Missional Living

Yeah. This one is actually TRUE. I’ve heard (mostly stupid) stories about ‘worship wars’ and, although no one I know has actually died from one, this looks like it’s gotten out of hand.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Without a warrant or other legal authorization, uniformed police officers conducted several raids on Faith Baptist Church in Waterford Township, Michigan, and threatened to prosecute several young Christian musicians for disorderly conduct – because the Township prosecutor objected to the playing of contemporary religious music.  “Praise and worship” music is a central part of Faith Baptist’s religious service…

During a Wednesday night youth service, uniformed Township police, led by the Township prosecutor, burst into the Church’s sanctuary where the Church’s “Praise and Worship” band was warming up. The prosecutor ordered the officers to take the names and addresses of all the young people on stage so that they could be charged with “disorderly conduct.” 

The very next Sunday, Waterford Township police again raided Faith Baptist, this time during the Pastor Comb’s evening sermon.  Officers were about to disrupt the services and remove the “Praise and Worship” band members and order them to surrender their driver’s licenses for personal information.  However, an Assistant Pastor volunteered to bring the members to the police so as not to create an uproar among the congregation.  

The Township prosecutor was very explicit:  he told the pastors that churches should not play ‘rock music,’ and threatened that each time he heard music coming from the church he would conduct a raid.

Geesh. Someone should put together a care package for Mr. Township Prosecutor. A nice Twila Paris CD. Some big-girl panties. And a handful of Xanax.

Volunteers?

Read the story here.

"It pains me to see the beautiful truths of Scripture being plastered about like beer advertisements. Many think it is wise to "get the word out" in this way but, believe that we are really just inoculating the world with bits and pieces of truth - giving them their "gospel shots." (And we’re making it hard for them to "catch" the real thing!) People become numb to the truth when we splash our gaudy sayings in their eyes at every opportunity. Do you really think this is "opening them up to the Gospel"? Or is it really just another way for us to get smiles, waves, and approval from others in the "born-again club" out in the supermarket parking lot, who blow their horns with glee when they see your "Honk if you love Jesus!" bumper sticker?"

-the legendary Keith Green, in a rant…

You probably shouldn’t read the whole rant here if you like a nice, neat, comfortable version of consumer Christianity (like many of us have)…all the talk against a ‘personal savior’, a ’sinner’s prayer’, and an easy as 1-2-3 salvation presentations just might be upsetting…

OK…now I'm forced to add a new category to my blog. File this under Stupid Theology. (The first of many, I'm sure…)

Step One: Beginning in the Garden, God begins telling us who He is: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Step Two: A plethora of pansy, politically-correct liberals [case-in-point: Presbyterian Church (USA)] aren't comfortable in their gender-confused world.

Step Three: They decide to change the Holy Trinity into non-gender specific roles to "Mother, Child and Womb" and "Rock, Redeemer, Friend". 

Yes, God is our Rock.

Yes, Jesus is our Redeemer.

And, yes, The Holy Spirit, can be described as a friend (if you define 'friend' as that nagging voice that convicts you of sin…albiet a sometimes irritating friend, for Whom I am grateful.)

But, seriously. Driscoll says they've taken the action because of a new found chunk of time on their hands, since no one is really going to their church anymore.

He also suggests, that "if the committee is still taking suggestions, maybe we could call God one of the following:

• Rock, Paper, Scissors
• Larry, Curly, Moe
• Beast, False Prophet, Antichrist
• Chocolate, Peanut, Nougat
• Judas, Herod, Pharaoh
• Fastball, Curveball, Changeup
• Momma Bear, Poppa Bear, Baby Bear

And maybe we could start calling mainline Protestant pastors who despise God’s Word something new and compile a new series of title options for them, too, such as:

• Heretics
• Nutjobs
• Wingnuts
• Tools
• Kindling"

All apologies to Christians out there who are confused by this load of guano. And to Our Father for further muddying the waters of who His Word says He is as He relates to us, His children.

 Read the entire USA Today article.

Ever think God gets tired of our whining? Maybe even exasperated? 

I found this today while cleaning out some old files on my home PC. May it inspire you to get up and do something. Anything.

One night, I had a wondrous dream;
One set of footprints there was seen.
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.

But then some stranger prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?"
"Those prints are large and round and neat,
But, Lord, they are too big for feet."

"My child," He said in somber tones.
"For miles I carried you alone.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused and made me wait.

You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of-faith you would not know.
So I got tired and fed up,
And there I dropped you on your butt,
Because in life, there comes a time,
When one must fight, and one must climb,
When one must rise and take a stand,
Or leave their butt prints in the sand."

It seems as though our inconsistency has been dragged out of the comfortable darkness into the cursed, revealing light.

Not too many years ago, the Christian community was pretty outraged that JK Rowling’s books (and subsequent movies) were hitting the big time and seducing all our children over to the dark side of witchcraft and sorcery. We/they protested. Boycotted Barnes and Noble. Pickted theaters. Meanwhile, Rowling raked in the free press and the big royalties.

So, what about the second in the ‘Pirates of the Carribean’ sequel, “Dead Man’s Chest”? Here is a thought-provoking article about our inconsistent outrage towards Hollywood.

As the article states, “If we’re going to pick on Potter, we’d better pick on Pirates.”