As I mentioned in my introductory post, I am working on a character study of Saul. Of course, when I say Saul, I don't mean the Saul of the New Testament who also went by "Paul." I mean the Old Testament Saul from the book of 1 Samuel. . . the one who was king and tried to harpoon David in the thorax more than once. I've always found Saul to be an interesting person, and lately I've wondered if the source of Saul's eventual downfall as a king and a person wasn't about pride and arrogance as I've often been told, but rather his own personal insecurities. So let's begin!
I have had a kind of love/hate relationship with the emerging church movement since about 2002, when I first became aware of this conversation younger pastors were having. I originally learned about the movement when I read Dan Kimball's The Emerging Church, a book that challenged alot of people's thinking (mine included) with regard to the way modern churches are equipped to reach a postmodern, post-Christian world. Around the same time, Brian McClaren introduced his character "Neo" in his fiction book A New Kind Of Christian, and the subsequent trilogy. It was a book about a pastor wrestling with (you guessed it), how to be a Christian in a postmodern world.
I'm currently watching the first presidential debate between McCain and Obama. It's getting pretty heated on a couple of points, but it's interesting. If you watched it, who do you think won? On which issues?
A few days ago, I finished blogging through the book of Second Corinthians, and in the next few days, I'm going to start a new project and conversation. I'm going to do a character study of Saul from the book of 1 Samuel. Recently I've thought alot about Saul. Saul was the first anointed king of Israel, he was the predecessor to David, and a tragic figure in the history of Israel. He lost his throne to David and spent much of his life as a blood-thirsty villain. I'd always been taught in seminary that Saul's problem was his extreme hubris (the seminary-ish word for pride), and THAT was the root of Saul's downfall. He was just too darn proud.
But the last time I read through 1 Samuel, I don't know if it was because of what was happening in my life at the time or because I was looking at the text with fresh eyes, but I started to see Saul differently.
A few weeks ago I watched a movie called Donnie Darko. It was made in 2001 but it has gained a sort of cult following since it's limited release. For about a month, I'd heard the movie name mentioned a time or two, which peaked my interest. Then I saw it on my list of free "on-demand" movies through Comcast, so I watched it with a friend.
Donnie Darko is an Insanely weird movie. I don't know if I can describe it except that it is a sort of fantasy/sci fi/ psychological thriller involving a schizophrenic High School student and a figment of his imagination named Frank who's dressed as a creepy 6 foot bunny rabbit. Or at least, that's what you think is happening through about 95% of the movie.
This is one of those movies you either love or hate. It's also one of those movies that you will think about and think about and continue to think about for weeks. I googled the movie and started reading movie theories and discussions from fans of Donnie Darko who were online debating the movie's meaning and intricate symbolism. This is one of those movies that captures your attention. It is definitely a weird flick, but I I strangely kind of liked it, and I don't know why.
For our final blog post on the book of 2 Corinthians, Paul has some parting advice for the church. It's real simple, but something I too often forget. Paul says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice!" (v. 11). He offers no qualification for his command. He doesn't say, "Rejoice when you . . ." or "Rejoice, unless . . ." He simply says "Rejoice!"
It's been a good sports day and a bad one. The Cubs clinched the National League Central Division this afternoon, beating the Cards 6-5. This is their first back-to-back postseason appearance in 100 years. Of course, the last time they had a back-to-back post-season appearance, they won the whole thing in 1908. Hmmm . . .
The bad part of the day was that the Aggies got their tushees handed to them once again. This time they got beat by Miami (FL) 41-23. I still haven't had the opportunity to actually watch the Aggies this season (errrr. . . darn you Big Ten coverage), but all indications show that the Aggies are on the fast track to a losing season.
"Nosce te ipsum." It's a Latin phrase that means "Know thyself." Nobody knows who originally said it. Some have speculated that it was an ancient poetess named Phemonoe, or the philsophers Socrates, or Pythagoras. It was also quoted in the first "Matrix" movie, but it's way more impressive to quote Pythagoras than Keanu Reeves. But the meaning is simple: one of the most important exercises a person can accomplish is the discipline of understanding him or herself to the best of one's ability. I think it's one of the hardest things to do. I'm thirty years old and there are still things I'm discovering about myself that I didn't know, or didn't realize, or that I simply wished I never had to learn. There are some parts of my life that I have shielded from my own view so that I wouldn't have to sink into it's darkness. But the darkness comes sooner or later. And so do the bright spots. It's kind of a treat when you can surprise yourself after 30 or so years with something special inside that you hadn't yet seen. But that's the importance of self-examination.
