It comes full circle...

Just in case there's still anyone out there who hasn't yet seen the Sonseed video for "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine," I just had to incorporate it into a promo video for Kataluma, the new young adult ministry Melinda and I are trying to get started at Trinity. What can I say? It's just so bad, it's perfect. I'm not sure if this video will ever see the light of day outside of this blog, but I hope you enjoy it.



The other song featured is "Revolutionary Love" by David Crowder Band.

Jesus is still my friend

Wow... Leave it to David Crowder Band... God bless 'em.

Jesus is my friend

I don't want to overestimate things, but this could simply be the greatest video ever created by Christians. "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine" by Sonseed.

Expensive fig leaves

I've been trying to come up with a way to discuss the effects of sin with my high school students. There's the academic exercise of defining sin, using some of the vibrant words Scripture does. That may be helpful, but I think most people inherently understand sin. It doesn't really need a definition to be understood intellectually; they've already understood it experientially. Then, of course, there's the standard drawing of a chasm showing our separation from God, complete with a cross to bridge the gap.

I don't want to bash that illustration; I actually think it's a good, albeit simplistic, representation of how sin breaks our fellowship with God. However, I'm not sure there are a lot of fifteen year-olds who are worried about their relationship with God. Some are, to be sure. But if a kid is not interested already, I don't think the illustration will exactly inspire them to give Jesus a chance.

I really appreciate the way that Donald Miller describes the fall in Searching for God Knows What:

"Man is wired so he gets his glory (his security, his understanding of value, his feeling of purpose, his feeling of rightness from his Maker, his security for eternity) from God, and this relationship is so strong and God's love is so pure, that Adam and Eve felt no insecurity at all, so much so that they walked around naked and didn't even realize they were naked. But when that relationship was broken, they knew it instantly. All of their glory, the glory that came from God, was gone. It wouldn't be unlike being in love and having somebody love you and then all of a sudden that person is gone, like a kid lost in a store. All of the insecurity rises the instant you realize you are alone. No insecurity was felt when the person who loved you was around, but in his absence, it instantly comes to the surface. In this way, Adam and Eve were naked and weren't ashamed when God was around, but the second the relationship was broken, they realized it and were ashamed. And that is just the beginning."

In the absence of the security that came from a perfect relationship with God, we seek validation and acceptance from other people. We do this by emulating them or by seeking their approval or by convincing ourselves we're better than someone else. Life becomes a game where we use money, sex, and status to fight for position.

Have you ever wondered why there's a Porsche SUV? I mean, if you need an SUV, is a Porsche ever the best way to go? I can understand buying a sports car for fun or buying an SUV for the utility and the safety, but buying a Porsche SUV is like buying a pair of Prada work boots. I'm sure they'd be nice, but what a stupid, unnecessary shopping decision. I think Porsche SUVs exist because some sad, insecure person wanted to show the world they could buy one. Fully loaded, they cost close to $100,000. Aren't we jealous?

Adam and Eve were naked and ashamed when they lost their glory and their security. Our situation has not improved. Our fig leaves are much more elaborate and sometimes have heated seats or an optional nagivation system, but they are ways to hide our shame nonetheless.

I recently read that there was an application for the iPhone called "I Am Rich." (Apple has since yanked it from its store.) It didn't do anything other than display a message on the phone telling everyone the user was rich. Hence, the name. The app cost $999.99 and eight people purchased it in the 24 hours it was available. Expensive fig leaves.


Source:

Donald Miller, Searching for God Knows What.

The Magic Words Jesus Didn't Use

Burnside Writers Collective ran another article of mine. It's called "The Magic Words Jesus Didn't Use." It's about how we often make the Gospel so formulaic that it loses its power and how Jesus shared the Good News with people at their greatest point of need. There was no one-size-fits-all approach, but there was one invitation to follow Him.

I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think.

The Magic Words Jesus Didn't Use

Resurrection Letters, Volume II

I've blogged about Andrew Peterson's writing and music before. He's a great storyteller and he doesn't take himself too seriously. AP has a new album coming out in October called Resurrection Letters, Volume II. There's no Volume I yet, in case you're wondering. (Click here for an explanation of that anomaly.)

Anyway, the entire album is streaming online right now. From what I've heard so far, I really like it.

Check it out:

Andrew Peterson - Resurrection Letters, Volume II

Is the Palin pick a do-over?

When the Republican primaries were winding up, I was disappointed in the McCain nomination. It seemed that with so many choices, the better candidates canceled each other out. I mean, it was McCain vs. Romney vs. Thompson vs. Paul vs. Giuliani vs. Huckabee (and I may have even forgotten one or two). With that many people vying to run the free world, it was hard for any one candidate to gain momentum.

I have to give John McCain credit. In that field of candidates, he was a long-shot. And he didn't exactly have the media on his side, nor did he get the Colbert bump like Huckabee. In the end, I think the Republicans ended up with McCain, not because he was their favorite choice, but because there was no clear consensus built.

McCain's brilliance is that he gets this. He didn't pick Sarah Palin because she's the most qualified running-mate or because he was trying to steal Hillary Clinton voters (though there may be that hope as well). I think he picked her because he understands that Palin's the kind of candidate that conservatives wanted all along.

She's a fiscal, social, religious conservative. She's not a Washington insider. She oozes family values. She's got executive experience. She shoots things (on purpose, unlike our current VP). On top of all that, she's got charisma (just like Obama), she's young (just like Obama), and she's not an old, white guy (just like Obama). She's kind of the anti-Obama, if you think about it.

I think McCain made a gutsy, but smart, move with this pick. Now, if only he would bow out of the election and let Ron Paul take his place. That would be the ticket for me: Paul/Palin '08.