Potpouri

We’ve had a crazy week, and in honor of the Jeopardy category, I’ll try to quickly run the gammet of things that have been shaking up in Columbus, OH.

* The Indians won their ninth in a row today, so watch out, they’re on a roll and right back in the thick of things. We’re going to the Reds/Indians game in Cleveland next Sat. with church. It’ll be Clark’s second trip to the Jake.

* Our best friend from Paris, France came in for a three week visit on Tuesday night. We went with some of the teens to pick her up. She brought back lots of good stuff for Clark. She’ll be visiting several of her friends here in Columbus, and will be staying a good part with us.

* Clark was sick this week and, apparently, was inhabited by a demon because that was not our child. Today is Sunday, and he is finally getting better. He had a bad cold, and of course, the day after we take him to the doctor’s office, he begins getting better . . . funny how that always happens.

* I had an interesting experience helping out somebody at church this week by babysitting his three young daughters . . . yeah me and a one, three, and four-year-old girl, that was exciting. I did the best I could.

* My brother is hanging out in Istanbul, Turkey right now.

* This morning our preacher, David Estes, announced him and his family would be leaving the Creek in the near future. They haven’t found a job yet, but they are looking. He has an interview in Tullahoma in a couple weeks, and it would be great if that works out for them.

* We’re off in the morning to Impact at Lipscomb University. It’s a weeklong camp for senior high students. I never went while I was at Lipscomb and am looking forward to hanging out with a couple of our teens there for the week.

* My sister and her friends were in town for Abbey’s bachelorette (however in the crap you spell that) party. It was a quick trip down and back.

Well . . . I think that’s pretty much what is shaking here. I obviously haven’t had much time to get reading done. I was hoping to finish McLaren’s Generous Orthodoxy before we left, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. In my historical theology study I am about to enter into the Middle Ages. Hopefully I can brush up on my Thomas Aquinas – I’ve been a little lacking there.

All in all, I continue to question how our church in approaching reaching out to postmodern people. What are we doing that will effectively reach unchurched people? I know we’re not doing alot.

I had a good conversation with a youth minister friend recently about the success (or lack thereof) of Churches of Christ in central Ohio. When compared to other denominations, Churches of Christ in Columbus are far from making inroads to the local culture. The vineyard church and other nondenominational churches continue to grow like gangbusters, while we sit and mettle over old arguments and problems.

Alum Creek is at least openminded enough to change, to do what it takes – we’re just trying to figure out what it takes. I look forward to us becoming more involved in denominational cooperation with those churches in our general geographic location. Much good could come of that. I am tired of the argument, “Maybe God’s using us for a specific purpose in doing the good things that we’re doing.” God is alive with us, but we continue to keep him from doing even more. When that happens . . . all hell . . . well I guess heaven . . . will break loose. Would that that happen!

For some reason he felt like cudling up to this blanket pretty tight. He can sleep through just about anything.

Clark has lots of new tricks. He has been rolling over easily from his back to his belly, but forgot how to get back. So half of our time spent with him is rolling him back over on his back after he screams his head off long enough. He really needs to learn how to get back. He reaches for stuff all the time too. If we aren’t watching he’ll put anything and everything in his mouth.

Clark got to meet our best friend from Paris, Marik this week. She brought him back all kinds of goodies, including this coolest stuffed bear in the world. He is finally getting over a cold that he had this week so he even smiles a little now. We have learned that life with sick Clark is not so fun.

It’s hard to believe that this is the same kid who sat in that same spot a few months ago. he looks so different. It really is amazing how quickly they change early in thier life. Clark was five months old in this picture from a couple weeks ago.

Revelation

To Christians, one of the most frightening books of the Bible has to be the book of Revelation. Most people reading it wig out at all the dragons, beasts, and whores. I remember when I first became a Christian I was gung ho about getting this cool book read. I read straight through the old KJV translation of Revelation and was more confused than ever. I remember sitting in my Bible classes growing up and telling the preacher to teach us what the sevel seals meant. Ironically, I am now a youth minister teaching classes and suppose to have the answers to those kinds of things.

