As a Christian,  I hear a lot about "Keeping Christ In Christmas" over the holiday season with one of the major issues being the "Merry Christmas" vs "Happy Holidays" debate.

Here's a typical scenario: Jake, who is a Christian, has just finished his purchase at a local retail store.  Becky, the store employee who completed Jake's transaction, smiles and wishes him "Happy Holidays" as he exits.  Jake, in his noble effort to keep Christ in Christmas, responds with a wry, "Merry Christmas".

So, what's the problem?  Well, if this were simply just a simple exchange of good tidings between strangers, then no, there would be nothing wrong this scenario.  However, I don't see that as what is really happening. 

Let's look at the above scenario from a different angle:   Jake wants to Keep Christ in Christmas, so the motivation in his response towards Becky probably had nothing to do with wishing her a merry anything.   Rather, Jake's "Merry Christmas" response was probably motivated more by spite than it was kindness.  Come again?  You see, anytime Jake hears someone wish him "Happy Holidays", he takes offense.  Jake no longer hears someone wishing him good tidings, but instead hears someone taking another stab at keeping Christ out of Christmas.  And so this is where things begin to unravel - because in a case like this, Jake's response of "Merry Christmas" resembles more a stiff middle finger than it does a warm, friendly wish of good tidings.

Listen, I'm not saying that none of us have a right to be offended.  There are a lot of people out there who would like to dismantle our faith. But, I'm sure it's not Becky over at the Gap.  I'm sure she's just trying to make a wage like anyone else, probably working under demands and pressures just like anyone else, and probably could use some genuine kindness and love shared with her just like anyone else.

Maybe Jesus isn't so much concerned about whether or not someone wishes you a "Merry Christmas" this season.  Christ came into this world to offer love, grace, and peace; he came to us offering forgiveness.  Maybe if we really want to make a genuine effort to keep Christ in Christmas this season (and seasons to come), then maybe we need to start enacting and sharing the same kind of love, grace, and peace with others that Jesus has shared with us. Let's not turn "Merry Christmas" into a middle finger.

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus..." - Philippians 2:1-5

Advent Week 3 - Rejoice!

"Sing, O Daughter of Zion;
       shout aloud, O Israel!
       Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
       O Daughter of Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away your punishment,
       he has turned back your enemy.
       The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you;
       never again will you fear any harm.
 
 The LORD your God is with you,
       he is mighty to save.
       He will take great delight in you,
       he will quiet you with his love,
       he will rejoice over you with singing." - Zephania 3:14-15,17

Today, our celebration is one of rejoicing.  Through the birth of Christ, the Kingdom of God entered into our world.  Through His death and resurrection that Kingdom has been activated.  Our story now - as a people of God - is a work of preparation and anticipation for the full reality of God coming to be among us.  On that day, God will bring restoration and peace; and His presence will satisfy all of creation as He rejoices in the joining of His Groom and Bride.

Until that day, we wait.  But, let us rejoice in our time of anticipation.  We have much reason to celebrate: God has drawn near.  In Jesus, we discover our invitation to draw near to Him...

"O Come All Ye Faithful"
"Joy to the World"
Hark the Herald Angels Sing"
"SMS Shine"
"Doxology"

Worship Tricks

...I really suck at blogging.  I just have not gotten into the groove of posting new stuff.  I hope that will change.

For now, I'm going to send you over to a blog by Jonny Baker where he posts creative ideas for worship elements that he calls, "worship tricks":

http://jonnybaker.blogs.com/jonnybaker/worship_tricks/wtindex.html

There is a world of creativity out there relating to the worship arts: imagery, music, icons, and on and on.  Sometimes it is all to easy to get stuck in a routine of worship planning.  I know that I personally have a tendency to focus all my creative energy on the musical arrangements of songs - and while that is certainly not a bad thing, I do wish that I could produce more creative elements for worship beyond just music.  There are times when I'm browsing through a site like the one I linked to above when I feel a bit guilty or jealous, thinking to myself, "why didn't I think of that!"...often times, the ideas are so simple that just a bit of time thinking outside of the box could produce them.

So, here's to more creativity and originality within the church and the worship arts - and here's hoping that I'll spend a little more time trying to produce my own unique elements.  Or at least rip them off from someone else!

