thehalpinatorlives

MOVING DAY >>>>>

2007-09-12T01:06:00.000-05:00

Apparently, thehalpinatorisdead. I'm moving from blogger to wordpress, and I'm totally changing my blogging "strategy" (for lack of a better word). Join me at my new site, and if you happen to link to this site, please change your links. The blogger site will remain open for a while for the sake of archives. I'm not importing anything over to wordpress.

halpinsblog.wordpress.com

I FEEL LIKE AN ARTIST...

2007-07-06T22:46:00.000-05:00

I feel like an artist. I have this strange desire to create some kind of art. I want to write music, I want to paint pictures, I want to write poetry, I want capture everyday life into any kind of artistic venue available. I want to create something that is meaningul. Something that speaks. Something that people enjoy. Something that honors God. The problem is that I don't know how.

I sit down and try write out song lyrics or poetry, but words don't come out. I can't really paint or draw well. I have pictures in my head, but they don't translate from my head to my hand and onto paper. I can play my guitar okay, but, again, I have a problem with fitting the rhythms with lyrics.

So this sucks because I have a strange, deep desire to create something. It's almost a yearning. But this yearning is just not manifesting itself through my vain attempts at artistic endeavors.

Right now the best I can is to pray this prayer....

"God, help me to live life in such a way that expresses the beauty of your grace and your forgiveness, the beauty of your creation, the beauty of your love. I want to live a life that is artistic, that is meaningful, that shows people who you are. A life that honors You. A life filled with your love. God, give me the courage to take advantage of every second of every day, to experience the joy of life, to offer myself to You. I don't have long, Lord. Let me live with truth, with peace, with grace, and with uncompromising love. May my life be a song, a painting, a poem, a drama that speaks of Your unending faithfulness. May You receive everything that is good, and may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. May Your will be carried through in my life. May others see You through my song."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

2007-07-04T18:39:00.001-05:00

September 22 at the Smirnoff center in Dallas, my wife and I are going to see THE Dave Matthews Band in concert. Thus, I will be able to check off one of the top five artists that I want to see live. It's been too long since I've been to a great concert. To jam with Dave, click here.

P.S.
For a daily update on how little Sam is doing, see the bottom of my web page. Right now, s/he's about 9 weeks old. We find out if it's a boy or girl relatively soon. We can't wait until February!!!

GOD, I LOVE CHICKEN N' DUMPLINS

2007-06-29T19:24:00.000-05:00

My wife makes outstanding chicken n' dumplins. I ate them. They were excellent. My mouth celebrated.

And also I want to see Ratatouille (spelling?).

APPARENTLY I AM IN CAHOOTS WITH A CANDIDATE FOR THE POSITION OF ANTI-CHRIST...

2007-06-28T22:49:00.000-05:00

Yes. I may in fact be in cahoots with the anti-Christ. I am advertising him on my blog. Scroll down to the bottom of my page and look at the bottom link on the right-hand side. Then click this and look at number 4. That's right. Barack Obama is number four on the possible anti-Christ watch list.

Number 4.

What do I do now? Who do I vote for? I can't vote for Hillary. She's number two.

I can't vote for Gulianni. He's a pro-choice Republican. (cough, cough: Satan in disguise)

Maybe I can vote for Ron Paul!
no... he's against the war in Iraq.

I don't know what to do now. I thought I was doing okay by voting for a Christian Democrat, Barack Obama, but apparently he might be the anti-Christ.

OH! OF COURSE!!

I can vote for the anti-gay, anti-evolution, pro-war, ordained evangelical minister and REPUBLICAN candidate MIKE HUCKABEE even though he doesn't have any shot of winning the presidency whatsoever!!! I can go to heaven now because I'll be persecuted for my beliefs!!! YIPPEE!

Sorry Barack. You're a Muslim. And your name sounds too much like "Osama."

LOVE THE SINNER, HATE THE SIN?

2007-06-26T22:48:00.000-05:00

Scot McNight has some excellent thoughts on how Christians should/should not treat the homosexual community. He communicates well that the soundbite "Love the sinner, Hate the sin" seems to do more harm than good. When we talk about homosexuality, we often forget that we're dealing with people, and, honestly, Christians can treat the homosexual community like garbage when we act like homosexuality is only a black and white moral issue. Maybe homosexuality is a "sin," but we have to remember to treat all people with respect and dignity. When a homosexual hears "love the sinner, hate the sin," they will generally hear a message of hate rather than love. I agree with Scot that this phrase needs to be done away with. How about this? - "Love people, regardless." Please, read his post and browse through some of the comments right now. It will be worth your time.

STUDYING IS FUN, BUT ONLY WHEN I DON'T HAVE TO DO IT...

2007-06-25T23:24:00.001-05:00

I love learning and I love to study, especially when we're talking about Biblical literature. It literally changes my life. The only problem is that I have to do it right now (test tomorrow that I'm just now studying for). I want so bad to soak this stuff up, but I am having the darndest time trying to concentrate right now (possibly because I'm blogging rather than doing what I'm supposed to be doing right now?). I am never taking summer school again. It's way too compressed and stressful. I'm just not getting much out of it. With Cold Play rocking in the background of Common Grounds (Waco coffee shop), I would think that I would be able to stay focused (Cold Play has such an affect on my brain), but I just can't. I'm exhuasted from school. A break is needed!

