two churches shared the same pastor. Anywayyyyyy, this guy called to tell me he resigned yesterday. He's going to a church on the other side of Fort Wayne. At least he owns his own home, so he doesn't have to move as well. He asked if I wanted to take both churches. I laughed. Ha!

And it is so weird.... The former lead singer of the Christian rock band Petra is the worship leader at his new church. I kid you not, I was actually just thinking about this guy the other day. We had seen him in concert some years ago. I was trying to think of performers to line up for next summer and remembered that Petra had come from FW. So I wondered. I just thought that was really weird.

When I moved here there were 5 of us pastors that met together weekly to read Scripture and pray. We soon became fairly good friends, and I enjoyed our time together. Which is odd because I was the last to join the group. I resisted for awhile because, you know, I just didn't really want to hang around with a bunch of pastors. But I finally caved, and now... there are only two of us left from that original group. The new people that have replaced these other pastors (2 of the churches have had several) just haven't seemed too interested in hanging out with us.

So... it will be interesting to see who will be the last one standing. Maybe we should make it a contest. :)

They're not leaving, they're GOing

It seems a lot of people have been leaving our lives lately. I still struggle with the loss of a friend and confidant to cancer a few years ago. Certainly the passing of Jane's mom this year is still very fresh in our minds. We have had our share of departures from our church over the last 8+ years. There are always those who come and go - mere visitors. Some people have left our church and it was actually better for everyone concerned. We've also lost a few good friends and not-so-good friends in some rather messy break-ups. It's difficult when you've prayed for someone on a regular basis though.... to just watch them leave.

But today I'm thinking of some "blessed departures." People who haven't so much *left* our church (and lives), but have *gone out*. They've moved on. They didn't die, and they didn't leave because of displeasure or under bad conditions. We were blessed to have them, and now they are blessing others.

The core of our church band moved on last summer: Isaac, Graham and Aaron. They went off to college. I loved spending time with them, and I miss being around them. The three of them are still spreading a positive message/vibe with their hardcore band (Hiroshima, Mon Amour). It was pure joy not only to listen to their music, and be led in worship by them, but just being around them made my world better. It has been a blessing to see these guys grow and mature, and to know that they are now spreading the blessing beyond.

Not only was Isaac a band member, but he is also my son. No one brought more people into our church community than him during his time here. More than that though, I miss him as a friend. I never really considered just how good of friends we were until he was gone. But he is probably who kept me 'up-to-speed' more than anyone else - through the books we read together, the theological conversations he challenged me with, and even just talking about random things like music and sports. He made me a better person and a better pastor. Now he is a sophomore at Anderson University. He and Graham room together; they both did an internship at their church this summer; both are involved in peace "stuff"; both helped start a homeless ministry in Indianapolis; and Isaac is involved at the youth prison in Anderson. The ways he blesses people goes far beyond his ability to see it. I am humbled by him and know that he will bless people far and wide.

My daughter, Carrie, is another one who just recently *went* from us. While attending Huntington University she drove back and handled our computer/tech stuff on Sundays, and probably didn't miss a handful during her four years there. I don't think she ever really understood the positive impact she had on our church community and on me personally. She was certainly my most welcome and respected source of feedback - on my sermons, the worship gatherings, church in general, and society at large. She is a bundle of energy who *happens* wherever she is, and she's the only person I know who runs across a friend or acquaintance everywhere she goes. She just has that something about her. She is now on staff at Winebrenner Theological Seminary in Findlay, Oh., and they are blessed because of it - let alone the number of people who will be by passing through there.

We are just getting ready to see another valuable part of our family *go* too. Joan (who is an occasional commenter here, and is listed on my sidebar) is moving to Washington D.C. to work for Sojourners. She has become a dear friend to Jane and I, and someone we have bounced many ideas off of and who's advice and council we cherish. It doesn't hurt that her two children are the same age as our two children (Graham, the younger; Alex, the elder). Joan is one who doesn't ever say much, but her mere presence at any type of gathering adds substance to it. She has been one of our top contributors financially, as well as providing emotional support and wisdom. I hate to see her go, but it is such a huge opportunity to have someone be able to work for an organization like Sojourners. We have been blessed and they will be too.

