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November 30, 2004
American Christianity
Oh no, not another rant about how we as Christians in America are fat and lazy.
Yep.
Ok this is a topic with which we are probably all very well acquainted. Because I don’t have much time I won’t spend any on the rant part of this post and will move straight to the questions:
Christianity or rather a relationship with God and as a follower of Christ is built around need. We need a savior. We need propitiation for our sins against God. We need something or someone to bring us back into communion with God. We need this as humans.
But here in America it is hard to need anything. Especially us here in the upper middle class. We are a society that has all of its basic needs met. Except of course the need for a 50-inch flat screen TV.
Therefore since we don’t even feel the need much for our own salvation how can we show other their need?
And, if we don’t feel the need for God on a daily basis how can we truly and consistently build a stronger relationship with him?
Basically how do we challenge ourselves to consistently be breaking out of this complacency when we really don’t need to?
This is an unbelievably powerful tool that the devil has on us.
What do we need to do? How can we break out of this? Not what does the country need to do, but what will you do? I challenge you to respond.
Posted by paul at 07:15 PM | Comments (4)
November 29, 2004
T-day, the aftermath and six months
Well, here we are. I guess I am a little behind in my blogiging. Blank main pages aren't my style. Sames as you, I haven't had much for time.
I hate it when people say they are busy. Why? Because you're not. Everyone says they're busy so therefore the average busy index has been raised approximately 12 points. Its all in how you set your priorities. Stop complaining about it when you can change it.
Anyways... I also hate blog entries without a point. Christie and I just got back from the Flame n Skewer in the Mall. I would give it a 3 out of 5. Decent. We went their for our six month "month-iversery". Six magical months. Its fun to finally be able to laugh at some fresh newlyweds here in Ames. I betcha we can still out gross them though...
Thanksgiving. What am I thankful for? The blessings of marriage and the trials of support raising.
Posted by paul at 07:53 PM | Comments (0)
November 19, 2004
Swearin Up a Storm
As expected everyone vocal came down on the side of “Don’t Swear”. And why not? Hey there sure seems to be several verses that tell us to be encouraging and pure in our speech:
Exodus 20:7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Colossians 3:8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Ephesians 5:4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
(All NIV)
These verses were all quoted by my faithful and wise readers. And I have sided with them inarguably. But where is the line? When do words become “filthy”?
We seem to have no problem saying poop, urine seems to be fine, how about bowel movement? (One that my Dad uses)
Then we come to other words; words like angry, upset, mad, livid, and irate. Hmmm, I used the word “pissed” from the stage once and some one gentle told me that they thought that it wasn’t appropriate.
When I was a child we were not allowed to say “butt” we were told it was a “bottom” a “rear end”. Even now I don’t use that three letter word starting with “a” with two “s” after it.
And hell is a place that people will go, like it or not.
Now words with a more sexual connotation get tougher. I have problems saying the “anatomy book” correct names for some body parts in public. (This is probably because I have never/rarely heard my parents say them. Cold and unfeeling Swedes. Hehe. I love them and am glad to be one of them.)
So where is the line? Here are a couple of times in the Bible when “coarse” language is allegedly used. I will refer to the instigator of this discussion.
As I mentioned before, modern translations tend to clean this language up. How unfortunate.
Acts 8:20 – A man asked if he could purchase the power of God. Peter (yes the apostle Peter) replied “Your money and you can go straight to hell.” That is a very good translation of the original Greek. The New International Version emasculates the passage to avoid offending silly people, translating it, “May your money perish with you.” Please!
Can anyone with any life left in them prefer the NIV translation to what the text really says? Peter was pissed off! This guy asked if he could buy the favor and power of the Almighty. He’s lucky Peter didn’t lop off his ear with a sword.
Galatians 5:12 - This passage is rather humorous. A group of people were suggesting that new Christians in Galatia should be circumcised. Paul said, “I wish those who are troubling you [over this] would cut their own balls off”.
