Coffee.

I recently took a job at Starbucks because I lost my landscaping job (bummer?). From the first 5 days, I can say I love working there. Its a fantastic atmosphere and I have a great manager. I did take a pay cut, but the company treats their employees with fantastic benefits. I searched the web a little for tidbits about the company and came across Starbucks Gossip, a little blog about all things going on with the company. It turns out that a woman recently publicized her disapproval of one of the new quotes Starbucks is putting on their hot beverage cups.

“Why in moments of crisis do we ask God for strength and help? As cognitive beings, why would we ask something that may well be a figment of our imaginations for guidance? Why not search inside ourselves for the power to overcome? After all, we are strong enough to cause most of the catastrophes we need to endure.” – Bill Schell

At least Starbucks got their promotion designed to spark discussion to really work, however I really do not see what the huge problem with this is. I feel that if a person thinks they know well enough who YHWH, God, Allah, et cetera is and what He’s about then there is a certain amount of arrogance, disrespect and lack of faith on their part. We don’t know nearly as much as we think we do.

What do you think?

WTB

I’m not a fan of evangilism in the traditional American Church sense. Not only is it awkward, but it also comes off as rude and warlike a lot of times. Well the church that my parents attend (atleast until this weekend when they move to Woodstock) had a “Walk thru Bethlehem”, which they have done every year for the past 8 years or so, this year being the last one. Everyone at the church volunteers and dresses up, acts, and all this other stuff and recreates “Bethlehem” and Jesus’ birth. Its a really cool thing, and its really interesting. I had never volunteered to do anything, as acting and dressing up and standing out in 20 degree temperatures while quoting lines really isnt my thing at all, but this year I volunteered to work in the Evangilism tent, which is where we preach to the people who came through and walk them through the sinners prayer and so forth, all of which i am not really a fan of. The general outline of what we had to say was nothing like i think should have been said, and i ended up putting a different twist on it. Somehow, whoever had written the outline missed the very important point of LOVE being the reason God sent his Son, so I added that. Overall, i ended up liking it, i dont think i came off as rude and scripted as some of the others did to me. Anyways, I would say that if you have the chance tonight, go check it out, not for the evangilism part, but for the interesting reenactment, its really cool.

Its a Shadowbrook Baptist Church in Suwanee, GA, and starts at 5:00 tonight and goes till 11:00 or so. Check it out.

A Newsletter

THis morning my mother sent me and email that she got, its a newsletter from a church in New England if I recall correctly. It seems like everyone is out to get the Emerging Church, and why I have yet to figure out. Could be because its a change? But I am a supporter of the movement, I think its awesome. Its good to see that people are finally getting back to Christ and away from Christianity. Nevertheless, what I cannot stand is when people badmouth something without actually giving you the facts and the basics. In this case, the newsletter was put out and had nothing but bad to say. Neveronce did it talk about what the Emergent Movement is about. It really disgusts me because although I do not support everything about the Emergent Movement, one thind I cannot stand is when something is bad-mouthed just for the heck of it. Anyways, read this and get disgusted too.

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Where in the World is the Church?

I’VE BEEN in several meetings where we’ve been discussing the condition and future of the church in America . Many pastors are concerned about the watering down of the gospel today. In an effort to draw a crowd, we have failed to build churches. The church-lite culture, is fifty miles wide and two inches deep.

VANCE HAVNER SAID, “I used to say the world was going to the dogs, but I quit out of respect for dogs.” I wonder what he would say about the American church today. Many churches today would never have Havner or any prophetic voice in their pulpits. God forbid that anyone in the pew might feel the necessity to do something about sin.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, there was an Emergent Convention in Nashville . The Emerging Church movement is, at times, watering down the Word in an effort to attract people. Jesus attracted the people and He didn’t water down anything. Jesus died to bring people to Himself and to holiness. Jesus died for more than many are willing to live for.

SOME OF THESE CHURCHES don’t fit the New Testament description of a church, (unless you are talking about carnal Corinth ). They brag about their size, but where’s the spiritual impact? Why are over 90% of teenagers in America unchurched if these guys are doing such a great job connecting with the culture?

WE’VE GOT NUMBERS, technology, satellite sites, drama, podcasting, streaming video, great bands, exciting music, but where’s the breath of the Spirit? Where’s the unexplainable power of God? Where’s prayer? Where’s the call to holiness? Where’s the call to this materialistic age to sacrifice and serve?

IN MY OPINION, we’re serving up something less than the New Testament standard of Christianity. A factory second can have a designer label but in reality it’s nothing more than a cheaper, blemished version of a quality item. For many, church is more about being cool than having character. It’s about “rah-rah” more than righteousness.

THE GREATEST ISSUE I have with the Emerging Church is in an effort to be “cutting edge” they’ve cut off any ties to our heritage, historical roots and the saints of old who have paved the way along the way. They are moving fences without asking why they are there. The average church member today knows nothing of the faith of our fathers.