I'm in a fantasy football league right now with about 6 other people from Waterfront. I was just thinking the other day how fantasy leagues can actually be great tools for creating community-- fantasy football, fantasy baseball . . . The other night, we had a leadership meeting that involved several people in our league, and when we sat and started talking, we were all talking about our fantasy football teams and the matchups from the past weekend. In fact the conversation was so good, those who weren't in our league were kinda wishing they were, I think. There's something about healthy competition that breeds stronger community bonds. It makes me wonder how fantasy leagues can be utilized for community building in Waterfront's culture in the long haul. I always like thinking about alternative ways of building community that extends outside of the the "small group" paradigm. It would be interesting to see how that might work. Any thoughts?
Apparently there is a new documentary coming out in the next few months. It is a collaborative project that includes a film and I think a concert including number of musical artists, some actors and actresses, academics such as Cornell West, etc. But it's a documentary shining a spotlight on the current problem of worldwide human trafficing and slavery. I just watched the trailer and it's gripping. Don't know if it's another "We are the world . . . we are the children" project or something more substantial yet, but I like the fact people are talking about this.
Love the last line of the trailer from Cornell West: "NEVER FORGET, JUSTICE IS WHAT LOVE LOOKS LIKE IN PUBLIC." Here's the trailer.
Apparently, today we narrowly avoided the largest global economic collapse since the Great Depression (here's a Time article). How'd that happen? All of us tax payers pooled our collective resources in the form of the Federal Government and bought American International Group (AIG) for 85 billion dollars, preventing them from filing chapter 11 bankruptcy. It's the same thing we did with Bear Stearns in March and Freddie Mac and Fannie May a few weeks ago. Why all this buying of companies and investment banks?
I don't pretend to fully comprehend how it happened or why it happened, or how a collapse of AIG would have been so devastating. But this is the best I can figure out, and if you happen to get this better than I do, PLEASE help me out.
This passage summarize the charges Paul's detrators made toward him throughout this letter and Paul's responses. People said, "Paul is a nobody." Paul responded, "Perhaps; but I know I'm not inferior to the so-called 'super-apostles" (v. 11). People said, "Paul is undistinguished, ungifted, and unqualified." Paul replied, "You've seen my apostolic proof: signs, wonders, miracles" (v. 12). People said, "Paul doesn't really care about us because he wouldn't take payment for his services." Paul said with sarcastic brilliance, "I did not make myself a burden to you by taking your money. Please FORGIVE ME for failing to sponge on you" (v. 13; this is Plummer's translation, which I think captures Paul's sentiment well).
It is with respect to this final point that I would like to elaborate. Paul continues his thought in v. 14 with a statement that has stuck in my mind for the past week. Paul says, "Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you because WHAT I WANT IS NOT YOUR POSSESSIONS BUT YOU!" (v. 14)
I had an interesting weekend. There was a buddy of mine from High School who came into Chicago for a friend's wedding, and I decided to head downtown on Saturday to hang out with him. He's a guy I've known for a very long time, but we haven't talked much in recent years. Today he works as a lobbyist in Austin, Texas, involved in real estate issues. He went to Law school . . . real smart guy.
I've also known for awhile that he wasn't a Christian. In fact when we were in college, he was at the University of Texas and I was at Texas A&M, and we were both on that sorta anti-establishment, "screw the church" journey and we spoke about that often. God got ahold of my life my junior year of college, but my friend continued his path, which eventually led him into atheism and now a sort of agnostic/deism. We've talked some over the years, I've prayed for him often (at some points in a judgmental way, and at other points just as a friend that I love . . . that's been part of my own spiritual journey). But it's been at least 4 or 5 years since we've talked.
If you happened to miss this Saturday Night Live sketch, click this link to check it out. Tina Fey is a dead ringer for Sarah Palin, and this skit is one of the funniest political sketches I've seen SNL do in a long time.
Because Hurricane Ike reared it's ugly head in Houston over the course of the weekend, the Cubs moved their Friday and Saturday series against the Astros to Milwaukee on Sunday. So technically it was a Houston home game, but being only an hour and half from Chicago, Cubs fans flooded Miller stadium in MIlwaukee making it feel alot more like Wrigley than Minute Maid Park.
And it was there that Carlos Zambrano, after a terrible August, a rough start to September, and a forced rest for his sore rotater cuff, came into the game tonight and pitched a no-hitter. Simply amazing! It's the first no-hitter for the Cubs since 1972. The crowd in Milwaukee went bananas, and so did I!
When I lived in Texas, lots of people had trucks. It's seriously kinda weird when I go back there and I realize how many people drive pickups and SUVS . . . I'm not talking about just farmers and ranchers. I mean EVERYONE! So, that's the culture from which I sprang, and now I'm living in a Chicago/midwestern/urban culture where most people don't drive trucks except for me.
So what does that mean for Texas-Boy who's driving around in his big pickup truck? It means that I'm the go-to guy for anything that requires hauling. Someone needs to move a peice of furniture, a sign, anything, I'm the one who gets a call.