There have likely been others, but these are the people I am thinking of today. I love them all dearly, miss them immensely, but it is such an honor and privilege to have been blessed by them, and to now see them *going* and blessing others. So... this post is meant for no one but me - to remind myself that they are not leaving... they are going. I'm not sure how many more of these departures I can take right now though - blessed or not. But may He who can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine be with us all, now and forever. Amen.

Hiroshima, Mon Amour (the band)

It was great to see son, Isaac, and daughter, Carrie tonight. I actually think I have video from my camera. If I'd have known this was going to work I would have recorded more. That's Isaac in the brown shirt playing guitar on the other side. There was a pretty good crowd (I'd estimate 100+). They were fairly tame during HMA's set, but it got pretty wild when Saints Never Surrender played. I am definitely not used to this sorta thing. It reminded me of playing human bumper cars on the playground in grade school - only worse. The only blood I saw was on Isaac's finger though (cut on a string).

LATER: I just realized the video doesn't show up on all computers. Sorry 'bout that.

Responsibility

What does it mean to take responsibility?

This morning I was washing off the vinyl siding with Krud Kutter, and I recalled a conversation Jane and I had awhile back. I was reminded of it because cleaning the siding was something I didn't have to worry about when I first moved here. There was a gentleman in our church that took it upon himself to see to it that things like that got done. He was always on the lookout for things that needed fixing, trimming, replacing, or dealt with. And either he took care of it, or he found someone who could take care of it. It was nice having him around.

A problem that we seem to have now is... I have people who accuse me of trying to do everything myself. In fact, someone has even suggested that I do everything myself just to have an excuse to bitch about people not doing anything. I don't think that's true, because at the same time I feel like all I do is emphasize over and over the need for people to "take more responsibility themselves." What I usually hear is, "Well, if you would tell us what to do we would do it." Which I'm sure they would in most cases.

The problem though (I think) is that we have two different ideas of what it means to "take responsibility." To some people it means completing a list of tasks that someone has given them. They are responsible when they've done everything they were told. But to others, taking responsibility is coming up with the list of tasks without having to be told. That's what the gentleman I referred to earlier was so good at - he didn't need anyone to *tell* him what to do; he was always busy *seeing* what needed done. And this is what I generally mean when I say "taking responsibility." What likely frustrates others is that they think they ARE being responsible, because they do whatever it is they are asked to do. The problem is we're operating with differing opinions of what it means. I don't know that one is right and one is wrong - they're just different.

It has certainly helped me to come to this realization. It doesn't really help my frustration though. See, what I struggle with is, people are always asking me what they can do. And I just don't know. I barely know what I'm supposed to be doing most of the time. What I would like is for people to begin using their heads as much as their hands - so they don't always need to *ask* what needs done, but they can see for themselves.

One thing that might also contribute to this problem is that a lot of people see me as the "boss" in the church, and they are the underlings. So whenever anyone does anything, they believe they're doing it for me. And that when I ask for help, it's because I can't do "my" job myself. But the way I see it... there are all kinds of jobs in the church, and being pastor is just one of them. So when I say there are things that need done, I'm not necessarily saying "I" need help doing "my" job; but, in fact, I'm really saying others maybe need to step forward and do "their" job.

But... maybe I have it all wrong and I'm just trying to shirk my responsibilities as a pastor.

ADDED LATER: Of course I'm not talking about everyone in my church, or in any church for that matter. I'm just saying - there are *some*, and I, personally, wish I had some more people willing to help *make up the list* rather than just *do the list.*

I'm okay with small (being a small-church pastor)

So... I've been sitting in the sanctuary of our church building. You know... the acoustics are terrible; the seating arrangement is nothing short of stupid; it's old and falling apart - the windows are crooked, the walls sag, the floor has a huge bow in the middle..... But it is a special place.

The other day I wrote a post about thinking too small. I deleted it. I am really glad for "big" thinkers, but you would think I would learn my lesson someday about thinking "I" need to be a big thinker too. Because I'm not... and that's okay. Yes, we need those people who can make world-effecting decisions, those people who can speak for the masses, those who have no problem living in the fast lane. But I've never been one of them, and I hope I never am. Not because there's anything wrong with them, but there's nothing wrong with small either.

