Friday Random 10

I think I need to create a new playlist for rainy fall days. Some of these fit, but some just don't. Somehow crashing power cords and upbeat drum cadences aren't appropriate on days fit for down comforters, hot chocolate and fires in the fireplace. Or maybe I'm just trying too hard to refrain from putting on Christmas music.

#1 is perhaps my favorite version of this song, especially when JD drops out and lets the audience since the chorus in his place. It takes on a poignant communal atmosphere, all the more meaningful ever since his voice was silenced. #6 - why is David Foster showing up so much these days? Someday I'll have to tell you the story of my depressing days on the Prairies. This is the perfect soundtrack to that cold, lonely place. #7 is the newest to this list off the most recent of these albums. It's a nice bluegrass pick, off an album that is growing on me. We listened to it a lot in Montana, so it makes me want to go on vacation again. And #10 is, like #1, a live version that is much richer than the earlier studio recording. And a good song for Thanksgiving, I think.

1. Back Home Again – John Denver (The Wildlife Concert)
2. Oh Lead Me – Delirious? (Deeper: The D:Finitive Worship Experience Disc 2)
3. Family Man – Andrew Peterson (Love and Thunder)
4. Wounded Soldier – Dennis Jernigan (This is My Destiny)
5. Made to Worship – Chris Tomlin (See the Morning)
6. Just Out of Reach – David Foster (The Symphony Sessions)
7. Cazadero – Chris Thile (How to Grow a Woman from the Ground)
8. Drugstore Jesus – Plumb (candycoatedwaterdrops)
9. Lost Mind – Diana Krall (Love Scenes)
10. Come and Listen – David Crowder Band (The Best of Passion (So Far) Disc 1)

Back and Busy

Stuff piles up when you're gone. I'll say hi when I've dug out of it. And when Sunday's sermon is done.

In the meantime, I'm glad to see Bremerton, our neighbor to the north, getting some love. For too long the line on Bremerton has been "drugs and crime and squalor." Things are turning around, and it's becoming a downright lovely place to visit. Go read the article and see what I mean.

Congregational Response to a Sermon on the Importance of Fellowship

Or as Wainer likes to say, "Family-ship"

God calls us to this: To love each other. To care for each other.
To enjoy each other. To play together, to worship together,
to share food and drink together. God calls us to
a Community, a Family, a Fellowship. The sign that
we are God’s children is that we love each other. The sign that
Evil is defeated is a common meal shared by God’s children.

To a world that screams in the loneliness of shallow friendships
and angry families, we respond:

God is love! God loves us! And as God lives in us, we love one another.
We will love one another; we will share our lives as fellow travelers with
one another. We will enjoy each other. And God will dwell among us.

Stupid Criminal of the Week

I only bring it up because I must be related to the police chief in this story. . .


Robinson Rivera robbed two convenience stores [in the Delaware area] — but made one crucial mistake during his third, according to Delaware police.

Rivera, 25, went to the clerk and brandished the same note he had used in the other robberies.

"Give me your money I'll shoot you,” the note said, according to Delaware State police Cpl. Jeff Whitmarsh.

According to Whitmarsh, the store’s clerk stared in disbelief at the note and said, “Are you kidding me?”

Rivera went to the register and grabbed some cash. But this time, he left his demand note behind.

The note, Whitmarsh said, sealed Rivera’s fate: It was written on a slightly torn pay stub from Rivera’s place of employment, a local bakery.

The stub showed Rivera’s last name and the name of the bakery, Whitmarsh said.

“We called him and said, ‘We gotcha,’” Whitmarsh said. “I don’t believe he put up much of an argument.”

Friday Random 10

(first a schedule note - I'll be at the Pastor's Fall Retreat at Cascade's Camp next Mon-Wed, so if this place is a little quiet don't worry about me. I'll be back)

Here's the Random 10. Did I ever tell you I met Jennifer Knapp once in Oregon? She was honest and approachable. Plus she is a mean lyricist - her songs like to reach out and grab you. #5 is from that wonderful "Symphony Sessions," which I love, but which also always takes me back to that time 20 years ago when I was cold and depressed on the Canadian Prairies. Do you know Jolie Holland (#9)? You should. A lot of interesting experimental stuff, but with a solid musical core. Much better than Bjork (hi Roshni!). She actually uses a saw in one song. And the bonus? Yeah, I used to play that one back in my APU days.

1. Hallelujahs – Chris Rice
2. Vivaldi: Domine Deus, from “Gloria” – Cecilia Bartoli
3. No One Knows His Name – David Wilcox
4. Lay it Down – Jennifer Knapp
5. Time Passing – David Foster
6. Scarlatti: Su Le Sponde Del Tebro – Kathleen Battle and Wynton Marsalis
7. Raise Up the Crown (All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name) – Chris Tomlin
8. We Shall Overcome – Bruce Springsteen
9. Faded Coat of Blue – Jolie Holland
10. Sweet, Sweet Song of Salvation – Rebecca St. James

Bonus

I’ll Fly Away – Azusa Pacific University Choir and Orchestra

Congregational Response to a Sermon on the Importance of Studying God's Word

We believe that God has spoken to his people in the past;
We believe that God still speaks to us today.
We believe that the story of our God is written within his Holy Word,
The Bible, God’s gift to God’s people.
We believe life is illuminated, Truth is revealed, Hope is restored,
God is known through his Word.

We commit, therefore, to the study of this book – the stories of our
spiritual ancestors, the history of God’s work in this world –
in order that we may live lives pleasing to God, obedient to his call,
worthy of serving him in our world today. Amen

On the Other Hand

I think I've mentioned the St. Olaf College Choir before. I first saw them on their PBS Christmas special and was deeply impressed by their spirit and musicality. Last year I bought one of their Christmas CDs, and their "Great Hymns of Faith, Vol. I." The Hymns CD been on my short list ever since.

In the same shipment that brought the Hillsongs Christmas CD (see yesterday), was St. Olaf's "Great Hymns of Faith, Vol. II." Let's just say I am addicted.


You could use words like Powerful, Enchanted, and Sublime to describe this recording. It carries the youthful exuberance of college students with the rich harmonic depth of a well-trained choir. This is not a "boring old hymns" album. It is a recording that brings new life and breath to these old standards of the Christian Faith.

Some of the selected hymns:
- All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
- I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry (Which I have never heard outside of Turlock. . .)
- It Is Well With My Soul
- Holy, Holy, Holy
- Jesus Loves Me (absolutely the best recording of this song I've ever heard)
- This Little Light of Mine

In addition, they included a few Christmas standards as well:
- In the Bleak Midwinter
- The Hills are Bare at Bethlehem
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Most of the arrangements are either a cappella, or sung to a simple piano accompaniment. This is the kind of CD you can have playing in your house in the evening, with a candle burning and tea on the stove, when you're relaxing at the end of the day and searching for some peace.

Mostly what impresses me, though, is the worshipful spirit throughout. Many Hymns albums are all about doing something new to impress and sell albums. Some have wonderful, classically trained musicians, but they come across sounding like concerts. This music reflects souls crying out in worship to their God, and, being familiar songs, inviting you back in.

Whether you are a purist, a traditionalist, or even an emergent, I think you'd find much to like about this CD.

p.s. I just looked at their tour schedule - turns out they're going to be in Seattle in late January, then heading south Oregon and California. I think I need to buy some tickets. . .

Dreaming of Christmas

A couple weeks ago I asked some friends for some advice. I was looking for some new Christmas music to include in our worship at Lakebay. If you know me, you know I'm a pretty traditional guy when it comes to Christmas. You don't mess much with Christmas, if you want to keep me happy.

But, our church has a fairly contemporary feel, which means suddenly shifting to the traditional carols, done in a traditional manner, can be a little bit of a hiccup. I thought finding a new song or two might be worth investigating.

One that came highly recommended was the Hillsong Christmas album.

I checked it out, and discovered they have a couple Christmas albums. I ordered this one:


And I don't know. Maybe I bought the wrong one. I'm a little surprised, because Hillsong tends to be edgy. This is a lot more like Smooth Jazz Christmas. Seriously. I kept waiting for Kenny G to jump in with a solo. There's just way too much electric piano, 7th chords, and silky smooth jazz voicings. I don't mean to be mean. . .but most of this sounds like what you play in the background at your office Christmas party. I don't think there's anything on here I would want to use. I'm not sure I'll want to keep this album around once this year is over.

