Miss this Sunday’s service at encounter?
You can watch the man on the street video and listen to a podcast from the service online…
Best quote from the man on the street, “probably countless millions of people.” Boy somebody botched up on that statement.
Subscribe to the podcast
Listen to Brian’s message
Watch the man on the street video:
Wise Bread asks the question after Ann Coulter’s recent comments about John Edwards, “Does being a jerk pay?” Obviously in Coulter’s case the answer may be yes.
I’m not interested in what Ann believes. I’m interested in how she manages to survive by doing little more than upset people.
Of course, the press eats it up for fear of appearing biased and liberal. Fox News let Alan Colmes “talk tough” to Coulter before letting all the other commentators talk about just how great she is. This is how Coulter remains relevant. Even she seems to be aware of just how boring the whole routine has become. As she said to Alan Colmes on Hannity & Colmes:
I mean, this is the same thing we go through every six months. I say something, the same people become hysterical, and that’s the end of it.
And I think she’s right. Even though some more conservative people have jumped up to condemn her comments, this doesn’t hurt her. As Fox News Pat Caddell said:
It was very funny. They were raising money with it. So at least you raised money for them, Ann, but I’m sure it won’t hurt any of your book sales either.
If that’s the case and being a jerk or mean really pays (financially) what’s the advantage to being nice and lovable?
Does the jerk always win?
And to play hardball/devil’s advocate: Because Wise Bread is about being frugal/wise with our monies should we all be jerks to one another so we can be more financially sound?
I’d like to ask you to pray for me and a couple ministry opportunities.
I’m trying to work through a couple things in my heart, soul and mind and would appreciate your prayers.
The answer to that question probably has a lot to do with your political view and maybe your religious views as well. Barna has released a new study comparing Republican and Democratic views on God, religion and politics.
According to the survey:
So you tell me… why does this survey make a difference? Or does it?
Via: Churchrelevance.com
Yesterday Brian filled the church in on our future direction. I hope to have a podcast up by this evening but I was running into some problems yesterday with my software. And for some reason I have a Christmas song stuck in my head today (at least that’s better than the Father Abraham I had stuck in my head yesterday — thanks to Scott).
It’s not a traditional song by any means. It’s from the Trans Siberian Orchestra. But as I read over the lyrics again I thought it was very fitting for the direction I believe our church is heading…
“Old City Bar”
In an old city bar
That is never too far
From the places that gather
The dreams that have been
In the safety of night
With its old neon light
It beckons to strangers
And they always come in
And the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
The music was low
And the night
Christmas Eve
And here was the danger
That even with strangers
Inside of this night
It’s easier to believe
Then the door opened wide
And a child came inside
That no one in the bar
Had seen there before
And he asked did we know
That outside in the snow
That someone was lost
Standing outside our door
Then the bartender gazed
Through the smoke and the haze
Through the window and ice
To a corner streetlight
Where standing alone
By a broken pay phone
Was a girl the child said
Could no longer get home
And the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
The bartender turned
And said, not that I care
But how would you know this?
The child said I’ve noticed
If one could be home
They’d be all ready there
Then the bartender came out from behind the bar
And in all of his life he was never that far
And he did something else that he thought no one saw
When he took all the cash from the register draw
Then he followed the child to the girl cross the street
And we watched from the bar as they started to speak
Then he called for a cab and he said J.F.K.
Put the girl in the cab and the cab drove away
And we saw in his hand
That the cash was all gone
From the light that she had wished upon
If you want to arrange it
This world you can change it
If we could somehow make this
Christmas thing last
By helping a neighbor
Or even a stranger
And to know who needs help
You need only just ask
Then he looked for the child
But the child wasn’t there
Just the wind and the snow
Waltzing dreams through the air
So he walked back inside
Somehow different I think
For the rest of the night
No one paid for a drink
And the cynics will say
That some neighborhood kid
Wandered in on some bums
In the world where they hid
But they weren’t there
So they couldn’t see
By an old neon star
On that night, Christmas Eve
When the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
And in case you should wonder
In case you should care
Why we’re on our own
Never went home
On that night of all nights
We were already there
THEN ALL AT ONCE INSIDE THAT NIGHT
HE SAW IT ALL SO CLEAR
THE ANSWER THAT HE SOUGHT SO LONG
HAD ALWAYS BEEN SO NEAR
IT’S EVERY GIFT THAT SOMEONE GIVES
EXPECTING NOTHING BACK
IT’S EVERY KINDNESS THAT WE DO
EACH SIMPLE LITTLE ACT
—
I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses of the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land so I wouldn’t have to destroy it. I couldn’t find anyone. Not one. – Ezekiel 22:30
What are you doing to change the world around you? Or are you simply waiting for the world to change?
There’s a buzz in the air at encounter. I do believe everyone’s looking forward to the “State of the church address” today. Brian plans to answer the question, “Where do we go from here?” this morning during his message. I’m excited. I really believe that I’m right where God wants me right now, including at encounter. I’ll be getting married in less than two months to the most amazing woman you’ll ever meet, I’ve just started a new job with Ellis County and I’m working with the church on the media team and heading up our new focus on community groups. I can’t wait to see where God takes us (and me) next.
Here are just a few of the things coming up…
Read the full newsletter (pay no attention to the picture of the goofy guy halfway down the page).