FED UP!

Normally I would not blog about politics...

but I believe the recent marketing ploy by FED-EX to campaign against recent labor legislation is at best misleading and at worst downright dishonest. UPS is an airline and a trucking bussiness, just like FED EX. Please use your voice to help level the playing field.

This website (brought to you by FED EX) totally changes how I feel about a competitor I once respected. Cheap shots and telling lies is the wrong way to get bussiness.

Cheers!

Today marks the 75th Anniversary of New Beer's Eve. A day in 1933 when many looked forward to having a weak watered down beer legally. The 18th amendment was not fully repealed till later that year, but Budweiser and others are using today to sell, sell, sell. I was once asked by a pastor's kid if drinking beer was a sin. I replied, "That's a pretty controversial issue, but I'm sure of one thing". "What's that?" he asked. "Drinking Cheap beer is a sin!" I said.

I'm pretty sure none of my spiritual ancestors were there celebrating that day. In fact, I'd bet my pentecostal forefathers would be pretty upset that I'm blogging about this... and even more upset that I just said "I bet." I think few people in the evangelical church today care too much about drinking alcohol in moderation, yet I am sympathetic to the prohibitionists who were concerned about the abuse and drunkenness that was affecting their communities. I see many similairities today with those who want to ban abortion or protect marriage. I am against abortion and I am for traditional marriage, but considering the grand success of the "noble experiment" called prohibition, I wonder if our efforts are still misplaced.

Why don't we love people better? Why don't we take better care of our traditional marriages? Why aren't more christians all about adoption? Why don't we engage people where they are at, and pray for His kingdom to come? That's sounds difficult, it'd be easier to go protest politics. Anybody want to drink to that?!? Enough ranting for today... Cheers.

CAUTION: Political Post

I don't get why everyone cares so much what Iowa thinks. But this is really exciting to me. I've had a hard time getting excited about Rudy or Hillary... or Edwards and Romney for that matter. I actually kinda like that "nut job" from Texas, and I like the way OBama talks, but who can argue with Chuck Norris...


I'm sure this is offensive to somebody but it makes me chuckle everytime. In case you were just wondering what I've been up to...

I just wrote a letter addressed to Pastor Doe.

I've been listening to these guys.

And wishing I was as smart as this guy.

Is God Green?

So I missed the broadcast. Today I came across this PBS transcript from Moyers on America. It speaks of the enviromental debate happening in evangelical circles right now.
I'll be honest. I grew up listening to Rush Limbaugh. To this day I don't recycle. I still sometimes shop at Wal Mart. And I buy Folgers coffee. I'm not sure I still have any readers at this point but I will continue.
I think the earth is getting warmer. I'm not sure if this is because of the earth's cyclical condition or because of mankind's carelessness. I netflixed Al Gore's video. I thought the scissor lift demonstration was impresive. I'm still not convinced. I do think we are using too many fossil fuels. But I want the price of gas to go down. I must admit, as much as I believe the Genesis phrase "dominion" translates better as a call to responsibility and not an excuse for abuse, I'm just not real passionate about the political cause. I probably should be, but I'm not. I don't understand how people can be against the cause though. I know there are some complexities when it comes to jobs, the economy, price of energy, etc. But seriously, Who's against planting trees and recyling? Why is it a bad thing for the NAE to address some issues outside of abortion and homosexuality? Why can't Jame Dobson get behind this... for my family's sake?

Your thoughts?

"Voting Divides"

Feel like you're looking at a bunch of word snapshots? Just a few more. In our small group Sunday night we were discussing what "may your kingdom come" might look like. My friend Paul brings up something we teach in our 101 class, voting divides. He expresses his joy that our church votes on so little, mentions his hurts from being in churches that vote on so much, comments on how the Kingdom is not a democracy, and then takes it to the next step that I don't always hear from folks in our church... "just look at our country".

We have to be citizens of Heaven first, Americans second and Republicrats last.

Even if you think Obama is the antichrist... we have to work together.

either/or/and... yep!

So I remember when I first started as a youth pastor, just a couple months into the adventure. This lady calls the church I was serving at that time and asks me, what is your stand regarding dating? I told her I was in a fairly serious relationship, and wasn't interested in seeing anyone else. No, no, no, she explained. Which do you teach at your church, dating or courtship? Not knowing that there had been a new book cannonized to scripture titled IKDGB by the then famous prophet Joshua Harris, I said "Neither really, we teach students to honor God and to honor their parents". I explained that we had quite the diversity of students in our ministry. I explained that I felt my calling was to be a coach and partner and whatever they labeled the process they used for trying to find that special someone, I would encourage them to do it in a God honoring, self respecting, obeying mom and dad kinda way. This lady went balistic! "SO YOU DON'T TEACH COURTSHIP!" We will not be visiting your church! click.
I was stunned!

(It is interesting that the youth pastor who came in after me did a whole series on Josh Harris' book. If "that lady" had only visited then she could have had her cake and eaten it too!)

I was remembering this story last night following our weekly youth ministry meeting. You see, I have at least eight guys in our group right now that are home schooled and then there's this other group of students who are only eighth graders and they've already been expelled from our local school district. Yet when we came together and worshiped together, did some crazy role playing about "gentleness", explored some ancient stories about a guy named moses, and ended praying with one another... we were one "group". You could call us... a community! I invited the students to come this afternoon and assist me in bus graffitti removal (if anyone is wondering "spot shot" carpet cleaner works great for removing the spray paint with out affecting the original paint). I fully intend to have a strong response from both "tribes" of boys. It brings real joy to my heart that our group is not some homogenius, vanilla only, boring club. Yet, even in my current place of ministry I see so many silly discussions that seperate the so called body of Christ. Home school/ public school, liberal/conservative, never ever drink/ occasionally responsibly drink, tradition/contemporary, modern/postmodern, ford/chevy, caff/decaff/ half caff, you get the picture! And these are just with in our church! Include believers from other churches and boy can we have some disagreements! It breaks my heart, when people who love Jesus, miss loving others, over small, silly things.

It just seems that in our efforts to be holy, some have got really stuck on the need to be right!

In my church now I know of one family that has their youngest kid in christian private school. Their oldest boy is in ASB at the public High School. Their middle schooler also goes to public school, but their daughter, who used to be home schooled, now attends non religous, private school. Could their be a different "right" educational path for different people? Yep!

Their is one pastor at our church, who drives a big gas guzzling Chevy Suburban. His wife drives a Toyota Prius and commutes to the OC every day (makes me laugh every time I pass their drive way). They also have four kids! Is it possible, that for some people, both the Prius and the Suburban could be enviromentally responsible choices? Yep!

On any given Sunday morning in our church, you are just as likely to hear the old hymnn, "How great Thou Art", as you are to hear the popular Chris Tomlin song, "How great is our God". Is it possible that guitars, piano, drums, dj mixers, silence, raising hands, kneeling, choregraphed praise, flutes, trumpets, lyres, tamburines, and spoken word are all "right" ways to worship? Yep!

This week, I watched as many as you did, the "Madame Speaker" and Vice President "seesaw" back and forth as they sat or stood during the President's State of the Union address. (I am not familliar with how either of them practice faith, but I do know people who love Jesus from both parties). Is it possible that folks could be voting republican, and others democrat because they want to apply biblical principles when they vote? Yep!

I notice this post is getting rather long, so even though I could continue, I will stop. I'm doubtful many made it this far. May we not only remember, but also live out, the Augustine maxim...

"In the essentials, unity;. in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity."