Five years ago today, the world changed with the advent of Aqua Teen Hunger Force -- one of the great leaps forward in human history.
MEMO FROM SANTA:
have been married to my lovely wife Julia for 8 years plus, and have a precious 4-yr. old daughter, Grace. I am currently a Youth Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Mercersburg, PA and have been there for the last 1 and half years. I’m currently pursuing ordination as a deacon. Our family can be described as laid back, crazy, and lots of fun!
Why do you blog?
I originally started blogging just to get my thoughts somewhere. I have journaled for a while, but found out that I type much faster. With the rate my head spins, my fingers can keep up better on a keyboard than a pen.
Lately though, it has been more for connection purposes. As I find out I’m not as alone as I thought I was in the thoughts that I have, blogging becomes a healing process for me. I have spent many years being told I was crazy, or off-base for what I was thinking. I have found out through blogging (and reading) that there are many more people out there who are wrestling with the things I am wrestling with.
What has been your best blogging experience?
Honestly, right now has been. I know it sounds cheesy, but being voted a “Best of Methodist Blogosphere” for the week was encouraging to me. It actually told me that I might have some good thoughts and that my blog is actually helping others (which is another reason I wanted to blog). I really didn’t feel I had much to contribute to the conversation (that esp. of Emergent), but I guess more people are resonating with it than I originally thought.
What would be your main advice to a novice blogger?
What are you talking about! I’M A NOVICE BLOGGER! Seriously, I don’t consider myself by any means to be an expert at blogging. It wasn’t just until the last couple weeks that I thought the stuff I say might have any substance to others.
But if I had to give advice, I would say determine what kind of blog you want to have. For example, is it something you want people in your church to read? I know of some people who have had to leave churches because of what they put on their blog. If you feel like you can’t talk to many in your church about the things you want to put in your blog, then don’t advertise it to the church. There are some things that I’ve wanted to post that I can’t because I don’t know how people in my church would take it. I have a private blog for those purposes.
Also, and I know this will sound strange given what I just said, but don’t worry about what other people will think about it. Like I said, I am not an accomplished writer or thinker by any means. I’m just sharing my story. Stories are powerful. So don’t ever think your story isn’t significant. You never know who you might help.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, what would they be?
Jesus Creed (http://www.jesuscreed./org) by Scot McKnight. He has incredible thoughts on a variety of subjects, and is really helping fruitful dialogue occur b/w Emergent and whoever else wants to challenge their postures.
Emerging Church Blogs (http://www.emergingchurchblogs.info/), formerly Planet Emergent is a meta blogroll of many people in the Emergent conversation. It is always the first place I visit when I want to read some blogs. So many good posts there from a variety of people all over the world.
Ysmarko (http://www.ysmarko.com/) from Mark Oestricher of Youth Specialties. Youth Specialties has been a huge encouragement in my life as a youth pastor, and Mark always has interesting reading.
Who are your spiritual heroes?
I am huge fan of Rob Bell. He has put words and actions to everything I’ve been thinking about church. What they are experimenting with church are things I’ve always wanted to try/do. If we left the ministry, my and wife I said (and we were serious about this) that we would move to Grand Rapids to be part of Mars Hill.
My other spiritual heroes are all of those who live under the radar, who don’t want to get noticed, bringing the Kingdom of God to earth. There are too numerous to count, but I am grateful for these brothers and sisters who give up so much without receiving any recognition or accolade for it.
What are you reading at the moment?
New Insights into the Difficult Words of Jesus by David Bivin
Hurt by Chap Clark
Walking the Bible by Bruce Feiler
The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard
Emerging Churches by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger
Desire of the Everlasting Hills by Thomas Cahill
(Can you tell I like reading?)
What is your favorite hymn and why?
How Great Thou Art. It’s such a song of gratitude. As I worship leader, I find that it is a song that transcends all generations in every way. There is such a unity when I hear it sung. It is a moving experience every time we lift it up to God together.