Okay, okay, I'll stop whining and get back to work.

geez....

FIRST, THERE WAS DARK SIDE OF THE MOON AND THE WIZARD OF OZ, AND THEN CAME 'THE MONTGOMERY REDEMPTION'

2007-06-19T18:12:00.000-05:00

APPARENTLY I LOOK LIKE THESE FAMOUS PEOPLE...

2007-06-16T18:42:00.000-05:00

THIS IS BLOGWORTHY...

2007-06-16T17:10:00.000-05:00

Well I haven't blogged in like three months, but I finally found something that's blogworthy....

I'm going to be a dad!!! Shari is due sometime in early February to late January. We're thinking about the Sam - Sammy Luke for a boy and Samantha Lynn for a girl. We'll see if we change our minds or not. Not that anybody's reading my blog lately (for good reason), but what do you think about the names?

WHEN YOU CAN'T SLEEP... TRY POETRY.

2007-03-26T02:38:00.000-05:00

This is my sad attempt at poetry at 3 in the morning when I can't sleep...
Before you get too critical, please realize that I wrote this in 15 minutes. And it was late. And I don't write poetry. Nor do I read poetry. This is new for me.

Is this what I am?
Pushing and probing and prodding?
Am I without a hope or a faith?
Am I some wanderer who has lost his way?

Some men believe that I am.

Is this what I am?
Taking my questions
and plaguing those men
with atrocities of sulfur and ash?
Am I so foreign? Am I so strange?

But I am a man. This is all that I am.
I have no such power or luck.
If I may seek all who I am
I may find who I am to be truth.
I may find who I am to be peace.

On the other hand...

What if who I am was no such animal?
What if who I am was a fluke?

The atrocities of such an idea are...
Unimaginable.
Who I am might smite what I am.

But what if the best thing I did
was to take what I am
and keep prodding and probing and pushing?
What if the best thing I did was to keep moving on
and let those men say what they might?

Then would I become all that I am?
Or would who I am just shove me aside?

Through all of
these questions
and struggles
and hopes
and fears
one thing is clear:
I am not who I am.

And while we're at it
neither are you.

THIS IS HOLY WRIT, FOLKS...

2007-03-20T01:23:00.000-05:00

I love the humanity of scripture. Too often, we forget that people wrote the Bible. In I Cor. 1.14-17, we can see Paul getting anxious to get at his point. Here's what it says in the King James...

I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Now, I'm going to take some interpretive liberties, here, and I'm going to offer the version according Marc:

In fact, I thank God that I didn't have to baptize any of you so that no one can say that you were baptized into my name. Well, I didn't baptize anyone except Crispus and Gaius.
Oh, and now that I think about it I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I'm pretty sure I didn't baptize anyone else.
But that's not the point! For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel....

I love this little excerpt because we can totally see Paul thinking out loud. Most likely, he would have dictated his letters as someone wrote for him, and I love that we can almost see his thought process coming through in the letter.

I love that we can see the human aspect of scripture. We don't have to be afraid of the fact that God didn't dictate the Bible. To me, it's just incredibly neat that God used a guy like Paul to write some of the most influential literature of all time. And it's neat to see how God works through real people in real situations.

ON TODAY... OH, AND P.S., ON YESTERDAY

2007-03-19T00:22:00.000-05:00

I thank God for days like today. I woke up dreading the day. Sometimes Sundays are soooo long. But I love how God can just change your attitude, even when you're not aware that he's already done it. I don't even remember when my attitude changed. Maybe it was in the car on the way to church as I drove with no radio on. Maybe it was when I saw my wife at church. Maybe it was after church. I'm not sure. I just know that somewhere along the line my heart changed, and it wasn't on my own account.

Thus, thanks to God, I really had a wonderful day. We worked hard all afternoon, and we experienced what I thought was a wonderful worship time. Plus, any day I get to spend nearly all day with my wife is a good day.

It's always good to look back on the day and see how God works. On the other side of the coin, it's always good to look back and see how I've pushed God away. Even still, it's especially neat to see when God works in spite of me.

Oh, and P.S...
Yesterday, my wife and I got to go back to Mesquite to hang out with the folks.

I was able to see my little bro (who is a beast and a half) play some baseball. I only saw one of the games he played in, but he played in four. 2 J.V. games, and 2 Varsity. He had a game tying double in the top half of the last inning of the championship game in the varsity tournament (yes, that sentence had way too many prepositions). Too bad they lost the game in the bottom half of the inning.

We also had some wicked good Mexican food with Shari's parents, and some quality home-cooked fishies with my parents. It was a good time in general.

THE 'FUNDAMENTALS' OF THE FAITH

2007-03-09T16:08:00.000-06:00

Jesus Christ is Lord.

