Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Call to Arms!
Thanks to Mark Driscoll for the following observation:
"Lots of Christian men are weak effeminate cowardly jokes who are not funny. 60% of Christians are women - 10-13 million more women than men. We need not exclude women, but include men. From prom songs to Jesus as worship to "preachers" who chat about their golf game and feelings any guy who is devoted to heterosexuality, competition, & being a dude finds those churches as inviting as a cat does water. Throw in any guy who changes his oil, owns a gun, or watches cage fighting & the odds are better that he'll get pregnant than saved in a church like that."
Now, it's obviously impossible for a man to fall pregnant and I don't think Mark is limiting the power of God to touch anyone he wants to but the exaggeration of his point brings a few things into focus.
1) Who are we targeting in church today when things like coffee, tablecloths and decorations seem to take a lot of our focus and energy when preparing our services?
2) "Prom songs to Jesus" is an american way to say it but just wander over to your cd collection and pick up the latest worship album from any of todays large, popular, recording churches and see how many of the songs still work if you replace Jesus, Lord, God, Savior, etc for baby, girl, sweetheart...... surprised? I was.
Where are all the songs about war, fighting, blood, heroics, power, anger, righteousness? Where are the battle crys of todays church? What are the men singing as they head to war? My sweet Jesus? Sweet Jesus indeed!
3)I know it's a commonly known fact that if you get the mums/wives into church then the men and families will follow. this may be true but is it right? Are we, the church, supposed to bow to the worlds rules? As far as I can see if we keep using this plan we are certain to end up with more "weak effeminate cowardly jokes" in our ranks. The men are the head of the house and we should start seeing them as such and treating them appropriately, whether they are in or out of the church! Tell men they have some power in this womans world and see what happens.
In the army of God we need men, not boys or jokes or emasculated eunics! Just as the Spartans knew they were warriors first, that war was their trade and was what defined them, we too need to redefine what it is to be a man in the 3rd millenium church.
"Lots of Christian men are weak effeminate cowardly jokes who are not funny. 60% of Christians are women - 10-13 million more women than men. We need not exclude women, but include men. From prom songs to Jesus as worship to "preachers" who chat about their golf game and feelings any guy who is devoted to heterosexuality, competition, & being a dude finds those churches as inviting as a cat does water. Throw in any guy who changes his oil, owns a gun, or watches cage fighting & the odds are better that he'll get pregnant than saved in a church like that."
Now, it's obviously impossible for a man to fall pregnant and I don't think Mark is limiting the power of God to touch anyone he wants to but the exaggeration of his point brings a few things into focus.
1) Who are we targeting in church today when things like coffee, tablecloths and decorations seem to take a lot of our focus and energy when preparing our services?
2) "Prom songs to Jesus" is an american way to say it but just wander over to your cd collection and pick up the latest worship album from any of todays large, popular, recording churches and see how many of the songs still work if you replace Jesus, Lord, God, Savior, etc for baby, girl, sweetheart...... surprised? I was.
Where are all the songs about war, fighting, blood, heroics, power, anger, righteousness? Where are the battle crys of todays church? What are the men singing as they head to war? My sweet Jesus? Sweet Jesus indeed!
3)I know it's a commonly known fact that if you get the mums/wives into church then the men and families will follow. this may be true but is it right? Are we, the church, supposed to bow to the worlds rules? As far as I can see if we keep using this plan we are certain to end up with more "weak effeminate cowardly jokes" in our ranks. The men are the head of the house and we should start seeing them as such and treating them appropriately, whether they are in or out of the church! Tell men they have some power in this womans world and see what happens.
In the army of God we need men, not boys or jokes or emasculated eunics! Just as the Spartans knew they were warriors first, that war was their trade and was what defined them, we too need to redefine what it is to be a man in the 3rd millenium church.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Serve the servants
No, this is not a tribute to little known Nirvana songs...
I just read "A Jesus Manifesto" by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola of 'Reimagining Church', what a great piece of literature! One part in particular caught my attention;
"It’s all too possible to serve “the god” of serving Jesus as opposed to serving him out of an enraptured heart that’s been captivated by his irresistible beauty and unfathomable love."
Being part of a church that is heavy on the 'serve' aspect (and rightfully unapologetically so) that is at the moment focussing on the 'servant church' the subject of serving is on my mind. The idea that one could serve "the god" of serving is intriguing, yes?
Why do I serve where/how/when/as often as I do?
I just read "A Jesus Manifesto" by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola of 'Reimagining Church', what a great piece of literature! One part in particular caught my attention;
"It’s all too possible to serve “the god” of serving Jesus as opposed to serving him out of an enraptured heart that’s been captivated by his irresistible beauty and unfathomable love."
Being part of a church that is heavy on the 'serve' aspect (and rightfully unapologetically so) that is at the moment focussing on the 'servant church' the subject of serving is on my mind. The idea that one could serve "the god" of serving is intriguing, yes?
Why do I serve where/how/when/as often as I do?
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
'Blue Steel'
This is my beautiful daughter Abigail. I was taking some random photo's of her when she threw me this perfect 'Blue Steel'! If you haven't seen Zoolander you wont understand.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Shadow-man
Shadow-man cloaked in falsehood
Living out his lies
face a mirage, play of light
Among the saints he hides
Contorting mind not conforming
To the common thought
In acceptance he finds safety
And their refusal to see
Web of lies or web of intrigue
Woven in his head
Lord of mysteries real to Him
Is this the king of kings?
Shadow-man sees himself
In the mirror of his mind
Does not recognise what he sees
Knows not who he is
Traitor in the midst is he
Burning from within
Hells fire or Holy pyre?
Saint or son of sin?
Who is he? Who is he?
Silence deafening is his cry
A fear of being found
Come and find me...
Come and find me...
See who I really am.
Living out his lies
face a mirage, play of light
Among the saints he hides
Contorting mind not conforming
To the common thought
In acceptance he finds safety
And their refusal to see
Web of lies or web of intrigue
Woven in his head
Lord of mysteries real to Him
Is this the king of kings?
Shadow-man sees himself
In the mirror of his mind
Does not recognise what he sees
Knows not who he is
Traitor in the midst is he
Burning from within
Hells fire or Holy pyre?
Saint or son of sin?
Who is he? Who is he?
Silence deafening is his cry
A fear of being found
Come and find me...
Come and find me...
See who I really am.
Monday, June 8, 2009
So funny it may be wrong...
Found this shirt design on a website today.......and ordered one......couldnt help it
Explosm - Jesus t-shirt design @ © SplitReason.com
And here's a few more to keep you giggling...
Explosm - Effing cape t-shirt design @ © SplitReason.com
Explosm - Dinosaurs t-shirt design @ © SplitReason.com
Explosm - Evolution t-shirt design @ © SplitReason.com
Explosm - Jesus t-shirt design @ © SplitReason.com
And here's a few more to keep you giggling...
Explosm - Effing cape t-shirt design @ © SplitReason.com
Explosm - Dinosaurs t-shirt design @ © SplitReason.com
Explosm - Evolution t-shirt design @ © SplitReason.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