While sitting upstairs I recalled the story of the little boy and the starfish. A person was walking the beach one morning and noticed a boy bending down, picking something up, and throwing it into the ocean as far as he could. Over and over he did it. As the observer came closer he saw thousands of starfish the tide had brought onto the beach. The tide had receded and they would eventually die, so the boy was throwing them back into the water - one at a time. The man finally says, "Son, there must be thousands of starfish. You'll never be able to get to all of them. You can't possibly make a difference." The boy smiled and continued to pick up another starfish and toss it into the water. "It made a difference for that one," he replied.

I know it's an old story, and there are several different versions of it. But the truth remains the same. Some people are able to make a difference on a large scale. But there are always those who fall through the cracks, those no one sees or notices. As a pastor/church leader, it's tempting to want a large congregation, to be well-known and liked, maybe write a bestseller or three. I doubt that too many people want to go to a little country church and invest their life in prayer and the study of God's Word for the sake of a few though. But this is my beach. Perhaps I'm not a big thinker, but a simple starfish slinger.

I may never make a difference on a large scale, but may I never give in to ideas of grandeur. Lord, give me strength to resist the temptation of being anyone other than who I am and who You want me to be.

Advice to young leaders

Warren Wiersbe has some good advice for "young friends serving the Lord" on p. 87 of "On Being A Servant of God." Seems like pretty good advice for just about everyone.

1. Never take down a fence until you know why it was put up.
2. If you get too far ahead of the army, your soldiers may mistake you for the enemy.
3. Don't complain about the bottom rungs of the ladder; they helped to get you higher.
4. If you want to enjoy the rainbow, be prepared to endure the storm.

Running is...

So I've started running on a somewhat regular basis again. It just didn't work out too well this summer - especially not like when I used to put in 3-4 miles everyday before work. I'm strictly on the treadmill now, and usually try to do 250-350 calories a day, maybe 4-5 days a week. That usually translates to just over 3 miles at a time. I've had to start out walking and work into a jog. Used to be I could do 3 miles in half an hour by averaging 6 mph. I can't quite go that fast yet. I gradually work up to 4.6 mph - and start jogging at 4. Five to ten minutes of walking, 30-40 minutes of jogging, and a walk to cool down. Hopefully the jogging can increase.

But... I have developed a sore knee. My right one. I've had sore knees before - when I played football and ran track, the muscles above my knees used to bother me a lot. But now it is on the outside, and it's not muscle. So I don't know what's up with that. It doesn't bother it to run, but more when I'm not running.

This getting old is for the birds. I wonder if it's similar to the pain in my fingers. Could it be arthritis? Geez, I hope not. Maybe I should start taking Bogie's medicine. That's it - give me the stuff for the dog. Arf.

At any rate, I feel much better when I can run. Physically and emotionally. I'm not depressed near as much as normal. Maybe it's the physical activity, or maybe it's just the fact that this is one thing I can actually ACCOMPLISH. As long as my knee holds out. Then it will be back to nothing but Yahtzee.

peace in; peace out.

Hiroshima, Mon Amour - live friday night

Yep, we are going to see our favorite band in all the world this Friday. We have yet to see them live, but they are finally swinging close to town for a show. You can hear their music on their myspace page. How can they be my favorite band when I've never seen them, you ask? Well, my son doesn't play guitar for just any ol' band. Can't wait!

Make me an angel

For some reason I have had the John Prine song "Angel From Montgomery" stuck in my head for several months now. I have the cd, and this summer I've heard Sunny Taylor sing it, and Jason Ringenberg did it for the sound check at our place. Here is the chorus:

Make me an angel that flies from Montgomery.
Make me a poster of an old rodeo.
Just give me one thing that I can hold on to.
To believe in this living is just a hard way to go.

You can see/hear John sing it HERE; and on this clip he tells how he wrote the song about a 47-year-old woman whose husband doesn't talk to her much, he just goes off to work every morning, comes home, eats supper, watches a little tv, and goes to bed. Towards the end John asks, "How the hell can a person go to work in the mornin' and come home in the evenin' and have nothin' to say?" Hmm.