REGARDING THE LEADERS of the Emerging Church movement, one pastor said “They are whiney white boys who are mad at their dads, reject authority and think they can orchestrate change over coffee at Starbucks.” They are like the children of the 60′s who want to wave off every restraint in the name of “freedom” in Christ. They are so bent on being cool, they have forsaken the cross.

THIS IS MORE than a difference of opinion on style. These men and women are going beyond style changes. They are, in many ways, destroying the foundations. The original idea behind the Emerging Church movement (they don’t call it a movement, they call it a “conversation”) is to learn to relate to a postmodern world. There was concern about how “seeker” churches were going to relate to the younger generations.

IN THIS EFFORT, the question must be asked, “Are they raising up a generation of believers of whom the world is not worthy? Are they raising up prayer warriors? Are they raising up people with a hunger for holiness?” These are the questions we all must ask if we are seeking to build a church that is pleasing to Christ.

I HAVE A youth ministry background. We always had a separate youth service on Wednesday nights, but I never felt the need to disconnect from the rest of the body. We were still part of something greater than we were. When you start compartmentalizing a church, you will end up on a rocky road. The church for 2,000 years was together in “one place” – men, women, students, children, singles. There were no options regarding style. Everyone had to learn to get along. It was called submitting to one another. It had it’s basis in loving one another.

TODAY, we divide, hoping to connect. While I am the first to agree we are all different, we need to learn from one another. The younger need to learn from the older. The older need to invest in the younger. Today we’re raising a generation of kids in single parent homes who feel no connection to family or the church.

THIS ISSUE IS, by and large, a materialistic western culture issue. You won’t find it in a third world country where being a Christian is life or death. We must not cave into a spirit of preference. What we need is a spirit of deference. Each person, needs to die to self, learn to respect others, learn to relate to other generations and learn to bow together at the cross.

THE SEEKER MOVEMENT sought to make lost people feel comfortable in church. The Emerging Church movement seeks to have the “Burger King philosophy” of church, “Have it your way.” When we set up the church to please people, we’ve stopped being the church. We’re only a social club with a religious label, and ministers become lobbyists, trying to get donors and favors.

BRIAN McLAREN, one of the key leaders of the movement says, “When you have a liberal way of being a Christian and a conservative way of being a Christian that are both modern, and modernity is over, you’ve got to find another way of being a Christian.” I guess Brian thinks the omnipotent, sovereign God of glory needs his help. I guess He doesn’t consider a Scriptural approach a valid “way of being a Christian.”

I KNOW what he’s saying, but I don’t agree with his conclusions. I’ve been in the church all my life. There is nothing “Christian” about the way many of our churches act or do business. These emerging church leaders are reacting to the junk they saw growing up in the church. Maybe they aren’t sick of church, but they’re sick of business meetings, committees and deacon possessed churches that run off pastors at a whim. Their frustrations may be valid, but their conclusions are wrong. They are going too far. They’re stretching the rubber band to the breaking point. The pendulum has swung too far. Some even say we don’t need church at all. Any philosophy that emerges that de-emphasizes the church is from the pit of hell.

MY CONCERN is this: a whole generation is being influenced by guys who “use” the Bible, but don’t study it. They do not have convictions; they have opinions. They don’t wait for a word from God; they get with a team and put together a “talk.” In a day of moral confusion and relative thinking we need a word from the Lord.

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Hm. I myself support and understand what the Emerging Church is doing. And what I think is intteresting about this article is that whoever writing it is not telling people the exact basis of the Emerging Church, about their standpoints and what not. Which is the exact reason why Christianity is going down the pooper. Basing it back on Christ is what the Emerging Church is doing. By new kind of Christian, I believe McLaren meant one that is focused on Christ, since obviously no one is any more.

Instead of badmouthing something and giving it a false name maybe the facts should be presented before somebody says all of these things… just like maybe the basics and facts and truths of Christianity should be prevalent before sermons are given about other pointless things. Beacuse thats whats wrong with Christianity, every sermon is not based on Christ anymore, and the wonderful truth of his life and his attitude and his love is nowhere to be found. Much like happened in this article: (though not to the same degree of course) If the information is skewed and completely skipped over and the basic is not shown and the truth is not there, HOW CAN YOU EVER EXPECT ANY SINGLE PERSON TO BELIEVE THE REAL TRUTH?!

that last blog was jibberish.

yes, I admit that the last blog I wrote was a little…. sketchy? out of sink? nonsensical?

