The Blog
Blog ArchivesNext Narnia Movie: Prince Caspian
Production on the next Narnia movie is underway. You can track the progress on the movie’s blog (which is really just an overly complex flash Web site…). It sounds like they are restructuring the story a bit. Hope they don’t ruin it :(
Video after the break because it was auto-playng. Read the rest of this entry »
Party Theology
Read this: Party Theology
Not knowing any better, after becoming a follower of Jesus, Levi decided to throw a big party, he invited all of his friends who happened to be tax-collectors, prostitutes and sinners. Upon the invitation, Jesus went. In turn, Jesus had a horrible reputation, because He went to this party; He was known as a drunkard, a glutton, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Although Jesus was neither a drunkard nor a glutton, He was willing to ruin His reputation on behalf of befriending people that He disagreed with and weren’t honoring to Him. More so, He (Jesus) didn’t expect people who did not know God to live like they did.
And so for us at Mosaic, every year we would hear about this “party theology” and started putting it into practice. It’s amazing that in the context of a party, it’s simply inviting people into your home that you would normally never invite into your home. For example, it’s canceling your small group so that you can attend a play because someone in the small group—ho does not know God—s in the play. Rather than expecting them to always come to us, we go to them. Party theology is putting the needs of others before our own, in the context of relationship.
We need more of this in The Rock.
And this has also been my experience:
I don’t know when it happened, but somewhere along the way apologetics turned into arguing with people, trying to convince them intellectually that our way is the right way. What I’ve discovered in my conversations with people is that, although I’m not a great debater, and I’m not a great theologian in that sense, if I allow someone the context to honestly seek God, they will discover His name is Jesus. They will be shocked. It’s a supernatural, mystical and powerful experience where Jesus becomes real to them. I can’t hit them over the head with enough facts to get them to that point. There are some people who move in that intellectual world, but I think a lot more of us are changed because we encountered Jesus and we can’t explain how that happened.
The North American Geek
I was interviewed extensively for this documentary put together by National Geographic, but my section was edited for time.
(Silly documentary writers and your lame reenactments. You can’t counter with a Dragon Whelp, that doesn’t even make sense! Only a creature that can be summoned as an instant or interrupt can be played as a counter, unless of course you were for some reason enacting it’s special ability, or summoning it via the effect of an artifact or enchantment, which doesn’t make strategic sense in that scenario…)
Is Our Church Already Too Youth Focused?
This morning after our church gathering, we held a special lunch so that the pastors could share the vision and ideas behind some major internal restructuring that is happening in our church; restructuring that will help to strengthen and multiply our efforts to reach Ames and the ISU campus.
After the vision was shared (which I should probably write a post about), a question and answer session held, with questions being submitted by note card so they could be asked anonymously. I’d like to address one of the questions, with all respect and love intended toward the asker of the question (who is still anonymous to me).
The question was: “Is our church already too youth-focused?”
The Simple Answer: No
In fact, we are not “youth focused” enough.
Youth, in this discussion is being defined as 18-24. Perhaps we should include a little younger ages in this as well, and maybe slightly older. Let’s talk about the vast decade of life that is 16-26. There are about three or four life phases potentially contained in that range, but we’ll use it, because the key life phase (which usually hits somewhere between 18-24) is contained in here. I believe the Bible refers to this age as “Youth” and I still consider myself to be a Youth (though now that I have a family I consider myself on the tale-end of youth…).
This phase is typified by a search for: a place in the world, life direction, beliefs and values, a career, a mate, and a mission. It is also at this phase that we have the fewest (real) solid time and life commitments, and have the greatest flexibility, energy, and zeal. It is critical to bring this age range in to the church. This is where the majority of your laborers, new leaders, creative types, and church planters come from.
The Church must focus it’s efforts on youth, or it will surely fail in its mission.
And let me say that, aside from our efforts in the “youth group” and our college ministry to “The Rock”, the Church does not focus on this age range. In fact, our focus is somewhere between late thirties, and late forties. Most of our church building’s decor, our advertising, our communications, and a lot of our production efforts are geared at this age range.
By focus, I do not mean exclusion, I mean a majority of resources, effort, creative thinking and production being directed here. Of course we need to care for everyone God brings through our doors. But we need to be strategic in all our efforts. Otherwise we take a shot-gunned, piecemeal, confusing approach at everything we do.
But What About Me?
I am coming to think that this is the question that kills effectiveness. An inward, self-focus, is the key to an unfruitful life.