During my devotions this morning Warren Wiersbe used this Thomas Merton quote for the second time in this book: "To consider persons and events and situations only in the light of their effect upon myself is to live on the doorstep of hell."

Wow. Read that again. Today he was using it in the context of older people who feel they have outlived their usefulness (particularly in the church). He says, "...don't resign from serving the Lord. And please don't go underground, mobilize the old-timers, and create problems for your pastor by opposing everything new..." I would certainly agree with that, but it's not just old-timers who need this quote. "I" need this quote. Too many people think the world revolves around them, or, worse yet, they feel no responsibility to contribute to anyone or anything other than what effects them.

I wonder what would happen if we all began to see the world a little more as something to contribute to, rather than as owing us something? If we looked more for what we could offer others than what they could do for us? If we realized that we don't live in a vacuum, and if we didn't insulate and isolate ourselves from others - especially even those who are different from us - but reached out and tried to understand and shared and said hello and laughed and whatnot??? Imagine that.

As Jesus said, "For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others..." (Mark 10:45).

Make me an angel, Lord. I don't want to live on the doorstep of hell... but in the center of Your will. And I don't know where Montgomery is, but I desire for Your kingdom to come, Your will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen. And, God, bless John Prine.

Baptismal service

We baptized 3 people today. It rained all night and all morning, but stopped about the time church started. It hasn't rained since then. We got the car a little muddy driving to the pond, but had no problems, and we actually even picked up a few people along the way who joined us at the church for lunch. I think we had 84 at our worship gathering, and 55 for lunch. Here are some pics.

Shorts & t-shirt day

We are supposed to have a baptismal service this morning... after our worship gathering... we are to drive a mile down the road to a pond... baptize some people... and celebrate with a cookout. But it rained all day yesterday, all night, and it's still raining. Hmm.

Today is also "shorts & t-shirt day" at church. I don't care if we can't have the baptismal service - I am STILL wearing my shorts!! I was once told I was out of line because I wore shorts to church - at our old church. I have always wondered how much that had to do with me becoming a pastor. I believe you oughta be able to wear whatever the heck you wanna wear. I think our attempts to impress God kinda miss the mark sometimes. Like... it's okay to not give a crap about the poor, the hurting, and whatnot... as long as you LOOK good.

Anyway, we had "shorts & t-shirt day" because I know there are some folks who were seriously considering baptism, but they were afraid to commit. So I thought if everybody came prepared to get wet, maybe they could still decide at the last minute to go ahead and let me dunk 'em. Yeah, we baptize by full immersion. You go down into the water - putting to rest your old way of life; you come up out of the water - rising a new person in Christ. It's symbolic, I suppose, but the very nature of symbolism carries with it much power - I believe anyway. If it's representing something, then something is happening, right?

Well, I dunno if we'll get to baptize or not. There was a day when I would be freaking out right now. I don't know if it's necessarily a good thing that I'm not - perhaps I've learned to not care as much, I dunno. But... we'll just play it by ear. 11:30 is a long time away. If we can't get to the pond, we'll probably just have the potluck at the church. In our shorts and t-shirts. Maybe it should be shorts & t-shirt day every day. I guess it is for some people in our church - just not me. Not yet.

I hate it when this happens

Mannnnnnnnnnnnn. Yesterday I sent out a birthday card that wasn't supposed to be sent until NEXT Friday. Then, just now, I was finishing up the Fish Fry mailings... I had one left to put in the envelope (I think there are 36), and I realized I have the date wrong in TWO DIFFERENT PLACES!!! Crap!

Half of them already had stamps on, so fortunately those self-stick envelopes will come open without ripping. But they look all wrinkled and I had to put a piece of tape on them to reseal. I hate it when things look like that. The other half didn't have stamps yet, so I am fixing to just redo the envelopes.

Dernit.

