Calling All Artists

Travis Reed just wrote this under the Worship House Media post from about a month ago.

i'm intersted in connecting with houston area artists and chatting about worship arts, etc. i founded highway who creates content worship house media sells. also, i've started a new venture out of houston called the work of the poeple. so i'd really like to connect with folks and chat and possible collberate. just throwing that out there...

McLaren in S.A.

Brian McLaren was in San Antonio last night. He was a guest of the local cohort. I was not able to go, but here is a link to what Paul Soupiset (of S.A. cohort) had to say about it.

If anyone else went(from Houston or elsewhere), feel free to add comments.

Nehemiah's Prayer

Most of us are familiar with the Lord's prayer. You know, where Jesus tells the crowd how to pray. But what about Nehemiah's prayer. Can you quote that one?


It is pretty good. It had a purpose and was meant for a particular time and place, but imagine someone standing up one Sunday and saying some of it or try it yourself.

O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive an your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you.

It goes on. It really is something. The book of Nehemiah is something. It is inspiring. Is is about renewal and recommitment and hope and joy.

It is also a book about curses. Nehemiah, who prayed that amazing prayer, was a product of the Law.

I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair.

That seems a bit harsh. Especially after his prayer. Nehemiah was a man of the Law, and there wasn't much grace under the Law.

I love Nehemiah's prayer. I love the story of renewal. But I am thankful for grace and the example Jesus showed us in his prayer.

So You Say You Want a Revolution?

So I finished Barna's Revolution. Actually, I finished it last weekend. It is a self-proclaimed, 'quick read'. It is also meaningful.

If you aren't familiar with George Barna, he is a numbers guy. Well, more than that. But at heart, he is a pollster. Well respected, his clients run the gamut from Walt Disney and Ford to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. His research is dead on and dependable.

Usually he just gives the numbers and the facts. This book is that (numbers) and a sermon. However, it is one worth 'sitting' through.

This is not a meant to be a book review. I just wanted to echo some of his points.

Barna looks at the changes taking place in the 'church' thing. Chapter 7, A New Way of Doing Church, begins with a quote from Henry Ford...

People can have a Model T in any color they want - as long as it's black.

Barna compares that idea with "the view of many Americans regarding how people should pursue spiritual growth - through any means they want, as long as it is connected to the efforts of a local church."

I think about this a bunch. I've started to borrow a phrase from Kaleo and that is, "Stop Going To Church."

If that one or two hours on a Sunday morning in a church building is the only time we are near God and are spiritual, then when are in trouble.

I hear the term corporate worship and I cringe. Corporate worship? When did we incorporate?

So what is church?

Is it when the pastor is there? Does he make it official? Does taking communion? Three songs and a prayer?

Has anyone gone somewhere that has bible classes? Why is that in a bible class it isn't uncommon to doing something, talk about something that would never be attempted in corporate worship (or what I like to call - big church)?

Is bible class not church? Does God skip those?

Does anyone 'go to church' on Wednesday night? Saturday nights?

I keep thinking, why are we putting God in a box? (Which reminds me of a great series you should check out called, Jesus Outed in Megachurch. - But I digress.)

Is this church? This blog? Barna might say yes. He lists four macro-models of church and one is cyberchurch.

I know many identify with emergent. But whether you are emergent, missional, or whatever, it boils down to the fact we are tired of only getting church in black.

One more quote from page 106...

New leaders...will not be building new institutions to replace the old. Rather, it will be providing guidance in the construction of new hearts and minds that produce a thriving Church community...Whereas "Christian community" has generally been limited to the relationships facilitated within a congregation, the Revolution is bursting open the walls of the worldwide Church to birth a truly international network of relationships.

Jesus Girls

If you haven't heard by now about the recent discovery of what might be the oldest church in Israel, I hope you will take a moment to read about this fascinating discovery.

The basics are that in Megiddo near biblical Armageddon, prisoners working on construction of a new prison wing, found tiles that have led some scholars to believe it was the site of church that was older than Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem or Nativity in Bethlehem.

The story is amazing really, and there is so much discussion about what the findings mean. I was most interested in the fact that the tiles that were found describe 4 Greek women that worshipped Jesus at this site. There was Frimilia, Kiriaka, Dorothea and Karasta. I don't know how much these tiles will be able to tell us about these women but the simple fact that we are suddenly hearing about WOMEN thrills me! Can you imagine how influential they must have been to have had their names inscribed in tile?

