Those who have read this blog for any period of time know that I'm all about community. Not the cheesy, church manufactured kind, either. I'm talking about REAL community - the chance to really start to get to know some other people, to share life with each other. I've always felt that Centerpoint was this kind of community to an extent, but the truth is, my demographic has never been very well represented there (not that that's unlike the other churches I've been in). So when we started talking last Spring about starting a new small group for 20-somethings, I got very excited, to say the least. It took us quite a while to get it going, but we finally did. We met for the fourth time tonight, and I hosted it here for the first time. Definitely what I needed this week (it's been a long one). The thing is, I don't even think that this group compares to many other "small groups" in the traditional sense. It's just different. It's a very laid back group of people, and not "religious" in any sense. The only things assured at our gatherings are that there will be good food, good beer, and good conversation. I couldn't think of any better setting to sit and discuss God's word. After all, most of Jesus' ministry happened in homes, usually around a meal. I'm definitely appreciative for these people and the time we have together... looking forward to getting into things deeper over the next weeks and months.
And now... bedtime!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
More Than Enough
A good portion of this afternoon and evening will be devoted to preparing for the annual 4th-6th grade retreat that I co-direct at Kirkmont. This year our theme is "More Than Enough", so that's what I'll be pondering on and working with today. I think there are TONS of things in the world that we already have "more than enough" of, yet we still long for more. We've gotten really materialistic (at least in this country). I'm just as guilty. I find myself wanting things that I definitely don't need, and wanting even more of the things I already have. And in the midst of all of this, we miss the simple call: to forget all of it, and turn our needs over entirely to God. That's tough. We're not conditioned for that. We don't like to rely on others for our needs, and definitely not for our wants (because then we might not get them), but that's the goal that God has placed before us. And yes, the world would probably have a pretty major problem with us if we ever truly achieved that goal. But isn't that kind of the point?
Today I'll be working on relating this idea... this big, huge, almost incomprehensible idea... to a bunch of middle-school aged kids. Somehow I don't think they'll have as much trouble understanding it as I do.
So what do you think? What are some things that we have "more than enough" of?
Today I'll be working on relating this idea... this big, huge, almost incomprehensible idea... to a bunch of middle-school aged kids. Somehow I don't think they'll have as much trouble understanding it as I do.
So what do you think? What are some things that we have "more than enough" of?
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
My New Toy (AKA The Steal Of The Century)
Ok, so this is admittedly a really nerdy gear-related thing. I'm going to talk about it anyways. I'm that excited. Introducing the Stompbox:
What is it, you ask? Essentially, it's an electronic bass drum effect. You tap your foot on it (as you might do on the floor anyways), and it sends a low frequency "thump" through the amp or sound system it's connected to. There are other products out there that do this, and I've known about several for some time. The most notable is the Porchboard Bass (which I've seen Christopher Williams use), but with prices starting around $250, it's way out of my price range. Ellis Guitars also makes one, but it's also $150 in it's lowest configuration. Again, out of my league, but I've really been wanting this effect for my solo shows and coffeehouse percussion set-ups...
...so imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon the Stompbox for less than $50! Now, I'll be the first to admit that it falls short of the others in some areas. It's metal, so it's sound doesn't quite have that "woody" sound that the others boast, and it takes some pretty hefty EQ adjustments, but it's totally worth it to get the sound at this price. No more lugging my big bass drum across town to play a stage it barely fits on anyways. This will also be a great addition to my solo guitar and ukulele stuff. All in all, a GREAT deal! The documentation that came with it implied that there are only 100 of these things out there, and they're handmade by the creator, so I feel very lucky to have tracked it down when I did. I couldn't help but share :-)
What is it, you ask? Essentially, it's an electronic bass drum effect. You tap your foot on it (as you might do on the floor anyways), and it sends a low frequency "thump" through the amp or sound system it's connected to. There are other products out there that do this, and I've known about several for some time. The most notable is the Porchboard Bass (which I've seen Christopher Williams use), but with prices starting around $250, it's way out of my price range. Ellis Guitars also makes one, but it's also $150 in it's lowest configuration. Again, out of my league, but I've really been wanting this effect for my solo shows and coffeehouse percussion set-ups...
...so imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon the Stompbox for less than $50! Now, I'll be the first to admit that it falls short of the others in some areas. It's metal, so it's sound doesn't quite have that "woody" sound that the others boast, and it takes some pretty hefty EQ adjustments, but it's totally worth it to get the sound at this price. No more lugging my big bass drum across town to play a stage it barely fits on anyways. This will also be a great addition to my solo guitar and ukulele stuff. All in all, a GREAT deal! The documentation that came with it implied that there are only 100 of these things out there, and they're handmade by the creator, so I feel very lucky to have tracked it down when I did. I couldn't help but share :-)
Friday, October 3, 2008
Politics & Religion
Note: This single entry will probably be the extent of my political blogging this election season, so enjoy it. Just saying.
