God wants his money back?

In working on a project regarding worship, God gave me this thought:

"Have we made the 'audience of one' sit through something other than what he paid for?"

I liked it a lot. The background is essentially this. Through our lives, through of times of communion and celebration of God, through our praises, God is to be honored. In fact, he is THE audience for all of what we do. When we sing a solo, or play in the band, or lead praise at church, it matter a whole lot less what the congregation thinks than what God thinks. The congregation, in fact, are merely performers in a great production honoring who God is.

God's given us a pretty clear outline that we've managed to muddy up quite successfully. To the point where I think what we do as churches is more like going to the same show 'EVERY WEEK FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES' than what God really wants.

He obviously wants our attention, our affection, our admiration. I feel guilty now when I'm not completely blown away by God. I say that he's powerful enough that I should be. Sometimes I say that I need a certain song, or a certain style of music, or a certain event to get into a worship frame of mind . . . that's the biggest pile of anything that I've ever said. If I'm not completely awed by the God that God is . . . then my problem goes WAY beyond musical sylings.

That's what I mean when I say we've completely missed the boat. We're not completely awed by God's majesty. I was going to go on but that really says it all, doesn't it. Why do I need a Tomlin tune to bring a tear to my eye? I can want it to ADD to my communion . . . but if I NEED it . . . I've got a problem.

I think I've got a problem.

Grace All.

Hot Chocolate for Charlotte

It was WELL worth the wait. After a week missed, we finally got a chance to hit uptown Charlotte. There were 9 of us. Since we didn’t know what to expect, we went with 75 cups of hot chocolate . . .

They were gone in what was quite possibly less than 15 minutes.

But it was cool. We just showed up at the CATS (Charlotte Area Transit System) bus depot and said, “Hey . . . you want some hot chocolate?” 99% of the people said, “Yes indeed.” It was funny to see how many people asked, “Is it free?” A lot of people at the bus depot were hospital workers. Many were homeless. Or at least foodless.

But the question remained, what do we do now that we’re out of hot chocolate and it only took 15 minutes. Thankfully, Wendy’s has a dollar menu. So, just over $26 can get 25 Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers. We split ‘em up between two cars and drove around the uptown area giving them out to random people on the street. They were all grateful. You can read more at http://charminultra.blogspot.com (As soon as I get it posted).

Other than that, life is good. I’m about to write an article for the Southern Spirit. Don’t worry: I’m going to be very diplomatic in my response. I have a new cousin; brings the count to about 2.5 million or so.

My thoughts on worship continue to grow and develop. Kristy is reading a great book, called Teaching Kids Authentic Worship. I think all adults should read it too. I haven’t yet. But from what she tells me, I’m definitely next in line. My favorite bit so far has been the idea that worship is telling God how great He is without referring to yourself in anyway. So you can say things like, “Thank you for blessing ME”; or “I love You so much”; or “You are MY wonderful Savior”. You should give it a shot, it’s pretty tough. I’ll let you know how much I REALLY believe it when I get my hands on that book.

Grace all.

Why I Miss Kindegarten

I have a decently large library of audio files on my computer . . . works out well. I'd like to have more, but either way, it comes in handy when I'm making videos and stuff. The problem is that when I start my library going, you're never really sure what's going to play.

Interestingly enough, I have Mike Yaconelli's last public message, given here in Charlotte at the 2003. He died just a couple of weeks following that message. It started to play as I was busy running around DHQ on Tuesday.

He talked a lot about our expectations. He also mentioned an analogy from the classic book, "Everything I need to know, I learned in Kindegarten."

Kindergarteners can do ANYTHING. Just ask them. Can you draw? Yup. We can draw ANYTHING you want. Can you sing? Yup. If we don't know the words, we'll make 'em up. Can you play music? Yup. Can you dance? Yup. Can you act? Yup.

Ask a group of college students the same thing. Can you draw? Not really. I only draw cartoon faces. Can you sing? Oooh, no, I don't know many songs. Can you play music? Only the piano. Can you dance? No, I'm too clumsy. Can you act? Only stupid.

It continues downhill as you get older, aparently.

What happened?

Kindegarten was all about expectations. My Chrisitanity needs to be about expectation. To the point that we don't even know that we're expecting . . . what's the matter, what's happening? I dont' know. But God is doing something. I'm EXPECTING God to do something.

We've got God all figured out: in books, and CDs, and weblogs. But, the truth is we haven't even got a clue. He can't fit in a stinkin' book, or a song, or a posting.

So, I conclude that I have to be yet even more immature. To be yet even more like kindergarteners. To know that with God's help, I can do things for him that I'm not even aware can be done. Let me be child-like. Let me be naive when it comes to limitations. Don't let me be like Moses who, when God said, "I want you to go to Egypt," responded with, "but I'm not eloquent."