We need to be aware of our heart, and be good stewards of it, there are issues that we need to heal from, pasts that we need to leave behind, an “old man” that we are commanded to “put off”, and therefore must be able to identify, however, I really do believe the truth communicated so well by the prayer St. Francis of Assissi is well known for:
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
We have a mission to reach the world with Christ’s message. We have a responsibility to pass this mission on to the next generation. To accomplish either, we must be focused on the youth.
My message didn’t get recorded
My message last night at The Rock on “Faith and Forgiveness (or Jesus Goes Ballistic) did not get recorded. Our sound man didn’t show up so Luke VG had to run sound and neither him nor Paul knew how to operate our recording gear. They didn’t realize until I was about to start speaking so they couldn’t pull me to do it either.
The reaction to the message seemed to be really good, and several discussed a lot of disappointment that it wasn’t recorded. If there is enough interest, I may attempt to recreate the presentation (speaking to a mirror is a lot harder than speaking to a crowd that laughs, amens, and cries at what you are saying…).
Celebrate the Autoblog Relaunch in Style: Win an All-New 2007 Dodge Nitro
The Autoblog redesign has been remarkably well received. We’ve been looking forward to making blogging history by giving away a brand new 2007 Dodge Nitro to celebrate the relaunch of this huge blog.
Head on over and enter. And hey, if you are interested in cars… check the site out ;)
Good Deal On DLP LCD Projector, Anyone?
I’m looking to unload a DLP projector that I purchased as sort of a failed business move. It’s only been used twice (to my knowledge). Once to watch the Superbowl, and once to watch Kingdom of Heaven. It works like a charm, I just don’t need it, and want it out of my house. I have all the original packaging and cables. I also have a screen and ceiling mount (see below).
It’s an HP VP6320, check out the specs and reviews at projectorcentral.com, and here’s the product info at HP.
I’m also offering the screen and ceiling mount I bought to go with it. Both new-in-box. The screen is an EliteSCREENS M136UWS1 136″ Manual Projection Screen,the ceiling mount is a Peerless PRS-UNV Ceiling Projector Mount. I got all this at NewEgg.com, hence the links back there for specs.
I’d part with it all for around $800 OBO, I’ll even ship it to you if need be.
Weekly Link Roundup 05-11-07
In the interest of making my Del.icio.us linking more visible, I’m going to attempt to round them up at the end of every week (prediction: I’ll make it 3 weeks before I quit).
This week’s interesting links:
- Bait and Switch Evangelism - Noel Heikkinen on bait and switch evangelism methods
- Leadership Development - Brief, to the point post on leadership development by Drew Goodmanson
- Is American Christianity Syncretistic? - Kathy Hanson ponders the extent to which we have internalized “American values” into our Christian values.
The Journey’s End
Yesterday’s poem is the first part of a series. I’ll write the next part… when I get there.
I can look straight ahead for now and grip the sword because I know the ending. That song has already been written. United Live did an excellent job of capturing a piece of it, so for now, I’ll post the video.
This is why I sing, to keep myself stepping.
Shout Unto God - Hillsong United (from the album “Look To You“)
The enemy has been defeated
And death couldn’t hold You down
We’re gonna lift our voice in victory
We’re gonna make Your praises loudShout unto God with a voice of triumph
Shout unto God with a voice of praise
Shout unto God with a voice of triumph
We lift Your name up
We lift Your name up
The Path
Thick, chill, night
sky rumbles round me
shakes the earth
dark… midnight, clouds
both shroud
my view, in and out.
dull, weary, eyes
beat back against the rain
set straight ahead
tired… soul, legs
both flounder
one more step, one
then another
battered, flame-scorched, shield
glistens in lamp-light
sheds the water
light… sword, lamp
the same
gives me sight
grants me life
one more step, one
then another
enCOURAGEd
Overused word of the day: encourage.
en·cour·age (ĕn-kûr’ĭj, -kŭr’-)
tr.v., -aged, -ag·ing, -ag·es.
- To inspire with hope, courage, or confidence; hearten.
- To give support to; foster: policies designed to encourage private investment.
- To stimulate; spur: burning the field to encourage new plant growth.
I am going to post this video again because it encouraged me, in the truest sense of the word.
Mark Driscoll, 9 minutes on church planting.
I have two purposes in posting this link:
It’s a great example of an excellent video. The type of thing that could be accomplished with the right people operating the equipment we are proposing for our video team at Stonebrook.