Popular baby names

This is a kind of cool site maintained by the Office of the Chief Actuary of the U.S. Social Security Administration. Go HERE and find the most popular names given to babies in the U.S. as actually registered with the SSA. You can also go back to any year (as far back as 1880) and see what the popular names were that year. In 1880, the top names were John and Mary -- neither of which made the Top 10 for the most recently ended year, 2006. You can also enter a name and see how popular it has been over time. My name (Daniel) was the 6th most popular name for males last year; but was only 17th in the year I was born (1962). How 'bout you?

ht: thisistrue.com

I like Rick

I don't know or know much about Marko, but I appreciated this post from him today "Why I Choose To Think Highly of Rick Warren." I haven't really been keeping up on RW much lately, but he probably had as much influence over me during my seminary years and the first few years of being a pastor as anyone else did. I read his books, listened to his tapes, and appreciated all the tools he made available for people like me. Then, when the emerging church stuff started coming on strong, it seemed the popular thing to do was complain about and criticize everything he did. I don't think I ever jumped on that bandwagon... but I did kind of back away. I know not everyone agrees with him, and not everyone is going to connect with people in the same way, but I actually liked the Purpose Driven stuff. Not that's it's the "bible," but it made sense to me. So, just for the record... I like Rick Warren and appreciate all he's done for me and for the kingdom. I think I like Marko too - and appreciate his heart in posts like the one linked to.

Wedding / honeymoon advice

I have heard of more and more people lately who want elaborate weddings and then plan to leave on their honeymoon in the wee hours of the morning. I don't know if I am just getting old fashioned or not, but if I had any advice to offer it would be: keep it SIMPLE, and take it SLOW. Based on a few years of officiating and attending weddings, here is some advice.

SIMPLE
You can have a beautiful, elegant wedding without 20 people in your wedding party and 6 ring-bearers and flower girls and all the kings horses and all the kings men. In fact, unless your heart is set on it - forget the little people. A wedding should be about the bride and groom. More times than not ring-bearers and flowers girls only detract from them - whether it is time spent coaxing cuteness or dealing with a blunder. Let the show be about the stars.

Limiting the number of attendants is another way of avoiding potential problems. Let's face it, for most people you either have a hard time finding that many good friends, or you're going to end up hurting someone's feelings anyway. I would suggest never having more than six... and four or five is completely sufficient. But there would also be nothing wrong with just a best man and maid of honor.

I personally think less decoration is better too. Sure, have some candles and a few flowers, but what we really want to see are those glowing faces. Everything else should accent, not overpower.

As for the honeymoon... well, maybe I am out of touch. But does your first vacation experience need to be to the ultimate destination? I mean, what is a honeymoon for? And if you don't know, then we have other issues. Just find a "nice" place to go where you can enjoy one another's company. And a place that you can A.F.F.O.R.D! Don't bankrupt yourself from the get-go. Your marriage isn't made by the expense of your wedding/honeymoon, but it can sure be ruined by it. Leave the posh cruises and extravagant locations for later anniversaries - when you really have something to celebrate!

SLOW
What do I mean by slow? Well, to start with, that week of the wedding... don't plan a lot, and for sure take at least the 2-3 days prior off of work. This should be an enjoyable time, not a panic-stricken rush job. Spend time with family and friends, and spend some time alone. Not necessarily because you'll never be able to again... but don't be afraid to reminisce and mentally celebrate all that your life has been so far.

The day of the wedding ceremony, DO NOT plan anything else. You don't want to be rushed, and you don't want to be distracted. Sure, you may think you've got things under control, and many-a-times I've heard, "I'm not really even nervous." But I will almost guarantee, a blur is about to come over you. Not that it's a bad thing, but it is much more manageable if you minimize the number of things on your mind and in your day-timer. Let the day unfold as it will. You can play golf or go shopping some other time.

And finally, what ignited this post to begin with... spend the first night in a local hotel. Time and again I keep hearing of people missing flights, or starting their honeymoon with a hangover, and being rushed and hushed and wishing-they-weren't-lushed. Why in the world would you have the celebration of your life, and then book a flight for a few hours later? That first night of your marriage - go ahead and invite all your friends to celebrate with you at the reception, then find a reasonably priced hotel a short distance away, and... well, you'll figure out the rest. I would even suggest waiting a full day or two before embarking on a honeymoon. For many couples, even if you've "been together" before, there is still enough anxiety and pressure to go around. Adding more isn't going to help anyone or anything. Take it slowwwwww. It'll be okay.