Advent Week One: Hope Amidst Suffering - A Liturgy

As music director for a local church, I am planning on leading an observance of the four weeks of Advent this Christmas season.
Here is a liturgy I've prepared for the first Sunday of Advent, November 29:

Hope Amidst Suffering - An Advent Liturgy

Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16

Prayer/Lighting of the Advent candle:
“Dear Lord, our world is groaning. Wars, violence, terror, economic crisis – these are all very real threats. Yet there is hope. You came once to redeem us, and You will come again to restore us – to complete the good work begun in all Your people. Many of us know and love family and friends who are serving abroad engaged in conflict and suffering; we pray that they may know Your Hope. We also pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ that live in the many countries of conflict: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and beyond – for they too are husbands, wives, daughters, sons: all are Your beloved. Jesus, there is no hope apart from You. We pray that these present sufferings will produce in us a reverent and trusting humility, having faith that You have come to us and will come to us again. Amen”
"O Come, O Come Emmanuel"
“Hosanna”
“Shout to the Lord”

Reading: Psalm 25:1-10
“The Christian’s Hope Can Never Fail”
"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"

Keep 'Em Separated

One of the mantras being invoked by many Christians in America today is "Put God Back Into School". And in that mantra is a proclamation that there needs to be enacted certain laws and other mandatory ordinances imposing purely Christian dogma into a particular school.

To prove this point, let's establish what private rights students in public school have:

"Public school students have the right to express their religious beliefs in public school under the First Amendment right of free speech. 'Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech.' As noted in Widmar v. Vincent, 454 U.S. 263 (1981), the law is well settled that religious speech, even prayer, is protected free speech under the First Amendment." - source www.answersingenesis.org Gibbs & Craze Co., L.P.A. 2009

Other rights include: being able to read the Bible, share faith with other classmates, organize Christian clubs, etc. In fact, there are no hostile mandates against a student exercising or expressing their particular religious belief whether they be Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, etc.

So, what's the problem? Why the beef about putting God into school? Is that suggesting teachers must lead classes in Christian prayer? That there must be Christian icon and dogma posted in classrooms and hallways? That the (public) school institution itself must "become" Christian?

I fear that what is being suggested here is that private right become public mandate. Really? Seriously? What about the rights of, say, a Muslim student? How would they feel if they had to be led in mandatory Christian prayer? Or, flip it the other way - how would the Christian student feel if it was Islam that was being imposed on them through the school district?

Listen, if there is any hope of our faith making an impact in anyone's life, then the answer does not reside in public mandate of laws and ordinances. Christianity is not a political power or rule. No, I would encourage you in that if you really want to make an impact, do so through the power of relationship and friendship, not law and legislation. Let our lives (as Kingdom citizens) be as yeast or as the mustard seed (Luke 13:18-20). Our faith should be lived, experienced, and expressed relationally, not institutionally.

The Sound of the Desert

Perhaps the greatest pursuit of any guitarist is the pursuit of tone - a unique sound that sets them apart from all others - this sound helps defines them, it shapes their music. When questioned about who or what has influenced these tones or sounds, many guitarists cite musical references: maybe it is a specific musical genre, perhaps it is a certain band or artist.

I, too would answer in the same way, citing many bands and musicians who have influenced and inspired my playing along the way. Yet, there is one primary influence, one singular inspiration that has contributed more to defining and shaping me as a musician and guitarist than anything else. And, this influence is unique because it is not audio-related, it is visual. It is the landscape of northern Arizona: the place I called home for almost ten years. Landscapes of desert, canyons, red rocks, open skies, wide vistas, pine trees, mystery, beauty.

These landscapes resonate. There is a musical quality to them. When I consider the desert, for example, not only do I see it, but I also hear it. That translates directly to the guitar tone I strive to create: one of reverb, delay, and warmth; for those represent the open expanse of the desert. And this influence/inspiration not only manifests in my guitar tone, but also in the overall sound of music I create. I like there to be space in my music, I like there to be room for the sounds to breathe. I don't want the sound to be cluttered or too busy. Sometimes what we leave out is just as important as what we leave in.

When creating music, I often am not interested in pandering to emotion or feeling. Rather, I create with the intent of inviting the listener into a place - a place that has color, landscape - a place the listener can explore. It is an invitation for the listener to engage their imagination. It could be said that I provide the paint and brushes, the listener creates the painting.

Of course, not every single song that I write conveys this particular motivation. I do write songs that are narrative and more "to the point": where the listener is looking at a painting rather than creating one themselves. But, at the core of who I am as a musician there will always be a visual aspect to my music.

There will always be a desert resonating in the notes falling off of my guitar.