It’s a great message. A three point sermon by one of the longest-winded preachers I know on key points of church planting given in 9 minutes.
If you have 9 minutes. Check it out. It caused quite a stir as it pushed some egalitarian buttons at a church planting conference, but if you know Driscoll’s heart and understand that he is giving, in 9 minutes, what he sees as the three most important things about church planting, you’ll understand why he didn’t go into women’s roles, and that he isn’t a misogynistic pig.
There was some controversy about this video being banned from the National New Church Conference, but apparently that was not the case, and in actuality there were administrative issues that prevented it from being handed out with the rest of the handouts.
Via: Drew, Noel, The Resurgence
The Lone Strangers Interviewed On The Radio
On the off chance that you read this blog and not Pat’s, he posted an mp3 of The Lone Strangers’ (our band) interview on KCCQ, the local clear channel station.
I wasn’t able to be at the interview, but it’s probably just as well.
Partial Birth Abortion Is Murder
And I am so glad the Supreme Court upheld it’s ban.
I am tired and emotional, and not quite sure what to say, but feel that I must say something. Elena was on the floor, playing, generally being adorable, Nancy was in the chair behind me, catching up with Facebook, and I was reading John Piper’s response to the Supreme Court ruling which is excellent. I must warn you, however, not to read the description of a partial birth abortion from a nurse’s perspective unless you have a very strong stomach. I read it, and thought of delivering my daughter, which I got to help with (mostly I stood by and watched Nancy and the midwife work, but I was still blessed)… I read this, thought of that time, and wept… a lot. I picked Elena up and gave her a hug and prayed and swore to protect her at all costs. I felt, for some reason, that she is in danger. I know she is. We are in a war. A spiritual war over our souls. We have an enemy that is trying to kill us. But I digress.
I’ve always thought, intellectually that abortion was wrong, and honestly, can still be sympathetic for the subtle gray areas of early term abortion in cases of rape. However, philosophically and logically, it is impossible to pinpoint a beginning point to human life at any other time than conception, and I believe that ending a human life, except in war, is murder. (I also happen to believe that war is a horrible reality of our human existence.)
I’m not sure I can say much more right now, and I’m not sure I’ve made sense, so bring on the flaming, but to you “pro-choice” folks out there, I echo John Piper’s words, and recommend you read the .pdf he links to.
This use of catch phrases is surely tired. “Right to choose.” “Equal rights for women.” The grandchildren of the sixties are waking up to the vagueness and danger of those phrases. Right to choose what? Anything? All laws that protect children limit the rights of moms (and dads) to choose. You can’t choose to starve them. You can’t choose to lock them in closets for three weeks. You can’t choose to abandon them. You can’t choose to strangle them five minutes after they are born.
And “equal rights for women”—equal with whom? Equal with the irresponsible dad. Dad has sex and bears no responsibility for the baby. Mom should be equally able to have sex and bear no responsibility for the baby. Young people are looking at this and saying: Something is wrong with this picture. Maybe our lives are as broken as they are because our parents have twisted their hearts and minds so deeply to justify equality in irresponsibility.
I wrote this three years ago, and it means more to me now than it did then.
this is my anthem
this is my prayer
for thirty-nine million friends
who will never feel the air
and this is my song
this is my battle cry
that one for every three of us
had to die
Is it true what they say?
Was there no other way?
This is my dirge
this is my moan
for the millions and millions
who never saw home
And This is my call
This is my dare
four thousand among us
won’t see today
It’s not all about you
or what you have to do
there’s another one to think of
who matters too
just give them a chance
I want my MTV
MTV’s Web site is sweet. They just released a fast, clean, HTML+CSS site, a wonderful change from their Flash based behemoth, which really was a technical wonder, but really hard to use. I am totally digging the new version. Mad props to my favorite designer/dev, Dan Cedarholm, for leading the team into the new millennium. Read Dan’s writeup here, and read MTV Labs’ writeup here.
Now, if only they could get their TV content to be just as sweet…
Purevolume, then Virb, now MTV… hey, MySpace, you paying attention? Anyone? Anyone? Didn’t think so…
Lone Strangers T-Shirts?
Would you buy a Lone Strangers T-Shirt?
How much would you pay for one? ($15?)
What color would you prefer?
This would be a limited edition, first run, titled “Armageddon” (or something like that).
