Archives:

Culture

The Pitfalls of Facebook Live Feed

I started using Facebook shortly after I entered graduate school in 2003.  I was a Myspace user, but often lamented Myspace’s messiness.  It was limited.  Some of my college friends began to use Facebook and I saw it as a way to stay in touch with people.  Facebook looked clean, but it was confusing why I could see everyone’s business: who they talked to, what they posted, what they said, etc…   We have seen Facebook evolve from a “college only” website to a global network of all ages.   Facebook is ubiquitous.  My parents, who are retired, even have a Facebook page!  Some bloggers have even commented how “uncool” Facebook has become since so many people are using it.  (You are still cool Mom and Dad.)

Facebook has played with the concept of the “news feed” and the “live feed” for sometime.  Currently, through the news feed you get the basic updates from people on pictures, posted links, and comments on your profile.  The live feed does much more.  It documents almost everything you and your friends are doing right now.  You can always change what information you share in the Facebook security settings, but things get ridiculous.   It can get annoying to see tiny details about your friend’s habits, especially if you have a large friend list.

In getting past the annoying nature of reading every minuet detail of your friends, we fall into the trap of Facebook live feed:

Continue Reading…

blog, christians

Jon Gosselin, Please Stop!

As I mentioned before, I was very hopeful that Jon and Kate Gosselin would patch things up, but things have certainly gotten worse since Jon and Kate have split.  The media circus has heighten the tension of the conflict between Jon and Kate.  Despite Jon’s disclosure of seeking a “higher power” the relationship between him and his family is almost at a point of no return.  The girlfriends of Jon, other “reality celebrities”, and the media have virtually wrecked any chance of reconciliation.  I cringe every time Jon says, “I’m just here for my kids… I love them.”  If he truly loved his kids then he would not engage in activities or conflicts that bring the worst out of the couple.  Kate has admitted to her own issues, but Jon’s are more public.

In a strange development, Jon was planning a show with “Octo Mom”:

There were terrible, terrible rumors going around that Jon Gosselin and Octomom Nadya Suleman were going to have their own reality show entitled, Jon – Kate = Jon + Octomom. However, Jon has had time to have a long, hard think about this career decision and has come up with the surprising decision to opt against famewhoring.

You got to be kidding me. I think it is a little late for cashing in on his family’s publicity.  However, one silver-lining could be the fact that Jon now has “spiritual advisers”:

Continue Reading…

NFL

The NFL Needs God

Many people ask me what I’d being doing if I was not a pastor, often I say, “I don’t know, but I know I would not be happy if I was not a pastor.”  I truly cannot imagine doing anything other than ministering to others, cultivating faith, teaching, and providing spiritual care.  However, I could be a chaplain to an NFL team.  What a dream job!

I have already blogged about my experience providing the invocation at the NFL Players Gala in Washington D.C.  Besides doing my ministerial duties, I got to meet Bill Cower,  Ben Roethlisberger, John Riggins, Clinton Portis, and Larry Fitzgerald.  Believe it or not, the NFL regularly uses chaplains and spiritual advisers for players and teams.  You could imagine the sweet perks of the job!

Time Magazine wrote a piece on NFL chaplains who regularly counsel and meet with players.  What is most interesting about the article is how one chaplain tells players they shouldn’t “pimp out Jesus”:

Continue Reading…

Halloween

When Christians meet saints after Halloween

Some of us may be uncomfortable with the holiday that is upon us: the dreaded Halloween!  What an evil holiday!  But, wait!  Is Halloween really that evil?

The word “Halloween”, as originally indented, was a Christian term.  More accurately called, “All Hallows Eve” (hallow meaning “holy”) was a preparation day for All Saints Day, a day that was originally created to remember the Christian martyrs and saints.

Halloween is often associated with the pagan concept of Samhain, the festival where ancient pagans believed that the worlds of the living and dead would been thinly divided.  But, we have seen from the other ancient pagan festivals associated with Christmas and Easter, pagan connections do not serve as a reason why we cannot celebrate a Christian holiday.  The pre-Christian practices of  Samhain have been clearly separated from All Hallows Eve by the historical Church, but many Christians have abandoned this day of remembrance.

