Do you Dream of Changing the World?

Our church gathered tonight for some teaching. The theme... our version of the Davos Question... being a church that Dreams of Changing the World. So how would you answer? What one thing do you think that countries, companies, churches or individuals must do to make the world a better place in 2008?

Here is Bono's answer:

Your Calling is Calling

This is by far my favorite commercial right now. The idea of breaking the mold... and going against the flow... and even considering a higher calling... just resonates. Kudos Monster!

My kinda church

Denny over at Joy in the Journey recently asked what kind of church are you looking for? It elicited some good feeback... I even popped off on a few desires. Then another friend Aaron pointed me to the below Mark Driscoll video.

And now I've settled in on my new answer... a two-fisted church. I have in the past few years begun to describe myself as theologically conservative and culturally liberal. Theologically conservative in view of the Bible and God and Christ and sin and salvation and ecclesiology (church structure). Culturally liberal in that you don't have rules (above the clear principles in Scripture) for every part of life that you lay on people like what to (or not to) wear, watch, listen to, eat, drink, etc. You allow people to utilize discernment to engage the culture for the purpose of displaying the beauty and transforming power of Christ.

The Power of Story

I love movies. They inspire me. They challenge me. They anger me. They bring me to tears. They make me think. I love movies. I tend to love them first in my heart… and while this is good, it is a bit scary. Why? Because stories are powerful. Stories have a message, a theme, a big idea that they invite their audience to discover… in their heart. The scary part is that they do not always take me where I want to go. For example…

Have you see Cider House Rules? The movie is driving at the idea that abortion is acceptable… at least in situations of incestuous rape. The appeal is not to the audience through logic or reason, but through a powerful story where you grow to pity the situation forced upon the rape victim.

Have you seen Million Dollar Baby? Once again the movie is making a case for Euthanasia… that it is OK to medically assist severely physically disabled people in suicide. Once again, the appeal is by means of a compelling story that moves you to pity for the characters and their situation. No logic or reason is needed… the story moves you to consider these conclusions from your heart.

Both of these conclusions while dreadfully sad do not fit within my Christian worldview. Yet many come to agree with these conclusions because their hearts have been won over by the power of the story.

Stories are powerful. I heard a screenwriter comment that “every movie is about redemption.” Meaning... movies, at least good movies, shed light on the complexity of the human condition and show how characters find their way out of their predicaments (get redeemed).

Stories are powerful. Hollywood knows this. God knows this. But I’m not sure that the church knows this. The church tends to focus solely on appealing to logic and reason. We shoot for the mind and forget the heart. But did you know that the Bible is 66% narrative… yep it’s 2/3 story.

That is why I think Hollywood is more influential today than the church. Their stories last longer than ours. I think that is why I was enraptured with David Wilcox last Friday (see post). Because he let me experience the truth of his “message” through his stories & songs.

So I raise a toast to the great storytellers... may your stories be good and full of truth. And at the same time I light a fire under the church… package your truth in stories… God has... plus, they last longer.

A dose of common sense

My wife and I have a new category on our TiVo... Judge Judy. As pathetic as that sounds, just about every night after we put the kids down we settle in for 2 quick episodes of Judge Judy. She is a witty, no nonsense judge who tries these pathetic, yet real, cases in front of a national audience on TV. It leaves me wondering, where has all the common sense gone.

On every show Judge Judy is able to sniff out the lies and get to the truth. It seems that both plaintiff and defendant have twisted the truth a bit to help their side, and Judge Judy has nothing to do with it. In an uncanny manner, bolstered by 30 plus years in the criminal justice system, she is able to look right past the lies, feelings and motives and get to the objective story. You've got to see it sometime!

Check out the titles of two of her books... "Don't Pee on my Leg and Tell Me It's Raining" and "Beauty Fades, Dumb is Forever". Her web-site boasts that her message from the bench is... take responsibility for yourself, your actions and the children you've brought into the world. Her straightforward approach to life reminds me of the principles of Proverbs. I can only imagine Solomon smiling down on the witty truths with which Judge Judy goes about dispensing justice.

So last night, during our two episodes... I jotted down a few Judge Judy proverbs:

1. If it doesn't make sense, it isn't true.
2. Don't lend money to losers and expect to get it back.
3. If you take money from someone in a time of need, IT IS NOT A GIFT, so pay them back.

Sometimes we all need a dose of common sense.

Porn Pastors on Primetime

I got home from a ministry event at church tonight and flicked on ABC Primetime just in time to catch Martin Bashir's piece The Porn Pastors: XXXChurch.com. Have you heard of these guys? I have followed the xxxchurch ministry for a couple of years and they have not yet gone away.

They are not only championing the need for Christian men to avoid the pitfalls of pornography but they have taken the uncoventional step of attempting to be a Christian voice within the porn industry. And for that they are catching lots of flack. They show up at porn shows and hand out bibles (inside the show). They debate porn legend, Ron Jeremy, on public campuses about the ills of pornography.

Their message is traditional, but their methods are anything but. Porn is destroying individuals, families and marriages. Maybe God will use the unusual tactics of these Porn Pastors to shed his light on a dark industry.

New Attitude......the conference

New Attitude
Louisville, KY
Memorial Day Weekend 2007
*for singles of all ages & young married couples

This great event happens right in our own "backyard". I have great respect for the men they are putting on the platform and the creative, worshipful, challenging nature of what they are doing. I'm going this year and would love to take a crowd of singles and young marrieds with me. The cost is reasonable &and I've already saved a block of hotel rooms. Their web-site is full of downloads, book recommendations and constantly update with sweet blogs. I can wait!

Loving Your Enemies

Every year there is a day on the calendar comemorating the influence that Martin Luther King, Jr. had upon our country. But with each passing year, we remember less and less about this man. Our national ignorance about this great figure in our nations history is growing. We know him positively or negatively based largely upon the caricatures of him that others have painted for us.

His influence and legacy is worth our attention and admiration and a bit of study. So may I suggest that you read one of his sermons, pick up a biography or listen to a speech. Today I read his sermon "Loving your Enemies" delivered on November 17, 1957 at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, made available by Stanford University's Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute.

I leave you with a section of that sermon...

Now there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, "Love your enemies." It is this: that love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. That’s why Jesus says, "Love your enemies." Because if you hate your enemies, you have no way to redeem and to transform your enemies. But if you love your enemies, you will discover that at the very root of love is the power of redemption. You just keep loving people and keep loving them, even though they’re mistreating you. Here’s the person who is a neighbor, and this person is doing something wrong to you and all of that. Just keep being friendly to that person. Keep loving them. Don’t do anything to embarrass them. Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with bitterness because they’re mad because you love them like that. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies.

The Bible Experience

Have you heard about this project? It looks like the African-American community has pulled its star talent to produce a new generation of Audio Bible. I read about it in an interview that Catalyst did with one of the Executive Producers Lou "Buster" Brown. I know nothing of the personal relationship that each character has with the One whose story they are telling, but I am all about getting God's Word out to the masses.

The preview looks moving! To God be the glory!