Well, there you have it. It's not like I am an expert - I've only been married once... 24 years and counting. Weddings should be beautiful, meaningful, and memorable - and they can be - if you keep it simple and take it slow. Let it be about the two of you. Your wedding day and honeymoon will be over soon enough. Enjoy them, and may it lead to many, many years of enjoying life with the one you love.

What would Jesus do...

Um... yeah. When asked 'what would Jesus do,' Jim Nicholson from the Boar's Head Tavern said:

“Let’s see: Jessus would wander around Palestine for a few years, gather a small band of followers, talk to God as if He were in the same room, express his exasperation with people regularly and at times to the point of physical violence, piss the authorities off, die in agony in a horrible public execution, and then mysteriously disappear from his tomb. So which part of that do you think applies here?”

HT: Randy

On the road for 50 years

Today is the 50th anniversary of the publication of "On the Road," the novel by Jack Kerouac that gave voice to his generation's postwar experiences. I have this book, and someday I'm going to finish it, by golly. Son Isaac is a big fan, so I thought of him when I saw this article this morning. I also like this pic from the article.

Oops. I guess it was actually yesterday. Sorry. I thought today was the 5th.

Refreshing

I have actually been on a positive roll.

1. Yesterday I blogged that I wish I had a tv for the church basement, and lo and behold.... someone (who I'm thinkin wants to remain nameless, but who comments on here a lot) offered us a free 36" tv. How cool is that!? I was floored.
   
2. I've been working on the flyers and press release for our annual fish fry, and last night at the board meeting we decided all the profits from this year's should go to Fort Wayne Rescue Ministries. One of my goals when I came here was to change this fish fry from being a fundraiser for our church to being something we could use to bless others. I would guess for the last 5 years or so we have given away any money we've made off of it. Each year we give it to someone else. Plus - it's a darn good all-you-can-eat fish and tenderloin meal. $7 for adults; $5 for kids 6-12; free for 5 and under. Saturday, Oct. 13 from 4:30-7 pm - if you're not busy. :)
3. I met this morning with a friend who is planting a new church in our area (Tocsin, of all places). Man, it was so nice talking with someone who is excited about what they're doing. And I love the vision he has for his church - laid back, no hassles, good news stuff. This coming Sunday will be their first gathering. I hope it goes well. You simply can't have enough churches as far as I'm concerned.
4. I was just thinking this morning that I DO have a pretty good job. I mean, aside from playing bass in a punk rock band, it couldn't be any better than I have it. I can wear whatever I want, I can take the dog to the office with me, when I'm in a rut I can pick up the guitar and strum, I don't have to fight traffic to get to the office, and I don't have a boss breathing down my neck every day (well, unless you count HIM). So, you know, until the right band comes along (and I actually learn to play the bass).... I can diggit.
5. Oh, and I've ran on the treadmill 2 days in a row. I need to make that a regular practice again.
   

Peace, folks. Folky peace. I used to always write something about a revolution. That would be a good idea again someday. I can't remember the quote though - it was from Cameron Crowe if I remember correctly....

What's happening at church...

Just trying to think through some things:

• Sunday we had a breakfast. There were 50 people. Which was twice as many as I expected. Fortunately the cooks were 'planning' on 50. So it worked out just right. The new cafe tables worked out great.
• Yesterday I spent my holiday mostly trying to figure out a new classroom arrangement. We are at maximum capacity (for # of classes, not # of people), and I am afraid some of our classes actually shrunk last year because of room size. So... I tried to match the size of the current class, plus the potential each class has for growth, with the rooms we have. That meant two of our children's classes had to move to smaller rooms. We used to have a class that only had 2 kids in it take up the entire basement. Now there will be two adult classes sharing the basement.
• Yesterday I also arranged one side of the basement a little different. On the kitchen side we have 13 or so of the cafe tables set up. On the other side it was empty. When we have dinners they set up those long rectangular tables in two long rows. So, I took this 11x12 carpet remnant we've had in storage and put it down at the far end, and took a couch and loveseat from the high school room (don't worry, they still have another one of each, plus several overstuffed chairs). We had an extra recliner that we'd been trying to hide, plus four of our old kitchen chairs with cushioned seats. I put them on the carpeted area, and lowered one of the big tables so it's like a big coffee table now. Presto... we have a classroom space.
• What I would like is to get a nice sized TV and put down there now. We could use it to watch videos, and maybe someday get some video games and stuff.
• I would also like to get a cd player or sound system of some kind for the basement. It would be nice to have music playing that wasn't coming from an old boombox that someone was wanting to get rid of.
• I don't know how well I am selling the idea of using the basement/kitchen area for more than just our annual fish fry. In fact, I can already hear a few people saying, "What are we going to do with that couch during the fish fry!?!" I know where I'd like to put it... but that wouldn't be nice. I mean... how much space do churches waste for so little use?
  