But there are a couple more on the way, so maybe I'll find a nugget or two in one of those.

On another note, the Fed Ex guy just showed up with a box that looks suspiciously like a new guitar. . .gotta run!

Sometimes I need a reminder that I live in the boonies

Like yesterday, when I came home to find a massive maple tree lying across our driveway. Completely blocking it. We're talking 60-foot tall, 3-foot diameter trunk, lying solidly on top of my driveway.

And then this afternoon, when Doug and I walked down there to see what it would take to get it out, discovering two deer wandering through the woods. They paused to make sure we were okay, then meandered off.

They reappeared tonight when I went out to get some firewood - they stuck around long enough for me to go get Olivia and bring her out to see them. I thought that was considerate.

And truthfully the tree was a gift as well, since the news just said heating oil is going up 16%. Sometime next winter that tree will be burning in our stove, keeping us warm and keeping our oil bill lower. It's all good.

Can I just say I'm hating the word "relevance"?

It happened about five years ago or so. It was Sunday night, time for youth group. The band was warmed up and ready to play. Kids were outside throwing frisbees, or playing volleyball. I called the group together - and noticed, when they gathered, that there was a large chunk of kids missing.

"Hey - where is everybody?" I asked.

"They are all over at [somebody's] house. They were playing video games when I left."

And so I first learned about the addiction that is Halo. For the next few months I couldn't get these kids to anything. They were always at home, always playing Halo. "Well, we were going to come, but then we just got so into the game that we couldn't get away."

For the record - I've only played Halo - the original - twice.

Now Halo 3 is out, and youth groups across the nation are using it as an outreach tool. "Come to Youth Group! Play Halo! Smoke the Youth Pastor!"

And others are taking notice.

There's one article here, from the Christian Post.

This is perhaps the most, ahem, enlightening part of the article:

Youth ministries specialist Lane Palmer of the ministry Dare 2 Share says the game speaks to the very real spiritual war going on today.

"According to the Bible, after Satan was dishonorably discharged from his duties in heaven, he took a mighty army of fallen angels with him and declared war on the objects of God’s grace and love: human beings – and especially those who are in the Lord’s army as Christians," wrote Palmer in column.

"Make no mistake, the dark forces of the spiritual world have marked you for destruction, and no amount of quick moves, strategy, or teamwork will win this fight," he added.

Dare 2 Share encourages youth to use Halo 3 as conversation starters to witness to their friends.

Or maybe this:

"Teens are our fish," Gregg Barbour, youth minister of Colorado Community Church in the Englewood area of Denver, told the Times. "So we’ve become creative in baiting our hooks."

Earlier this week, Ben Witherington blogged about the craze (note that he links to another article on the subject, from the NY Times). At the heart of his post is this thought:

Let's start with the fact that the maker of this game has quite specifically told everyone it is for adults, and has adult content. Imagine if you will using the tactic of show skin flicks to attract young men, or offering beer blasts in the church back yard. Doubtless you would attract a crowd, but would you have just vitiated your whole credibility as conveyors of the Good News of Christ in the process? The answer is yes.

If you read the article closely what you notice is the 'ends justifies the means' kind of arguments by the youth ministers in question. But frankly if the means are unethical, and indeed contradict the ends you are trying to achieve, aren't you guilty of using unethical tactics to attract people to Christ? Aren't you sending an enormously mixed message to youth--- "come to church, and after you've blown the brains out of the enemies, we will tell you about the Prince of Peace and how God so loved the world (even the enemies)!"

I'm sorry but this whole sorry approach to youth ministry smacks of absolute desperation and fear-- fear that if we are not relevant, we cannot attract a crowd. Is this really what Jesus would do? I don't think so.

And, of course, the debate now rages. Should youth ministries use things like violent video games to attract kids? Should they use Halo as an evangelistic tool? Should they use violent video games to create "community?" Those who say "no" are seen as boring, irrelevant fuddy-duddies who no longer get kids. Those who say "yes" are seen as shallow, irreverent, foxes in the henhouse.

Here's how I see the problem, however:
1) The reality is, many teenagers are a little like mindless zombies, programmed by Hollywood to think that life is boring. "There's nothing to do in this town." And the only antidote to that boring-ness is shopping at the mall, smoking weed, watching the O.C., or playing video games. In addition, anything that is wholesome or healthy is also extremely "uncool." And "uncool" is the kiss of death. Offer many teens a "wholesome" activity - say, throwing a frisbee, playing Uno, taking up a musical instrument. . .and they look at you like you're an ancient uncool person from another epoch. Which puts youth ministries in a bind - the very answers that Hollywood has given to the pre-programmed state of zombie-ness are all antithetical to the Gospel. Offer kids the choice of Violent Video games or a Bible study on Romans, and you know which they'll choose. There truly is an insidious scheme at play, driving a wedge between teens and the Truth of the Gospel, and youth ministries are having a hard time finding ways to bridge that gap.

2) On the other hand. . .is Christ enough? Is the Joy of the Lord attractive? Is a place where people will love and accept you not the kind of place most teenagers would want to be? The problem is, nobody seems willing to try it. There's this huge pressure on youth ministries to get the kids in, to grow the group, to keep them interested and excited. And Halo is a quick and easy answer. And all the books, all the conferences, all the seminars tell you to be Hip and Relevant and Exciting. Almost none of them tell you to let all that slide, and instead create a community of kids who love each other, who love the Lord, and who love their neighbor. Everybody assumes the Relevant model, the model that uses Halo, is the best youth group model, just because so many youth groups are doing it. And hardly anybody is saying "hey - this isn't working! Maybe we need to try something else!"

Picture these two scenerios:
a) Billy comes home and says "mom - that youth group's the bomb! It's swell! We played Halo all night. I kicked the youth pastors A^%!
b) Billy comes home and says "It was kind of boring. They sang these songs, and then prayed, and then talked about Jesus." But he goes up to his room and realizes that nobody laughed at him, nobody picked on him; in fact, he got the idea that they genuinely liked him.

I don't know, maybe #1 will attract a bigger crowd. But when Billy gets kicked in the face by his parent's divorce, by the rejection of his crush, by not getting into the college of his choice, by not making the varsity baseball team. . .which will he need more?

And, as Billy heads off to college and life, which will cause him to decide to stick with Church - to go find a new one in his community? Memories of video games? Or remembering what it's like to be loved, to be a part of a group that is truly living out the Kingdom of God?

Trouble in the Bible Belt

Seems Oral Roberts U finds itself once again in the midst of a firestorm.

"Richard Roberts [Oral's son and current University President] is accused of illegal involvement in a local political campaign and lavish spending at donors' expense, including numerous home remodeling projects, use of the university jet for his daughter's senior trip to the Bahamas, and a red Mercedes convertible and a Lexus SUV for his wife. . ."

His wife "is accused of dropping tens of thousands of dollars on clothes, awarding nonacademic scholarships to friends of her children and sending scores of text messages on university-issued cell phones to people described in the lawsuit as 'underage males.'"

And apparently some professors who found out about it and questioned what was going on, and were subsequently fired, are now suing the school. I can hear the media salivating.

By the way, Pres. Roberts isn't worried. God told him it would be okay, and that this is just the result of living in a litigious society." Okay.

I read this story just after I read the article Kim linked to from Charisma magazine.

"That’s why I fear for many of the men and women who claim to be God’s mouthpieces today, particularly in the charismatic/Pentecostal movement that I serve. When I read Leviticus 10, I wonder why the ground has not opened up and swallowed some of the careless spiritual clowns who are masquerading as bishops, apostles and prophets.

It's going to be a good story one way or the other. And we'll end up having more mud slung on the face of Christianity because of these boobs. Lord, have mercy.

Friday Stuff

It's been unseasonably cool up here in the Puget Sound Area. They've already had an early snowstorm in the Cascades. This is what Mt. Rainier currently looks like:

The ski areas must be salivating. For the moment, we're just enjoying lighting a fire in the woodstove every evening, and curling up with a good book or DVD.