Finger Lickin' Denominations

The standard definition of BBQ is as follows: slow-cooked, smoked meat over an open fire. Whether the fire is from charcoal (with wood chips), or whether it's all wood, the result is the same: authentic BBQ. And it does not even matter what that fire is set in: it could be a hole in the ground, a simple kettle grill, or whatever contraption your imagination can conjure.

Now, while folks generally agree on that standard definition, there are many varied opinions on what real BBQ is. Denominations if you will. And each denomination claims they hold the true Doctrine of BBQ. A trite confusing.

For example, in North Carolina, pork is the only meat worth throwing in the pit. However, the state is literally split in half over their Doctrine of Pork.
East Carolina is all about going whole hog: cooking the entire pig, and they prefer zesty, acidic vinegar sauces (no ketchup). West Carolina, on the other hand, prefers pork shoulder (the cut used for pulled pork) and ketchup-based sauces. Travel to Texas, and you won't find any pork over their fires. Beef brisket is the standard. If you're talking ribs, Kansas City is known for their "wet" (sauced) ribs, while Memphis prefers their ribs "dry" (without sauce).

Now, as for me, I simply just enjoy BBQ in general. I don't really subscribe to one particular denomination over another. Just throw it on a plate with some beans and some slaw and I'm happy. As long as it's prepared (smoked) over a fire (no propane), I'm not going to call you a heathen.

A lot of this sounds familiar to Christianity. Jesus Christ is the standard, the definition, but beyond that we Christians like to devise doctrines and all sorts of reasons why our particular denomination is the authentic path.
Baptists like their Christianity wet. Catholics like their Christianity dry. Pentecostals like going whole hog. The list goes on...

Me, I'm just interested in Jesus, as I'm sure many of the founders of our various denominations were. I am not partial to one particular sect. I also think that it's too easy to get caught up in arguments on whose denomination is right against whose is not. That kind of sets us off on the wrong path, does it not?

I'll end with a joke I heard recently:
Two churches are built, one on each side of the street facing each other, in a small town. The one on the left is a Baptist church, while the one on the right simply touts itself as a Christan assembly (non-denominational). Now, as some time goes by, leaders from both churches start to think about joining together into one church rather than two. The churches agree, and a special meeting is held to determine what this new, united church should be called. Do they call the church Baptist or Christian? As those attending are discussing this, an old man stands up in the back of the room. He says in a gruff voice, "Now, listen. I've been calling myself a Baptist for all of my life and I'm not about to start calling myself a Christan."

Zap!

Zombies, BBQ, & the Meaning of Life

I must confess something. I don't know anything about zombies. I do know that my wife is terrified of them. She thinks that "that stuff happens all the time." We have a board game called, "Zombies". It's fun, but a bit slow. You should come over and play it sometime. But, that's about it. Zombies are not really my bag.

Now, BBQ...why that's another story. I love BBQ. Let me be clear: when I say "BBQ" I mean slow and low - slow smoking over indirect heat at low temps. That is BBQ. Authentic BBQ. No gas grilling, girls. I've been doing BBQ for a few years now. I make a pretty mean pulled pork - southern carolina style: vinegar-based sauce, naked meat (which means I don't mop or baste the meat while it cooks). I have had the honor of starting an annual community BBQ cook-off in a small town in Arizona. The "Annual Buzzard Day BBQ Cookoff". I have since moved, and I hope the event will continue. So, yeah, I know a thing or two about BBQ.

Okay, just what do I plan on writing about here? Hmmm. Probably a lot of it will deal with my thoughts on Chrisitianity, on Jesus, on the Church, on the Kingdom, etc. I know, I know. Get your barf bag out. There is already a lot of Noise out there, and I really don't want to contribute to it all. However, I am writing because I feel I have to. There are things inside my brain/heart/dreams that I have to get out. It's a bit of exorcisim, I suppose. I have to share some of these things. But, if it winds up that I'm just contributing to the Noise, then let me know. I will shut up. Gladly.

I have a heart, a passion, for authentic Christianity. That simpy means that I desire to see people (including myself) actually living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Living as the Church. Living as part of the Kingdom. That to me is authentic Christianity.
Now, there seems to be a lot of us "Christians" out there who have completely missed the Point. We, who should have become Alive, are still walking around dead. Dead to ourselves, our community, our world, our God. Yet, many of these "walking dead" claim to have a hold of authentic Christianity.

And that is why I am writing. Not to prove one way over another, but to bring attention to what I believe authentic Christianity should look like. After all, I just want my BBQ back.

Zap!