• I also put a sign on the refrigerator in the basement that pop and water are $.25 a piece. We have a bunch left over from different things. Might as well start using it. We can use the money we get from it to buy more. That is another advantage of having adult classes downstairs - we can actually use the kitchen, and it allows more space for these two classes to expand.
• Jane and I have been talking about getting a calendar out and trying to plan events for the course of a year. We do have a calendar. Just haven't gotten around to doing it yet.
• I have also started working on what I will call our "Sunday morning ground rules." Sort of a way to define what Sunday mornings are for. I think a lot of people don't know. Or at least they don't think they should be for what I think they should be for. I think they should be for worshiping God, encouraging one another in the faith, and building relationships. They are not for griping and complaining and bringing people down, or trying to sway someone to vote for or against something or someone, or selling goods and service, or conducting business of any kind. Anyway, I figure I'll have something down in a few years. At least it's on my list of things to do.
• Today I received my book order. I bought each of our Sunday School teachers a copy of the book "What Every Sunday School Teacher Should Know" by Elmer Towns. It is an old, old book. But I figured it was better than nothing.
  
• I really wish I could find someone who could straighten out our sound on Sunday mornings. Oh... musicians would be great! But we need someone at the sound board. We've got a great guy that sits there now, and I really appreciate him doing it, but he just doesn't know anything about running sound. And I don't know what it sounds like in the audience, but it is MESSED UP coming through the monitors. Argh.
• This coming Sunday we start our "70 Days of Vision Campaign." It's something our region of our denomination is doing. We're actually not doing the whole thing. I'm supposed to preach certain themes each week, and there are supposed to be small groups that study the book they come from each week. I'm going to preach the themes, but we didn't do the small groups. Part of it was because the people who went to the meeting about it weren't too excited, and I'm not excited about starting another small group that is probably going to fizzle by the end. I think it's ten weeks. I just realized today that I was supposed to have started this past Sunday. I guess that's what I get for not looking at the stuff. It's no big deal, I'll just be a week later than the flyer I put up said. It's not like anyone has probably read it anyway.
• Well... it's Tuesday. The sun is shining, the dog is sleeping, and I am...
  

When not to resign

This morning Warren Weirsbe continued his discussion of leaving a ministry (in the book "On Being A Servant of God"). He says (70), "It's the law of the Medes and Persians that we never resign when (1) we're tired and discouraged, (2) we aren't getting our way, or (3) we feel unappreciated and we're looking for some strokes."

Darnit. Well, actually that's really good advice. There were two other quotes I liked. On 69 he said, "When unity becomes uniformity, it's time for a blood transfusion." He was talking about having the same people on the board all the time. Sometimes there needs to be a change. The last thing you want is to be surrounded by "yes-men." And on 71 he says, "It's amazing how much God can accomplish if His workers don't care who gets the credit."

Good stuff.

What a difference a year makes

Today was move-in day for son Isaac at Anderson University. It was quite different from this time last year - when we moved him in for the first time (and when Jane and I first became empty nesters). In fact, this year we didn't even have to move anything, because he stayed in Anderson all summer. We just came down and took him out for lunch.

This is the darling mother standing in front of Isaac's AU home - Dunn Hall.

This was his home over the summer - The Mercy House - which is also his church. It actually doesn't look too bad from this picture.

It seemed weird leaving there this year - mostly because it didn't seem near as weird as leaving last year. I can still remember getting in the car, leaving the parking lot... and it was a long time before either one of us said anything last year. This year we simply commented on the nice job someone had done with the mulch out front (good job, bud!). :)