+++++++++++++

About 6 years ago I bought a guitar. It was the first guitar I'd ever purchased for myself. I told the guy "I use this for youth work, so I want one that sounds okay, but one I won't be afraid to take on a beach trip, or down to Mexico to play in the dirt." So he sold me the $100 special. And it served its purpose well, although I sure seemed to break a lot of strings on it. And it is impossible to keep in tune - usually after 10 minutes or so, it's no longer in tune. But I was using it for leading worship at youth group, where tuning is less important than loud. So, yes, it did what it was supposed to.

But, it's time for something new. I've developed as a player since then. And my desire to get better has only grown. So, like the day I turned in my $100 trumpet for the $300 one, it's time to upgrade.

Yesterday I went to my favorite online music store, and purchased this:


It's a Fender acoustic/electric, in case you can't tell. The Sonoran SCE, to be exact. Granted, it's not their top-of-the-line; the fender website still uses the word "Value" regarding this one. But it's certainly a step up, and, being a Fender, ought to be much better quality than the old Sunlight. So, yes, I'm excited.

Now, the day came when I traded in the $300 trumpet for the $1800 trumpet, so perhaps this won't be the final guitar along the road. But we'll let that day come of its own accord.

+++++++++
Friday Random 10

If anything, this list shows just how eclectic my music tastes are. . .a couple jazz standards, 1950s television, a hymn and a classical masterpiece, a folk tune and a pop song. Somehow, the bluegrass didn't show up this week.

1. Room Song – Silers Bald
2. Sanctus (from the Verdi Requiem) - Coro e Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
3. Know My Heart – Sara Groves
4. Sing to Jesus – Fernando Ortega
5. Barney’s Hoe-Down – Original Television Soundtrack for the Andy Griffith Show
6. Cheek to Cheek – Steve Tyrell
7. Children of the Heavenly Father – St. Olaf Choir
8. Let’s Fall in Love – Diana Krall
9. Michelangelo – Emmylou Harris
10. Cold, Cold Heart – Norah Jones

+++++++++++++++++

I'm still having trouble getting these blog posts to post the 1st time, what with that word verification thing. Yesterday I entered in the letters, exactly as shown in the picture, and it still rejected it three times before accepting it on the fourth. But I had to wonder - usually the letters are random combinations ("zlixhfzz," for instance). Yesterday, after the third try, the new list of letters came up as "dumazz." I had to wonder if it was trying to tell me something.

Dearly Beloved

Perhaps by now you've seen the article about the couple who had their wedding presents stolen by the minister who married them. Since they were remodeling their kitchen, they asked for Home Depot gift cards. Only, after their many guests left, there were only three such cards in the gift basket. After some sleuthing, they determined that most of the cards had been lifted by one Rev. Shey-Rima Silveira, the woman who had married them.

Of course, the way the story is being portrayed, the emphasis is on a "minister" who would do such a thing. I think there's another point here.

This is what a police officer said: "If you can't trust someone to officiate over your wedding, who can you trust in this world?"

But you have to understand the context. This is not their minister. This is not the minister of the local church, even. I don't know that this minister is even connected to the Church. Instead, this was a woman who advertised her services on Craigslist, saying her specialty is "last-minute weddings." So now, the undiscerning public sees this as a case of another minister gone bad. But in reality, this has less to do with the minister and more to do with a gullible bride and groom. Imagine if I needed to have some remodeling done, and, rather than going with the licensed and bonded contractor I went with the guy who hangs out in front of the coffee stand in Key Center with the "Will Work For Food" sign. After he does a horrible job and costs me a boat load of money, would it be right for me to say "If you can't trust construction workers to fix your house, who can you trust?"

Or course not. This woman needs to be punished to the full extent of the law. And everybody else needs to learn, once again, that you can't believe everything you read on the internet. Plus, people might do well to learn that a relationship with a local church is much healthier than trying to buy their religious services off of Craigslist.

Sheesh. It can't be that time again, can it?

The CHIC '09 site is up and running. If you'll be a high schooler (or a just-graduated-type-person) the summer of '09, then this is the site for you!

Book Report

One of the nice things about a train ride is you have lots of time to read. . .

I started and finished Ernest Gordon's To End All Wars while on the way to Montana. Karina and I had watched the movie a couple months ago (be warned: it is incredibly brutal) and been moved by this powerful story. Unfortunately, as it turned out, the book and the move are not the same story. In fact, other than the similarity of the major premise (a British officer in a Japanese POW camp during WW2), they had almost nothing in common.

However. . .

That was only disappointing insomuch as I kept waiting for certain events from the movie to show up. The movie had colored my expectations for the book, which meant I couldn't take the book on its own merits. Which is too bad, because, upon completing the book, I would say it is as powerful as the movie, perhaps even more so. But you have to let the book speak for itself. The story is truly miraculous, as this band of prisoners devolve into a wild bunch of animals at the hands of their captors, only to be transformed by the Spirit of Christ into a true Community of compassion and care. Somehow, in the midst of hell, these men found the power to love each other, to care for each other, to even forgive their Japanese tormentors. When people ask "Does Christianity work?", the story of this book says "absolutely!" And in a day and age of spiteful attacks, divisive language, polarized religions and selfish money-grubbing politicians and religious leaders, there is a real lesson here about what being a True Follower of Christ is all about. In fact, I think it is a perfect example of what Scot McKnight is arguing for in his latest book. But more on that later.

First, a quote from Gordon: "We wanted to learn now what Christianity had to say about our redemption. Before we could do, we had to be. It was not only our minds but also our wills that had to be changed. We had to be called into being by love. That lonely figure on the Cross had redeemed mankind by His love and sacrifice. Yet while that redemption was a once-for-all event, it was also a fact that we had to be redeemed daily to be in a state of being redeemed. . . .We had two alternatives: we could choose the way of men, based on the sovereignty of the natural order, closed, sealed and impersonal; or we could choose the way of Jesus Christ, free and personal, based on the sovereignty of God the Father. The wind of the spirit had blown upon us; we could not prove how or whence it had come. But our experience pointed to a source beyond ourselves. We knew personal fulfillment, love, joy, peace, wholeness, as we committed ourselves to the One who had called us. Only as we responded to this Word did we receive the power to progress toward true humanity. Our life on the horizontal plane was made meaningful at the point where it met the vertical. At the point marked by the Cross we found ourselves."

Just before we left, I also finished Stephen Lawhead's "Scarlet," the second book of his Robin Hood trilogy. It's not fiction on par with, say, Tolstoy or Dickens, but as far as Christian fiction goes, it's about the best I've come across. Put it this way: I enjoy it, and I can recommend it without being embarrassed, unlike a lot of books in the Christian Fiction aisle.

And last night I finally finished Sara Miles' Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion. You know, there are those books you read and quickly forget. There are those books that give you an interesting thought or two. And then there are books that get under your skin and completely and forever change the way you look at things. This is one of the third kind. This book is powerful, it is overwhelming. You can not read this book and approach the Lord's Supper the same way again. You can not read this book and think of Christianity the same way. This book will change you.

It will also, probably, bother you. Sara is raw. She's rough. She uses language and lives a lifestyle that would make most Christians furrow their brow. She throws out statements like this: "You know," Swami Jeff told me once, "God couldn't care less about the church. We don't understand the Eucharist, or that bread and wine live within us, so we ritualize the things that hold the mystery. We focus on the container and formalize the mystery. But you can't do that." Which is, of course, so wrong in so many ways. God does care about the Church. The Church is God at work in the world. And there are so many other things about this book that are so bothersome. And offensive.

And yet, her voice is necessary, because she get so much right. She understands the radical, accepting love of Jesus Christ for this world. She gets that love for Jesus demands a love for all his children. She gets that serving Christ is more important than showing up to church and looking pretty. "Doing the Gospel rather than just quoting it was the best way I could find out what God was up to." She gets that feeding the poor is one of the essentials of following Christ. And she gets the fact that Christ is for the poor, the outcast, the marginalized, the hungry. She understands that the Kingdom of God is right here, right now, right under our noses, if we would only open our eyes to see it. She hammers home the idea that community is core to Christianity - but not the community we choose; it's the community God calls to us, and calls us to. She gets the Modern Church. "My suspicion was that committees in churches served the same purpose as committees in other institutions: They were holding tanks for people who professed interest in an issue but didn't always want to act." And, I've got to tell you, the story of her conversion, of how she walked into church, received Communion, and was overcome by God, is breathtakingly powerful. I wish all could read her story.

