Being great

I know most of you have probably seen this or know about it, but just in case you have not seen it or do not know about Paul Potts, well...take a look. It is one of those times when you're blindsided and just have to sit down (and for those traditional perfectionists out there who have worked hard to get where they are, blah, blah...maybe lighten up and don't be a hata). Just a reminder to me today that most of the great things in this world usually come from ordinary people like you and me. I think I'll go out and be great today. Take a look (you may want a tissue if you've never seen it).

happy birthday

Tuesday was a birthday for Martha, a lady in our church. Last night we surprised her with a surprise party. Italian food and Dean Martin on the cd player. Cake and ice cream and presents. Martha is an encourager with the gift of helping and I appreciate her comments after an evening when I stand in front of the Hope group (sounds like a twelve-step group, huh?) and ramble on about what can seem to me to be extremely myopic topics. The Hope group is the one group where I can pretty much flesh out what God is teaching me and not have them knock on my door later that night with an intervention. It is nice to have that kind of place.

how strong is strong?

I find I have an enjoyment for strong cigars. The Connecticut shade wrappers just don't seem to provide the taste or enjoyment they used to. Even if I smoke one in the morning with my coffee, I'm grabbing an El Rico Habano or Joya de Nicaragua, both of which I also can enjoy in the evening. I guess after a year and a half of honing my taste buds, I'm settling into a "preferred" taste.

saving the denomination

I received a request from a good friend in youth ministry to respond to the following prayer request from one of our denominational publications:

"That a high percentage of the non-Advent Christian youth pastors working in Advent Christian churches will search the scriptures thoroughly for understanding and interpretation"

Christians have always been a right vs. wrong, us vs. them kind of people - think Crusades. Once the protestants of modernity began the denominational-izing of the faith, we began to eat our own. We all want to be right and feel that our denominations are right in every doctrine and pseudo-doctrine. Otherwise, why bother pouring ourselves into something that we feel may be wrong, right? And why hire and ordain those who are not going to teach and hold to our own secondary distinctives?

There is a lot of self-preservation in this prayer request. Instead of asking God to infiltrate the hearts and minds of these leaders in such a way as to show love, grace, and acceptance to a youth culture that is awash in their own self-preservation caused by adult-led, institutional abandonment of their needs as young people, some (including this request) seem more concerned that they know how to teach students how to sleep when they die.

Have we become so marginalized that we make these leaders feel as if they are not doing a good job if their emphasis is not on keeping us marginalized (and irrelevant)?

Denominations have their place and I appreciate the history and heritage of my own, but I long for the day when our hearts break for those who need love and acceptance regardless of their dogma.

Thanks, yaaase!

corny christianity

I subscribe to a message board for ministers. The following story/illustration was posted today:

One day, a man went to visit a church, He got there early, parked his car and got out. Another car pulled up near the driver got out and said, ' I always park there! You took my place!'

The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, 'That's my seat! You took my place!' The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.

After Sunday School, the visitor went into the sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, ' That's where I always sit! You took my place!' The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still He said nothing.

Later as the congregation was praying for the Lord to reveal his presence among them that day in worship, the visitor stood up, and his appearance began to change. Scars became visible on his hands and his sandaled feet, and a crown of thorns appeared on his head. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, 'What happened to you?' A tear fell from the visitor's eye as he replied, 'I took your place.'

There was a time in my life when I would have scarfed this up as a tool for a message, one that would elicit an emotional response from the hearer, enabling me to make further emotional appeals to an audience now ready for the "kill." Following would be more emotional appeals that would be intended to guilt my audience into the response for which I was looking.

I would never use this today. I have seen too much guilt heaped onto others by well-meaning but misguided speakers and ministers. I'm no longer a guilt guy. Emotional games rarely cement values and beliefs over the long-haul. I've heard enough of these kind of stories in church and at camp to make me very wary of them.

Also, to tell this story one must assume that the audience understands why there are scars and thorns and tears from a transfigured visitor in the first place. I wonder if we don't make the assumption that all who enter a church are already "bubbled" into our Christian cocoon. Outsiders would probably not be well-versed in our beliefs on propitiation and substitution and the resulting confusion may make them feel even less a part of the club.

Is this the way we want to roll?

why am I blogging?

There are few outlets or venues in which I feel comfortable expressing views or opinions about many of the subjects which I think deserve new or fresh dialogue. The constraints imposed - many would say they are self-imposed - by position and status-quo quite often stymie my ability (or willingness) to express things that are of importance to me in a way that leaves me or an audience satisfied . Third Cigar Today, therefore, will be an outlet for just that.

So much of what I hear and read today leaves me wanting for a little more realism, a bit more bite, and a lot more honesty. Whether the topic is about the "emergent" (still trying to wrap my mind around this) movement of the church, the near-instant evolution (or devolution) of cultural norms, or the discussion of the hint of 7-yr old Madagascar vanilla in a 15-yr old White Owl, there is much to be said and learned.