I never will be.

Grace.

Redeem it's Desert Places

Kristy and I have taken over Corps Cadets at Charlotte Temple (it's a bible study/service kind of group). Long story short, we were supposed to start yesterday, but it completely slipped my mind to inform Kris of this little fact. Id Est - It was one of those days . . .

Realistically, there have been a lot of those days, I suppose . . .

So, we're running late for church . . . and we remembered that there was one of the Boys' and Girls' Club workers that wanted to see us for a few minutes . . . we weren't sure what it was all about.

So we get there, all frazzled, and the coolest thing happened. We met with this worker and she just wanted to tell us that she'd been thinking about and praying for us all day long, and that she just wanted to encourage us and give us a word of scripture.

Read Isaiah 35

God is awesome. And His people are awesome. He knows just what we need, when we need it, and how we need to get it.

Grace.

Stepping Back

OK, I've decided not to post my whole response to the editor of The Southern Spirit . . . it is done and it is on it's way. It's probably not in anyone's best interest, though, for me to put it up here. I think I would be lowering myself.

I will, however, post this excerpt which contains some of my concerns:

No well-informed, sound-minded Salvationist would debate the statement that a divide of vast proportions, separates our generations. It is one of our own making. I am convinced that our choices are between embracing each other as fellow worshiping believers and further separating the expanse within the church along generational lines. To this point we have, unfortunately chosen the later. My fear is that the motivation for our choice is an unhealthy thought that the Church’s purpose and/or worship should be or is in any way, about us: what we enjoy; what we are fed; that our feelings not be hurt. Worship is, and can only be, about seeking the heart of our Father God, our creator and preserver, finding out what He likes. It can only be motivated by the words of John the Baptist, regarding the coming Christ, “He must become greater, I must become less.” When we seek to glorify God alone, when HE is our audience, the only proper object of religious worship, matters of taste and preference will be a far distant memory.

The letter topped out at 5 pages, and if you get the chance to swing by my office sometime, maybe I'll share a little more with you . . .

In the meantime, I await my desiny. Hopefully, I won't be fired. But, Dave tells me that you don't need to be a licensed attorney to represent someone in a civil case . . .

I'm joking . . . I kid, I kid.

Grace.

Mmmmm, Gum Drop Cake

OK, I'm almost done with my letter for all to read . . . the drafts have been a big hit so far. I'm excited about the final product.

To satisfy your sweet tooth . . . I present to you one of the reasons my mom is awesome:

GUM DROP CAKE

Cream the following:
1 Cup Butter
1 1/2 Cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

After creaming, add:
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

The add:
1 cup of warm (fresh) milk

Mix all until well blended. Fold in 1 cup of gum drops (whole or halved).

Grease tube pan (with butter or PAM) and bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Now I've just got to find gum drops in this city.

Grace.

One more for the day . . .

Those of you close to me will know that I've got some real issues about how we as a people approach worship . . . you'll also know that my thoughts are works in progress. Click on the title ("One more for the day . . .) above to read an article from the latest issue of the Salvation Army Southern Territories 'flagship' publication, The Southern Spirit.

Please tell me what you think . . . I'll post my reply and letter to the editor once I get it finished.

Grace.

The Salivation Army

If you didn't catch it, there is an extra 'I' in the title of this post. As I was shaving this morning, I was thinking. Shaving doesn't require a lot of brain power, in case you didn't know. I was thinking about how we as Christians have to take responsibility for ourselves, and do what we say we will do. That is worship God by blessing Him and blessing others.

I reasoned that that seemed to be a lot like Operant Conditioning . . . the one where the rat presses the button to get food (every now and then, you see, I break back into psychology mode). You have have to do something to get something. Of course I realize that I don't have to do good works to be saved, but as I progress through my maturity I will naturally do good works.

Too often we're like a bunch of Pavlovian Dogs, conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell. Pavlov was an old pioneer in the field of psychology (though he wasn't a psychologist himself). The essence of what he found out was this:

1. Dogs salivate when you put food in front of them.
2. Dogs salivate when you ring a bell and put food in front of them.
3. If you keep ringing a bell, before you give them food, pretty soon they'll salivate at the sound of the bell, without ever seeing the food.
   

I see that our church is like that. Christians all need God. We feast on worshipping God. According to Matthew our food should be the same as Jesus' food, which was to "do the will of the Father". The problem that I see is we've stopped short of the food. It may be that our 'bell' is the band, or the worship team, or a soloist, or the message, or the ritual of getting up, getting dressed, and getting to church. But it seems as though all we need is the bell and not the food. Our mind 'hears' our 'bell' and thinks, "SOUPS ON!"

But do we ever eat? Do we ever feast on God? Or do we hear the bell and think thats all we need? It's funny that the only thing that could ever separate us from the love of God is our own choice. Don't waste your saliva on a stinking bell!