However, by understanding Halloween through All Saints Day, rather than evil occult connections, Christians can take comfort in knowing that All Hallows Eve or Halloween be a Christian observance.  Here is why:

Continue Reading…

Book Reviews, nuChristian

Guest Blogger: Russell Rathbun, Author

Russell Rathbun, author of the new book, nuChristian: finding faith in a new generation (Judson Press) is our guest blogger today.  Russell is a founding minister with Debbie Blue of House of Mercy, a pioneering emergent church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Rathbun is also the author of Midrash on the Juanitos (Cathedral Hill Press,2009) and the critically-acclaimed Post-Rapture Radio (Jossey-Bass, 2008). He lives with his wife, two kids, and dog KoKo in St. Paul.

What If a Church Had an Expiration Date?

I have talked to a lot of people who are starting churches and a lot more people who are trying to keep churches from dying. Both missions are very hard to accomplish. So, I had an idea. What if you started a church with an expiration date? Say, five years. That would be just enough time for an energized core group to get together and build a unique community—an incarnation of the Body of Christ that addresses a particular time and place, the context in which they are living. They could welcome friends and newcomers who are interested, intrigued, and drawn in by the body’s particular vision, worship, service, study, and creativity, inviting the visitor to become part of the life of the community. Finally this expanded group of believers would begin to articulate new visions for changing contexts and to develop new core groups around those visions, groups who would then go out and start several new churches with new expiration dates.

Continue Reading…

Book Reviews, nuChristian

Q&A with Author Russell Rathbun

Author Russell Rathbun spoke with On the Bema about his new book, nuChristian: finding faith in a new generation (Judson Press).  Russell is a founding minister with Debbie Blue of House of Mercy, a pioneering emergent church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Rathbun is also the author of Midrash on the Juanitos (Cathedral Hill Press,2009) and the critically-acclaimed Post-Rapture Radio (Jossey-Bass, 2008). He lives with his wife, two kids, and dog KoKo in St. Paul.

OnTheBema: You begin your book with examining the postmodern framework. Christians need to understand it. Where do you draw the line between understanding postmodernism and using postmodernism to a church’s advantage without compromising the Gospel message?

Russell: The way I understand it, Postmodernism, is not a “thing” we can use or not use, it is just the way the world operates. It is the underlying ethos of our time. It is important to understand that the Post-Baby Boomer generations came of age and are informed by this ethos (whether they realize it or not). There has been a radical shift in how truth claims can be made. We can not assume that dominate Western Christian ideas (which may or may not be the same as the Gospel–often they are not) hold sway in the way they once did. This is why it is important to be in relationship with people instead of being in a debate with people. In the end the debate doesn’t matter, loving your neighbor as a response to the love of God through Jesus Christ is what matters.

OnTheBema: You make a good point about how Christians need to make disciples rather than just converts. You say, “We are not called to save people, we are called to love people.” (pg. 43) This is a radical departure from Evangelical Christianity’s emphasis on “saving souls.” Why do you think evangelism ends at the altar call?

Continue Reading…

Book Review, Book Reviews

Book Review: NuChristian

As part of Judson Press’ blog tour for Russell Rathbun’s new book, nuChristian: finding faith in a new generation, I have had the wonderful opportunity to preview and review this insightful book.  In addition, Wednesday of this week, I will feature a Q & A with Russell about his new book.  On Friday, Russell will be featured as a guest blogger.

nuChristian begins with a very brief forward by author and activist Shane Claiborne (fellow Eastern University alum), of the Simple Way.  Claiborne, known for being a radical voice and champion for the poor, harmonizes with Rathbun’s message of how Christianity must shape “nuChristians”.  That is, Christians who are no longer identified by hypocritical actions, scandal, and hot button issues.

In the preface, Rathbun lays out that the purpose of this book is to join the conversation of David Kinnamen’s book UnChristian.  Back in 1996, Kinnamen’s Barna Group, found that 83% of Americans identified themselves as Christians, and that fewer than 20% of non-Christians held an unfavorable view of Christianity.  Between 2004 and 2007, nine out of ten non-Christians between the ages of 16-29 found Christians to be too anti-homosexual.  In addition, almost as many saw Christianity as it as “hypocritical” and “judgmental.” Seventy-five percent of non-Christians thought Christians were too involved in politics. UnChristian used these statistics and made the case that non-Christian resentment is focused on perceived Christian attitudes. Kinnaman used these statistics to form a bleak picture of Western Christianity.

Continue Reading…

stewardship

The Super Bowl of Priorities

At the Super Bowl one year, a  fan was surprised to see an empty seat at the stadium, a die-hard fan remarked about it to a woman sitting nearby. “It was my husband’s,” the woman explained, “But he died.” “I’m very sorry,” said the man.  Then, the gentleman said, “Yet I’m really surprised that another relative, or friend, didn’t jump at the chance to take the seat reserved for him.” “Beats me…They all insisted on going to the funeral.” Remarked the woman.

