Rob Bell from Velvet Elvis

Several years ago I was in an intense meeting with our church's leaders in which we were discussing several passages in the Bible. One of the leaders was sharing her journey in trying to understand what the Bible teaches about the issue at hand and said something like this: "I've spent a great deal of time recently studying this issue. I've read what the people on the one side of the issue say, and I've read what the people on the other side say. I've read the scholars and the theologians and all sorts of others on this subject. But then, in the end, I decided to get back to the Bible and just take it for what it really says."

What was she really saying?

Now please understand that this way of thinking is prevalent in a lot of Christian churches, so I don't mean in any way to single her out. But this view of the Bible is warped and toxic, to say the least. The assumption is that there is a way to read the Bible that is agenda-and perspective-free. As if all these other people have their opinion and biases, but some are able to just read it for what it says.

Think about that for a moment: This perspective is claiming that a person can simply read the Bible and do what it says--unaffected by any outside influences.

But let's be honest. When you hear people say they are just going to tell you what the Bible means, it is not true. They are telling you what they think it means. They are giving their opinions about the Bible. It sounds nice to say, "I'm not giving you my opinion; I'm just telling you what it means."

The problem is, it is not true.

I'm actually giving you my opinion, my interpretation of what it says. And the more I insist that I am giving you the objective truth of what it really says, the less objective I am actually being.

Obviously we think our interpretations are the most correct; otherwise we'd change them.

The idea that everybody else approaches the Bible with baggage and agendas and lenses and I don't is the ultimate in arrogance.

I used to be that arrogant...sad really...I'm so glad that isn't me anymore...so glad that I can embrace different interpretations...it takes so much pressure off, not having to be "right" on every little issue is a very freeing place to live...
Thank you Jesus

conversations about God

Physics class last week...

Student one: Do you think God is good at dodge ball?
Student two: What do you think...of course...I mean, He is everywhere, so He is easy to hit, but one hit from Him and you're done...like for good...

More Miller

this statement has had me thinking about belief...what I really believe...

A friend of mine, a young pastor who recently started a church, talks to me from time to time about the new face of the church in America--about the postmodern church. He says the new church will be different from the old one, that we will be relevant to culture and the human struggle. I don't think any church has ever been relevant to curlture, to the human struggle, unless it believed in Jesus and the power of His gospel. If the supposed new church believes in trendy music and cool Web pages, then it is not relevant to culture either. It is just another tool of Satan to get people to be passionate about nothing.

What I believe better impact how I live...every aspect of it...

What an alien to this culture might think if they look at my life as a picture of what it means to follow Christ:

1. It is important to have multiple cars
2. It is important to have cool clothes
3. It is important to listen to cool music
4. It is important to have several guitars
5. It is important to have more food than we know what to do with
6. It is important to give a little bit of your stuff away to other people and feel that is enough
7. It is not important to take care of the earth by conserving all natural resources and using mostly renewable resources
8. It is not important to have self control with food or other creature comforts
9. It is important to have cell phones
10. It is important to have two TV's
11. It is important to have a nice fast computer
12. It is important to have cool glasses
13. It is not important that 3 billion people are living on less than $2 a day
14. It is not important that millions of children are murdered before they every leave the womb every year
15. It is not important that we throw away stuff that can be reused.

I live what I believe...and right now...this might be closer to what I believe than anything about God coming here to rescue me from my own self-addiction...and yet I know he is rescuing me...I want to be rescued...I am being rescued...the journey is long...it is not easy...how long can I blame this culture for my self-addiction...when will the way I live really reflect my belief in the kingdom of God...How long will my loyalty be divided...Jesus help me...

Cosmos

There I was last night...playing at Cosmos like I always do every 2nd and 4th Sat. night of the month with only a couple of people in the place. As I was sitting there playing and singing I was thinking...Jesus, would you do something to make me see that I'm not crazy for coming here week after week for just a free cup of coffee.
I have really felt impressed that I am to continue to play there for the time being...trying to have an impact in a place where people who are searching for meaning through spirituality congregate. One week there were a few people casting spells on each other so there is a definite hunger for the supernatural and the spiritual connectedness.
And yet even though I feel this way, every other week I sit there and play through my set wondering why I'm there.
I played Coldplay's The Scientist and the girl that works there said she loves it when I play that song...I said it was a great song and that Coldplay is an awesome band with a lot of depth...I kept playing...
After I was done the only other person there, besides myself and the girl that works there, said how much he liked coldplay and how much he appreciated me coming in and playing(I play about 6 or 7 of their tunes)and so we got on a conversation about the depth of their music and meaning of it which lead to a general discussion that lead to conversations of longing for meaning and relationship. It was awesome conversation with them...after talking for at least a half an hour or so I had invited them both to our house for our Tuesday night gathering for the common meal. They seemed pretty excited about the concept. Another guy was in and out throughout most of this who was working at the restaurant around the corner from cosmos.
They all three seemed almost shocked that people would get together every week just to share life and a meal together. I am hoping and praying that they will come sometime in the near future and we can begin to find out more about each other. It was as if when I prayed earlier about my wanting something to come of all this time spent there that He said just keep playing and I'll work out everything else.

Jesus, give me the eyes to see the spiritual significance of seemingly insignificant circumstances...may you be lifted up through all of this...may they see you in our lives, in our family...

Donald Miller

in his book "blue like jazz" says:

The thing I have to work on in myself is this issue of belief. Gandhi believed Jesus when He said to turn the other cheek. Gandhi brought down the British Empire, deeply injured the caste system, and changed the world. Mother Teresa believed Jesus when He said everybody was priceless, even the ugly ones, the smelly ones, and Mother Teresa changed the world by showing them that a human being can be selfless. Peter finally believed the gospel after he got yelled at by Paul. Peter and Paul changed the world by starting small churches in godless towns.
Eminem believes he is a better rapper than other rappers. Profound. Let's all follow Eminem.
Here is the trick, and here is my point. Satan, who I believe exists as much as I believe Jesus exists, wants us to believe meaningless things for meaningless reasons. Can you imagine if Christians actually believed that God was trying to rescue us from the pit of our own self-addiction? Can you imagine? Can you imagine what Americans would do if they understood over half the world was living in poverty? Do you think they would change the way they live, the products they purchase, and the politicians they elect? If we believe the right things, the true things, there wouldn't be very many problems on earth.
but the trouble with deep belief is that it costs something. And there is something inside me, some selfish beast of a subtle thing that doesn't like the truth at all because it carries responsibility, and if I actually believe these things I have to do something about them. It is so, so cumbersome to believe anything.

This is the struggle of the church in America...we have believed a lie about who we are...we haven't a clue who we really are...or maybe we don't even want to know who we really are because of what it will cost us...

Jesus, help me to live in the reality of who You are...and who You are in me

church last week

Every Sunday night things get better. There are two groups really...each group knows its own members but but the two groups never really crossed paths until we began this journey together as the church in our home, so this past couple of months has been spent really getting to know each other. It has been good, challenging, patience building, and refreshing...

Last week Adam asked the question during our discussion:

"What am I really doing to be poured out to those around me?" "How am I being poured out?"

I've been thinking about that alot this week...reflecting on what it means to be poured out...wanting to know in what ways I am being or should be poured out...these are the questions the church should be asking itself...that I should be asking myself

Jesus, continue to empty me of myself, fill me up with your spirit, and pour yourself out on those around me...