About a month ago I started teaching our teens on the book of Revelation. I had a graduate class on Revelation and I thought it would be nice to put that knowledge to work. How do you make a graduate level class speak to sixth to tenth graders, though? That’s the question I’ve been dealing with. But I think that the Book of Revelation can speak to teens maybe better than anything outside of the Gospels. It is full of images and pictures. It forces you to use your minds’s eye.

It is time for Christians to see John’s Revelation through the eyes of an artist instead of a theologian (this is applicable to all biblical texts, but especially here). Too often the millenial debates have been allowed to define Revelation’s message. When are these things going to happen? When will the seals be opened? Did this stuff happen already, or are we waiting still? Unfortunatley, dispensationalism has been allowed to rule the roost theologically for most evangelical Christians. (We have had a Nigerian immigrant become quite involved in our church. He has a wonderful hunger for God and a great knowledge of Scripture, but dispensationalism has been able to cripple his appreciation for the artistery of the narrative.)

Revelation is meant to be experienced, not analyzed. The things that don’t make sense, aren’t meant to make sense . . . and I don’t think that they are always symbolic of something. It is like watching Star Wars. There is the underlying theme of the Dark Side and the Force and that is seen in many aspects of life, but every single ship and character in Star Wars doesn’t necessarily fit into that major plot.

I encourage you to read the Book of Revelation. Don’t be afraid of it. If you are artistically inclined, draw the picture you see – not for systemic or analytic observation, but for art and impression. Don’t ask, “What does this mean?” Ask yourself, “How does this make me feel?” That is John’s point throughout . . . feel the way that I did upon seeing these things, not know what I know.

The teens seem to be getting it, at least getting it more than I’ve seen them get anything before. It speaks to them. We opened six of the seven seals last night and they got it. And when we open the seventh seal, then they will really get the message . . . the message the pervades Revelation and the entire canon of Scripture. God will redeem his people . . . no matter what happens . . . no matter who he might have to face . . . no matter what stands in his way. Who can stand? Is the question that ends Revelation 6. Next week, we will find out that only by God can anyone stand.

Update

So . . . this is probably the blogging pattern I will follow now that summer is here. I see it’s been over a week since I’ve updated. Since I last posted . . . we had a big garage sale at the church to benefit the youth ministry. We earned over $700 so we were very pleased with that. That was last Saturday, but the work usurped my entire week. It was alot of work. My brother is cruising somewhere out in the middle of the English Channel right now. He was docked in Belgium for a bit – the thought of my little brother wandering around random European countries is a little funny. He seems to be having a great time, which is encouraging. Finally, yesterday, I turned 26. Now if there was ever an uneventful birthday year to celebrate 26 has to be it . . . Half way to 52 . . . One year past 25 . . . one to pretty much gloss over.

With little time to blog, I’ve also had little time to read. I am working my way through Brian McLaren’s work. It is an enjoyable read, but I don’t see why everyone has gone so crazy about it. It sounds pretty much like all his other books, just oraganized a little differently. He apologizes for his lack of theological training, and in some ways his works (this one especially) leave me a little lacking more depth theologically. I am not even sure what that means, but there is something about his points that lack some theological technicality that would probably be pointless, but would take me a little further with some of his points.

I’m about half way through it and there is nothing new that really stands out to me. He does a good job of asking questions that most in churches are scared to death to ask, but doesn’t give answers (intentionally . . . and I don’t really want answers). I think this book would be a great book to read in a small group setting and explore some of the implications of the different faith traditions that he expresses. As I read through I can’t help but think that many Christians would not object (too harshly at least) to most of his thinkings on the various traditions he explores, but they have no idea where to go from there – practically, I mean.

If we widen our doors of fellowship, then who do we include? If we find truth in other Christian faith traditions, then how do we incorporate them into our understanding of truth? If there is truth outside of the Christian faith tradition, then how do we understand God in that and how are we to interact with those traditions (that is one question that especially intrigues me). These are interesting questions that need dialogue in our churches, and I don’t see much dialogue happening.

Clark is deciding to scream his head off . . . so I’m done.