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A call for Christians to use “normal” language.(tags: language Christianity)
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I think this’ll be my next 5k…
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Looking at Iraqi sentiments based on geography and sect. Fascinating.
I’m feeling slow today. Partially, it’s that I’ve managed to catch the cold that bothered Becky and the girls most of last week. Partially, I think it’s just the lack of sleep catching up with me – too many late nights and early mornings. Partially, I’ve eaten too much birthday cake in the past week and haven’t been to the gym often enough. The resulting combination leaves me dragging. 
On the positive side, it’s nearly lunchtime!
In the midst of a church meeting last night discussing our church’s future plans, a question came up that I imagine we will be wrestling with in future weeks. I’m not entirely sure what I think the answer is yet, so I’ll post it here to see if any of you have comments.
The question goes something like this: in the context of a church, which comes first? Do people first have to get “the vision”, and then will respond with committment? Or rather, do people first need to be committed to serve, and then begin to see the vision of the church ministry?
Still chewing on this one…
Just thought I’d follow up on my post from last week about my experience with Paradise Pens.
On Tuesday, five days (and only three business days) after making that phone call, I received, via UPS, a replacement fountain pen. It had obviously been opened and tested out to ensure that it was in good shape before sending it to me. Then I noticed the mailing label. While I had bought my original pen in Arlington, VA, they shipped the replacement from their store in Minneapolis at the Mall of America, presumably since it was the closest store to me in Iowa. It impressed me that they would make that extra effort.
Two days later in a separate package I received another envelope with a pre-paid UPS shipping label and a nice handwritten note from the manager of the Arlington store. All I had to do was drop the old pen in the box, apply the label, and drop it off at a local UPS store.
I’ve been using my pen all week and have really been enjoying it. I’m thinking if I ever get another one, I’ll be wanting a fine nib instead of the medium one that this pen has; I like to write in a fairly small script and it’s hard to do with the wider nib. But overall, I am very, very impressed with the customer service I received. I will definitely be visiting Paradise Pens again when I go back to DC in May.
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A history of speech balloons. Pretty cool.
On my way home from work every day I pass a billboard that frustrates me. It’s a simple message, white text on a black background. It’s designed to look like a written note. The words:
One nation under Me.
–God
Undoubtedly this billboard was purchased by some well-meaning evangelical wanting to make a point about their beliefs that American was a Christian country, should continue to be a Christian country, etc, and remind us about the battle over the Pledge of Allegiance. I don’t want to debate those points at all. Not that I necessarily agree with them exactly, but there are people in my congregation that would wholeheartedly agree with them, and I don’t have time to write a full, thoughtful response to the ideas; nor do I want to offend them by giving a less than thoughtful answer. So let’s leave that particular question alone.
These signs with ‘messages from God’ aren’t something new – they’ve been a staple on billboards for the past several years, and on church signs for many years before that. Even the Life Magazine that came in today’s newspaper had a collection of photos of church signs, including the ever-popular “let’s meet at my house today before the game — God” sign. (As an interesting aside, one church is now using a reverse strategy: messages from Satan.) In general, my attitude is iffy-but-OK with this type of message. Many times they just come across as cheesy (such as the church sign example above), but sometimes they can manage to be thought-provoking instead.
But this particular billboard really bothers me. Why? Because, first of all, it’s not something God ever said. The “One nation, under God” phrase was added to our Pledge of Allegiance by Congress, back in the fifties. I guess it’s become all too common today to put our words in God’s mouth, but this seems pretty flagrant. Second, I’m not sure it’s a message that God would endorse. I don’t think God is worried too much about America becoming a “Christian nation” again. God is much more concerned with people, individuals, coming to Him and being a part of His kingdom. God’s focus is the Church, not the political system or national structure.
My call is that we set our priorities by His priorities. Sure, that’s easy to say, harder to work out. But there are some places where it can be pretty clear. Let’s put our focus on forwarding Christ’s kingdom, not in trying to restore a “Christian nation”. If God wills, our country will come around. If not, well, God knows what He’s doing. My guess it you’re not going to find out about it, though, from a billboard.
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Good good good thoughts from iMonk on missional leadership.
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Michaela is bang-on with this one.
Poor Laura is so confused; this week is really birthday overload. First we celebrated Addison’s and my birthdays over the weekend with the whole family. Then she gets told that yesterday is actually Addison’s birthday. Then today is my birthday. At least tomorrow we can assure her that it isn’t anybody’s birthday. 
Happy birthday to my little girl Addison Grace, who turned 1 year old yesterday.
I don’t have any big comments on turning 30 – so far it just seems like another day to me. I’ll keep you posted.