THE ARMSTRONG/HALPIN WEEKEND O' FUN

2007-02-23T13:40:00.000-06:00

I have no idea what that guy in the picture is saying, but I do know that I'm going to go skiing this weekend with my wife and some good friends, Joey and Ashley Armstrong. We're headed to Sipapu, New Mexico, near Taos, Red River, and Angel Fire. It's supposed to snow today before we leave, and when we get there the weather's going to be sunny and beautiful - almost perfect ski conditions, some might say. We leave tomorrow at 6 am, ski Sunday and Monday, and drive back on Tuesday. I couldn't ask for a better time to go skiing. There's not a whole lot of things that can beat going to the mountains, especially in such amazing conditions. So, I'll be back to the blogworld on Wednesday with some pictures and a report. Until next time...

Grace and Peace.

WHO STARTED THIS WHOLE DOUBLE TITLE THING? (OR WHY DO I ALWAYS SEEM TO FOLLOW THE CURRENT TRENDS?)

2007-02-22T17:36:00.000-06:00

Seriously, who started it, and why has it caught on with so many people? It works for me because I am by nature indecisive, and the double title allows me to not choose. Instead, I get to pick both of my ideas.

For some reason, I think David Crowder and his Collision CD are to blame, but did he get the idea from somewhere else? If we could get to the bottom of this I would be pleased.

I LOVE MY SCHOOL

2007-02-21T14:04:00.000-06:00

As of today, Truett is receiving a recommendation for reaccredition from the Association of Theological Schools for the maximum allotment of ten years. This is quite impressive for a school that is just over ten years old and hasn't even had its own building for more than five years. Truett has risen out of the ashes of an ugly conflict within Baptist life, and it has created a truly wonderful environment in which students entering into the ministry can learn, grow, and ultimately flourish into the people that God would have them become. It's funny how God takes people and situations that are so broken and mends them into something beautiful. I thank God that I get to be a part of such a place, and I look forward to the great things that the people of Truett Seminary will accomplish for the Kingdom of God.

FAT TUESDAY

2007-02-20T13:41:00.000-06:00

In honor of fat Tuesday, I will be drinking much caffeine today, and I will probably go to Starbucks again later tonight (I had a lovely grande estima this morning before class). Hopefully the caffeine buzz I will get from today carries over until Easter.

HAPPY PRESIDENTS' DAY

2007-02-19T22:51:00.000-06:00

In honor of everyone's favorite holiday, here's my top 5 favorite presidents:

#5

Lyndon B. Johnson

It's not so much that I'm a huge fan of his accomplishments or his policies or anything like that, but any man who isn't afraid to pick his nose on television is okay in my book.

Theodore Roosevelt

"Speak softly and carry a big stick." That's all anyone needs to say about Teddy.

Abraham Lincoln

Abe undoubtedly had the most difficult task of any president. The fact that he kept the nation together and was able to free the slaves in the process ranks him pretty high on my list.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Polio. The Great Depression. World War II. I mean, the man was elected for four terms despite all of these things and then some. George W. wouldn't have lasted a day.

George Washington

One of the great American heroes of all time. A general, a patriot, a politician, and a president. Plus, he was able to keep the federalists and anti-federalists from killing each other while he was in office, which is more than we can say about Thomas Jefferson.

AT WAR WITH MYSELF, AND WHY I CAN'T GET OFF THE LAZY TRAIN

2007-02-19T16:10:00.000-06:00

There is so much that I want to do, and so much that I want to accomplish. But, man, am I lazy. My goal at the beginning of this semester was to wake up at 6 am each day to start the routine. I would run or do some yoga, then have time for prayer or spiritual reading, then go to class at 8 and start the rest of the day...

That lasted a week.

Now I have a hard time waking up 20 minutes before class because, at best, I don't go to sleep until midnight. Needless to say, I don't get my workout in, and I have a hard time taking time out for prayer and Bible reading. This is a constant struggle for me. Why can't I just do it? If I would take time out for prayer, I would become more aware of God throughout the day. If I would take time to work out, I would have more energy throughout the week. It sounds to me like this should be an easy decision. Just friggin' do it, Marc.

I'll do it tomorrow.

You didn't do it tommorrow.

Ok, next week.

You didn't do it next week, either.

When summer starts, I'll be all over it.

Yeah, right. We'll see...

So what is this thing inside of me that is so lazy? Is it like that little mechanical worm thing in The Matrix? Can I have a surgical procedure to remove it? That would be nice. But I don't think it's possible. Maybe if I ask God to fix me up, that would work. But that hasn't happened yet, either. Paul talks about this in Romans 7, but that doesn't provide me with any practical advice. Maybe Joel Osteen can help me, but then again, maybe not.

This isn't just a problem of not working out or not praying. It's starting to infect my whole life. I've jumped on the lazy train and it's not stopping. Something tells me I'm not completely alone on this one, though. I think I heard someone yelling in the car next to me. Any advice on how to jump off?

ME AND HONEST ABE

2007-02-16T17:29:00.001-06:00

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

ON SECOND THOUGHT...