It's not that big of a deal . . . most of the time I don't mind doing stuff like that for people, and I'm happy to do it. But today, I had to install this very expensive and complex electrical system and brake control on my truck. The reason? You gotta have the electrical stuff in order to haul a church trailer like we have for Waterfront. How did that become my job? I'm the one with the truck! Again, I'm not upset or complaining. . .that's part of my contribution to the church. But I was just musing about how much simpler life might be for me (and how much less it would cost me in gas) if I drove a Civic or something.
There is an interesting discussion currently going on in some Christian blogging circles concerning the candidacy of Sarah Palin for Vice President of the United States. Of course, Palin is Republican, and she holds opinions that represent the more conservative, traditional platform of the Republicans . . . a platform to which conservative evangelicals have flocked in droves over the past 30 years. But, she is also a woman.
Why might that be a problem for some evangelicals Christians? Well, here's the theological breakdown.
When reading unclear passages in the Bible, I usually wish they were alittle clearer. For instance, it would have been nice if God had given us a bit more direction with regards to the nebulous passage in Genesis 6 when the "Sons of God" married the daughters of men. That one's a toughy. Or when Elisha called two bears to come out of the woods to maul a group of teenagers because they insulted his haircut (2 Kings 2:23-25), I wish God had been alittle more specific in that story's implications for youth ministry or raising teenager. Usually, I wish he was clearer. But in this passage in 2 Corinthians 12, I am extremely grateful that God had left this text alittle unclear. I'll show you what I mean:
Paul says, "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me."
Waterfront Community Church has a new website. We had a real basic site going for awhile which worked at the time, but now we have the real deal. At least I think it looks nice. Check it out and tell me what you think.
You know what it's like when you have that really spiritual experience. I'm not just talking about the way it feels when the church band plays your favorite worship song, or when you're listening to Michael W. Smith's "Secret Ambition" and the groovy pop/rock electric guitar kicks in (sorry for the sarcasm), or when you're slammin' a slice of Lou Malnatti's deep dish pizza. I'm talking about that really "out of this world" GOD experience. You remember? I'm talking about that moment when the heavens opened up, and God spoke to you, His presence was so thick you could practicallyy feel him, and you were so elated that the motion of the world around you froze and a feeling of ecstacy and delight filled your body, mind, and soul until your toes curled. Yeah . . . me neither.
Here's a fun website. You can upload a picture of yourself [or someone else you love ;)]and see the way you would look in any High School year book between 1950 and 2000. It's pretty funny. Its at http://www.yearbookyourself.com/. These pictures are the way I'd look in 1952, 1984 and 1990.
Take a second and think about your most embarrassing moment . . . Dive back into the recesses of your memory . . . Remember all of those awkward Junior High moments, ill-timed bodily functions, wardrobe malfunctions, Freudian slips that you've tried so hard to forget. Do you remember yours? Now watch this video and I promise that your most embarrassing moment will never seem quite so bad again.
Now THAT might just take the cake on embarrassing moments. It's like a car wreck that you can't stop watching. Of course we all have moments from our past that we wish we could forget. The kind that made us appear pitiful, stupid, gross, clumsy, ugly, or insensitive in front of other people. The kind of moment that shines a spotlight on the areas of our greatest insecurities. You know your moment. We all have one. But let me ask you: WHAT IF your worst moment could be redeemed so that it actually became the firmest cornerstone of confidence in your life?
I didn't want to talk about it. I figured if I ignored it long enough it would just go away. I'd find out it was some crazy dream involving leprechauns, and unicorns. But there's no escaping it. On Saturday, my Alma Mater, Texas A&M, entered the 2008 football season with a 18 to 14 loss . . . to Arkansas friggin' State . . . from the Sun Belt Conference. . . at home.
Sure, this is Mike Sherman's first year as head coach. Sure, they're running a completely new offensive scheme and a completely new defensive scheme. Sure, everyone in the state of Texas and beyond predicted that A&M was going to have an "off" year. But come on! Arkansas State!? All I know is if A&M loses again this Saturday to New Mexico, I'm gonna go banana sandwiches up in here.
We all know that anytime money is introduced into a situation, the situation changes. I heard someone say one time that if you want to lose a friend, give him money. If you introduce money into a friendship, that friendship runs the risk of being overrun by financial obligations. I think that's the most difficult part of ministry. It obviously takes money to run a church, but the most important part of any ministry, before budgets, business proposals, and plans, is the love of God and people . . . it's relationships.
As a guy who really enjoys delivering public messages in the form of sermons or lessons, I was riveted Thursday night as I watched Barak Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention. Leaving all politics, policies, and partisanships aside, the dude knows how to speak! He creates amazingly crafted words spoken through a voice that would make all envious public speakers swoon. I came across this Time articlethat talks about the process Obama uses to write his speeches, and I realized how much time he devotes to them. Most politicians have speech writers . . . Obama does too, but most of his speeches come from his own head and heart. I think what's amazing about his speaking style is that whether you agree with him, believe him, or not, the way he talks make you want to agree with him and believe him. Soooo . . . I'm jealous. I wanna talk like Barak.
