Same Difference!

I’ve had the opportunity to work with many, many churches over the last few decades.   Earlier I was thinking about this ever-growing list of churches and ministry situations that I’ve stepped into.  I departed each of these situations (some much more quickly than others!) with some indelible marks on my spirit.  Which is a testament to God and the many ways he allows us to be impacted.

Old Church, New Church, Big Church, Children’s Church, or maybe just:  The Church

Different buildings in different parts of town.  All filled with different groups of people.  With different doctrines.  Different histories.  Different priorities.  Different ways of approaching God.  Different, different, different.

√-1=i

Ummmm… 

Wait… What? Are you sure?

I was told there would be no math.

Is there math?

I hate math.

Well, no.  There’s not really any math except my likely poor explanation of the title.

Perhaps many of you read the title and understand what it says. If not, then here’s where the actual math ideas come…

The square root of negative 1 equals i (which stands for imaginary number… since nothing squared would result in a negative number).  So i is an imaginary number.

Okay.  So this is simply a formula that has an imaginary answer.  Just grab that point and walk away!

Your Crazy Family 3:16

Well… yes and no.

You’ll need your Bible today.

Are you approaching a difficult life decision?
Just look in the book of What You Should Do In Every Thinkable Situation, Chapter 3, Verses 5 and 6.

Have a child who is beginning to make bad decisions?
Turn to the book of 21st Century Child Rearing, Chapter 7, Verses 11-26.

Do you have some serious doubts about this Jesus guy and what he did?
Open your Bible to Why You’re Crazy for Not Believing in Jesus 4:13-17.

Would You Read Elvis’ Bible?

Well, it’s off the market…  Elvis Presley’s personal Bible now belongs to someone new.  And since the winning bid was a mere $94,600, I assure you it isn’t me.

Elvis’ Bible

Apparently this particular Bible is his well-worn personal copy, having been used from 1957 until his death in 1977.

I also read that there was another bit of “memorabilia” from the same auction that did not find a new home.  What was it, you ask?

Try Harder!

We “attack” life, don’t we?  Most of us, anyway?

Or we at least like to “get motivated” to go out there and do, do, do!  

Achieve, achieve, achieve!

You know… “Carpe Diem” and all that.  Think about it: Seize the day!  Seize it!  Throttle it!  Throttle today into submission.  Make it give you what you need.  If not now, then when?  Seize it, I tell you!  Seize it! SEIZE IT! NOW!!!

[deep breath]

It’s exhausting.

A New Holy Week?

Earlier today I saw a post on one of my favorite blogs that said it’s officialy Holy Week here in America.  And I confess that it took me a second to get what he was saying.

Ah.  SuperBowl.  Gotcha.  Okay.  (or “the Big Game,” as the NFL would rather me say since I haven’t paid them.)

The post that followed that not-so-subtle ‘dig’ at American culture dealt with sport and religion.  And it had several good points.  Some went a little too far, in my opinion, but overall I found it interesting.

Now this here being MY blog and all, I thought it an interesting enough topic (sport & religion) that I’d throw a few thoughts out there, myself.

Let me begin by stating that I love sports.  I’m definitely not the biggest sports fan to ever walk the earth.  But I am, however, a HUGE baseball fan.  I ‘live and die’ with the Atlanta Braves at certain times of the year.  I can talk baseball for HOURS… and I have.  On many occasions (just ask my wife).  I really enjoy football, too.  College and Pro.  I am not, nor have I ever been, anti-sport.  And, just for the record, this blog post is not ANTI-sport.  But more on that later.

Next up… some of my firsthand SPORT & RELIGION experiences:

Our Holiday Playbook

Okay. Next step… Where does the playbook (see previous post) say we should draw the aforementioned ‘battle lines’ when engaging our world as Christians? Great question.

I’ve come up with some broad categories. And some of the “fights” we pick fall under more than one of those categories, so I had to (arbitrarily, at times) simply pick one. With that in mind, here are some of the ‘official battle lines’ from our usual tactics and methods for engaging our culture.

Straight from the playbook…

We engage with our culture on holidays.

Tactics & Methods

“A stock of usual tactics and methods.”

In case you’re wondering, that’s the definition of the word playbook.
(You’re welcome!)

AND WE HAVE TO TRASH IT.

No, no… not the word playbook and its definition (those are actually quite handy!).  We have to trash our playbook.  As in:

WE NEED TO TRASH OUR USUAL TACTICS AND METHODS.

I originally intended to make some sort of really lame joke here (Interestingly enough, ‘really lame jokes’ make up a significant portion of my own personal humor playbook…) like reduce, reuse, recycle, think green, save the whales, and maybe use the recycling bin instead.  But I decided not to say anything that might imply that we should rehash, reuse or, God forbid, recycle any of those same tactics and methods.

Everywhere a sign…

According to the internet (the “go-to” source for incredibly reliable information):

SIGNS are everywhere…

If we only knew how to recognize them!  Or interpret them!  Or would just pay attention long enough to even see the signs!

Seriously, folks.  We’d all be so much better off if we only knew and understood the signs!

You would know:

• whether you have irritable bowel syndrome
• if the stars are correctly aligned in your astrological calendar to start a new job or new relationship
• whether your child is on drugs
• if you are watching “too much television”
• whether your spouse is cheating
• if the guy (or gal) you’re dating could be THE ONE!
• if your next door neighbor is dealing drugs
• what type of “personality” your cat has
• when it’s time to quit your job
• the world will end on May 21, 2011  October 21, 2011. never mind.
• how much fun I had researching for this blog post

There was even a movie called Signs.  Yes, it was about signs like crop circles.  But it was also about more metaphysical things.

Pepperoni or Pineapple?

We ordered pizza tonight…

Isn’t that just awesome and exciting in every way?

PIZZA!!!

Well, it was… because it showed up at the door ready to eat just the way we like it. And we didn’t have to do a single thing to prepare it. Because I didn’t have to put down my Xbox 360 controller and stop playing Skyrim. I’m probably 20 hours in and quite hooked. It’s ridiculously good. But I digress…

I got a pepperoni and beef pizza. And my wife ordered her favorite: pineapple. No ham… just pineapple. And, just for the record, I cannot stand pineapple. So much so that my preference is that she get her own separate pizza so none of that horribleness touches any of my awesomeness. It’s a brilliant solution… although it’s maybe a tad more expensive.