2007-02-16T12:42:00.000-06:00

I've been struggling lately with how to deal in my own mind with church politics, baptist wars, and things of similar nature. For a lot of people this stuff is old hat, and they're ready to move on. But I'm just recently learning about it as a second semester student at Truett, and I don't know how to deal with it. Part of me wants to say, "screw it," and then move on and do my own thing and my own ministry, but then part of me can't let it go. That second part, that part that can't let it go, is there for the most part because of my love for the church. I long to see the day when all denominations can work together for a common cause - the cause of the gospel, and I look forward to the day when the Church will stand with one voice to proclaim, "Jesus is Lord." And furthermore, I look ahead to the day when we don't just say "Jesus is Lord," but we live out that belief in community with one another. That's not to say that denominations won't exist, but it is to say that denominational groups can work together.

That being said, this is why the SBC frustrates me to no end. This is why statements like "voodoo ecumenism" drive me insane (read this post for further explanation). Now, I don't have a problem with being conservative. In fact, I would say that it's necessary for growth that there be a tension between 'conservative' and 'liberal' within the church. Disagreement on how to follow Jesus can be very helpful. Disagreement helps us to think outside of ourselves. Disagreement helps us to see another point of view. Disagreement forces us to dig deeper and deeper into the meaning of true discipleship. BUT, when disagreement causes us to shove others away, when disagreement causes us to excommunicate a brother or sister outside of our community without regard to redemption and love, then we have gone too far. And whether you like it or not, that's exactly what the SBC has done. They have demonized even moderate baptists as "liberals" and kicked them out. They have fired professors and theologians who, even though they are thoroughly baptist, do not hold to the exact beliefs that the SBC holds. Apparently, the "liberals" aren't good enough to carry the gospel along with them. I'm not saying that everyone who sits on the "liberal" side of the fence is innocent, but I am saying that they have been wronged.

Now, I believe that Jesus calls us to pursue peace with everything we have. In the previous post on this issue, 'Voodoo Ecumenism,' I had a friend comment and say that it's not the right time for a movement to unite baptists. I responded by saying that maybe he was right, maybe the issues are too fresh in people's minds. Well, after thinking about my response, I recant. No, now is always the right time to pursue peace. Whether we disagree doctrinally or not, Jesus calls us to the cross. That means that we have to die to ourselves and our own agendas and pursue the cause of Christ. We have to cooperate with the Church body in order to pursue such peace. We have to be reconciled to one another. There is no excuse for labeling one another. There is no excuse for demonizing an effort of cooperation. Such action is inherently antithetical to the gospel.

Dr. Hulitt Gloer, in As You Go... An Honest Look at the First Followers of Jesus, says it better than I would ever be able to:

... no relationship exists that cannot be reconciled in and by the power of the love of Christ. This love binds people of the most diverse backgrounds into a new community in which they become one. It unites people with widely varying views and lifestyles and, therefore, becomes an incarnation in the world of the reconciling love of Christ.
As disciples we must ask ourselves if we are open to those who may be different from us - socially, racially, economically, politically, even religiously. Would people with as diverse views as those reflected by Simon [the zealot] and Matthew [the tax collector] find room in our fellowship? What about those situations where we find ourselves disagreeing over doctrinal matters? Do we rush ahead in our zeal to exclude those with whom we disagree? Are we open to discovering the authenticity of their relationship to Christ and their commitment to Christ's lordship? Are we willing to allow our relationships to be controlled by the love of Christ?

With everything I have, I think that God calls us to pursue peace within baptist life and beyond. That's why it makes me sick to my stomach that we can describe with all accuracy the recent baptist conflicts as 'war.' The issues that were fought over were hardly worth such harsh actions and terminology. And the fact that Paige Patterson himself says that he would do it all over again despite the hurt that it has caused people on both sides makes me sick to my stomach. That's why I will continue to search for peace and reconciliation, even with as small a voice as I have.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY -AND- happy birthday mom

2007-02-14T12:17:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day to my most favoritest person in the whole world, and also the most beautifulest, and also the most funnest (pretty much what I'm trying to say is)...

I love you, Shari.

Also, Happy Birthday Mom

(not that you read my blog or even know what a blog is).

I HAD ONE OF THOSE RANDOM, YET SURREAL 'I LOVE LIFE MOMENTS' TONIGHT

2007-02-13T23:19:00.000-06:00

Do you ever see God in the little things? I think,more than anything, it's the little things that keep me in love with life and with God...

Of all the ways that God shows himself, usually the greatest are in the mundane, seemingly everyday things. It's like in I Kings when Elijah expects God to come in the earthquake, and the wind, and all the other 'big stuff,' but he didn't come. Instead he came in the gentle whisper. Some translations might say sheer silence. Anywho, I had one of those moments tonight. You know, one of those moments when you're just sitting there and it's like this wave of joy comes on you, as if God was physically manifested before your very eyes. One of those moments when you're just glad to be alive. One of those moments when you can actually feel the presence of God in a way you've never felt before. One of those moments when you're thankful for everything you've ever been given.