Admittedly, the original Greek doesn't include the phrase “own balls off”. BUT, Paul did use a coarse and common term for castration. He was angry. If he lived today he would say, “Cut their own balls off”. Since translation attempts to render the original language with appropriate modern phrasing, I prefer my own rather earthy translation, thank you very much.
-Real Live Preacher
Now I am not going to go out and start swearing up a storm. I am just trying to balance out the topic here. What does the Bible say? Where is the line? What is sin?
Anyone on the side of swearing?
Anyone dead set against it?
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Postscript: The Real Live Preacher often uses profanity as a way to express emotion. He doesn't use it gratuitously or just to cause a reaction. After posting something of his a few days ago I wanted to do a little research on him. He is a pastor from Texas.
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Posted by paul at 07:07 PM | Comments (3)
November 18, 2004
Coarse Language
Do you use coarse language?
How coarse is your language?
Do you actually think about the coarse language that you use, and justify it?
Biblically?
Or do you just use it because it is an old habit?
Do you use it to describe extreme emotion?
Do you use it all the time as an adjective?
Why don't you use coarse language?
This is all I have time for now... leave your thoughts please... more tomorrow.
Posted by paul at 10:52 PM | Comments (5)
November 17, 2004
Real Live Preacher
I rarely if ever post other's material especially blogs, but since this is outside of my regular blog circut I figured I at least get it started. This is a story taken from Real Live Preacher.com. I found it to be very powerful. Go here to catch part two.
The two men in expensive robes looked very out of place in the darkest part of the back streets, but they were not afraid. Their robes and their attitude let everyone know who they were. No one would dare harm them, even at night.“Do we understand one another?”
“Yes, separate one. I understand perfectly.”
One of the robed men tossed a few coins into the shadows of a doorway. As they turned to walk away he called back over his shoulder.
“Don’t be late. And don’t disappoint me!”
They walked quickly through the alleys with the sleeves of their robes pressed over their noses and mouths. The man who had thrown the coins said to his companion, “A most distasteful business, I must say.”
_____________________________________________________________________
Jesus came early to the temple the next morning to continue his discussions with a small crowd of people made up mostly of tradesmen from the streets of Jerusalem. They were thrilled that this exciting, young rabbi seemed to enjoy teaching regular people. Soon they were knotted around Jesus and engaged in a passionate discussion of the Torah and its interpretation.
Their conversation was interrupted by the panicked and fearful shrieks of a woman. All heads turned at the same time to see a group of about ten men pushing their way through the crowd and up to the front where Jesus stood. These were important and very religious men, some of them scholars and officials of the Temple. Others were Pharisees, respected and wealthy men who took pride in keeping themselves away from sinners.
The townspeople around Jesus parted respectfully, allowing them to the front. Two were dragging a woman along with them. They thrust her violently toward Jesus, and the crowd drew back further when they saw her.
The woman stood with her head down and her hair covering most of her face. Her shoulders were hunched inward with shame, and she was desperately holding a tattered robe around her body. Her feet were bare and her hair was dirty. She was disheveled and confused, and she was not properly covered. A glimpse of her thigh was visible through a fold in the cloth. Under her chin the robe sagged, revealing her collar bone.
One of the Pharisees stepped boldly forward and spoke directly to Jesus. “Honored Rabbi, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery.”
He paused and looked around at the crowd for effect before repeating himself loudly.
“In the VERY ACT! Her guilt is beyond question. We bear witness to it. Now the law of Moses says that we should stone her here and now. But of course, with Jesus here at the temple today, we are fortunate to have an expert opinion on matters of the Law. We wouldn’t want to act hastily. After all, a woman’s life is at stake.”
He cocked his head slightly and stretched his arm out toward Jesus with his palm up.
“So I ask you, rabbi, what do YOU say we should do?”
He said the word “rabbi” with mock intensity, drawing it out until it almost sounded like an insult.