Can you name a major moral, political, or intellectual issue on which you've ever changed your mind?
Prayer in schools. I used to be so gung-ho about getting it back in the schools, and then I thought to myself, what’s stopping people from praying? So you don’t say it out loud, it’s not like you can’t do it, right?
What philosophical thesis do you think is most important to combat?
I don’t know if this counts, but the Rapture. I think it is one of the most destructive theological concepts introduced to the church. It encourages people to have a “doom and gloom” view of the world and spend all of their life on this earth waiting for it to go to “hell in a hand basket.” I just don’t see the Scriptures teaching us to be waiting for the pristine streets of gold, but to be participating in bringing the Kingdom of heaven here, with the hope and longing that all things will be restored in the end. Some people may already disagree with me, but it is a concept that’s only been developed within the last 150-200 years.
If you could effect one major change in the governing of your country, what would it be?
Passing a law that recognizes secular humanism as a worldview, a religion if you will, instead of absolute truth. This is in relationship to all of the bashing Christians get for their views on things. For example, knowing that macroevolution is connected to a certain set of lenses, not an absolute, universal truth.
If you could effect one major policy change in the United Methodist Church, what would it be?
I don’t know enough to comment on policy, but I would ask them to rethink itinerancy in relationship to longevity. I find many Methodist Conferences keep a pastor at a church on average for 5 years (maybe less). To me, that is just plain ridiculous. While I understand there are circumstances that warrant some of them being pulled, I feel like 5 years is really just getting started with a congregation.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
I would echo John Wesley, “Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.”
What, if anything, do you worry about?
If I’m wrong. You know, “What if I’m wrong about this?” I think about all of the people I’ve led astray when I have been. I think about the many times where I might not have been very kind to those who disagree with me. I also worry if we will ever get out of debt.
If you were to relive your life to this point, is there anything that you'd do differently?
Sure. There any many things, but what I find that whether good choices or bad, it has shaped who I am now, and I don’t want to change that. I see how God uses me in the midst of triumphs and failures. I would’ve loved to make better decisions at different points in my life, but at the same time I wouldn’t be who I am if I hadn’t. It is such a great testimony to the grace, love, and power of God!
Where would you most like to live (other than where you do now)?
Europe. Any place but the United States. Sometimes I just can’t stand our culture. I’m not saying the European culture is better, but it’s just…different.
What do you like doing in your spare time?
Reading, playing guitar, video games, fantasy football, playing sports, spending time with my family, long dinners and great conversation.
What is your most treasured possession?
My laptop. I take it everywhere!
What talent would you most like to have?
Being a master organizer. I’m so horrible at it. I wish I could organize and feel energized after doing it.
If you could have any three guests, past or present, to dinner, who would they be?
Jesus, Peter, and Paul. It would be a great dinner conversation wouldn’t it?
Stalin's half-man, half-ape super-warriors
WINNER: Jeff the Baptist -- "Young Dikembe Cooper demonstrates how Black Americans justify voting for Democrats year after year."
This is an old meme, but I'm going to add to it. One of the most striking figures in the Old Testament is King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Time and time again, I find examples of the faithful Christian life in him. The most extraordinary is when his nation was faced with a huge invasion by three neighboring powers. Jehoshaphat's immediate reaction was astounding: instead of ordering the army to deploy, or for men to take up arms, or even for siege supplies to be brought into Jerusalem, he orders all of Judah to fall on its knees in fasting and prayer.
Whatever else might be said about him, he was an outstanding children's author:
And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them. Mark 10:13-16 NASB
When I was five, I asked my mother what hair was made of. She attempted to explain it to me, but I lacked the capacity to grasp what she was saying (many of my commentors may be sympathetic to her plight). Anyway, eventually, she said "protein." "What's that?" Mama tried to explain it to me, but all I understood was her example of protein -- peanut butter.
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