Friday, January 26, 2007
I'm Not Dead
Well...I've been busy. A lot of cool stuff is going on here in Chi-Town. I've recently been in Oklahoma City meeting with individuals who may be interested in doing what we do, which is harder to explain than what I thought. Have much to tell and will fill you in later. Keep it classy!!!
Sunday, January 14, 2007
The Whore I Love
It’s a shame, a tragedy nonetheless. Used, abused, and misunderstood. I hate to love her, love to hate her, yet in the end, I choose to still love. Her ways are heartbreaking, her actions dull and often passionless, yet I still love her. My expectations are never met, she runs off only to come back more bruised, tattered, and dirty.
I must say I’m sick of it. Who’s the whore, well you know her. In fact, you use her too. The Church is a whore. The church is our hope, the hope, and she’s been equated to a slut. St. Augustine said, “The Church is a whore, but she’s my mother.” This is both a true and complex statement Augustine makes.
For those reading this simply because the title says, “whore,” don’t stop!! It’s currently 3 am, I can’t sleep, and I have a reason. I’ve had an internal conflict over the past few days. I can’t get the church out of my mind. I don’t understand it. I get mad at it, but I come back loving it again and again.
What’s contributed to this recent conflict?
Well homosexuals for starters…
Fags, gays, lesbians, queers, whatever it is you call them, have really been on my heart. At work the other day I had an unusual experience. “Wow, they’re so hot,” said one of the ladies I work with. “Who?” I asked. “The one who ordered the cappuccino!!” I immediately tried to remember who order a cappuccino, and then they walked past. She was right; hot was a good word to describe the lady drinking the cappuccino.
I stood there not in shock, not even in disgust. I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t know how to react. I just stood.
Later that day, a guy I work with, and who I’ve become pretty good friends with, came in to work. He quickly got into a conversation with another employee about how “incredibly sexy” Matt Lienart is. I wasn't aware of it before, but, I came to the conclusion that he was gay too. Nothing gets by me?
Several days later I found out that my buddy thinks I’m attractive too. This throws a new aspect into male relationships that I’ve never had before. What do I do?
Recently a gay man came into the store and we had a nice conversation. He told me about his life and mentioned he went to Air Force Academy. Having recently been in Colorado Springs this summer, I proceeded to tell him how beautiful I thought it was there.
His response wasn’t what I expected. “I hate it there,” he said. “It’s way to churchy.” I didn’t know what to say. Maybe this was the time to break out into my little “I’m a Christian” mumbo jumbo that I’ve been so heavily trained to do. Instead I said, “oh yeah, there’s a lot of Christian organizations there.” “Oh yeah there is,” he said.
Was it a missed opportunity? Maybe…
Soon after he left…again…I just stood, not knowing how to react.
I’ll be honest. I don’t know what to do in many of the situations I encounter. I’m only 23 and pretty naïve. Yet, I have something inside me, something that I can’t rid myself of. It’s indefinable but at the same very explanatory. It’s a love really, a love for the church.
Not the buildings, not the programs, not even the teaching always. I love the people, the body, the church. It’s the hope of the world, it’s what Christ died for, and we’ve made it a whore. Derek Webb has a song called Wedding Dress. I recommend you listen to it.
We’re all (Christians) a bunch of whores! We put Christ on, like a wedding dress, when we need him, then run fast down the aisle to him, and then take him off when we don’t. Often times Jesus is used, forgotten, and his grace utterly abused. I feel as if I do this daily, yet unexplainable, grace remains.
In my own life I’m tired of making a mockery out of Jesus. Maybe I’m just speaking for myself and you all have it together, but I doubt it. If you think you do have it together, you’re full of it.
I’m convinced the church is a whore made up of whores. We need to be fixed, changed. Whether you’re in the city or a small town whether you’re rich or poor, old or young, educated or uneducated, there needs to be a change in our mindsets, our thinking, our worldview.
Do you get it?
It seems we’re so focused on the don’ts in our faith we forget the do’s. Christianity is a proactive faith, a faith that’s love is endless, a faith that’s grace is immeasurable, a faith that has hope, hope for a world where love prevails.
What do I do with my gay friends? Do I share the Gospel with them? They’ve already expressed dissonance with the Christian Church. I feel my only option is this: Show the Gospel to them.
Have I missed something here? I love the church, but mostly I love it for its potential. I believe in the church. The world can be changed by it, but it starts with us!!
Can we stop abusing grace, stop abusing Christ’s bride? I’m tired of hearing people who have given up on the church, but I’m equally tired of the church forgetting who Christ is, was, and what he did.
Become the church or get out of the church. It’s that simple and yet that hard.
Peace be with you.