Jesus looked at the group of religious men before him. They met his gaze without looking the slightest bit uncomfortable or unsure of themselves. He turned his head and looked at the small crowd of people who moments before had been listening to him teach and asking questions. They were all looking at him now. Some of them were nodding to each other as if to say, “Yes, I’d like to know what Jesus says about a terrible thing like this.”
Then Jesus turned his eyes to the woman who stood trembling before them all. His eyes moved slowly over her, picking up details that told him something of her story.
She was a woman of the streets; that seemed obvious. She looked hard and desperate. The bottoms of her feet were calloused and thickened, as were the fingers clutching the edges of her cheap robe. She had known hard labor, and the life she now lived made her harder still. Her hair was dirty and there was straw in it. It looked as if someone had thrown her to the ground, tossed the robe at her, and given her a few seconds to make herself presentable.
But something was wrong here. Something was missing. Something nagged at the blurry edges of his awareness, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
Jesus slowly lowered himself into a squatting position, eyes still on the woman. Then he looked at the ground before him and wrote with his finger in the dust as he thought and wondered. The crowd was quiet. They stared at him and wondered what he was going to do next.
And then he froze. His index finger stopped moving in the dirt. He understood. He knew what was missing. His eyes closed and he let the air out of his lungs with a groan. His shoulders sagged. He became intent on the ground before him, and he wrote in the dirt, “Where is the man?”
He stood quickly and stepped across what he had written and toward the Pharisee who seemed to be the ringleader. He spoke directly to him, but loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Where is the man?”
“What man?”
“You know what man. It does take two to commit adultery. Why have you not brought him here to face justice alongside her?”
Like I said earlier go here for the rest of the story!
Posted by paul at 07:22 PM | Comments (1)
November 16, 2004
Practice Practice Practice
So today for the first time I wandered outside my front door and watched the football team practice, albeit only for about 30 seconds but I did actually watch them. I noticed a couple things.
1) There where two kickers practicing field goals. I thought to my self our kicking is terrible they need to practice like that. Maybe they should kick 500 field goals a day and we’ll get better. Then I thought man they are way too close the need to back it up at least 20 yards, they’re making every single one of them. Then I reminded myself that I never played organized football so I shouldn’t critique their practice methods.
2) Then I thought about how I train myself to be godly. Or don’t as the case may be. If we as Christians put the serious two-plus hours of practice at least five days a week that the Cyclone football team puts in what would that make us? And we have so much more at stake here then a College level game!
Posted by paul at 07:21 PM | Comments (4)
Commenters Ahoy!
So it sure is interesting the small percentage of my readers who actually comment on my posts. I feel like there is approximately 25 people who read my blog on a semi-regular basis. And the average response that I have to a post is... well it's way way below that...
I did get a huge moral boost today though, my Dad commented!
Check out the sage advice from the original Johnson!
Posted by paul at 10:15 AM | Comments (3)
November 15, 2004
Sure I can play guitar
For years I have been ridiculed for the oral gyrations that careen across my countenance when I play a complicated guitar riff. I curl, purse and pucker my lips unknowingly as I “play some pretty hot lixx”. When laughed at and mocked I have tried to pass it off and try to convince my disdainers that it is merely my stage presence or an act to entertain. But in fact I am unable to resist, unable to hold still those quivering show stealers. Well ladies and gents I am not alone in this singular trait. In fact I should be calling this supposed embarrassment my claim to greatness. For not only does the veritable Pat Blair engage in such interesting leaping lips but so does the late great Stevie Ray Vaughn and blue’s elder statesman Eric Clapton. And if it’s good enough for them its good enough for me!
“…and the dragon comes in the NIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiGH!”
Posted by paul at 07:59 PM | Comments (2)
November 12, 2004
Sometimes
Sometimes I imagine I'm hypochondriac
I ail from an imagined life lived in fear
What can be worse then the physician saying
"I’m sorry you don’t suffer of it my dear"
Working on this... don't have the meter quite right. And no this is not from my life's experience. :)
Posted by paul at 07:41 PM | Comments (0)
November 11, 2004
hmm #4723940139238.3
It's back to the doc with me again today. Yesterday's biannual oncological appointment went well but they think that I have Mono. Which means that I will have to spend a lot of time sleeping in the next couple weeks. Anyway to make sure that I don't have some other serious problem they are going to give me a CT scan. Apreciate your prayers!