So there was a Vice-Presidential debate on TV last night. Most of you probably watched it. I watched it too, but really only because it knocked The Office off of the air for the week. And the group I was with wanted to watch it. See, you have to understand, I really can't stand politics. Now voting, I'm all about voting, I vote every chance I get. But that has to do with people and government. Politics, and especially election politics, is just talk. In fact, the single greatest benefit for me of having a DVR has been being able to skip the commercials this time of year. But I digress...
We recently got a new small group going at Centerpoint of 18-20somethings. Very cool. There aren't a lot of us that age in this particular church, and it's been nice to be able to get together, enjoy a little food and wine, and talk about things from a different perspective. We meet on Thursdays, so last night's discussion naturally drifted to the impending debate more than once... we ran a little late, so we all ended up watching it together, too. Here's the thing, though - a large part of our discussion last night centered on honesty. We talked about some "little white lies" we've all told to keep people happy, and then posed the question: "Would Jesus have told those lies?" The answer was a resounding "no"... which brought us back to politics. Somebody mentioned that a straight answer from the politicians would be nice once in a while, which I think is the point. It's all about telling you what you want to hear. Jesus wouldn't have done that. He would have given us the straight truth, even if it was hard to swallow. That's why I trust in Jesus, but not politicians.
The truth is, every one of these folks has a group (or rather lots of groups) that they're trying to appeal to: the conservative right, the liberal left, moderates, Christians, Jews, whites, blacks, small business owners, rich folks, poor folks, or even the American public as a whole. The vast majority of politicians will say whatever those groups want to hear... and that goes for both sides. I've already seen news stories today exposing lies that both of the Veep candidates told last night. Aren't we better than that?!? Aren't we, the American people, smart enough to rise above our petty partisanship and demand straight answers from everyone, whether they be Republican, Democrat, or anything else?
I've seen great blogs written by Christian leaders that I deeply respect in support of both candidates (and additional stuff about their VP picks). All of it has been pretty balanced. Everyone admits that they have disagreements with their own candidate; that there are some things they like better about the other. And that's the way it should be. I won't be revealing my own pick here on this blog (although I have decided), because that's not what it's all about. Don't trust what celebrities, other politicians, or other pastors say. Don't trust what I say. Above all else, don't trust what the candidates say. Instead, get online, and do your homework! Find out what these guys are really all about. See what they say and do and vote for when the entire world isn't watching. See what lines up more with your own views and beliefs and what lines up with the teachings of Jesus, and then make your own decision. Because that's the point. And because politics suck.
So there was a Vice-Presidential debate on TV last night. Most of you probably watched it. I watched it too, but really only because it knocked The Office off of the air for the week. And the group I was with wanted to watch it. See, you have to understand, I really can't stand politics. Now voting, I'm all about voting, I vote every chance I get. But that has to do with people and government. Politics, and especially election politics, is just talk. In fact, the single greatest benefit for me of having a DVR has been being able to skip the commercials this time of year. But I digress...
We recently got a new small group going at Centerpoint of 18-20somethings. Very cool. There aren't a lot of us that age in this particular church, and it's been nice to be able to get together, enjoy a little food and wine, and talk about things from a different perspective. We meet on Thursdays, so last night's discussion naturally drifted to the impending debate more than once... we ran a little late, so we all ended up watching it together, too. Here's the thing, though - a large part of our discussion last night centered on honesty. We talked about some "little white lies" we've all told to keep people happy, and then posed the question: "Would Jesus have told those lies?" The answer was a resounding "no"... which brought us back to politics. Somebody mentioned that a straight answer from the politicians would be nice once in a while, which I think is the point. It's all about telling you what you want to hear. Jesus wouldn't have done that. He would have given us the straight truth, even if it was hard to swallow. That's why I trust in Jesus, but not politicians.
The truth is, every one of these folks has a group (or rather lots of groups) that they're trying to appeal to: the conservative right, the liberal left, moderates, Christians, Jews, whites, blacks, small business owners, rich folks, poor folks, or even the American public as a whole. The vast majority of politicians will say whatever those groups want to hear... and that goes for both sides. I've already seen news stories today exposing lies that both of the Veep candidates told last night. Aren't we better than that?!? Aren't we, the American people, smart enough to rise above our petty partisanship and demand straight answers from everyone, whether they be Republican, Democrat, or anything else?
I've seen great blogs written by Christian leaders that I deeply respect in support of both candidates (and additional stuff about their VP picks). All of it has been pretty balanced. Everyone admits that they have disagreements with their own candidate; that there are some things they like better about the other. And that's the way it should be. I won't be revealing my own pick here on this blog (although I have decided), because that's not what it's all about. Don't trust what celebrities, other politicians, or other pastors say. Don't trust what I say. Above all else, don't trust what the candidates say. Instead, get online, and do your homework! Find out what these guys are really all about. See what they say and do and vote for when the entire world isn't watching. See what lines up more with your own views and beliefs and what lines up with the teachings of Jesus, and then make your own decision. Because that's the point. And because politics suck.
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