Category: faith

The times are a changin’

More from the DMN (via The Times of London):

The Times of London reports that the second most popular name for baby boys in Britain (after Jack) is Muhammad.
The name is likely to be No. 1 by next year.
In official lists, the paper reports, no one variant of the name is that high in popularity. But when all 14 possible spellings are added together, Muhammad (or Mohammed or Muhamad or … you get the idea) soars.
“Overall, Muslims account for 3 per cent of the British population, about 1.5 million people,” The Times reported. “However, the Muslim birthrate is roughly three times higher than the non-Muslim one.”
In Arabic, Muhammad means “one who is praiseworthy.”

Maybe I’m missing something here, but it’s wrong to make a cartoon with Muhammad because it’s irreverent, but it’s OK to name your kid after him? I guess different cultures see irreverence as different things.

Huckabee on evolution

Mike Huckabee on Evolution and the GOP Debate 6/5/2007

Gov. Huckabee gives a clear answer to his belief in creation during a CNN debate.
He admits he doesn’t know whether it was a literal six days or a longer period of time but he does believe, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
A great answer from a Presidential candidate.
I’m really hoping he and Obama can move to the front of their parties and win their nominations.

Re: Pursuing relevance

I was skimming through Blue Like Jazz again tonight and came across this from Donald Miller, thought it fit the previous post:

I don’t think any church has ever been relevant to culture, 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.

And one other thought on a slightly different topic:

Andrew would say that dying for something is easy because it is associated with glory. Living for something, Andrew would say is the hard thing. Living for something extends beyond fashion, glory, or recognition. We live for what we believe.

Pursuing relevance

Relevant Magazine has an interesting piece online from Jason Johnson about relevance and what it means in today’s church.

Relevance. It has become the ecclesiological buzz-word of the postmodern culture. The church spends large amounts of time, energy and money on this idea of relevance, and Christians themselves are doing everything they possibly can to feel like—in some part—this term is an identifying mark on who they are as followers of Christ. This idea of relevance is admirable and necessary. But as I look around and evaluate my own attitudes toward this culture and understandings of how the Church relates to it, I (first and foremost) might have it backwards.
I believe that on some levels the idea of relevance has been reduced to a formula of learning to speak the right lingo, dress the right way, be familiar with the right music and movies, be involved in the right causes, go to the right churches, hang out with the right people, eat the right foods, drink the right drinks, have the right hairstyle and, most importantly, be familiar with all of the most relevant leaders and thinkers of this postmodern/emergent generation.
Honestly, admit it, when you encounter someone who does not know who Rob Bell or Brian McLaren are, does it not surprise you just a bit?

This really got me:

The fact that we have to spend so much time trying to be relevant should tell us something. It is an indication that relevance is not something that happens naturally. That’s why we have to spend so much time manufacturing it according to the formula.

It’s true that people are looking to make their faith relevant. I believe non-believers want to see why the Christian faith and GOd should be relevant to them. But dressing a certain way, watching the right movies, drinking the right drinks doesn’t make you relevant.
If you’re trying to do that, it makes you a fake and a phony in my book. I think people are much more interested in authenticity than relevance.
My dad may not be the most stylish man on the block. He may not know a thing about the latest trends but people can look at him and see true, authentic faith. And they’re drawn to that.

His faith is real and constant. In the midst of trials and tribulations he remains faithful and he continues to tell others and share with others about how God has remained faithful to him.
If we’re true to ourselves, God and others, our faith becomes relevant — regardless of whether or not we listen to U2, Cold Play or the Gaither Vocal Band.
The idea of relevance also brings to mind many episodes of “What Not To Wear.” (I know – I’ve watched it. Are you shocked? Laurie’s a huge fan.)
The image of relevance brings one picture to mind. The thirty-something mother who’s trying to dress hip for her kids or her kids’ friends.
“No. It looks bad!”
Why? Because you’re trying to be something you’re not. You’re 36 years old and trying to pull off a mini-skirt.
If wearing Mossimo or Stussy isn’t you then wearing it isn’t going to draw people to you or to Christ.
Paul said, “I have become all things to all men so that I might win some to Christ.” But I don’t think Paul was going around, hanging out with the Romans, wearing a Toga just so he could fit in.
When I’ve gone to Austin Street to minister to the homeless, they’re not expecting me to show up in torn dirty clothes and sleep on the streets with them. They want to see that I’m authentic with them. I don’t try to hide that I live in Waxahachie. I don’t try to hide that I have fairly decent clothes. They don’t care. They’re excited to see that my faith has made an impact in my life and it can make an impact in their lives too.
Johnson ends with this:

Wear the torn and tattered jeans, listen to the indie-pop music, read the most current authors, even buy a Mac if you want—but never substitute those things as what it truly means to be relevant. Relevance is found only through the inevitable expressions of a heart that is pursuing the greatest of all causes.

Should churches display the American Flag?


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Originally uploaded by bamakodaker.

The United Methodists are debating whether or not churches should display the American Flag in their sanctuaries.
Rev. Clayton Childers had this to say:

As a staff member at the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, I am frequently asked questions that require me to go where “angels fear to tread.” Questions about displaying national flags in the church’s sanctuary take us into that treacherous terrain.
Many United Methodist churches maintain a tradition of placing the United States flag in the sanctuary, by the altar, within the chancel, or at another prominent location on the church grounds. I heard of one case in which the U.S. flag actually covered the altar itself. So we must ask: Is this an appropriate use of the national flag from both a Christian and United Methodist perspective?
It is an emotional issue. There are probably four objects that people commonly worship as much, or perhaps more, than God: 1) their mothers; 2) their children; 3) the Bible; and 4) the flag. Without getting into my favorable feelings toward the first three, I will say that, as an American, I do have a special fondness for our national flag.
The flag represents the United States at her best – all the high and noble values that we profess and attempt to uphold as a people: human rights and liberty for all, the rule of law without fear or favor, democracy, equality, religious freedom, freedom to assemble, free speech, a free press, the right of privacy and other rights of individuals, and commitment to the common good. These are values I believe in, and I am proud to be a citizen of a country that proclaims its loyalty to these high principles.
On the other hand, I do not believe in blind loyalty. I cannot affirm the idea of “my country, right or wrong.” There are times when the United States has been very wrong in its actions, even outrageously wrong. Until we can own the hard truth of our failures – dare we say “sins” – we can never experience the full and abundant life God would have for us as a people and as one member in the world community of nations.

Read more of his commentary
I still have to go back to Derick Webb‘s words on this:

my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
it’s to a king & a kingdom

What about you? Do YOU feel comfortable with an American flag on the stage next to you pastor or choir?