Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

I am a big Cleveland Sports fan so this weekend was a fun weekend, though I didn't see a whole lot of it. Whether it was the ALDS rematch of Yankees and Indians, the NFL draft (which wasn't that eventful for the browns) or the Cavs and the Wizards in one of the fastest growing rivalries of the NBA, a good time was had by all.

The Cavs were tied 97-97 when LeBron kicked it to the corner with 5 seconds left to the heavily tattooed, thug-poet, Delonte West who hit a triple to win the game. They bring a 3-1 series lead back to Cleveland, needing to win one more game.

The Indians took two of three so far from the yankees and have one more game tonight at 7.

The Browns drafted some guy named Beau Bell from UNLV. He sounds like he could be an immediate help at linebacker. This is the first time in my life that a Cleveland sports fan has the potential to be excited about good Cleveland sports all year round. The Cavs made it to the finals last year, the Indians made it to the American League Championship Series and the Browns went 10-6 and almost made the playoffs. Who knows...perhaps the proverbial wait 'til next year has finally come to fruition!

“If you are a follower of Jesus, a middle eastern man living in an occupied country who was crucified by the global military superpower of his day, and the leader of the global military superpower of your day, in celebrating victory and occupation of a middle eastern country, quotes hymns in the military victory speech about Jesus, if you are a Christian, this should make you nervous.The Bible is a story of people living on the underside of military super powers.The Bible comes to us from a small minority of peoples, who are conquered peoples.So when you read this story, and you read this book, as a citizen of the most powerful empire this world has ever seen, you may miss some of it’s central ideas.Because when it says some trust in chariots but we trust in God and you have 42.8 percent of the worlds weapons, You’re the one with the chariots.My interest is in how we understand the story of the scriptures, and in some way separate the cross and the flag, just long enough to make sure that we haven’t bought into somethings that are the very type of things that Jesus came to set us free from.- Rob Bell

(Read this on Carlos Whitaker's blog). Another validation to why I shudder when we mix following Jesus with American patriotism. Mustard and war do not mix.

l'arch de triomphe

that's some French that I recalled from my high school days...It's a monument in France. You can thank me for the history lesson later.

My real reason for including it is that the Edge has sort've developed its own Arch de Community Authentique. Thats not French...but if you read it out loud it sounds like it is.

Anyways, the archway I'm talking about is essentially the pathway to authentic community. Below is the explanation of it. If you'd like the word document that the archway is actually laid out in, let me know your email and I will send it. I really want feedback on this! After some dialogue and perhaps adjustments, I will reflect on each of the pieces in this blog.

The Foundation of the Arch...which everything is built upon is God. Not some generic God but the God of Abraham and Isaac who is triune as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The two pillars that stem from the foundation and support the rest of the structure are LOVE and INTENTIONALITY (which may not actually be a word.)

The stones that build off of the pillars are TRUST, FUN, ACCEPTANCE/NON-JUDGMENT, PRAYER, RISK, AND SACRIFICE.

The two stones next to the Keystone are SERVICE and SUPPORT.

Finally the Keystone (which provides the center support of the arch) is AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY.

There you have it, a covenant in the making. I realize this is a process, that not everyone is going to stop judging just by walking through the archway. And they aren't going to miraculously start trusting a group with the deep hurts and fears of their life. But what if people consciously agreed that they were going to walk through the archway? What if they agreed that they were tired of the superficial relationships that permeate our culture and simply said, "I choose authenticity."?

There's a song that talks about a revolution beginning with one person turning...what if we were that turning? It will take risk, sacrifice, trust, love, and above all the working of the Holy Spirit...But what if we were that turning?

Authentic Community

I'm stuck on those two words. My wife and I have been around a lot of people in our five years of marriage. We have had moments of fun, fellowship, grieving, laughter, blessing, cursing, healing and hurting. We have tried at times to be honest, open, transparent (maybe semi-transparent?). Quite frankly, we have been burned and betrayed at times.

What is authentic community? What does it take to have authentic community? What does the Bible say about this type of community? Is it attainable in a sin-laden world amongst sin-laden people?

