Category: reflections

Re: On a search for the Music Machine

Further searching led me to a website for Agapeland Music as well.
I did botch those lyrics up on Patience, sung by Herbert the Snail.
The correct lyrics are, “Have patience, have patience. Don’t be in such a hurry. When you get impatient, you only start to worry. Remember, remember, that God is patient too. And think about the times when others have to wait for you.”
You can order all the Agapeland recordings on CD now, but I’d love to find the original records as well.

Encouraging creative thought in the church

SBC blogger (that’s Southern Baptist not Southwestern Bell) Wade Burleson suggests there may be a connection between mathematics and the Gospel.

It is interesting to note that in both the study of mathematics and gospel doctrine one learns precise systems of thought with established, constant truths that never change (at least from my conservative theological viewpoint).

Burleson takes a look at the academic life of Albert Einstein and how he flourished when he was encouraged to think creatively.

‘What kind of environment is needed for great thinkers and theologians to arise out of the Southern Baptist Convention who possess the creative genius to lead us into new and even more effective methodologies of gospel ministry?’

From Einstein’s life Burleson offers five pointers:

  1. Young evangelical pastors and leaders need an atmosphere where they are free to think and flourish in each his own, individual, and creative way as God has gifted him.
  2. Demands to submit to authoritarian control through mental assent to force-fed facts or truths, and demands for blind allegience to established systems of denominational structure will thwart any sense of creativity and possibly restrict new and more effective means for accomplishing even greater Christian ministry.
  3. The discovery and advancement of more effective methodologies in missions ministry comes from hands on experience of Southern Baptists who are actually doing missions rather than Southern Baptists who are hearing about missions.
  4. If young evangelical pastors and leaders ever get a taste of the freedom to do ministry as they visualize it needs to be done, but feel attacked or threatened by older mentors, they will eventually renounce their allegiance for, and membership in, the Southern Baptist Convention.
  5. The threat to the Southern Baptist Convention does not come from more freedom given to her members, but rather, the tightening of parameters and the authoritarian control that stifles creativity in missions and ministry.

I think God is a very creative God and encourages us to be creative as well. When people are restricted and not allowed to be creativity you lose passion and joy. But when people can be creative with their work, their ministry, their outreach and are given a chance to think outside the box, it’s amazing to watch them flourish.
I’m thankful myself that I have a place where I can be creative. I have a place where I’m allowed to stretch myself and be all that I can be and not tied down to tradition or “this is how we’ve always done it.”
And I love watching other people find their place as well.

The Sermon on the Mount

According to John Dear, a Jesuit priest and peace activist, Mahatma Gandhi read from the Sermon on the Mount twice a day for the last 40 years of his life.
“He considered these texts the greatest writings on nonviolence in the history of the world. Since he wanted to become a person of nonviolence, he treated these teachings as a basic primer, as the catechism of nonviolence.”
I wonder how many times most Christians have read Matthew 5-7.
Hat tip to DMN for the info

Quote of the day

“I think life begins at conception but I don’t think it ends at birth. We have to be concerned about a child’s education, and health care, safe neighborhoods, clean water and the access to a college education. That is pro-life. To care about a child’s entire life.”
Gov. Mike Huckabee on The Daily Show

Police suggest murder-suicide

Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard, who is investigating the deaths of Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and their 7-year-old son Daniel have suggested things will “are going to prove a little bizarre” when the facts are released to the public.
Autopsies of the three bodies are scheduled for Tuesday morning.
According to the AP, investigators believe Benoit, killed his wife and son over the weekend and then himself sometime Monday. The bodies were found Monday afternoon in three different rooms.
Original reports said the family was found around 4 p.m. but the time was later updated to 2:30 p.m. WWE reports they were notified at 4 p.m.
Ballard told the AP that a gun was not used in any of the deaths. But he declined to say how the three died.
“We’re pretty sure we know, but we want to confirm it with the crime lab,” Ballard said early Tuesday.
From WWE.com:

Benoit failed to appear both at Saturday’s live event in Beaumont, Tx., and WWE’s Vengeance: Night of Champions in Houston Sunday night, after informing WWE of a family emergency. Several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning prompted concerned friends to alert Richard Hering, VP of Government Relations for WWE, Inc. Hering, in turn, spoke with Fayette County sheriffs Monday, and requested that they respond to the Benoit residence to check on him and his family…
WWE.com has further information relating to both the investigation and the cause of death, but the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department has requested that WWE.com not release any additional details at this time.

Also from the AP:

The family had moved into the Fayetteville neighborhood last summer, said neighbor Alaina Jones.
None of the neighbors recalled seeing police at the house before. Monday night, about half a dozen cars idled on the circular driveway. Deputies stood guard outside the wrought-iron gates of the residence. A car full of youngsters who stopped to gawk at the scene were pulled out by deputies, frisked and sent on their way.

The WWE canceled its live “Monday Night RAW” card in Corpus Christi, Texas, and USA Network aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit in place of the scheduled live program. The tribute highlighted many of the great matches Benoit had during his 22 year career (many of which are on the Benoit DVD WWE – Hard Knocks – The Chris Benoit Story) along with thoughts and tributes from many of the WWE Superstars.
Speculation has run wild over the Internet and several have suggested Benoit may have snapped from a number of things including repeated concussions which are known to lead to depression, the death of one of his best friends nearly two years ago – Eddie Guerrero, the wear and tear and stress of the business and the likely use of pain pills and possibly other drug use.
Either way the story is tragic and three individuals are now dead. I pray for his family, including two other children from a previous marriage. He was a great technician in the ring and he will be missed.