Posted by paul at 07:15 PM | Comments (1)
November 10, 2004
November Newsletter
Here is an except from my upcoming newsletter. If you are on my prayer and/or support team you should be getting one within a week.
Here I am in November and God still has me raising support. God has blessed immensely and I have seen about 60% of what I need come in but this also means that I have a ways left to go. God has been so good to me throughout this time and so many generous people have responded to him and expressed their belief and confirmation of the ministry here. It has been a hard but encouraging time. Here are few lessons that I have learned a long the way.
God needs to move. I can talk to people until I am blue in the face but unless God changes their heart I won’t see any progress. This means that I need to be desperate for Him. I need God to move in the hearts of those who I will be meeting with and those of you who are supporting and praying for me. Together we need to be desperate for the students on campus for God to break through and change their lives.
The second big lesson that I have learned through this process is that God is using it to teach me about being in ministry. Instead of seeing it as a means to an end I have started to view each appointment as an opportunity to share the gospel, exhort, and encourage. It is my prayer that each person that I meet with will see the passion that I have to reach out to young people. In this way God is refining my communication skills and giving me experience in speaking under stressful situations. Praise God. +
Posted by paul at 09:05 PM | Comments (0)
November 05, 2004
How to do Church
In praying over a future in Church planting and studying through Acts I have been thinking about the method of family interaction within the body of Christ that has come to be known as the church.
Ochuk recently wrote an interesting post on the subject following Rock Minneapolis’ retreat simply titled “Church”. I also solicited the famous Pat Sokoll on the subject seeing how he has co-led a recent church plant with a “non-traditional” organizational structure. His response was wise, mysterious, and as always “Pat-ly challenging”:
“Our method to develop our philosophy was to determine what outcome we wanted to produce and to only create structures that directly lead to those outcomes. We arrived at our philosophy of ministry that way. 1 Corinthians 14 was pretty key to us. I also noticed as I snooped around a little that there was a trend among alternative style churches to be pretty strong in their thoughts about the program based church. So be careful and guard your heart as you do your research.”
In a break from Erickson’s “Christian Theology” I picked up Cymbala’s “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire” and was impressed by the same ideals as Pat expressed. (I think that Cymbala got it from Pat.) Those ideas of playing to your gifts and strengths as a leader(s) and congregation are something that I did not glean from the text on previous readings.
So this leads me back around to self evaluation which for me is always dangerous because of what has been previously noted several times: I pridefully think that I can do everything and anything. Wow, that's dumb.
Till later...
Posted by paul at 09:20 PM | Comments (7)
The News
Wednesday night my wife noticed a loud whirring sound coming from my computer. She dutifully called me into the room and upon investigation I discovered that the cooling fan on my processor was the source of the nuisance. Unfortunately computers have not advanced to the point of operation for long periods of time without being cooled by such a fan, so I shut it down.
Therefore, yesterday I ripped into my case and removed the offensive contraption and determined that it after approximately three and a half years of near constant operation had thrown a bearing and needed to be completely replaced. A quick call to our friendly neighborhood computer parts supplier Jon Goode yielded a rough substitute.
Now it simply came to “jerry rigging” the larger fan onto the old casing and splicing the powers supply to “juice” it up. The techie side of me was having a ball while the efficiency side of me was complaining up and down. I’d say that techie needed to see the light of day.
Till later...
Posted by paul at 07:09 PM | Comments (0)
Here goes...
Since the resolution of my last foray into literary blog entertainment was wholly unsatisfying for me I am going to throw a change up. If Ben Folds can release five song EP’s instead of full albums I can release short concise subject-specific posts. Here goes…
Posted by paul at 08:58 AM | Comments (0)