FEAST!

whoa . . .

Found this here: http://isaiah614martyrs.blogspot.com/

"I do not want another ecclesiastical corp cumbering the earth. When The Salvation Army ceases to be a militant body of red hot men and women whose supreme business is the saving of souls, I hope it will vanish utterly." -William Booth

I like William Booth. I also want to be unafraid. I want Christ to increase and me to decrease. I want to live right, do right.

I want to bless.

Grace.

10% of my Thoughts

As I've said, I've been thinking about tithing . . . not just me, a bunch of us have been. The more I read, the more I'm realizing that the tithe was used for:

1. Feasting oneself with a group of believers
2. Providing food for the priests
3. Helping the needy

That's a lot of stuff for one lump of money. My current hang up is the proportion used for for me versus the portion used for other people. My thought is that I need to be a whole lot more generous to needy people, because I have a lot. I also think that my church should physically downsize its facilities because they're not needed and so it's eating up my tithe when some people aren't eating at all.

Continuing to think . . .

grace.

Heart to God . . .

In the bible study group that I'm a part of, we've recently been tackling the idea of tithing. We don't agree with it, or, we don't agree with how it has been presented in our collective forevers. We think it's required that you give. The last piece of the puzzle for me is fully understanding how tithes are supposed to be used. If they're to be used for the 'believers' to feast, even in part, then I'm OK with giving to the church, but if they're intended to help other people exclusively, then I really have to reconsider my giving habits.

That's really not what I wanted to mention, but it's important background. I'll talk about what we've come up with more later, if you want me to . . .

Given that we're often concerned with how our money is spent, how it seems that help never reaches those who need it, AND REALIZING THAT WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE INITIATIVE OURSELVES TO SPREAD SOME GOD-STYLE LOVE, that's what we're going to do. Next sunday night we hit the streets of Charlotte with hot drinks and blankets and whatever else we can find that people may need. It's as much for us to learn what the needs are as much as it is for the people that we may help.

We'll see. So please pray for us and that we would be found in the will of God.

Scraps from your Table

This week (until today, that is) I've been hanging out at an Officer's house, staying with their youngest son whilst they were away. They have a dog. Her name is Katie.

Katie is a wonderful dog. Adopted from what was probably an abusive situation, she's very sweet, very appreciative of all the love, very well-tempered, an all-around good family dog. She also likes attention. If you're not petting her, she'll do what she can to get your hand on her head.

What was very interesting is what would happen when you would be eating. She's not allowed human food, but every meal she would come and sit at my feet and wait. I can only imagine that she was hunting for dropped morsels of food. She waited and waited and waited. I've learned, over the years, where my mouth is . . . so I don't think I dropped anything all week.

But she kept coming back. Some would say stupid dog. I say, the THOUGHT of having anything other than purina must be motivation enough. It would have to be wouldn't it?

There's a banquet being prepared for me. Or so I'm told. Funny thing is that it seems I'm hardly excited about the feast, or what will prove to be amazing table scraps. I'm quite content to stick my head in the trough and suck on the slops.

Thanks, Katie.

Grace All.

This is a Test

I'm wondering if this whole
email to post your blog thing really works . . . I'm hoping that it
does.

This is me testing that very thing.

Grace.

(hey, it's me . . . after the fact . . . it does kind of work, if anyone is interested, but not that well - I had to change a lot of the spacing and stuff . . . may not be worth it. Perhaps I'll give it one more shot)

To Pee is Human; to Apply Proper Mens' Room Etiquette: Divine

The other name I was thinking about for this post was "'To Pee or not to Pee?' and other Questions from the Mens' Room." I'd also meant to post this last month, forgotten about it, and was reminded of it last week. Either way, if you don't like potty-talk, skip this post.

I'm at a movie. I forget which one, and realisitically, it's probably not important. After having FAR too much Coke, I had to run out at the end of the movie and rush to the Mens' Room. Now, Men's Rooms are often very busy, at movie theatres . . . probably because of the sheer volume of carbonated and caffinated beverages consumed by the patrons therein. I won't be speaking on gluttony today.

So, to my surprise, the room is pretty much empty. I'm not much of a urinal user . . . but when in a hurry, they'll do just fine. I'd ask you to picture this, but that's probably not the kind of thing you want to picutre. There is a bank of maybe 7-8 urinals on one wall, with no separators (guys, you know what I'm talking about). I go to the far end, as dictated in the Official Men's Room Etiquette Handbook. Just as 'it begins' another guy comes in and takes the urinal next to mine. "What is that?"

I was appalled.

With seven open urinals, you NEVER take one immediately adjacent to someone else - ESPECIALLY without separators. C'mon! Everyone knows that.

Anyway . . . I survived to tell the story, so all is well.

Grace and happy peeing.