the journey

The Happening (2008)

Ok I'm psyched.

M. Night Shyamalan has another new movie coming out soon.  I can't wait.  Here's the trailer as it appears on YouTube:

Tags: The Happening, M. Night Shyamalan

A litany of resistance

Here's another tidbit from Shane Claiborne.

Click here for the PDF.

It's worth checking out for yourself.

HT:  Huffington Post

Technorati Tags: Shane Claiborne, Litany of Resistance

Easter is not a marketing opportunity

I really like what the bob.blog has to say about Easter:

Easter is not a marketing opportunity. The resurrection of the Son of God is not an opportunity to pimp our programs or build our flock, even under the guise of "concern for lost". And it's not about me. (Please wait a minute while I repeat that a few times to myself... ) Heaven forbid we should ever do community in such a way that our main avenue for people coming to Christ is hearing the Gospel preached from the mouth of one person, rather than hearing the Gospel preached from the mouths (and lives) of the whole community. If, in your community, more people are becoming Christians on Sunday than during the rest of the week, I think you may have a problem.

Times like Easter and Christmas are dangerous for us in that we begin to see them as something different than what they really are for the life of a community. This is where the Christian calendar really helps, I think- focusing our communal life on the events of the life of Christ all year around, rather than seeing "two big outreach event Sundays!" every year in Christmas and Easter.

Source: bob.blog

Technorati Tags: bob.blog, Easter

He is risen. He is risen, indeed!

This prayer, a creed of the Massai, an indigenous African tribe, has appeared on several blogs lately.  I pass it along to you because of its beauty, simplicity and unique perspective:

We believe in one high God, who out of love created the beautiful world. We believe that God made good His promise by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, a man in the flesh, a Jew by tribe, born poor in a little village, who left His home and was always on safari doing good, curing people by the power of God, teaching about God and [humanity], and showing that the meaning of religion is love. He was rejected by His people, tortured and nailed hands and feet to a cross, and died. He was buried in the grave, but the hyenas did not touch Him, and on the third day He rose from the grave. He ascended to the skies. He is the Lord.

We believe that all our sins are forgiven through him. All who have faith in him must be sorry for their sins, be baptized in the Holy Spirit of God, live the rules of love, and share the bread together in love, to announce the good news to others until Jesus comes again. We are waiting for him. He is alive. He lives. This we believe. Amen.

HT: Pernell Goodyear

Technorati Tags: Massai, Easter creed, Easter litany

Creating God in your own image

Something interesting from one of my favorite authors, Anne Lamott:

You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.

Traveling Mercies; although on page 22 of Bird by Bird she attributes this quote to "my priest friend Tom"

 

Technorati Tags: Anne Lamott

Tenebrae litany

(Sanctuary is dark; the Tenebrae candles have been lit)

Leader: Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.

People: His mercy endures forever.

Leader: Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your Holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Leader: And this is the judgment, that the light has come into this world, and we loved darkness rather than light.

People: God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all.

Leader: For God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

People: Every one that does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light. But all who do what is true come to the light.

Leader: Come, let us worship in sprit and truth.

Leader: The Lord be with you

People: And also with you.

Silent Prayer: Most gracious God, look with mercy upon your family gathered here for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed, given into sinful hands, and suffered death upon the cross. Strengthen our faith and forgive our betrayals as we enter the way of His passion; through Him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen

Source: Unknown

Technorati Tags: Tenebrae, Tenebrae litany, prayer

I became a Christian and all I got was this lousy t-shirt

A new book, a new curriculum, sermon ideas, and hopefully, a new t-shirt!  ;-)

It looks interesting and I've added it to my Amazon wish list.  Click here to check it out for yourself.

HT:  The Ooze

Tags: Vince Antonucci, I became a Christian and all I got was this lousy t-shirt

The suffering way of the cross

Here's something interesting from Jesus for President:

The suffering way of the cross is the ironic and astounding way to bring life to the world.  Unless a seed dies, it cannot bring life.  It's not that the cross is just some necessary step to accomplishing some religious plan of salvation-- an abstract scheme that leaves Jesus politically meaningless.  The cross is the way.  It is a completely different way to view the world, success, and the meaning of history.

Source: Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne, p. 131.

Technorati Tags: Jesus for President, Shane Claiborne

Jesus for President

Posted below is a YouTube video of Shane Claiborne talking about his latest book, Jesus for President, a book I am currently reading.

If you'd like to see what thoughtful, progressive Christians are saying (and doing), you might enjoy this book.

Updated on Wednesday:

If you're still unconvinced & are looking or other reasons to examine this book for yourself, here's a discription of the book in-a-nutshell:

Amid all the buzz of politics and elections, Jesus for President is a refreshing reminder that our ultimate hope lies not in partisan political options but in the Jesus who gave his life for us. Politics for ordinary radicals who want to love the world into the kingdom of God.

Jesus for President is a radical manifesto to awaken the Christian political imagination, reminding us that our ultimate hope lies not in partisan political options but in Jesus and the incarnation of the peculiar politic of the church as a people “set apart” from this world...

Also, to hear Shane in person during The Jesus for President Tour click here for more information.

Tags: Shane Claiborne, Jesus for President, Jesus for President Tour

Serving the marginalized on Skid Row

Having visited (and assisted in) numerous inner city missions and food kitchens, I'm particularly interested in stories like this one.

Recorded below is the story of those who pour out their lives to serve the poor, hungry and homeless in one of the most dangerous city blocks in America.

Here's Part 1:

 

Here is the rest of the series:

• Part 2: The Kids
• Part 3: Drugs
• Part 4: God
• Part 5: Afterward

HT: Jordon Cooper

Technorati Tags: Skid Row, homelessness, Los Angeles, poverty