god in the air force

The Air Force Academy has been accused of pressuring students with evangelical Christianity and creating a culture that's unfriendly to non-Christians. Check out this story from Time Magazine.

Now I don't believe that organizationally pushing religion on people is the way to really spread the good news - I think loving people and accepting them is Jesus' way. Having said that, though, I'm really confused by all the controversy in this particular case.

The article sites one father and his 18 year old son who actually turned down a full-ride scholarship and appointment because of this. To me, that seems pretty silly. What do you think?

part of the neighborhood

Have you noticed that many Christian people have withdrawn from the community at large and into the walls of the buildings we call church?

For many years, I've been consumed with helping people within my "church" - with organizing programs and setting up events. Yet I am totally out of touch with the community I live in - the same one I grew up in. I don't know what issues face the people in the area. Since I don't see the needs, I assume there aren't any. Besides, everyone should go to a church to help them deal with life, right?

But many who need help the most never darken the door of our church buildings. I think of frail elderly who can't get out of the house anymore - single moms who work all week and can't wait for Saturday and Sunday to just unwind and try to regain some sanity before it starts all over again. I think of people burned by their experience with the Church. How do we reach these people? After all, wouldn't followers of a Great Physician seek out sick people?

I am convinced that as followers of Christ, we should know the needs in our area. That's a pretty good indication of what God would have us do. So, today I went to my very first neighborhood association meeting. It was quite a trip! We met in a small building just up the street from my house. There were about 30 people there. I was the only one under 60, I think. People were excited to see a "youngster" at the meeting. After the meeting, there were several who asked me to run for office. I asked them if they wouldn't first like to know my positions or at least let me come to TWO meetings. Talk about people desperate for help!

During the course of the meeting, I found that there are real needs in our area. Young teens are running wild in our area - tagging fences, minor burglary, gang violence. They need help. The older people in the room area just tired of it. They want the police to just throw them all behind bars and swallow the key. The representative from the crime district that was there said we needed more alternative programs to keep kids out of trouble. He recommended a midnight basketball league among other ideas. The older people just rolled their eyes. They're tired. They've been trying for years.

But there was at least one person in the room that became excited. This is what it's all about - touching the world for Christ. There is certainly a place for ministering to well-off kids from right-wing, conservative Christian households. There are also hundreds of ministers to meet those needs. Tonight, I saw a field largely without workers. It's not a pretty field - but in and among the chaff, there's bound to be a few stalks of wheat. This field needs working. Maybe I'm the guy.

new old ways to worship

Today, I learned from Paul Soupiset about an ancient form of worship know as Taize after the city in France where it originated. It's a kind of meditative worship - prayer songs. It's much different than much of the "pop" praise music that most of my generation is used to. Taize music values silence and reflection. The songs are simple and beautiful. This type of worship is common in both the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions, but protestant churches are beginning to discover it.

You can learn more at the Taize music website.

no no homo?

Quick! What's the first thing you think of when I say Christians reaching out to homosexuals? People standing on the fringe of a gay pride parade with signs that say "No No Homo"? How about redneck preachers railing against the "homosexual lifestyle" from the pulpit with insightful cliches like "GAWD created Adam and EVE - NOT Adam and STEVE!" to a chorus of snickers, giggles and redneck applause?

My wife and I have a friend in New Jersey who's part of a community called "Liquid". It sounds post-modern, though they don't really identify themselves in those terms. Liquid's approach to reaching out to this group so battered by the evangelical church is quite refreshing. It might even be called startling - revolutionary - crazy. They decided to go to the gay pride day at a local park and serve there. They picked up trash, served food and drinks. They did NOT hand out tracts. They did NOT verbally share the Gospel. Instead, they loved - without condition.

Read about it here.

Here's a description of their mission

Our friend tells us that they saw great success at the event. She talks about the joy and freedom in just loving people because God loves them - with no alterior motives.

Years of criticizing and preaching and "no no homo" signs haven't gotten us very far. This new concept - loving people like Jesus does - seems like it's worth a try.

old hymns - installment 2

Church Choir Anthems (1901) - Lead Kindly Light

Lead, kindly Light, amid th' encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on;
The night is dark, and I am far from home;

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now...

So long Thy pow'r hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on; O'er moor and fen

handcuffing kindergarteners

I just caught wind of a story from St Petersburg about a 5 year old girl who acted up in class. The cops were called and they came to the school, handcuffed the girl, and put her in the back of their cruiser before letting her go. The event was accidentally caught on video. The teacher was making a tape for self-assessment that day.

Read the story here

OK. Where to start...

Is this what we've come to? Handcuffing 5 year old little girls? This is the most rediculous thing I've ever heard of. Instead of these cops dealing with actual crime (3 of them were sent to the scene) they're at an elementary school calming down a child?!

The government schools need to admit that removing corporal punishment from their list of options, they created a recipe to lose control of students.

When kids got out of line, they were sent to the principal's office for a paddling. The parents were called and you were sent home (where I for one got ANOTHER spanking). It only took a couple trips down that road for me to figure out I didn't like it.

The school district and many others immediately blamed the girl's parent(s). Obviously, that's where the real blame lies for this girl's actions. But, the school should be able to handle a 5 year old who's out of line. Come on! If it were a high school student or MAYBE even a middle school student, then call the cops - but a 5 year old?

old hymns - installment 1

A few months ago, I ordered some old hymnals off eBay. The first is a full-size book published in 1901. The second is a pocket hymnal from 1891. The rich and poetic language is really inspiring. I thought I'd post a sample occassionally. Here's the first:

From Gospel Hymns 6 (1891) - Hymn # 43

Out on the mountain, sad and forsaken,
Lost in its mazes, no light canst thou see;
Yet in His mercy, full of compassion,
Lo! The Good Shepherd is calling to thee.

CHORUS
Calling to thee, calling to thee;
Jesus is calling, "Come unto me;"
Calling to thee, calling to thee;
Hear the Good Shepherd calling to thee.

Far on the mountain, why wilt thou wander?
Deeper in darkness they pathway will be;
Turn from thy roaming, fly from its dangers,
While the Good Shepherd is calling to thee.

Flee from thy bondage, Jesus will help thee,
Only believe Him, and thou shalt be free;
Wonderful mercy, boundless compassion,
Still the Good Shepherd is calling to thee.