But, in the end, a lot of Christians will be scandalized by much of who she is. And there are parts that make me uncomfortable. Until I realize who she really is: a sinner saved by grace, on the way to holiness. And this book is simply one step in that process.

Now, it's onto the next book I've been excited about - Scot McKnight's A Community Called Atonement. The best part of this book - it connects doxis with praxis - what we believe with what we ought to be doing. It's about the atonement lived in daily life, not in obtuse theories and ivory-tower debates. It's about atonement working in our lives, which is the only place that it really matters

Montana Trip: Three Stories

Okay, first this. The trip was wonderful. Amazing. Truly one of the best we've taken. The fall colors of the Rocky Mountains were breathtaking. Glacier National Park is a must-see. And taking the train is always a great way to travel. So, yes, Karina and I celebrated our 10th anniversary in style.

Now, three highlights of the trip:
1. After a restless night of fitful sleep as we crossed Eastern Washington and Idaho, we awoke in Montana and headed to breakfast in the dining car. Somewhere between the Flathead Tunnel and Whitefish we were seated, sharing our table with another couple, probably in their mid-50s. We exchanged pleasantries about our lack of sleep, where we hail from, where we're heading, and then. . .the "and what do you do?" question.

Me: "I pastor a small church in Washington."
They: "Oh? What kind of Church?"
Me: "It's a Christian Church. With the Evangelical Covenant Denomination."
They: "So, what do you think of Jehovah's Witnesses? Are they a cult? Because we just went to a conference in Portland on Creationism, and the speaker said Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult."
Us "Well, good morning to you, too!"

And so it went. I suspected, and had it confirmed by the nature of their questioning, that they were JWs, and were trying to draw me into a debate. But I hadn't even had breakfast yet. So I remained civil and open, refusing to answer their questions, but instead spent most of the next 20 minutes explaining the orthodox view of Christ, and how the JWs differed in their interpretation. It was an interesting morning, to say the least. Thankfully, before they could start to argue too much, we realized we were 10 minutes from West Glacier, and therefore had to return and gather our stuff. And that was the end of that, thankfully, without any shouting or insulting (which, incidentally, is what the last JW I had the privilege of sharing with ended up doing).

2. On Thursday we hiked up Apgar Mountain. It's about a 6 1/2 mile round trip, with a 1600+ foot elevation gain to the top. The hike was beautiful, the weather perfect, and no bears were in sight. At the top, we met an IT guy with the Park service who was in the process of putting up a web cam, so that all the world can see the view from Apgar Mountain. He was very friendly and answered a lot of questions for us. We even ended up hiking back down together. But as he was installing the camera, coordinating via cell phone with his boss back at the office, he had to get a picture as a reference point. So he had us stand in front of the camera, and we became the first people to have their picture taken by the Apgar Mountain Webcam. Here's the picture:



Unfortunately, at last check, the camera had gone down. But you can check here, and see if it comes back sometime soon. And while you are there, check the Lake McDonald webcam. That will show you the view from our cabin. Or thereabouts, anyway.

3. On the way out, I had this crazy little idea, one of those thoughts that keeps pestering you and won't go away. So when we were in Whitefish, I went into the Amtrak station and asked about getting a ticket from Edmonds to Seattle - the last 30 minutes of the return trip. Turns out a kid can get on that for only $4. And thus it was that Saturday morning my dad drove Olivia up to Edmonds, where she hopped on the train and rode the last little jaunt down Puget Sound into King Street Station. We showed her our sleeping compartment, the dining room, the view along the way, and she was suitably impressed. Probably a $4 well spent, when you consider the treat it was to her, and the memories she'll carry of waiting at the station with grandpa, and the ride in mommy and daddy's personal compartment. I bet we just made an Amtrak passenger out of her. Here we are on the trip:
So there you have it. We have another picture or two to upload, eventually, but let this suffice for now. Glad to be back. . .wish we were still there.

Just Good

I once asked Don Robinson if there actually were any healthy churches out there.

So let me leave you with this:
- Sunday School began with a bang this morning. Excitement. Anticipation. Kids laughing and teachers energized. 14 kids in my confirmation group.
- 2 sons, recently returned from Iraq, in worship this morning.
- At this point of the year we're about $10,000 in the black for the year.
- An anonymous $1000 to our food outreach, who had just told me they were out of money and couldn't afford to hand out holiday baskets.
- Worship this morning was truly beautiful and sweet. Lots of participation, a wonderful spirit.
- Visitor flow remains strong.
- Our nominating committee is working on candidates for next year's board, and I am amazed at the quality of the people we get to choose from. God has the right people in the right places.
- People are praying. Ministries are growing. People are serving.

In other words, yes - there are healthy churches out there. And I am blessed beyond measure to be able to pastor one of them.

See you next week.

Too busy to blog

I'll be out of town most of next week, so that means 2 sermons to write this week. And an article for the church newsletter. And meetings all day yesterday. And contacts to make for our Nominating Committee. Lots to do, lots to do. Which means, no more here for the moment. And by "the moment" I don't mean months, or even weeks. Just nothing today except this note, telling you that there is nothing here today.

And to let you know that next week we are heading out for 5 days, finally celebrating our 10th anniversary.. As part of our trip we get an overnight train ride and a couple nights up in the mountains. And grandma and grandpa get the kids. It all seems to be working toward a wonderful week of relaxation and bliss. . .

One of the Good Guys

Ron was nearly 80 when I met him 10 years ago. He had a gentle spirit, and a calm heart. He wasn't given to frivolity, but there was a twinkle in his eye. He was a man who knew how to love.

I had been hired as the youth pastor, so my time and energy went toward the 12-18 year-olds. But, as the situation proved more stressful than I'd bargained for, as factions broke out in the church, as angry voices started crying out against the pastor and myself - right at that point, Ron became my true friend.

He took me out to Red Lobster for lunch. We talked. His frustration was evident. But, the thing is, he sided with the younger folks. He was upset at the way the seniors were attempting to maintain control, and in so doing, driving all the younger people away. Ron wanted to see this church thrive. And he saw that I was losing heart, so he decided to encourage me. He decided to be my friend.

Every time we met he'd ask me what I thought about it all. How we might turn things around. How we might save the church. How he could encourage me.

Once or twice he handed me $20 and told me to spend it on myself.

When I left that church, it hurt Ron. He understood why we left. He completely agreed that it was necessary, but it still hurt him. And, as time passed and I was further away from that church, I started to miss Ron. When I thought about that church, Ron was always one of the brightest memories. When times became tough again, I wished I had another Ron around, just to sit with and talk about stuff.

Last April, I was at the North Pacific Conference Annual Meeting, and who should be sitting at the table next to me but Ron and his wife Evelyn. It was a joyous reunion - the same smile on his face, the same kid-like glee in his eyes.

And in June, at the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church, I saw Ron again. His health had caught up to him - he was having trouble breathing and walking. But we still had a good talk, and he was still the same old Ron. Doesn't it always feel good when you run into an old friend, and you can tell they are just happy to see you? That's what it was like. Ron was overjoyed to see Karina and me. I was encouraged just to be in his presence again.

Ron passed away yesterday, just short of his 89th birthday. I miss him already. Just the thought that he was out there could make me happy. Just the thought that I had a friend in Gresham who loved me encouraged me greatly. Whenever I would think of the hard times we went through at that church, I would always come back to Ron and say "But we got to know Ron, so it's all okay."

Ron was one of those men every church needs. He was a saint. He was real, he was honest, he was insightful, but, most of all, he was a friend when I needed one - and he went out of his way to pursue that friendship with me.

May the Lord carry his soul into eternal rest. May the Lord carry him gently to his side. And may the Lord fill our lives with many more Ron Fischers.
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Just as I was reading the email notifying me of Ron's death, this song by David Crowder started playing:

Are we left here on our own?
Can you feel when your last breath is gone?
Night is weighing heavy now,
be quiet, wait, for the voice that will say. . .

Come awake, from sleep, arise.
You were dead, become alive.
Wake up, wake up, open your eyes.
Climb from your grave into the light. . .
Bring us back to life.