I would have really liked to have known the Akaptos who is described as "a lover of God who contributed the altar to the god Jesus Christos as a memorial." Was this the Oprah Winfrey of the 3rd century that had the money and the power to contribute the altar herself?

Can you imagine how different our view might be if for a second we allowed the idea that women were influential in ways other than cooking and changing diapers in the early church? Could it be that Jesus turned to these women in creating and forming his mission? Is it possible that they were at the table with the men? Can you imagine it?

I can and it makes me happier than I can tell you.

Proposition 2 - What's Your Sign?

Today is election day. There are several State propositions that are up for vote. One I can't get away from, however, is Prop 2, the Texas Marriage amendment.

I've had nearly a dozen recorded voice messages today urging me to 'return morals to this great state' and vote for Prop 2. Of course, same sex marriages in Texas were made illegal in 2003, but for some that isn't enough. More had to be done. At least, that is the argument. I guess the concern is Democrats might get back in control and loosen the rules or a judge might 'legislate' or some other 'back door' possibility could send us down that road.

Some have argued that the language is a bit vague and could cause problems with common-law marriages of heterosexuals, but most 'experts' seem to dismiss it as unlikely.

I have no doubt that this will pass overwhelmingly. They probably don't even have to count the votes.

One thing that I find interesting is how churches are reacting to this. Driving around Houston, it doesn't take long to see a reminder of the 'right' thing to do. Church signs urging everyone what needs to be done.

I think they should be more direct. They should just say what they really mean...if you are gay don't think of coming to this church. Whether it is you, someone in your family or just a friend...don't come or bring them either. We don't want you and we don't approve. We know it is already illegal here in Texas, but we want to spit on you some more and make sure you know we really think you are going to hell. Don't worry about all the other stuff...porn addiction, adultery, stealing, lying, we're okay with that. You can even say a closing prayer.

I'm not here trying to tell you that homosexuality is not a sin and I'm not here trying to tell you that it is a sin.

I'm saying, same sex marriage is already against the law in Texas.

I have friends who have committed adultery. I hesitated to even write that because I don't want to imply when I think of them that is how I identify them. I don't. I love them. I don't stand from the mountain top waving a flag saying adultery should be against the law and I whole heartedly support any law that would make it illegal. You may say adultery and homosexuality are two very different things. I say, if you see both as sin then they are both sin.

This is not a political blog. I'm not telling you how to vote. I don't care. But I am trying to remind you (and myself) how to love.

Slow Revolution

I finally got my copy of George Barna's Revolution. I ordered it via his website because it was a bit cheaper and I thought it might be good for him. I ordered it before it was released but it just arrived today.

I saw it in my favorite Barnes and Noble one week ago. They had one copy. My friend got it. I nearly asked to borrow his.

I hope to start looking through it tomorrow.

Confession is Good for the Soul

I read recently about the uses of blogs in our Christian walk. One of the suggestions was using the blog as a place for accountability. I have been intrigued by this idea since I read it.

I have always been jealous of the Catholic tradition of confession. One of my recurring jokes (it gets less funny each time I tell it ) is that if I were Catholic, they would undoubtedly set up a toll feeder in order to handle the traffic that I would bring to the confessional. You see, I am a sinner in the biggest kind of way.

No, I haven't committed murder. (yet) I haven't stolen anything since I swiped Pixie Sticks from my Sunday School classroom in the 2nd grade. The spanking must have worked. But I have committed just about every other sin and some of them I manage to commit daily.

You know the little sins. Gossip. Lust. Envy. Coveting my neighbor's new wood floors. Despite the tone, I am serious about my short-comings. I'm just not sure that I would want to fully disclose them here in this forum. It might take a while.

The funny thing about the Christian walk is despite all the talk about community, we fail to hold each other accountable for our actions and our words. I'm not suggesting that it is easy to look to your friend and point out their bad behavior, but could it be helpful?

It is easy to hide behind the plank in my eye argument, never reaching out to others for fear that we would look self-righteous and pompous. But are there times when we should poke in and say something?

I used to have a friend that did this for me. One time she told me that I was a terrible friend because I only called her when I wanted something. I was hurt at the accusation. I did not talk to her for weeks. I wished terrible things on her like a rash of shingles and a sudden case of alopecia. (see, I AM a sinner) But later, I was able to see through the comment to the truth. She had spoke to me in love and in truth. She was right and I am a better person for it.

If you agree that we are called to this more intimate relationship as siblings in Christ, then how can we use this great forum to advance the idea? We could set up a Name Your Sin Blog. If you must name it to claim it then is that one way to actively "work" at this whole Christian thing?

No answers here. Just questions.