We are wrestling with this in the Edge. (Well at least I am wrestling with it and forcing everyone else to hear about it.) We had a really solid discussion and I have some ideas formulating in my head about what this could look like. Stay tuned...I'd love to hear your thoughts on this as I process this.

another gem

don't mess with little old ladies crossing the street.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEixnAEwjM8

hmm.

Linkin Park's newest album has some really interesting lyrics. I haven't explored the heart of the artist in writing them, but there are some moments of real spiritual value. Of course these are interspersed with a good deal of profanity and a parental advisory. There's one line in a song called "Hands Held High" which is more politically charged than spiritual, but it say that "When the Rich wage war its the poor who die."

I downloaded the album after hearing the song "What I've Done" on the radio last week. That is a song that you could really make a case that something is going on.

Anyways...if you're linkin park fans, its a solid, hard rockin' album. Some gems...some not so gemmy.

They must have a clause in their contract that they must drop 8 F* Bombs per song...Other than that, there are some thought provoking lyrics.

Genesis

Week Two reflections on the study of Genesis.

From the beginning, we have been people of hiding and blaming. Adam and Eve took of the forbidden fruit in the garden. They hid and God, as he has a knack of doing, 'finds them out'. Their response? Adam blamed the woman (and God). Eve blamed the serpent.

Things haven't changed much...although maybe we're a little more evolved in our hiding strategies. We don't hide in the bushes. We hide with fake fronts of wholeness, spirituality, 'got-it-together-ness' and other masks. We use humor when we're nervous our front is being questioned or called out...or anger. As a culture we've become as individualistic as ever in history. We put the picket fence of our American Dream up around who we really are...what we're really dealing with...how we're really feeling.

Its no wonder we are hurting. And if someone calls me out as inauthentic? Fake? Sinful? I would blameshift. I might tell my confronter to take the plank out of their own eye. I might justify my actions or masking. I might simply disengage in the relationship.

Things haven't changed that much. Here's to over four millenia of non-evolution in the human behavior! May we continue to wear our spiritual army camouflage and if spotted may we point our gun and fire before we're found out.

Father's Day is just around the corner

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=54988d966e0e317d5553

This will be on every one's list.

August Rush

Shaina and I got our most recent NetFlix last week and watched August Rush, a story about an orphan boy who believes wholeheartedly that he will get back to his parents, who for the majority of the movie don't know he exists. The way it will happen? Through the music that links them together of course.

Yes it is moderately predictable...Sure its a little bit cheezy...but all and all its a pretty decent feel good movie. Robin Williams gives one of his only good performances in the last decade as the man who introduces August Rush to the music he'd always had inside him. This unleashing of the music leads to him becoming a child prodigy, while Williams character manipulates and connives to make profit off of him and many other talented child musicians.

It does of course utilize the monotonously used "Caught up in passionate love at first sight" one night stand motif, which I hope no one believes is real or reliable. Other than that it brings up some good lessons.

The first is that the music is out there...don't get sappy on me...but the mighty Conductor is creating a symphony all around us...yet often we are too self absorbed to hear it, to find it...and to join along with it.

Second, a more ethically charged lesson. Child exploitation is not good. Now obviously a homeless man training and then exploiting the musical talents of homeless children is extreme...but this is something I see happening in this country...Often done by parents. What is the obsession with getting one's child to be involved so heavily in sports, music, drama...you name it? Kids are being rushed from this practice to this rehearsal, to this game, to this function...and while they may increase in their talents and win in their games...the place that feels the decrease and the loss is the home. The family unit is really messed up right now. Where is the family meal? Where are family nights? Family meetings? Family vacations? Family devotions?

I have seen it in my experiences working with youth...they go down the wrong path...drugs, alcohol, sex...you name it...and the parents wonder what went wrong? Sometimes they blame the youth group. "Why didn't you teach my kids better." Sadly, sometimes parents think that the hour a week that is spent in youth group is all the discipleship training that a young person needs to follow Christ. It is not the church's job to raise your kid up in the faith of Christ...It is yours! Own it...Embrace it...Live it. Dang...I start with a post about a movie and end up with a sermon.

take a minute to laugh

55 seconds of pure hilarity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM or search youtube.com for "Charlie bit my finger"

Got any funny sites worth checking out? Reply and let me take a look! (Keep it PG-13).