You are not the only one
who feels like the only one.
Night soon will be lifted friend
just be quiet and wait for the voice that will say

Come awake, from sleep, arise
You were dead, become alive
Wake up, wake up, open your eyes
Climb from your grave into the light. . .

Arise! Shine! Wake up, wake up!

Various and Assundry Items

Seattle is about to get a new streetcar line, courtesy of Paul Allen, in the South Lake Union district. I'll be glad when it's finished, because all the construction makes it that much more difficult to get to Whole Foods.

The rumor is that it was originally going to be called the South Lake Union Trolley. Until someone finally figured out what that acronym would spell. So now it's the South Lake Union Streetcar. . .but people seem to find the original more humorous, so the locals are running with it. Just one of those Seattle things.
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Just after I joyfully linked to the Holy Observer (see below), Scot McKnight has to go and blog about satire. His quote: "A steady diet of satire is soul-destroying. . .You cannot possibly live by the Jesus Creed and turn your focus to satire. . ."

The thing is, he's probably right. But I'm not quite ready to give it up yet. Let me get back to you.
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In the meantime, I'm pondering a little blog post under the title "Is Fundamentalism a Sin?" I hope to get it out later this week.

Ark of the Covenant Discovered on Craigslist!

Not really, but after a 2 1/2 year hiatus, the Holy Observer is up and running again. That makes me happy.

Warning: THO can be crass. It can be crude. And it's always freakin' hilarious.

How far I've come

I'm working at home today, both to watch a girl with the sniffles, and so I can have some peace and quiet to finish up Sunday's sermon.

It was lunch time. I became hungry. I went into the kitchen to make some lunch. I had flax seed chips with hummus, and a lamb and goat cheese quesadilla.

And to think it used to be peanut butter sandwiches or Del Taco. . .

Do the Puyallup

Went to the fair last Monday.

Olivia enjoyed the skyride.


Clara REALLY enjoyed driving her first car.


I just enjoyed the hot scones with raspberry jam.

Book News

Yesterday I finished reading Tim Alan Gardner's Sacred Sex. Overall, I would say it's a good book and worth the read.

His premise is that the sexual act is a sacred act, for two reasons. First, because it was created by God way back In the Beginning, created for the purpose of unity - taking one man and one woman and creating One. On the marriage bed, the great mystery is played out wherein two souls intertwine to become one. The second reason sex is sacred is that it is ultimately the image of Christ and His Church - the image of ultimate, sacrificial love, the truest metaphor for the organic unity of Christ indwelling his bride.

Therefore, our culture's many views on sexuality - cheap sex, hooking up, obsession with body type, clothing, and body fat count, sex as advertising ploy, sex as thrill, sex as entertainment - all these are demeaning to all that sex is supposed to mean.

However, ultimately the book is not a critique on culture. Instead, it is a roadmap to rebuilding healthy sexuality in the one place it is meant to exist - in the lifelong marriage relationship of husband and wife.

What I like most - his emphasis on the Unifying aspect of sexuality. The ultimate question to be asked in any sexual activity comes down to this - is this striving toward unity between me and my spouse? Or is it all about me, my desires, my satisfaction?

Now, the truth is, this is one of those books where I read it and say "that's all pretty simple and obvious." But then I'm reminded that 24/7 we're bombarded by messages that seek to carry us in the opposite direction, and that millions of marriages out there are struggling to survive. And if a couple (or person) came to me looking for advice in this area, I would definitely recommend this book. It's worth the read, and more people ought to read it.

I only have two criticisms:

First, the theological work is a little paltry. It could have been a lot richer, a lot deeper, a lot fuller. Gardner isn't a theologian, but he still could have plumbed the depths of the Genesis and Ephesians passages to greater levels. Perhaps consulting a theologian or two would have rounded out the work.

Second, Gardner has the annoying habit of making a point and then repeating it four or five times, as if to fill up space or reinforce his original point through repetition. In other words, he'll make a point, and then say the same thing, only with different words, about three or four more times. What I mean is, he'll make a point, and then he'll rephrase the point but say pretty much the same thing. Sometimes people make points by repeating the same point over and over again, which ends up being so much space filler. Gardner tends to state his idea, and then he'll restate the same idea numerous times, only with different words, so that it seems he's saying a lot when really it's the same thing. Sometimes Gardner gets a little repetitive.

Got it?

But those are small shortcomings to what I believe would be a very helpful resource to a lot of struggling people out there.

Now I'm off in other directions. Sara Miles' A Radical Conversion comes next. It's the story of how a lesbian left-wing atheist journalist found Jesus. Ought to be interesting, to say the least.

Hmm. I've been tagged.

Just when I thought I was free and clear, Kim had to go and tag me. I had nothing else to say today, so I guess this is it.

Rules of this tag:
1. Name the person with link who tagged you.
2. Complete the questionnaire without changing the questions.
3. Tag 6 or more people.

Q1. Are you happy/ satisfied with your blog, with its content and look?
Yes. Well, pretty much. I'm growing a little tired of the pale orange, though. May have to change that sometime.

Q2. Does your family know about your blog?
Yes. At least my wife, my parents, and my sister do.

Q3. Do you feel embarrassed to let your friends know about your blog or you just consider it as a private thing?
First of all, that question doesn't make sense. It's missing a word or two. But to the original question, no. I am not embarrassed about it. In fact, I link it off our church website and I hope more people show up to read it.

Q4. Did blogs cause positive changes in your thoughts?
Most of the time. I learn a lot about other people because of their blogs, and their response to mine. Of course, a few have reacted negatively to this blog over the years, and have attacked me unfairly, so I wouldn't say my thoughts changed positively in those instances. But I would say I'm a better person for being in the blog-o-sphere.

Q5. Do you only open the blogs of those who comment on your blog or you love to go and discover more by yourself?
Sometimes if I have the time I go out exploring, jumping from one blog to the next through their links.

Q6. What does visitors counter mean to you? Do you care about putting it in your blog?
Again, what's with the grammar here? To answer the question literally, "Visitors Counter" means a little device people put into their blogs in order to track how many people are visiting their blogs. I use Google analytics to track the number of visitors I receive.

Q7. Did you try to imagine your fellow bloggers and give them real pictures?
Most of the ones I read I know already, so I don't have to imagine. As to the rest? I don't have that good of an imagination.

Q8. Do you think there is a real benefit for blogging?
There can be a benefit to blogging. And some blogs are very beneficial. Mine helps people in our church know what I'm thinking, it keeps my parents informed about the lives of their grandkids. I've learned a lot about the world through other blogs. But many, say, the celebrity blogs, and the blogs of every kid between the ages of 12-19, and the blogs on myspace and facebook, and 99% of xanga are a complete waste of time.

Q9. Do you think that bloggers’ society is isolated from real world or interacts with events?
Yes, and yes.

Q10. Does criticism annoy you or do you feel it’s a normal thing?
No, and yes. Depending, of course, on the spirit in which it is given. Mean-spirited criticism annoys me. But helpful criticism is necessary and useful.

Q11. Do you fear some political blogs and avoid them?
I fear nothing, and avoid nothing out of fear.

Q12. Did you get shocked by the arrest of some bloggers?
No. Especially if you are talking about Chinese and North Korean bloggers. Am I saddened by it? Absolutely. Do I think it's wrong? Yes. But am I shocked? No.

Q13. Did you think about what will happen to your blog after you die?
No. I figure it will live on and cause one of my descendants to lose an election someday. "But isn't it true that your great-great grandfather once said in his blog that he thinks 99% of xanga is a waste of time? Scandalous!"

Q14. What do you like to hear? What’s the song you might like to put a link to, in your blog?
I like to hear the laughter of my children, the scream of an eagle overhead, the wind in the maple tree out my window, the song of God's people in worship, the saddenly-sweet twang of a steel guitar, the roar of the waterfall, and my wife saying "dinner's ready!" I would never link a song to my blog, because I'm annoyed when I go to other blogs and suddenly have their music overpowering whatever I might be enjoying at the moment.