I must say I’m sick of it. Who’s the whore, well you know her. In fact, you use her too. The Church is a whore. The church is our hope, the hope, and she’s been equated to a slut. St. Augustine said, “The Church is a whore, but she’s my mother.” This is both a true and complex statement Augustine makes.
For those reading this simply because the title says, “whore,” don’t stop!! It’s currently 3 am, I can’t sleep, and I have a reason. I’ve had an internal conflict over the past few days. I can’t get the church out of my mind. I don’t understand it. I get mad at it, but I come back loving it again and again.
What’s contributed to this recent conflict?
Well homosexuals for starters…
Fags, gays, lesbians, queers, whatever it is you call them, have really been on my heart. At work the other day I had an unusual experience. “Wow, they’re so hot,” said one of the ladies I work with. “Who?” I asked. “The one who ordered the cappuccino!!” I immediately tried to remember who order a cappuccino, and then they walked past. She was right; hot was a good word to describe the lady drinking the cappuccino.
I stood there not in shock, not even in disgust. I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t know how to react. I just stood.
Later that day, a guy I work with, and who I’ve become pretty good friends with, came in to work. He quickly got into a conversation with another employee about how “incredibly sexy” Matt Lienart is. I wasn't aware of it before, but, I came to the conclusion that he was gay too. Nothing gets by me?
Several days later I found out that my buddy thinks I’m attractive too. This throws a new aspect into male relationships that I’ve never had before. What do I do?
Recently a gay man came into the store and we had a nice conversation. He told me about his life and mentioned he went to Air Force Academy. Having recently been in Colorado Springs this summer, I proceeded to tell him how beautiful I thought it was there.
His response wasn’t what I expected. “I hate it there,” he said. “It’s way to churchy.” I didn’t know what to say. Maybe this was the time to break out into my little “I’m a Christian” mumbo jumbo that I’ve been so heavily trained to do. Instead I said, “oh yeah, there’s a lot of Christian organizations there.” “Oh yeah there is,” he said.
Was it a missed opportunity? Maybe…
Soon after he left…again…I just stood, not knowing how to react.
I’ll be honest. I don’t know what to do in many of the situations I encounter. I’m only 23 and pretty naïve. Yet, I have something inside me, something that I can’t rid myself of. It’s indefinable but at the same very explanatory. It’s a love really, a love for the church.
Not the buildings, not the programs, not even the teaching always. I love the people, the body, the church. It’s the hope of the world, it’s what Christ died for, and we’ve made it a whore. Derek Webb has a song called Wedding Dress. I recommend you listen to it.
We’re all (Christians) a bunch of whores! We put Christ on, like a wedding dress, when we need him, then run fast down the aisle to him, and then take him off when we don’t. Often times Jesus is used, forgotten, and his grace utterly abused. I feel as if I do this daily, yet unexplainable, grace remains.
In my own life I’m tired of making a mockery out of Jesus. Maybe I’m just speaking for myself and you all have it together, but I doubt it. If you think you do have it together, you’re full of it.
I’m convinced the church is a whore made up of whores. We need to be fixed, changed. Whether you’re in the city or a small town whether you’re rich or poor, old or young, educated or uneducated, there needs to be a change in our mindsets, our thinking, our worldview.
Do you get it?
It seems we’re so focused on the don’ts in our faith we forget the do’s. Christianity is a proactive faith, a faith that’s love is endless, a faith that’s grace is immeasurable, a faith that has hope, hope for a world where love prevails.
What do I do with my gay friends? Do I share the Gospel with them? They’ve already expressed dissonance with the Christian Church. I feel my only option is this: Show the Gospel to them.
Have I missed something here? I love the church, but mostly I love it for its potential. I believe in the church. The world can be changed by it, but it starts with us!!
Can we stop abusing grace, stop abusing Christ’s bride? I’m tired of hearing people who have given up on the church, but I’m equally tired of the church forgetting who Christ is, was, and what he did.
Become the church or get out of the church. It’s that simple and yet that hard.
Peace be with you.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
My Nigga
Before you flip out over my title, this is what I'm called everyday. Trust me, it's ok. I've found there's the racial word nigger and then there's "my friend" nigger.
Today we were back with the kids. I was incredibly excited to see them after being away for nearly two weeks. Below is a video of Money doing a little rap for us. I took it on my camera and it didn't record right, yet it's worth checking out.
I invite any of you who would like to come visit the kids in Austin to come. It's about these kids, its about Christ in their lives, come and be changed, it's hard to not be.
Today we were back with the kids. I was incredibly excited to see them after being away for nearly two weeks. Below is a video of Money doing a little rap for us. I took it on my camera and it didn't record right, yet it's worth checking out.
I invite any of you who would like to come visit the kids in Austin to come. It's about these kids, its about Christ in their lives, come and be changed, it's hard to not be.
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