Every Tribe, Tongue, and Nation
Dr. Martin Luther King once said ,“the most segregated hour in America is 11:00 on Sunday morning.” While segregation has been long since abolished (thanks be to God), most evangelical churches I’ve attended don’t have a lot of people of color in their pews. That’s NOT to say that the modern evangelical church is racist. I just think that we, as human beings, tend to naturally gravitate what we are familiar with. The result is our communities, churches, and lives end up being homogeneous. Last week, however, my church decided to try a little experiment. We have a Hispanic church worship at our church every Sunday evening. Sometimes we pass each other and say, “Hola,” but for the most part the two congregations never really interacted. That is,...
Christian Cliques
Is it just me, or can Christians be sort of cliquish sometimes? I’ve noticed that if you identify yourself as a particular kind of Christian, you can only surround yourself with people and things associated with that identity. It’s like high school all over again. Take for example the Emergent Christians and the Reformed Christians. If you check the bookshelves of any of my Emergent Christian peers, chances are you will see the same authors: Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, Tony Jones, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jim Wallis, N.T. Wright, John Howard Yoder, and Shane Claiborne. Chances are emergent Christians listen to podcasts like The Nick and Josh Podcast, Something Beautiful (at least I hope they do!), Losing My Religion, and Homebrewed Christianity. The...
On Fundamentalism and Reconciliation
I originally posted this on my own blog a few weeks ago. As you know, I am not a big fan of fundamentalism. To me, it’s theological school yard bullying. However, sometimes my hatred of fundamentalism makes me do stupid things, like hurt people. First, let me start with my definition of fundamentalism. To me, a fundamentalist is some one who thinks that their interpretation of the Bible is the infallible word of God. Folks who believe that they’re always right and if you don’t fit into their cookie-cutter image then you’re a bad person. Those judgmental, holier-than-thou, authoritative, pious, “I’m right, you’re wrong, get used to it” folks. In the words of Barney Frank, trying to have a conversation with them...
Facebook, Porn and Phone-sex
The digital realm has been a mainstay in my life for as long as I can remember. I have “friends” who I have never met in person, that I have known for 10 years. The internet, mainly social networking sites like facebook, have created a new classification of relationships that I sometimes confuse with actual relationships. Facebook is to relationships as porn and phone-sex is to intimacy. It gives off the sensation that this is real and we really do have a good relationship, but its all fake. I’m not saying that you can’t keep up with old friends and family who you no longer live near on facebook and things like that. I’m just saying it can never replace real relationships and don’t decieve yourself into thinking it has.
When Lutherans Reconcile
While browsing my Google Reader’s recommendations page, I came across one Nadia Bolz-Weber, pastor and author of the blog Sarcastic Lutheran. At first I was like, “Okay, tattooed female Lutheran pastor . . . interesting.” But the more I read, the more I realized that she has some amazing insights into the Scriptures. One blog entry that got my attention was about a certain Lutheran radio talk show host who would often rip her sermons to shreds on air (figuratively speaking, of course). Well, thanks to a strange twist of fate, the two ended up have a conversation. Excerpt: Yet God paid this very little attention yesterday when, despite us both, my LCMS detractor – slash – conservative Christian radio host and I had a 30 minute long...
Derek Webb – Intro to "Nobody Loves Me"
Yes, yes, I am infatuated with Derek Webb it seems. But when I get convicted every time I listen to something, I feel compelled to share it. This is from The House Show and it’s him explaining the basis behind the song Nobody Loves Me. And I am amazed every time I hear it how right he is and how I still refuse to apply it in my own life. “Flattery at its very best will encourage really nothing more in you and your community, then behavior modification. Modifying your behavior to act the way you should, to hide the things you do that are wrong, and to try to amplify the things that you do that are right. But see here is the truth, all the behavior modification in the world will never change your heart and it can never change our communities. Jesus...