Um...sorry?

Ok, it's been awhile. I know. I am aware. What happened? Well.....um....uh....yeah. It's been a bit crazy, haha. Have I had time to blog? Some, but not as much as I would like.

However, as with all good habits, I feel the need to give this a second crack. Besides, summer's coming around and that means I'll have (a bit) more free time.

Just to update all of you on a few things. 1.) I'm engaged to a wonderful young lady, Leslie Turner. We're getting married on Oct. 3. It's a Saturday. Mark your calendars. 2.) I'm by no means prepared to get married. Ready, yes. Prepared, no. I have no idea what I'm doing and I'm blessed that Leslie is willing to walk this whole thing out with me. 3.) I bought a new car. My old girl, the Green Ford Escort ZX2 went the way of a trade-in. As we pulled off the lot with our new Mitsubishi Outlander Leslie asked (rather incredulously) if I was crying. Yes, yes I was.

Alright, that's all I have time for now. Sorry to whatever small following I had for the absence. Look for more updates again soon.

Some days I just wonder...

For any of you who may be unaware, we are currently in a recession. In fact, we are facing the largest recession since the little one we had back in the '30s. As a result we've seen Uncles Sam bail out the banks, and now possibly the auto industry. Foreclosures are a daily occurrence, gas peaked at almost $4/gallon, and our cable bill went up $5. What is the world coming to?

Thank the Lord for the rock of stability that is the New York Yankees. Even in these pressing times, when the common man is struggling to put food on the table, they are quick to remind us of what is truly the most important thing...solid starting pitching.

The Bronx Bombers signed C.C. Sabathia this week to the tune of $160 mil. over the next few years. Now, some may see this as absurd (possibly any of you who have logic, morals, or decency), but you are plainly wrong. Without starting pitching (especially in the A.L.), you are doomed to failure. The Yankees HAD to make this move, as pitching has been their Achilles heel since Giambi stopped shooting steroids in the buttocks. Chicks may dig the long ball, but they alone will not help you reach your final destination!

For any of you who may be interested, you can click here to see how long it would take ol' C.C. to make your salary. I think he has to pitch half a game or something to make mine. I just hope he can pay for gas in his private jet. Poor guy!

'Tis the Season

I love the holiday season.  It's great.  You eat, you see family, you eat, and you get to witness the absurd.  At what other time of year can you read about the trampling of a Wal*Mart employee? Or fist fights over Barbies?  Truly absurd.  Aren't we civilized?

As Christians we live in a constant dichotomy between the birth of Christ and American consumerism.  It is difficult to find a balance, and we oftentimes seem to stray too far to one side or another.  I saw something today that reminded me of the challenge.

I drove by a church that had a huge sign out front encouraging folks to, "Keep Christ in Christmas."  Not a bad thought.  Right next to this sign was another encouraging folks to attend their annual Christmas Party/Festival;  where they could get a photo with Santa.  

'Tis the season!

My Mono Monologue

I realize, as I write this post, that it's been well over a month (in fact, nearly 6 weeks) since I wrote my last blogpost.  My apologies.  However, I do have a very good excuse.  A singular excuse.  Dare I say a mono excuse.

Mononucleosis, such a wonderful word.  I had not, until this point, fully understood the depth and breadth of the term.  I now, painfully, do.  But, it wasn't all bad.  I always wanted to watch 16 hours of T.V. back to back to back to...you get the idea.

So, with that being said, I am well on the road to recovery and hope to get the ol' blog up and running with some weekly posts.  Hope you enjoy!

The Death of Independent Barry

I showed this short to my girlfriend, and here is the "sympathy" card I received in the mail as a response...

What can I say?  I think she's great!

Consuming Religion

I'm currently in the 4th chapter of Alan Hirsch's book "The Forgotten Ways" and was so captivated by his section on the Consuming Church I felt I needed to post if for your consideration.  Just to preface, Hirsch argues that the major "religion" counteracting the work of the church today is the modern "religion" of consumerism.  To quote, "If the role of religion is to offer a sense of identity, purpose, meaning, and community, then it can be said that consumerism fulfills all these criteria" (Hirsch 107).

Hirsch further argues that, rather then reacting against consumerism, the church has adopted consumeristic practices and principles as the norm of how things are meant to be done.  So, with that as a preface, I refer you to the rather lengthy quote below.  Hope you enjoy!

The problem for the church in this situation is that it is now forced to compete with all the other ideologies and -isms in the  marketplace of religions and products for the allegiance of people, and it must do this in a way that mirrors the dynamics of the marketplace-because that is precisely the basis of how people make the countless daily choices in their lives.  In the modern and postmodern situation, the church is forced into the role of being little more than a vendor of religious good and services.  And the end-users of the church's services (namely, us) easily slip into the role of discerning, individualistic consumers, devouring the religious goods and service offered by the latest and best vendor.  Worship, rather than being entertaining through creatively engaging the hearts and minds of the hearers, now becomes mere entertainment that aims at giving the participants transcendent emotional highs, much like the role of "feelies" in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, where people go to the movies merely to get a buzz.

Church growth exponents have explicitly taught us how to market and tailor the product to suit target audiences.  They told us to mimic the shopping mall, apply it to the church, and create a one-stop religious shopping experience catering to our every need.   In this they were sincere and well intentioned, but they must have been also totally ignorant of the ramifications of there counsel-because in the end the medium has so easily overwhelmed the message.  Christendom, operating as it does in the attractional mode and run by professionals, was already susceptible to consumerism, but under the influence of contemporary church growth practice, consumerism has actually become the driving ideology of the church's ministry.

The very shape of the church building gives us away.  Ninety percent or more of the people who attend our services are passive.  In other words, they are consumptive.  They are the passive recipients of the religious goods and services being delivered largely by professionals in a slick presentation and service.  Just about everything we do in these somewhat standardized services and 'box churches,' we do in order to attract participants, and to do this we need to make the experience of church more convenient and comfortable.  It is the ultimate religious version of one-stop shopping-hassle free.  But alas, all we are achieving by doing this is adding more fuel to the insatiable consumerist flame.  I have come to the dreaded conclusion that we simply cannot consume our way into discipleship.  Consumerism as it is experienced in the everyday and discipleship as it is intended in the scriptures are simply at odds with each other. And both aim at the mastery over our lives, only in marketing it's called brand loyalty or brand community.

Alan Hirsch.  The Forgotten Ways.  pgs. 109-110.

Hope that gets the wheels-a-turning!  For a greater depth and scope, read the book. =) However, I believe that this quote is a great challenge for all who work within the church. Have we simply sold out?

Just a Thought...

I was reading today and stumbled across this quote...

"The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not how far a man can logically analyze his reasons for believing, but how far in practice he will stake his life on his belief." - T.S. Eliot as quoted in "The Forgotten Ways" by Alan Hirsch

How far are we willing to go?  To trust?  To risk?  What are our lives saying about our belief?