So let's tag a couple people, just to see if they still even read this blog:
- Russ
- Cheryl
- Diana
- Brad
- Susan
- Chelsea

A Case Study in Communication; or, how I almost got beat up on Saturday

The scene: A sunny Saturday afternoon, with a mild offshore breeze. Golden Gardens Park, Seattle, Washington. A picnic lunch with my family and Leah, a friend and former youth group member from Turlock.

The Set-up: I was trying to teach Olivia how to fly a kite. The wind was perfect, but the lawns were full of people. We headed to the northern-most beach, which tends to have a smaller crowd; my fear being smashing somebody on the head should we crash the kite. We got the kite into the air, and, in order to keep away from two men on a log, I kept moving north as I let the kite line out. Soon I found myself standing about 15 feet away from a scruffy-looking man man sitting in the sand.

He: "You know, the wind is a lot better if you go over there" (pointing south).

Now, understand. This is where it all started. What he really meant was "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't fly your kite in front of me, as you are disrupting my view." But he used improper communication skills, employing a classic passive-aggressive approach.

Of course, I didn't catch that. I was truly intrigued by his statement, wondering if he knew something about kite flying and wind that I didn't.

So, me: "Really? What makes it better over there?"

And this is where things took off in a hurry. See, I asked the question in all innocence. But he, misreading me, heard "Shut up, I can fly my kite where I want to."

So this was his response: "It's better over there because you aren't flying your %#@#$# kite over people's heads!"

This catches me off guard, and I answer him: "Well, see, it's not over anybody's head. That's why I'm here - to keep it from flying over the heads of those guys over there."

At which point all hell breaks loose: "Shut the $%$%%$ up! You think you can come fly your #%#$#$ kite over here and ruin my day! I'm just trying to relax and you come here flying your (word that used to mean small bundle of sticks but now refers to homosexuals) kite over my head and ruin my day!"

Me, using my best conflict resolution skills: "Um, I'm sorry. Have I offended you?"

He: "Shut the #%#$ up! Shut the #$#@$# up! Get your $##$#$ kite and get out of my face!"

Now I'm slowly reeling the kite in, but that's going to take some time, so I'm stalling. And then I realize Olivia is right next to me. "Sir, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't talk like that in front of my daughter."

He, sarcastically: "Oh hello, my daughter." (back to me): "Just shut the #$#$ up! What makes you think you can fly your $%#$# kite over here?"

Me, now somewhat bemused by the whole situation: "Well, it is a public park, isn't it? It's a free park. I have the right to be here, just like you." Probably not the smartest thing to say.

He's now on his feet, coming slowly toward me. "Shut the $#$# up! Shut the #$#$# up! You and your #%#$# kite and your $%@# free park, thinking you can come ruin my day #@@##@! Shut the #$#$# up."

I look down the beach, about 50 yards away, and see Leah looking on,praying, which makes me glad. Oh, and Olivia has gone to join her.

One more thing you need to understand. The whole time, there's this calm conversation going on in my head, something along the lines of "this is odd. I wonder if he's going to attack me. I wonder how far I can push him? What should I do if he comes at me? Run? Dodge? Try to avoid him? I wonder how this is all going to work out?"

By this time he is ranting, calling me a #@#@# and a ^@##$, feigning sexual acts in my direction, insulting my kite, and the whole time, everybody within hearing distance is studiously ignoring the whole thing. And I finally say, "sir, I'm not going to speak with you anymore. I'm going to bring in my kite and leave."

"No! I'm leaving you #$#$# #$#$#! I'm getting my stuff and going away from you and your $#$#$# kite!"

He begins to walk away in a rage, then turns and heads back. "No," he shouts. "Come here! I want to show you something."

"Um, no. That's okay, I need to wind in my kite."

"No, you $@#@#@! Come here! I want to show you something."

But I'm smarter than that.

"No thanks. I'm going to stay here. I need to pull my kite in."

At which point he stormed off. Leah told me later that as he walked by them and headed down the trail, he was screaming and ranting and cussing the whole way.

And I stayed and flew the kite for another 3o minutes or so.

Now, one could wonder. Was he drunk? High? Demon-possessed? He looked like a homeless person. He was obviously an angry man, and I had the misfortune of stepping into his circle. I still wonder what I would have done had he actually come at me. But Leah told me she was ready - if he attacked, she was going to come to my rescue.

I still find it more amusing, than anything. And let this be a lesson to you all, showing how improper communication always leads to misunderstandings. And sometimes violence.

Bonus Case Study

So later that night, we were driving home, heading West on the 16 under the Burnham overpass. It was dark, but ahead of me I could see the taillights of a couple cars heading down the onramp to the freeway. It appeared they were racing. "A couple of teenagers out having a fun time," I assumed. I watched as the one in the rear attempted numerous times to jut around the front car and cut it off, only to have the front car swerve and speed up, maintaining his position.

They both took the 302 Exit toward Purdy, the same exit I was taking right behind them. As they reached the turning lane to go left across the Purdy Spit, the rear car made one more attempt to pass up the front car by going into oncoming traffic and passing on his left. Once more, the front car sped up and swerved over, thwarting the back car's attempts. "Foolish young men," I thought to myself.

We all came to a stop at the traffic light. The young man in the front car (turned out to be in his 20s) climbed out and walked to the car behind him, yelling at the driver through his window. I still assumed they knew each other. But then the 2nd driver stepped out of his car, and I could see that they were both very angry.

The man from the 2nd car shoved the 1st, pushing him to the ground.

"Call 911," I said

The man from the 1st car regained his footing, but by this time the 2nd man had retrieved a big stick from his car. He took a swing, smashing it into the 1st man's neck.

The phone wouldn't go through.

The 1st man, using some wisdom, got back into his car and drove quickly off. The 2nd man picked up his stick from the ground, jumped into his car, and tore off after the first. I gave them a little space, then followed along the highway.

Eventually we reached the police, and gave a report of what we had seen. And then we drove peacefully home.

Along the way, we found it an opportune time to speak with Olivia about anger, bullies, and why it's never a good thing to respond to a bully with violence or anger. I hate to think what would have happened if the 2nd guy had pulled out a gun. Especially since we were 10 feet away. So we shared with Olivia that, even if people are unfair or rude, it's best to remain calm and not respond, and to get away from them if possible.

She seemed to get it.

As for me, I just have to wonder. Was something in the air last Saturday?

Friday Final

I'm excited about this Sunday. Jim and Liz Sedore, Covenant Missionaries heading over to Mongolia, are sharing in the service at Lakebay. They have a fun story, how they finished out careers here in the States and then decided to do something rather than just retire and play golf. And they're good people, too. So if you're in the area, stop by and hear what God is doing in Mongolia.

It's also the 3rd week in a row that I haven't had to prepare a sermon, which has been a refreshing break. With the extra time I've been preparing the next sermon series, which promises to be a lot of fun. Stay tuned for that one. . .
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I've also spent the last week redesigning Lakebay's website. It's not finished, but it's better than it was. Before, I was using the website as both a place to welcome new people, and a place to keep our people informed of all that's going on. For now, I've gone with the single focus of letting new people know about our church - meaning I don't have to update news and calendar information all the time. Let me know what you think.
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Friday Random 10

I wish I understood this randomness better. How 5 weeks in a row I get no Derek Webb, and then he shows up twice in one week. Sometimes it doesn't seem so random. #1 is sort of an Irish Rock-slash-jig talking about the Party that is Heaven. #2 is one of my favorite John Denver songs, and one of the better ones he wrote in his last years. #9 is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. We played it at Azusa, and I can honestly say it's one of the most difficult trumpet pieces I've performed. And #10 is going to be sung at Lakebay in November.

1. Party Goin’ On Upstairs – The Electrics
2. For You – John Denver
3. Wedding Dress – Derek Webb
4. Vivaldi - The Seasons: Autumn: 1. Allegro – Itzhak Perlman
5. Thumbelina – George Winston
6. You Will By My Ain True Love – Alison Krauss and Sting
7. Kindness – Chris Tomlin
8. She Must and Shall Go Free – Derek Webb
9. Rutter: Gloria for Chorus and Brass: Domine Deus
10. When the Roll is Called Up Yonder – Mars Hill Music

On belief

A number of years ago, I had a friend - an intelligent friend - who told me that the Russians had blown up the Space Shuttle. He had seen the evidence, smuggled out of Russia "at great risk" that proved that a laser had been shot from a satellite at the shuttle. But the government was covering it all up.