After I'm done rambling and you actually hear the story, you're going to think, "Really? That's it?" And I'll quietly respond, "Yep. That's it."

So I was sitting at my computer as my beautiful wife Shari played with the cat. I was listening to David Crowder on iTunes, and she was chasing the cat up and down the stairs. I just watched.

And then it hit me.

It was one of those instantaneous experiences when a rush of emotions and thoughts and experiences hit you. You're thinking a thousand different things, but at the same time one thing. You're laughing on the inside, yet crying. It's kind of like your mind is floating away from your body. It was kind of like that nervous feeling you get on a first date, or the sheer joy you feel when the doors open and your fiance appears in that beautiful white dress. It was more of a feeling than anything, so I can't really put it to words, but I'll try...

God is here. God is in this thing we call life. God is love. God just is. And God is inside of me, and he is inside of my wife. He is the driving force of our marriage. I am so happy to be alive because I get to try and understand God. And I get to enjoy life in the process. I get to love my wife, and I get to experience her love for me. I get to study and to learn. I get to read and study the scriptures. I get to share my knowledge. I get to work at a church. I get to minister and get paid for it. With all of its faults, God has made the world, and He has made it good. God is in this world, and he is working and he is making himself known. God is good. God is wonderful. God is life. God is our bread, our means, our joy, our hope, our expectation, our strength, our love, our breath, our philosophy, our ideas, our purpose, our reason for living, and on and on and on and on...

Basically, I love God, and I love my wife, and I love life itself.

I'm about to go to bed. I'll probably sleep like a baby.

'VOODOO ECUMENISM'

2007-02-12T10:11:00.000-06:00

In I Corinthians 1.10-13, Paul begs the church he writes to to be of one mind:

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?

When I look at this passage I can't help but wonder what we're doing. Maybe I'm an idealistic dreamer, but I greatly desire for the Church to work together and to be of one mind. Obviously, we're going to disagree on doctrinal issues and things of the like, but why can't we work together for the cause of the gospel?

Recently, I read an article in the Baptist Standard discussing a movement led by Jimmy Carter that would unite 40 Baptist denominations in the U.S. and Canada "behind an agenda of compassionate ministry." But, the article reads, "Southern Baptist officials harshly rejected Jimmy Carter’s effort to unite all Baptists in North America under a compassion agenda, calling the ambitious plan “voodoo ecumenism” and a thinly veiled Democratic strategy to woo values voters (if you click on the link, you can read the article)."

I look at Baptisdom in the U.S. today, and I wonder what Paul would have said. At the very least, he wouldn't be happy with us. If you ask me, he may have said something like this:

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.... I have been informed that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: some of you say, "I will not tolerate anything but a belief in inerrancy of scripture!" others say, "We must have women in ministry!" others say, "I cannot work with you fundamentalists!" and others say, "I cannot work with you liberals!"
But is Christ divided? Were you baptized into name of the SBC? What about the CBF? OF COURSE NOT!! You were baptized into the name of Christ! For goodness sake - stop badmouthing each other and work together! Stop labeling each other and become united in the love of Christ!...

Am I totally off base here? Am I dreaming? It seems to me that the one movement that could become a uniting effort (the one spoken of in the article) may actually further the divide. I'm not going to say who's fault it is on this issue; one, because it doesn't matter, and two, because fault lies on both sides of the fence.

One last beef: why in the world would someone call a uniting effort of baptists 'voodoo ecumenism?' What does that even mean? How could you so blatantly question another Christian's motives - especially when they are trying to unite people? For heaven's sake, they're not even trying to unite baptists with other denominations. This is hardly true ecumenism. They're just trying to get baptists to work together, a task that is becoming more and more difficult by the year because of statements like 'voodoo ecumenism.'

and i struggle...

why, oh, why am I a baptist?

THE FAILURE OF DEMOCRACY -OR- why america shouldn't be allowed to pick things

2007-02-08T15:21:00.000-06:00

Evidence A:

2006 American Idol Winner

Taylor Hicks

Evidence B:

Josh Blue:

2006 Last Comic Standing Winner

Evidence C:

2004 Democratic Presidential Nominee:

John Kerry

Evidence D:

2000 AND 2004 American President Elect

George W. Bush

NEOLITHIC LOVE

2007-02-07T10:07:00.000-06:00

Recently, archeologists discovered two 5,000 to 6,000 year old skeletons hugging each other. According to the article, archeologists have never found a double burial in this period, much less two people hugging. Sorry Shakespeare, but it looks to me like this might be the original Romeo and Juliette. Read the full story here.

THE JESUS PRAYER

2007-02-06T00:06:00.000-06:00

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

That's all it is. Just one simple little sentence. Over the past week of practicing this little prayer, I have become more aware of God's presence around me and inside of me. It keeps me in tune with Paul's ideal, "pray without ceasing." By no means do I have it all together spiritually now, but I can already see growth.

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

The idea is simple. Don't confuse it with a formula, though. It's definitely not a one step process to a fuller and more meaningful spiritual life. But it is a start.

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Pray the prayer over and over again. Get it ingrained in your head. Let it seep into your inner-most thoughts.

