Kind of funny, huh?

14 Old Testament Ways to Get a Wife

Oh, it was in that particular class I was just referring to where we were discussing whether Jesus was white or not (it's a religion course). I remembered this episode of Good Times. This is my all-time favorite television show. J.J. paints a picture of a Black Jesus. Michael, the little brother, loves the idea--being a little militant--and wants J.J. to hang it in their home, replacing their mother's cherished photo of Jesus. J.J. knows it's a bad idea.

The greatest line: "Jesus may have your soul, but Jesus is gonna have your behind!"
Part I



Part II


Part III

I had a "just like church" moment in class yesterday. The professor had been venturing away from his bullet points. Our discussion was pretty good. He went on and on. After several minutes of going back and forth with students and so on, he clicked for his next topic to display.

Yes, I still sit in the back! So, besides the great comfort I maintain with no one behind me, I was able to witness the wave of bowed heads as they went from giving him all the attention to writing, word for word of course, in their overpriced university notebooks his bullet point.

It was just like in church when the pastors says, "Let us pr....." He hasn't even finished the sentence and everyone is ready to bow their heads and pray. Of course, it all very uniformed (and quite funny if you see it). How do we know they're not going to say, "Let us pr...oclaim the year of the Javelina!"

Anyways. Stay blessed...john

Perhaps a different viewpoint--prodigal jon on Stuff Christians Like #60:

#60. Youth Sunday - A parade of mediocrity.

OK, OK, I'll admit it, my dad wrote most of the sermon I delivered on Youth Sunday. He essentially ghost wrote my message. Why? Because he knew that at 17 I was not so God focused and probably would have delivered the worst sermon ever. Which would have been fine, because that's kind of the whole point of Youth Sunday. It's a chance for the kid that owns an acoustic guitar to butcher a Carmen song (he's going to be on this list), the girl that writes depressing poetry to read something and the pastor's son to deliver a D+ quality sermon. Why do we do this? I think there are two reasons: 1. It's kind of a, "see how good we are," from the staff to the congregation. Their chance to show everyone why the professionals need to run Sunday. 2. It's a chance to test out if any kid really has a calling. The weird thing is that in no other experience in life does this happen. Be honest, if someone told you, "Oh yeah, the brake system on your car was put together on Youth Monday," would you drive that car? Or if a doctor came in one day and said, "Mrs. Collins, my son Tim is going to administer your shot today. His hands are a little shaky, but it is Youth Tuesday," would you go back to the doctor? Nope.

I do laugh at a lot of his stuff we Christians like. And I don't at all think he and I are barking up totally different trees. Check his site out for a good laugh at yourself (#s 53, 46, 69, 63, 26, 16 and 2 are funny to me).

I had been skipping through my bloglines subscriptions; so, I can't recall where I first got this picture from. If you know please pass along so we can give proper recognition.

From the General Board of Discipleship's website:

We want to know what you think about our current hymnal (The United Methodist Hymnal, 1989) and some common practices related to congregational worship and singing. We invite you to participate in a survey open to all United Methodists – pastors, musicians, laity, children, youth, adults. Your responses will be used in planning future resources in the areas of congregational worship and music.

The survey consists of approximately 35 simple statements related to the hymnal, worship, and congregational singing. You will be asked to register your agreement or disagreement with each statement by clicking on a button. The entire survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.

Click HERE to take the survey

Once you begin the survey, you must complete it in one session. You're not allowed to save the survey and return later. In order to maintain the integrity of the survey, only one response per computer will be accepted.

The survey will be available until March 30, 2008.

It doesn't take that long at all. Sure, they asked whether I'd be interested in having rap/hip hop in the hymnal, but I'm not sure quite sure any of the peeps from The Cross Movement or Reach Records will make it in this go around. That would be quite the worship experience though--watching some of my beloved lyrically challenged brothers and sisters bobbing their heads while reppin' Jehovah!

There will be a day. Stay blessed...john

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.
John 15:9-17

Here's a couple of websites I came across.

I'm not into the whole house decorating gig, but I'd be inclined to work with some of the stuff found here. Collapsible furniture!


The Internet Will End in 30 Years!
Gems Sty

In the news from home section of today's blog:

Students get playground on ‘Oprah’s Big Give’

Recipes tell story of resurrection

(not home, but we lived there for a while) Rio Grande hand ferry evokes lost age on U.S. border

Let the sermon writing begin!
+think christian

Having children and youth in church, to me, is very important. That sounds like a duh! statement, but let me go a little deeper.

I think I understand when people say they are "the church of tomorrow." As sincere as I think the people are who say that, I've got to disagree just a little. They are just as much a part of the church today as they will be tomorrow (whenever that is). We've got the us and them syndrome a lot of times in church. Our children are just on a different part of their faith journey. Who they are right now, is a part of what makes our church, every church who and what it is. Their presence should remind us of Christ's words "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

They teach us so much about our faith, remind us of our calling and help keep our focus. That amazingly sounds like some functions of a sermon.

Here are some thoughts:

• Why is it so many adults think Christian Education (you know actually learning about the Bible) is just for kids? It's called Sunday school for kids, but Bible study for adults (I'm still considering that statement; don't stake me for it yet). I'm talking more about those who would never participate in a study, or those who drop their kids off and make like Boeing and jet away.
• Youth Sunday is a intentional time the church encourages youth to participate in leading worship. They are not on display. I really don't like the term Youth Sunday, but it seems we have to have some term for it and I can't come up with anything better. When they are on display, people decide if they want to be there for it (like attending a show). If one youth participates, as far as I'm concerned, we've done something right.
• Why do we hold children/youth to different (higher) standards? If a child "messes up" as an acolyte or other role, they need to learn what they are doing or something like that. But when an adult messes up, they're nervous? Children who can't find a trash can need to learn respect, but adults who don't....?
• Children and youth who don't always stay the quietest are rowdy; an adult's cell phone ringing....?
• Children need to learn what's important about church; adults complain about which songs we sing and where we sit every week.

I'll quit while I still have friends. This isn't intended to be a lashing. Rather, I would like us to consider what we say we believe about kids and how we translate that into ministry in church. And don't get me wrong; we're not talking about having children run the church (though pizza on Communion Sunday doesn't sound too shabby). That is not their role (necessarily...there I go again) yet.

Have you hugged a youth today?

Stay blessed...john

Bad Day - Funny home videos are a click away

THIS MAY COME AS A SURPRISE TO THOSE OF YOU NOT LIVING IN LAS VEGAS, BUT THERE ARE MORE CATHOLIC CHURCHES THAN CASINOS.





NOT SURPRISINGLY, SOME WORSHIPPERS AT SUNDAY SERVICES WILL GIVE CASINO CHIPS RATHER THAN CASH WHEN THE BASKET IS PASSED.





SINCE THEY GET CHIPS FROM MANY DIFFERENT CASINOS, THE CHURCHES HAVE DEVISED A METHOD TO COLLECT THE OFFERINGS.





THE CHURCHES SEND ALL THEIR COLLECTED CHIPS TO A NEARBY FRANCISCAN MONASTERY FOR SORTING AND THEN THE CHIPS ARE TAKEN TO THE CASINOS OF ORIGIN AND CASHED IN.









THIS IS DONE BY THE CHIP MONKS...!.:)


YOU DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT COMING DID YOU ..?
GOTCHA !!