Once I took a group of high schoolers to the beach for the day. While we sat in the hot sun, one of the most intelligent girls in the group tried to convince me that the world was controlled by secret shadow organizations, such as the Illuminati. We thought we were a free country, but they controlled everything - elections, food prices, gas shortages. . .and we were all victims of a massive cover-up.

In college, I had a friend - a pretty smart kid - who told me that the Russians controlled our weather. They had giant machines over in Siberia that could affect clouds, causing hurricanes and droughts over here in the U.S. And he had seen the proof, smuggled out of Russia at great risk.

I once talked to a girl in a Dairy Queen who told me she had read a book that proved that Jesus hadn't actually been crucified - instead he went to India, got married, had a couple kids, and died peacefully in a monastery.

How is it that truly intelligent people can believe such bizarre things? Certainly, Christians can be guilty of this. I once had a colleague, a pastor, tell me that the NIV Bible was the product of a New Age conspiracy to undermine belief in God, and he had seen the proof! It was all a big cover-up. And who can forget the breathless excitement over Y2K eight years ago. All those Christians buying up water and foodstuffs, believing the apocalypse was at hand?

But it's true of the other side, as well. The internet is full of websites "proving" that George Dubya Bush orchestrated 9/11, going so far as to plant explosives inside the WTC. "We Blew Up the Buildings And Blamed It On Terrorists!" And the Oklahoma City bombing? That was the CIA.

Need I even mention all those who take the Da Vinci Code as historical fact?

The other day I had a conversation with what seems an intelligent person, who was trying to convince me that our Apollo astronauts discovered buildings on the moon, along with warnings that if we continued to go back to the moon, there would be dire consequences. If you look closely at pictures returned from the moon, you can see where they airbrushed the buildings out. It's all a big NASA cover-up! And it's all over the internet!

How is it, in the 21st Century, we're still given to tales of bogeymen and monsters in the night? This seems no different than our ancestors who believed in werewolves and witches. I just don't get how people can actually believe these things - people who are educated, well-read, able to think critically. And they still believe the kookiest things.

And, of course, the worst part is you can never reason with them. If you begin to disagree with them, then you are either "unenlightened" or part of the cover-up. You're a sheep, being led along in your blindness to "the truth."

My biggest concern, in the end, is the damage this does to our credibility as witnesses to the gospel. When Christians go off on tangents about New Age Conspiracies, Y2K, cover-ups of evidence of life on Mars (I saw that book in a Christian bookstore), we look foolish in the eyes of the world. Why should the world believe that we have The Truth, when we spend all our time breathlessly debating the government cover-ups over moon landings?

I just wish I could understand why people believe this tripe in the first place.

Now, if you want to talk about the conspiracy that stole Super Bowl XV from the Seahawks, then you might be on to something.

The difference of a couple years

Today, Wednesday, September 5, 2007, Olivia officially began 2nd grade. I was thinking of a couple years ago - her first day in kindergarten, and the year before that - the first day of preschool. Then it was all tears and sadness and "our baby's growing up"and emotional sentimental feelings.

Today it was "Whoopee! She's back in school! No more trying to entertain her for 8 hours a day!"

Not that we don't enjoy those long lazy days of summer. It's just that, well, all the "What should I do now?" game gets a little old.

And as for her, I think after a year of homeschooling, and spending the last month of summer basically hanging out with her mom and dad - I think Olivia is ready for a lot more hanging out with kids her own age.

The Class of '87

About 33 years ago, a little group of kids gathered for Kindergarten at Watson Groen Christian School in Shoreline, Washington. 6 of us would stay together through elementary school, junior high, and high school, graduating together in 1987. If you've read this blog, you know some of us got together last month, for our 20th reunion. This picture represents a special moment - this is 4 of those six who stuck together all the way through 13 years of school, with our Kindergarten teacher, taken in the play yard of our school. That's me on the left, Kristen, Mrs. Roosendaal, Alicia, and Tania. I think Mrs. Roosendaal is kind of proud of how we all turned out, since everything we needed to know, we learned in Kindergarten.


















Here's a shot of more of the graduating class, sitting in one of our high school rooms. Added to the above four are Karen (behind Alicia, James (Behind Tania), Pam and Mariea (far right).

technical question

If you've tried to post here, you know I have that "word verification" thingy, to keep spammers off the blog. When you go to post something, you're given a bunch of mixed-up letters, and you have to re-enter them in the box before it lets you post.

So, every time I go to post, I put the letters in the box, exactly as written, but it comes back with an error message, instructing me to "Enter the letters as they are shown in the image." I do so, and then it works fine. It always rejects the first attempt and accepts the second. Any idea why this happens?

(see? It just happened again. . .)

Off the Blog Roll

Chris Erdman has decided to stop blogging. He's grown up and become a real author, having recently published Countdown to Sunday: A Daily Guide For Those Who Dare to Preach.

I'd love to buy it and read it; it would probably do me some good. But my "to-read" pile is still up there at around 30 books, and another Amazon shipment just went out, so I think I'll have to pass for now.

Chris was the speaker at my seminary graduation, and has since been hired on at the seminary. I respected his view on ministry and life. I'll miss his blog.

On Doing Theology

See if this makes sense. One of the basic pieces of Christian belief is that the Bible is simple enough for the most uneducated person to understand and follow its message, while it is deep enough for the brightest minds to plumb for eternity. Theology is the same - the basic theology of Christianity is such that all can understand, yet the particulars are complicated enough that, 2000 years (and more) into it, we still can't come to complete agreement about what it all means.

So, say there is a teaching we shall call Belief A. Almost all Christians can agree that Belief A is central to Christianity, and that all who deny Belief A ought to be regarded with an air of suspicion. However, those who have the time, energy, and mentality to delve deeply into theology, realize that underneath Belief A is a series of subsets, (F,M,P,T,W). But those subsets aren't fully agreed upon by all theologians. While Belief A isn't in question, subset F might be. Perhaps the Calvinists would replace M with N, while the Emergents would just do away with P, T, and W, preferring to maintain the mystery.

Pastors, though, and most Sunday School teachers, don't want to spend a lot of time with the intricate discussions on the underlying points behind Big Theological Positions. So at a popular level, Belief A is held up before the people, and the language to describe it simply assumes all the subsets. And, generally, people in the church hold to Belief A, and assume that the subsets, as they've heard them, go right along with Belief A.

But then they meet somebody from a different strain, who, entering into the discussion on Belief A, says, "Ah, yes. Belief A with subsets (F,M,P,T,X)." "What!?" cries the first. "You are a heretic because you just used an X instead of a W!" "No," says the second. "I'm still saying Belief A. I just think X is more biblical than W."

They then spend 2 hours arguing that each is wrong over position A, when it's really subset W/X that is the issue. And each decides the other is a heretic.

"What?" you're all saying now.

Last week I was in a discussion about how we read the Bible. I mentioned "the authors" and somebody jumped all over me. "There is only one author - God!" I think this person and I would stand in agreement over 99% of our biblical beliefs. We both believe the Bible is the Word of God. I wasn't denying the doctrine of inspiration. But my subset below Inspiration includes (individual authors), while this person's subsets only include (God is author). Thus, in their mind, I'm denying inspiration and therefore a heretic.

If I'm right about this, it will change how I enter into theological discussions in the future.

Yes, I'm Glad

I am rejoicing that all remaining Korean hostages have been freed. This is a moment to celebrate. It is an answer to prayer. This could have turned out much worse. At moments, I expected to turn on the news and hear they had all been killed. I am sure the relief felt by them and their families is overwhelming. Praise the Lord.

However,

what troubles me is this line:

"Seoul also said it would prevent South Korean Christian missionaries from working in the staunchly Muslim country, something it had already promised to do."

I'm wondering how the Korean Church feels about this pledge. On the one hand, it got their friends and family home. On the other hand, it effectively removes any possibility of being God's ambassador in that land that so desperately needs God. Could the Church ever agree to a deal that stands in the way of doing Kingdom work anywhere in the world?