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Pray when you wake up.
Pray when you drive to work or school.
Pray when you exercise.
Pray on your break.
Pray before you eat.
Pray while you eat.
Pray as you fall asleep.

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

I am starting to learn to let this prayer permeate my life. It puts me in my place and God in his. It connects me with the ultimate reality. It gives me the words to say. It allows me listen. Join me in this prayer. It is not the end-all be-all exercise that will connect you with God, but it is a help. Try it with me. See how constant prayer can change your outlook on life, how it can change your attitude and your perspective as you go throughout your day.

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner..."

LAST CALL

2007-01-31T21:55:00.000-06:00

So it just dawned on me that today is the last chance I will have to post an entry for the month of January 2007. I'd better do it now, or it will never happen. I'm not going to lie, I miss blogging, but as I've stated before, of all the things I need to do blogging should be the lowest priority. Suffice it to say that January 2007 is not a highlight month for thehalpinatorlives. Stay tuned, though. I promise I'll write something soon, most likely a response to Hicks' question in my last post.

BRICKIANITY AND THE ART OF FILM

2006-12-18T02:32:00.000-06:00

Why is it that some in the conservative Christian circle have such a hard time with people who call into question long-standing doctrines and traditions? I don't understand... Shouldn't we constantly be seeking to question and probe what we believe, how we think, and how we act? Shouldn't we constantly try to be more and more like Christ? The purpose of questioning and criticizing is not to destroy. The purpose is to build.

It's like a football team (or any sports team for that matter). When I played high school football, we watched film from games and from practice almost everyday. We didn't watch it to confirm that we were always doing the right thing. We didn't watch for fun - God knows it wasn't fun. We watched film to try and get better. We tried to figure out what we as a team and as individuals were doing wrong. Then, after noting the mistakes, we would apply what we learned from the film to practice, and hopefully this would affect our game. For us, it worked quite nicely, seeing as we went undefeated and won a 2001 5A State Title (quick plug for Mesquite HS).

Shouldn't the church do something similar? Shouldn't we take a step back every now and then to see if we're doing the right things, believing the right things, and placing our faith and trust in the right things? If we don't, then the church is headed in a very unsafe direction. We could very well set ourselves up for failure.

In his book Velvet Elvis, I think that Rob Bell says it well. He explains two types of faith. One type of faith is compared to a brick wall, which he calls Brickianity. In Brickianity, Christians have a hard set of beliefs that are essential to their faith - a system that cannot be compromised. What happens, though, if the brick wall they build starts losing some of the bricks? For instance, what happens (this happened to me when I came to college) if one day you learn that the battle of Jericho most likely never happened, and you believe in a scripture that is completely historically and scientifically accurate? Or worse, (this one is purely hypothetical and kind of silly) what would happen if all of a sudden we found indisputable evidence that Jesus had a real earthly dad and his name was Earl? One by one the bricks fall out and the walls of Brickianity come crashing down.

Rob Bell goes on to explain a different kind of faith - a faith that he compares to a trampoline. In this kind of faith, Jesus is the foundation, or the mat, if you will. The mats are held up by springs, or different sets of doctrine and belief, if you will (and you better). If you have flexible doctrine, if you don't see yourself as always being right, then when your faith is challenged there isn't as much of a problem. Let's look back at scripture as an example. When I learned that the Bible might not be completely historically and scientifically accurate, my view of scripture was forced to change. I don't necessarily hold to that view anymore. I do, however, hold scripture in a very high esteem. Scripture is the authoritative and inspired word from God for Christians. For me, the springs stayed in line, but they changed and it's okay. My faith wasn't destroyed. When we have a faith that is open to questions and a faith that is ready to be challenged, then we can jump on the trampoline and be secure that the mat will not fall.

I think that the church needs to be willing to accept the challenges that people give it. We are coming into an age when more and more people are questioning the church's way of doing things socially, politically, ecclesialogically, theologically, etc. It's time for people to stop being so offended when others question and challenge their faith. Who are you to think that you've got all the right doctrine and belief? Odds are that 99% of Christians over the 20 centuries of Christian history would disagree with you on at least five different things that you believe about Jesus. Who are you, oh man, to say that you have God figured out? Do you have your own God in a box? I, for one, believe that God is much bigger than my belief (that's an odd statement isn't it?). I believe that I'm at least a little wrong on most things concerning the God of the universe. God is God, we are not. Let's have some humility.

So, rather than taking offense at challenges, stop and listen. Rather than lashing out, respond in Christ's love. That doesn't mean we have to agree on everything. It just means that we as a church need to work together to try and figure out the best way possible to follow Jesus in our own day and age.