The Lone Strangers Rock VEISHEA
Last night’s show was amazing. Thank you to everyone who stopped out. We got some pretty good press from a few of the judges. They gave fairly positive reviews to all the bands, which was nice, but ours were glowing. And for the record, we have been playing together forever, and have been playing these songs together for a long time ;)
From Brandi Powers, the Ames clear channel station (105.1 Channel Q) DJ that deals with all the local music:
Clearly, the most professional and tightest act of the competition. They screamed performers. Very gifted musically, as well as vocally, both singers showed diversity with their voices and blended well together. The exemplified song diversity. They had amazingly smooth song transitions, you can tell they practiced the set A LOT. The set progression was perfect. Each song built on the next, surprising you that it could get better.The drummer was fun to watch, they packed The M-Shop, and the song structure…wow. The happy pop rock was something we hadn’t yet heard, and it was a real treat. Their CD, while good, does not do them justice. They were nearly flawless. Oh, and Pat, you aren’t pretentious. You’re good.
And from Andy Cusack an Entertainment Editor for the Des Moines Register:
These guys were the most professional, tightest act. I would swear they had been together forever when seeing them. Their blend of catchy, smart, well-played pop rock was a treat. The songwriting had good hooks, and it displayed a restraint that exemplified good taste. It made me want to pull out my old Cheap Trick and Squeeze records and listen to them all day. If you hear some recordings of this band, I think it does no justice whatsoever to its live show. Granted, this is the only time I have seen them, but based on this one short set, I don’t really understand why these guys don’t enjoy at least the amount of local celebrity that the Nadas do. Room for improvement: 1) You looked like you were having a great time on stage — get into it just a bit more. Play like it’s the last show you’ll ever play in your life. 2) ?
Thanks guys. See you tonight! 11pm, Central Campus.
The Violet Burning: More
When they played last Wednesday at the Bali Satay House, they rocked harder than most bands I’ve seen there recently. This song came along, beginning with a hypnotic rhythm and beautiful guitar riffing. I thought it was an instrumental, interlude type piece, and then it explodes in a simple, but beautiful prayer:
I never wanted more than the beauty of your kiss.
Somehow I get lost in the sound of this singing.
But, you’re beautiful tonight, in your ultraviolet light.
Kiss me softly and sing to me. I’d give anything…I never wanted more.
Show me how to do it,
help me find a way.
I’ve got nothing left to live for.
No one else is staying,
but you,
always you.
There is only you.
This song has inspired me to think about leading worship at The Rock, and my personal songwriting in general in a different light.
Sorry to be so sappy. I was moved to tears that night though. You had to be there. And even if you were, you might have missed it. The song made me realize, somehow, that even if I lost everything that I “have” in this world, my gorgeous wife, my beautiful daughter, my faithful friends, my wonderful family, that i would still be left with the one thing that mattered.
Not everyone can say that.
Seven Ways Christians Can Fall Victim to the Devil and Demons
In my studies for my message this week I came across seven ways the New Testament says believers can fall victim to the devil and to demons.
- Remaining angry with someone. (Ephesians 4:27)
- Not forgiving someone. (2 Corinthians 2:10-11)
- Being prideful. (Thinking more highly of yourself than you should.) (1 Timothy 3:6,
- Being put in a public ministry when you have a bad reputation with outsiders. (1 Timothy 3:7)
- Not resisting the devil’s lies and temptations. (Ephesians 6:11, James 4:7)
- Not being sober-minded and watchful. (1 Peter 5:8)
- Married couples: depriving each other of physical intimacy. (1 Corinthians 7:5)
What about non-believers? The sad truth is that, without God, they are without hope. They don’t have a chance, and in fact, are already slaves to the devil. They may not know this, they may not think this, sometimes, they might not even act like it, but Ephesians 2 is very clear that this is the case.
The Violet Burning Tear It Up In Ames
Last night I had the distinct privilege of watching The Violet Burning play at a very small venue in Ames.
From their Web site:
“All my life I have been looking for light I cannot find within me.”
This is not only a lyric from Drop-Dead, the latest record from The Violet Burning, it is a theme that has connected with thousands of loyal fans who call this groundbreaking artist one of the great and influential rock groups of this era. With ten years of touring the United States and Europe , the Long Beach , CA. based band have established themselves as a great band that can deliver a moving experience live, as well as in the studio. Drop-Dead continues this path; a connection with the listener by putting ones heart on display.
Indeed it was a moving experience live. Wish you would have been there. Check out the rest of my photos.
