Browsing Tag

Sunday

Israel Trip

Israel Day 1: The Travel

IMAG0322

I started on my trip to Israel on Sunday night, which for a time, it was uncertain that I would even get to Israel. If you have not read about the nature of my Israel trip, please read here.

At Albany Airport, there was mass confusion concerning the flights that were going to Newark, NJ. One flight was the 11:00 AM flight and the other was my flight at 5:50 PM. Both flights were showing delayed on the board but the gate agent couldn’t give a forward answer why there was a delay. Long story short, my flight was delayed an hour but that wasn’t a big deal to me as I had a 3 hour lay over.

I arrived in Newark without any problems. Newark is a busy and crowded airport so I headed to the United club with a free pass I acquired. After relaxing for a bit, I started to my gate. Amazingly, after going through Albany security, we had to go through gate security. Our passports were checked and our bags searched. Then, we all had to again go to the gate agent to have our passport looked at again. We loaded plane and started our journey.

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GBC

‘Good Christian Bi*ches’ unholy or wholly funny?

For months, rumors went around the internet that a Christian Desperate Housewives show was going to air on ABC.  The show was to depict Christians in very unflattering and negative ways.  Then, the hype died down, until last Sunday.

‘GCB’ aired premiered and was certainly full of drama… was it Christian drama?  Well, you be the judge.

The show was originally named, “Good Christian Bi*ches,” proved to be offensive to some so the series was changed to “Good Christian Belles.”  GCB is based on  a book with the same ugly title (the B-word word one with seven letters). I’m really looking for the words to describe this show and I cannot find them. So, I’ll use someone who is keyed into Hollywood and who gives a better description:

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Culture, steve jobs

Steve Jobs, the Modern Prophet?

This past Sunday a private memorial service was held at Stanford University’s chapel for Steve Jobs, the juggernaut of the personal computing world.  Jobs’ passing has many of us reflecting on the work of one man’s life. His leadership provided for many visionary changes that have affected the world. Like the prophets from old, one man, albeit with blue jeans and a turtleneck, could prophesy the future. Unlike a prophet foretelling of doom, Jobs showed the world that the future was encased in a neat, clean, and powerful package.

He gave people something to hope for… even if it was just a product.

Connecting Steve Jobs to the concept of a “prophet” may cause some consternation in the Evangelical Christian community, but it is there.  Much like prophetic leadership guiding people to an unknown place and time, Jobs was able to motivate people into action and embrace the future. The iPhone, iPad, and other “i” products enabled people to take their relationships with them and put their interests, music, pictures, and friends in their pockets and backpacks.

Like a Moses or Joshua, Jobs was able to lead people to a promised hope. Steve Jobs had the ability to encourage people to change, and that’s a hard thing to do.  People followed Apple and Jobs into a new era of computing and personal electronics. That’s great and all, but what makes Jobs so prophetic?

His speech in 2005 to graduates at Stanford illustrates his prophetic ability:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but some day not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

What profound cryptic philosophical and religious language. Death the single best invention of life? Jobs is preaching a gospel that so many know, but few want to admit.  American Christianity has a lot to learn from Job’s words.  We Christians believe in a faith of death and resurrection, but we cannot let churches die. In biology, the death of one organism means life for another.  We are afraid to close churches for fear people will lose their faith. Yet, letting one church die can mean life for a new church. Resources, ideas, and property can be given for a new faith community to form.

Steve Jobs may have not been a believer or even religious, but he sure acted like a prophet. What more can we glean from such secular individuals in order to better Christianity?

One definition of a “prophet” in Christianity is someone who speaks the truth about God. Steve Jobs spoke the truth about death and its ability to change, but can we embrace this message?

Culture

Donald Trump: I am a Christian

As the 2012 presidential race heats up, many would-be candidates are launching and engaging in some serious presidential talk.  Mitt Romney just announced that he formed an exploratory committee. Fox News contributor, Mike Huckabee is making the rounds and giving his thoughts on traditional presidential debate topics.  Now, millionaire and reality TV show host, Donald Trump is testing the presidential waters.

Recently, Donald Trump sat down with Christian Broadcasting Network’s (CBN) David Brody and brought up something that he rarely talks about: his religion.

In this exclusive interview, Trump talks about his relationship with God, the church, the bible, being a Presbyterian, and his commitment to attending church.

Trump said: Continue Reading…

twitter

I’m Not Sold on Twitter in worship

A variety of news outlets  have commented on the growing trend in churches: Twitter Worship.  Time, New York Times, and Switched have covered the movement.  If you do not know about this trend, I’ll try to explain it in two sentences.  Using the social networking site, Twitter, worship attendees interact with the sermon, worship, and music.

Some churches even display “tweets” on their projection screens and the pastor interacts with the micro comments during the sermon.  The UMC Board of Discipleship has a good overview of the pros and cons of using twitter and other technology in worship.   Even Josh Harris questions the use of Twitter during worship.  Despite the popularity of Twittering, many have asked the question, “Is Twittering during worship really worshipful?”  I am a pretty technology dependent person, but I’m not sold on Twitter worship.

This is a difficult question to answer because there are some things to consider:

  • Twittering in worship attracts younger worshippers.  A segment of the population that is greatly prized by churches.
  • A Twitter worship service can attract the unchurched or non-Christians.
  • Using Twitter creates more of an interactive worship experience, which is something that people want need.
  • People are quickly becoming more connected through technology, thus connecting through technology can be a way to reach people for Christ
  • Twittering during worship is encouraging people to be reflective about God.

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