THE A- SYSTEM IS FLAWED -AND- WHY I HATE THE NUMBER 3.75

2006-12-14T21:19:00.000-06:00

If it weren't for the A- grading scheme, Marc (yes, as in the 3rd person) would have a 4.0 this semester. Boo. As far as I'm concerned, 90+ equals A. That means 4.0. I'm usually not one to complain about grades, especially when they're good grades, but really? Why does a 93 average deserve to get fewer gradepoints than a 95? I'd rather work less hard, get an 88 for a B+ and be done with it. The A- system is almost punishment for doing well. So, rather than 4.0, I have a slightly tarnished 3.93. Again, I'm not really complaining, but don't you see how that's a little frustrating? Not frustrating like: "AAAAAAHHH I hate myself", but frustrating like: "Dangit, man. Oh well." It's just enough to bother you a bit.

So there's my rant for the day.

Oh, and by the way. This is why I haven't blogged in three weeks. I don't expect anyone in their right mind to read this. The length is just an illustration of how much I've been writing. This is on the gospel of Mark. We also had to write on Matthew, Luke, John, and Acts, but they're not quite as long. This is my A- ...

A Commentary on the Gospel of Mark

Mark 1:1… “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah.”

1. A Roman inscription announcing the birth of Caesar Augustus proclaimed that the “birthday of the God [Augustus] was the beginning for the world of the good news that has come to humanity through him….” Caesar Augustus brought about the Pax Romana. Before him, Rome was plagued by civil war, insecure borders, and various internal problems. Augustus put an end to the civil war by defeating his enemies and gained the title of emperor. He also built road systems which improved military capabilities throughout the empire, namely the threatened border areas, and which improved trade and commerce. Plus, he was able to secure the Mediterranean, which in the past was a hotbed for pirating. Before Augustus, it was extremely dangerous to travel by sea. In a nutshell, Augustus “brought security and stability to [the people of Rome’s] agrarian and urban lives – for many, for the first time in their lives! (DeSilva, 58). All throughout the Roman Empire Caesar was hailed as a god and as the bringer of the will of the gods. This emperor worship quickly developed into the Roman Imperial cult which would pose a major threat to Christians in the future.
When Mark wrote his gospel, he was trying to counter the good news of the Roman emperor. For Mark, the good news of God did not exist in the powers of this world. It may have seemed like Rome had the gods behind it. It may have seemed like Rome was all powerful. After all, Rome controlled the known world. Mark, however, in writing about “the good news about Jesus the Messiah” was saying that Rome did not have the authority of the gods. The one, true God sent His good news into the world through the person of Jesus of Nazareth, God in the flesh. This good news is counter-cultural; it is contrary to the ideals of the Roman Empire. It appears by the circumstances of the day that Caesar is sovereign, but Mark is calling on his readers to not be deceived by appearances. Indeed, Jesus is sovereign. It appears that Caesar is son of god, but Mark is calling his readers to realize that Jesus is the one, true Son of God. It appears that Caesar, through the Pax Romana, has brought the will of the gods, but, in fact, Jesus has brought about the will of God through his sacrifice on the cross. Mark is calling his readers to not be deceived by what appears to be reality, but to accept God’s reality.

2. The good news of Jesus Christ encompasses everything about Jesus. It includes his message, his passion, his miracles, his words, his stories, his redemptive power, etc., etc. In short, the good news of Jesus Christ is Jesus Christ. He is the bringer of the Kingdom of God, and he is the manifestation of God’s will. God brings his story to completion in Jesus. Yet, God continues to work in the world through His spirit. Mark notes that the life of Jesus is merely the beginning. The good news of Jesus can be seen in Mark’s gospel, and that good news can take hold in the life of the community and the life of the individual. Jesus’ message is life-altering, and when applied, it brings about the will of God on earth.

3. Jesus is given the title Messiah, or Christ, which means anointed one. In the Jewish context, this title would have provoked different ideas. Mainly, this idea would have brought about images of a Davidic king who would restore the kingdom of Judah. In the Old Testament, the term Messiah is usually used to describe an earthly king who is given talent, authority, and leadership by God. The ideal Messiah brings about an earthly kingdom of God that unashamedly follows the will of Yahweh as set forth in Torah. In the Jewish-Roman context, Jews would have expected the Messiah to overthrow Roman rule in Palestine for good and bring about God’s rule for the Jews. By the time Mark is writing his gospel, the political and societal angst of the Jews influences a strong Messianic belief system. They highly expect for God to bring His Messiah in order to overthrow Roman rule.

The title of Christ is given to Jesus in the following passages:
Mark 8:29. Peter responds to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?” by calling him the Christ. In this passage, the disciples recognize that other people think he is a prophet something else. Here, Peter is the first in the narrative to give him the title of Christ. Peter probably expects that Jesus will bring about an earthly kingdom which might explain why Jesus tells him not to tell anyone that he is Christ, and it also brings insight into Peter’s later denial of Jesus. When Jesus is about to be crucified Peter is distraught because he thinks that Jesus would have brought about the will of God in a completely different way. Peter makes the confession but “remains ignorant of its true meaning” (DeSilva, 203). It is clear that Jesus takes the title of Christ and uses it in a completely different way than anyone expects.
Mark 9:41. Jesus tells his disciples that they belong to the Messiah. The disciples are mad because there is another group of people ministering in the name of Jesus. Jesus, of course, supports the other group, “For whoever is not against us is for us.” This passage informs us that there were groups outside of the core group of disciples who were proclaiming Jesus.
Mark 14:61-62. The high priest asks Jesus if he is the Christ, and in turn, Jesus responds, “I am.” Here, Jesus finally reveals himself to his persecutors. For the priests it is open blasphemy, and for them Jesus’ crucifixion is proof that Jesus was not, in fact, the Messiah. But, for the disciples, Jesus will reveal his true nature through his crucifixion and subsequently his resurrection.
Mark 15:32. The Jewish leaders witnessing his crucifixion jeer at him and ironically call him the Christ. Even though they do not believe in him and even though he is being crucified, Jesus’ true nature cannot be taken away. It is affirmed in his resurrection.