I was riding a high, I was completely ecstatic and emotional and all of these other words that I can’t think of right now. Sunday, I was privileged to be able to speak at the youth service, Qara, at the church I volunteer at in Sugar Hill. Its Sugar Hill UMC, and my main duty there is leading worship for that service, but as I’ve been led to be a ‘Youth Pastor’ of sorts, I felt it was time to step my foot into the warm waters of giving sermons. Summed up, I was able to give the message Sunday night, and it was freaking awesome. I was there, for what I thought was to teach and touch some kids, and I hope to God I was able to do that, but I ended up teaching myself and being touched by God when I didn’t expect for either to happen. It was my first time speaking in front of that many people, so I was a little shaky, though not as nervous as I thought I would be, I was quite repetitive. What can I say though, for a first time, I only stumbled over three words/phrases, and I’ll only get better at public speaking the more I do it.

God’s been opening up some awesome doors for me, and He’s opened up my eyes quite a good bit recently. It just goes to show that the more you seek after Him and to learn from Him, the more He will teach you and the more He will show himself to you.

Honestly, I’m purely ecstatic. Praise God for giving me the ability to do things that 2 years ago I would have thought were crazy.

As I said in my last dysfunctional blog, by the end of the week I should have a typed copy of it up on here so that you can read it if you weren’t there. As well, me and the Dresdow will be making a ‘Qara Myspace’ as well as a podcast soon, although by soon, I might mean in a month. Bear with us.

Let me show you what He has done for me,

Blair

heysoos.

sometimes God works in ways i couldnt imagine. I hope some kids got touched by God this evening, as much as i did.

Weird thinking that two years ago this time i would have never imagined i would end up in this place doing these things, with these people around me.

yes, i was a tad bit repetitive. but ill get better the more i do it. God willing, that will be often. Let me show you what He has done for me. Praise him for giving me this gift and this goal.

ill type the message out word for word so i can put it on here for you people to read later this week when i get the cd. as well, me and the dresdow are thinking of making a Qara myspace, as well as a podcast, and hopefully that will work out and be pretty cool.

some guys named james and james came up to me afterwards and were talking to me, there were both around 30 years old, and gave me some awesome encouragement. One of the guys prayed over me, and it was definately a humbling experience to know that i can serve and teach others, even that much older than me.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

this coming sunday

this coming sunday November 5 will be my first attempt at sharing my brain and what i would like to call “God-given wisdom” (though there will always be someone to debate that), with others and i will be doing so at Sugar Hill Methodist Church in Gwinnett, Georgia at 6:15-6:30pm. Its a service called Qara and should be pretty eventful. If you’re in the area I would be overjoyed to have you check it out and show your support as I’m sure I’ll be mighty nervous and whatnot.

As well, I’ve realized just how much I need to start reading lately. There’s so much to learn and so much to gain. Its unfortunate i have such a demanding job, but as hours are dropping off, I hopefully will have a lot of time to read this winter season.

Moral of the story is: come to SHUMC this Sunday, November 5, and enjoy.

AM Talk Radio

Last night I was listening to 750AM talk radio, cause lately I guess I’ve gotten increasingly old, and am turning in to my Pops, so I listen to talk shows all the time, and I heard one of the absolute most profound, as well as, I believe, completely correct, statements I have heard in a long, long time.

I believe it was Sean Hannity, from his AM radio show, but don’t quote me on that, because I am not sure. He was talking about the Amish school shooting that happened recently and how yesterday was the burial of some of the girls that had been killed. He said that the only reason the Amish school shooting, or the recent shootings in Colorado, and anything of a human of the sort. is because the devil has been allowed in to America. And not just he explained it as not “God’s punishing us now” but he continued with something like this:

“The only reason many of these things have happened is because the devil has been allowed into America. God, the Almighty, has been taken out of the churches, taken out of the schools, taken out of the government, taken out of the media, take out of the movies, and taken out of the homes of America. And the devil has been allowed in.”

I thought this was an extraordinarily profound statement to make, especially from someone in the media, where you never hear a positive thing about Christianity EVER.

“GOD has been taken out of the churches.”

Of the churches? Isn’t that where God should be most prevalent? Obviously there is something wrong with our culture, or our society, or us as human beings, when even in the Christian churches, there is no God to be found…

When the church focuses more on the politics, the budget, the number of attendees, or why their denomination is better than the next, instead of on the message of the Love of Christ, then the devil has been allowed in. And if the church doesn’t grow a backbone, and quit changing itself to fit the world, and set the bar for other things such as the schools, the media, and so forth, then we as a society will continue on this steady decline to a complete moral suicide. We will destroy ourselves if we continue to allow the devil to make himself a home in America.

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edit: This as well is unbelievable: That in a country where there is no forgiveness, and no sorrow, only contempt after tragedies such as these, half of the 75 people showed up for the Amish school SHOOTER’s funeral, were….. AMISH.

The unconditional love these people have for everyone, no matter the crime, no matter the sin, no matter the hurt and pain and suffering, is that of which i could only pray God would bless me with.