Posts tagged reality
I hate when pastors smell like cheese
Feb 19th
I thought this was cheesy, until I realized that was the point. If were not ourselves, then we end up being cheesy.
But if you will allow me to be cheesy, for just this once, please do…It’s harder to be cheesy.
“It ain’t easy being cheesy.” – Chester Cheetah
Remember When
May 15th
I guess that means I’m getting old. But as I notice gas over $2.00 a gallon again, I began to reminisce. The first year of college, it was only eleven years ago. I remember when I could fill my truck up, at .79 cents a gallon, buy a can of copenhagen, and get a bottle of Dr. Pepper for 20 bucks. And, and, that Dr. Pepper had a little yellow cap on it that gave me a chance to win another free Dr. Pepper. A 1 and 6 chance of winning actually. Heck, the lids now make you login into some obscure website and that provides you with all sorts of “points” and alot of junk mail. 
I stole Los’ post!
Mar 24th
I know the infamous Los doesn’t need me sending you to his blog, because if you happen to read this, then you probably check his insight long before you check mine. However, I insist that you check his greatest post ever, now!
I have wanted to say this but I have been afraid. The church has lost touch with it’s divine purpose. I have lost touch with my ultimate intention as a believer. We have tried to be cool. And in doing this we are not ourselves. We have tried to be edgy. And in doing this we have lost our foundation. We have tried to be trendy. And in doing this have swayed from ecclesiastical ideology.
Jesus and his followers were not viewed as cool. Loving them or hating them, their community knew they were real though. Jesus and his crew were real people with real problems with a real answer. They were either accepted or rejected but they did not attempt to bring people in with making their claims relevant by trying to familiarize themselves with trends. It was quite the opposite. I am not saying that the church as a whole is doing anything wrong but that it is not being as effective as possible. Let’s break bread and offer a full meal in our dirty homes. Let’s worship him by rejecting sin. Let’s relate to them by being vulnerable with our faults. Let’s allow people to see the real us. Let’s quit making pastors famous and make Jesus famous. Heck, let’s make sure that we spend more time corporately outside the four walls than we do inside them.
But, who am I?
Sushi vs. Church
Feb 27th
I love sushi. I love sushi so much that you might hear me say I heart sushi. If you know me, I am not metro enough to say I heart anything. I grew up in the land of longhorns and I would rather have sushi than steak. The best sushi I have had came from Coast. Coast is an extremely trendy spot. If you are ever in the Chicagoland area, make reservations, put on your best duds, and forget about the Dave Ramsey envelope system.
Sushi in itself has become a trend. Partaking at a sushi bar brings the hip level up a few notches. The few times that I have been to Coast have made me realize this is a place to be seen. You valet your car, you need reservations, and you BYOB. No Coors Light here. To fit in, you better have a fancy labeled bottle of wine.
I’m weird so I decided to compare sushi to the church. Now, you probably see the same similarities as I do. Maybe not. Church has become trendy. Church has become a place to be seen. The church is full of metros. I do NOT believe there is absolutely anything wrong with this. I believe others would disagree.
As I was looking at the reviews the customers of Coast have left, I wished that people would do the same with churches. Sure, this would increase the population of church hoppers but who cares about those people anyway. I guess Jesus does but He is better than I. Here are few comments about Coast that I bet the church, as a whole, would get as well.
4 Stars – Best Sushi in town!
5 Stars – Great f*%$ing sushi!
5 Stars – There is always a crowd swarming
2 Stars – Rather Disappointed
1 Stars – Unimpressed
3 Stars – Customer service is bringin’ em DOWN
4 Stars – nice food but a little too trendy crowd
How does your church rank? Would you accept criticism? Somebody give people the stage to rate their church! Someone create a Hot or Not for the church. The church doesn’t need this for bragging rights but for improvement. If people have the ability to anonymously rate their church, they will be truthful. The catch to the Hot or Not Church Edition, is that only the comments below 5 will be revealed.
Coast doesn’t care what it’s employees think. Coast cares about what it’s customers think. Remember, it shouldn’t matter what you think but what the unchurched thinks.
Be Perfect
Jan 27th
I am still digesting this whole blessed life thing. I figure the easiest thing to do would be to go to Matthew 5. Matthew is my favorite book in the bible. Matthew, in my opinion, does the best job of providing intricate details about the life of Christ. So, I read chapter 4 and then chapter 6 before checking chapter 5.
My friend Brian dug into this a few days back here.
The last verse in chapter 5 struck me.
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Really? Perfect? After telling me that I am blessed in spite of my circumstances, you go on to tell me that I am to follow the law and live under grace, and that I can be perfect…? Maybe I can live perfectly for an hour. But then again you convict me that I am not giving you enough faith. That redundant 3:14 verse has surfaced.
This is why I worship you Jesus. I know, I don’t worship you all the time but I try. You were perfect. I believe you suffered and dealt with the same temptations I do. I know, I have not gone through half the crap you did. And still you were perfect. You could have sinned. But you didn’t. You were tempted face to face by your advisory. And you were hungry. My wife knows how my hunger effects me. If I was in your shoes I would have turned the rock into bread.
I am blessed. I thank you. I apologize for doubting you. I apologize for blaming you.
I am blessed. No matter what, you have my back. No matter what, you will not forget me.
I am blessed because I know my purpose. I am blessed because I get to serve others.
I am blessed because my answer to everything can be YOU. YOU are in always control.