Gospel work is never safe. When God calls, he doesn't promise health and freedom from harm. Sometimes God calls Christians to very dangerous places. Many Christians pay the ultimate price. I'm sure the Korean missionaries and their families are thrilled that this incident is over. But will the price paid for their freedom be worth it?

We'll have to wait and see.

Lives of the Rich and Famous

Over the weekend, the Tacoma News Tribune ran an article on the Rev. Casey Treat and his Christian Faith Center, one of the Puget Sound Area's larger churches.

For those unfamiliar with the story, the Rev. Treat has been growing his church steadily over the last 20 or so years. It's gone from a small group of 30 people to a 10,000 member operation happening on multiple campuses. It's mostly been built on the Rev. Treat's charisma, and his ability to preach messages that people like to hear.

I could quibble with his theology, since I think he's preaching a gospel that, well, isn't exactly accurate. But for today, in this public space, I'm not sure I feel like throwing any stones.

Instead, I just thought I'd point out what his typical Sunday looks like:
At 9:30, The Rev. Mr. Treat is leading the service at the church's Everett location, while the Rev. Mrs. Treat (Casey's wife) is leading the service at their SeaTac location. Following the service, the Rev. Mrs. Treat climbs into a Mercedes to be driven to the local helipad, where she boards a private helicopter and is scooted up to Everett. There, she gets out and the Rev. Mr. Treat is flown back to the SeaTac campus, and they each then lead the 11:30 service from their new location.

I feel worn out just reading about it.

Wow, so much has happened

The last few weeks have certainly been busy. First our anniversary, then Olivia's birthday, and now we're back from our vacation last week - 4 days and 3 nights camping at Mt. Rainier (it rained most of the time), and 4 days and 3 nights in Wenatchee (it was sunny and in the 90s most of the time).

A couple highlights, for those who care about the life of Dan:

- While camping at Mt. Rainier, I took the girls over for an evening ranger talk. The ranger was talking about using all five senses to experience nature. Just as she told the kids to be silent and listen, a fox slunk through the amphitheater, climbed up on Cougar Rock, pooped (in full view of the enthralled kids) and wandered away. It was a nature moment par excellence.

- And Wenatchee was simply fun. We strolled through the enchanting Ohme Gardens, visited the Rocky Reach Dam and watched salmon swim the fish ladder, took the tour of Liberty Orchards in Cashmere (home of Aplets and Cotlets candy. . .free samples. . .mmmm). On Sunday we spent the day in Leavenworth, Washington's Bavarian Village high in the Cascade Mountains. We ate at a waffle house, hiked along the river, watched the kids romp around on a play structure, then wandered back through town.

- Which requires a bullet point of its own. About 8 years ago, we visited Leavenworth for the Christmas Lighting Extravaganza, along with an old high school friend and his (then) girlfriend (now wife). We entered a snack shop and saw one of those Hot Pepper displays. I made the mistake of sampling the Hot Sauce from Hell. One bite and the world spun out of control. I couldn't breath. I couldn't think. I ran out into the snow looking for relief, but even that didn't help. It's still a terrible memory.

So, we visited the same shop last Sunday. I thought "I've grown my palate since then. I've eaten a lot more spicy Mexican food. I've learned to enjoy Wasabi. I can handle it this time." I stuck a dollop of the Hot Sauce from Hell on my pretzel and took a bite. And my world came to an end. I couldn't breath. I couldn't think. The room started to spin. My eyes were watering. My throat was swelling. And all I could think was "pain." It came in waves - just when you thought "it's almost over now" it only got worse. I grabbed the girls and we ran out looking for a water fountain (they were oblivious to the fact that I was dying). Three minutes later we found the fountain, only to discover it was broken. It was like some sort of psychological torture. For 20 minutes it felt like I had a donut of flame shoved into the back of my throat. I couldn't talk, except to say "I'm in pain."


We made an agreement. If one of us ever even thinks about going back into that store, the other is supposed to step on their toe. Hard. Just to remind us of the pain. I still get agitated, just thinking about it.

Back and Gone

Home for a night, and off again.

We returned to find the forest to our north and west gone. Vanished to the cutting blade while we slept. What once was deep forest is now stripped bare. What had been woods beyond our yard is now broken earth.

In honor of the land, I give you Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front, by Wendell Berry.

Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid
to know your neighbors and to die.

And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.

When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.
So, friends, every day do something
that won't compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.

Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.

Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.

Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.
Put your faith in the two inches of humus
that will build under the trees
every thousand years.

Listen to carrion -- put your ear
close, and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come.
Expect the end of the world. Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.
So long as women do not go cheap
for power, please women more than men.

Ask yourself: Will this satisfy
a woman satisfied to bear a child?
Will this disturb the sleep
of a woman near to giving birth?

Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.

As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn't go.

Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.

Just so you know

I'm on vacation, starting tomorrow. We'll be camping a couple days, driving around a couple of days, sleeping a couple of days. So this space will most likely remain silent for the next week or so. Unless you all decide to start leaving a lot of comments.

What I don't want for Christmas

Once I bought a Bible stand from a christian publishing company. Actually, I think it caters more to the Catholic crowd. Now I'm continually getting emails from them, touting their wonderful new Church-Themed products. This showed up today, much to my amusement.


If you look closely, they say "Jesus is my wake-up Call."

Then, there's this one:

That's Santa adoring Jesus, in case you didn't figure it out.

Or, how about this one?
In the catalogue, this is called the "Be Still and Know that I Am God Mug." Now you know God's secret last name.

"The name's Mug. God Mug."

Honestly - does somebody somewhere really think this stuff is actually helpful? Or do they just know they can make money off of artistically-challenged Christians? Does somebody sit in a design studio, pray for inspiration, hit upon "Jesus is my wake-up call" and think "Oh yes, this will be a blessing and witness to the millions of coffee drinkers out there!" Or is there some guy named Art, sitting before an I-mac, half a pack of cigarettes gone, pounding his head against a table shouting "I just need something so I can go home for the weekend!!!!" And this is what he comes up with, slams it out in 2 minutes, emails it off to his boss and goes home to his lonely life.

Opening Gambit to a Sermon

In which the main point is that Passion for Christ often, over time, turns into empty religiosity and legalism (see: Psalm 50; Luke 12:32-40):

Do you know the word entropy? It’s a scientific word, tying in closely with the 2^nd Law of thermodynamics. In scientific language, or at least in scientific language according to Wikipedia, entropy “is a measure of the unavailability of a system's energy to do work.” In more common terms, it looks something like this: whatever starts out with a lot of energy tends to wind down into a sluggish mess that just sits there looking at you, daring you to walk over and mess with it.

It’s like those Saturday mornings when you wake up and think “I’m going to mow the lawn today! Then I’ll weed the garden, wash the car, fix the leaky faucet in the bathtub, barbecue up a nice steak dinner, and then get to that pile of books I’ve been meaning to read.” But you know how it goes. By the time the lawn is done your allergies have caught up and your back is so sore that you spend the rest of the day sitting on the couch watching college football, ordering out for pizza and skimming the Reader’s Digest for some jokes.

Or it’s like that new hobby you decide to take up. Let’s just say you decide to start collecting Dish Towels. You go to the local hobby store and buy up 5 magazines on Dish Towel Collecting. You buy some nice shelving units in which to store your dish towels. You join an online discussion forum on Dish Towel Collecting. You join a local Dish Towel Collectors Club. You go to the library for a seminar entitled “Dish Towel Collecting and You!” You purchase your first 100 dish towels, but eventually you find out this whole thing is harder than it looked. After all, it’s so tough to memorize all those patterns, those stitchings. Is that a 1998 Costco or a 1999 Wal-Mart? Is this from the Martha Stewart Collection or the Mike Tyson Collection? Is it the Spring Target model or the Fall Sears model? And then there are all the club meetings. Shortly after you started they made you the new secretary, and now you’re putting in 10 hours a week just organizing meetings, making phone calls, sending out postcards and emails. Piles of dish towels are collecting all over the house, and you just aren’t as excited as you once were. So you give up, deciding to go join your wife on the couch and watch college football, using paper towels – oh the horror - to clean up the pizza mess.

Note to the family

Just a warning: It's only the preseason, but the Seahawks begin their football season today. And for the first time in years the Mariners are still in the playoff hunt this late in the summer. Sorry if I seem a little distracted over the next few months. . .