Priorities.  Many of us want to a line our priorities based on how much time things will take.  We make a list of things to get at the supermarket.  Do we make a list based on what we need first? Or, what it closest to the door?

In life, we talk about quality time, time management, financial restraint, and balancing our work life. Instead of thinking about those things based on how much time we spend on them, what if we think about them based on what we do first?  How important is it for you to brush your teeth in the morning?  I hope it is pretty important because usually that is one of the first things we do in the morning (along with a shower and the morning coffee).

Dwight Eisenhower once said:

Continue Reading…

Cross

When is a Cross not a Cross?

Be sure to vote in the poll at the end of this post.

Is the cross just a cross?  Is there a way that a cross cannot be a religious symbol?  In the interest of separation of church and state, the Supreme court will rule on an upcoming case that could redefine the boundaries of how religion can play a role in governmental life: Salazar v. Buono

The story goes like this:

A white cross erected on a rock outcropping on federal land in California’s Mojave Desert is at the heart of a Supreme Court case about the government’s display of religious symbols. The Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Death Valley post first built the cross at Sunrise Rock in 1934 to honor Americans who died in combat in World War I.

Neither the VFW nor Sandoz ever owned the land where the cross is located — nor did they have permission to build on the land.

But in 1999, a Buddhist asked the National Park Service for permission to erect a Buddhist shrine on federal land near the cross. The agency refused, setting in motion a series of events in the courts and Congress, culminating in Wednesday’s Supreme Court hearing.

Is it possible that a cross could be refined by the federal government as a non-religious symbol?  If you think that is impossible, then consider this:

Continue Reading…

religion

The Most Religious Cheerleaders… Like Ever

Usually, cheerleaders are not known for being very religious, but a group of cheerleaders put on a public display of their faith.  In a news story that is quickly gaining national attention, cheerleaders in Georgia painted Christian scriptures on large banners for their school football team.  The banners were painted off school property, with private funds, and during the summer when school was not in session.  However, the banners were displayed at public high school football games.


The Cheerleaders at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School efforts were foiled when a lone objector filed a complaint.  Hundreds of parents, students, and friends gathered at a rally in support of the cheerleaders. The school superintendent remarked,

“Personally, I appreciate this expression of their Christian values. However, as superintendent I have the responsibility of protecting the school district from legal action by groups who do not support their beliefs.”

What’s the big deal? Why can’t these cheerleaders do this?  Is this about the government taking away people’s right to free speech or religious freedom?

Continue Reading…

stewardship

We Have Lost Our Sense of Stewardship

Adam Smith is often credited with creating much of our free market principles as we know today as capitalism.  Capitalism has created, at least in the West, a world where anyone can succeed if they work hard, save hard, and spend wisely.  Much of our understanding of our resources is viewed through the lens of self interest.  We are in control of our money and our gifts.  However, we have seen how greed and corruption have affected our world through this Great Recession.

We need to begin to retool our understanding of how we care for our time, talents, money, abilities, and gifts.  We need to look at these abilities through the understanding of stewardship.

Peter Block, business consultant and author of Stewardship Choosing Service Over Self-Interest provides some business world insights to stewardship that model what stewardship should look like:

Continue Reading…

blog, prayer

Adopt a Liberal

The Liberty Council, a nonprofit organization that defends religious liberties, is encouraging people to “Adopt a Liberal” and to “pray earnestly and intensely for them.”  The Liberty Council is affiliated with Liberty University (Jerry Falwell founded the school) and has championed the idea of “praying” rather than politically criticizing “liberal” politicians.

The website that the Liberty Council created, has codified and has even named these liberals.  Notable figures include:

  • President Barack Obama
  • Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
  • Mayor Michael Bloomberg
  • Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
  • Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
  • Senator Olympia Snowe

Surprisingly, this list is made of both Democrats and Republicans.  Liberty University has long been associated with the “Christian Right” movement of the 1980’s and 1990’s through Jerry Fallwell’s involvement.  This certainly changes the the idea that the “Christian Right” has always been closely connected to the Republican party.

Is this what Jesus meant by, “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” in Matthew 5?  What is the motive behind such an organization?

The Liberty Counsel makes their intent clear:

Continue Reading…

On Facebook