Jesus is also given the title son of God. This title would have invoked imagery from a Roman perspective and a Jewish perspective. From the Roman perspective, the audience would have thought of Caesar. Caesar was thought to be a son of the gods, and he was worshiped as such. From the Jewish perspective, it would have brought about the thought of one who would bring about God’s kingdom. However, this term would be more connected with divinity than Messiah.

The title son of God is given to Jesus in the following passages:
1. Mark 3:11. When Jesus casts out demons, the demons recognize him as the son of God. Jesus tells them to be quiet because he does not want them to reveal his true nature just yet. This verse gives striking testimony to the authority of Jesus. He is much more than an earthly Messiah. He has a divine presence that even the demons shudder at his feet.
2. Mark 5:7. Jesus casts out several demons in one man into a herd of pigs, and the demons fear Jesus, calling him “Jesus, son of the most high God.” Again, Jesus asserts his divine authority over the powers of darkness. Even though humans cannot blatantly see who Jesus is, the spirits know and understand exactly who he is.
3. Mark 15:39. Upon seeing the way that Jesus dies, a Roman centurion declares, “Surely, this man was the Son of God!” He is the first person to recognize Jesus’ status after his death, which is interesting because he is not even Jewish. This is a blatant attempt to show that the gospel of Jesus is open to Jews and Gentiles alike.

Mark 1:2-15… The Ministry of John the Baptist and the Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry

1. Mark is the only synoptic gospel to not mention the birth of Jesus. I think that this is because, for Mark, the ministry of John completely and adequately prepares the way for Jesus. The message of Jesus begins with John, as Mark shows us through his proof text in verse 2. John prepares the way for Jesus’ ministry.

2. The Prophecy (1:2-3). This quote comes from Isaiah 40:3. For Mark, it shows that John the Baptist is the one who prepares the way for Jesus. This further validates who Jesus is because it shows the reader that prophecy has been fulfilled, namely prophecy about the one who comes before Jesus. DeSilva writes that “John’s message has to do wholly with this role” (the role of preparation) in the gospel of Mark (207). This can be seen in the repetition within the quote – John is the one who “prepare[s] the way for the Lord.”

3. John the Baptist (1:4-8). In 2 Kings 1:8 Elijah is described as one “with a leather belt around his waist.” Then, in Malachi 4:5-6 it says that God will send Elijah before the day of the Lord. Mark describes John as wearing a leather belt, which is a clear reference to Elijah. Mark is implying through this imagery that John is indeed the forerunner to Jesus. Then, in verse 7, John outright says it, “After me comes one more powerful than I….” John is a powerful and important prophet and a great man of God, but John pales in comparison to Jesus the Messiah.

4. Jesus’ Baptism (1:9-11). In comparing the baptism accounts in the synoptic gospels, there are important differences to note. In Matthew but neither Mark nor Luke, John protests to Jesus that he does not have the authority to baptize him. In Matthew and Mark Jesus sees the Spirit descend on him and the voice from Heaven speaks specifically to Jesus, but in Luke it does not make this distinction. This seems to suggest that in Luke, others besides Jesus saw and heard the Spirit descending. Also in Luke, Jesus is baptized along with several other people; there is no mention of this in Matthew and Mark. In Luke, the spirit descends upon Jesus as he is praying and not in the other gospels.
The phrase “the heavens were opened” is in all three accounts. In Ezekiel 1:1 the phrase is used to show that God gave Ezekiel a vision to proclaim. It represents God’s call for Ezekiel to begin his ministry. In Psalm 78 God opens the heavens to bring Mannah in order to sustain the people of Israel in the wilderness. In Genesis 7, the floodgates of the heavens were opened so that God could bring destruction. Similarly in Isaiah 24 God opens the floodgates of heaven to bring punishment. In Acts 10, Peter sees a vision in which God opens the heavens to show him that all animals are fit to eat. The most useful of these passages for our purposes is Ezekiel. Just as Ezekiel, God opens the heavens to mark the beginning of Jesus ministry. The broader use of this imagery shows us that when God opens the heavens, he is preparing to act – whether through destruction or through formation. His majesty is revealed both in his justice and in his grace.

5. Jesus’ Temptation (1:12-13). The phrase “wild beasts” almost always refers to danger or to uncertainty in the New and Old Testaments. The wild beasts are usually associated with the wilderness and/or God’s judgment (Ezek. 5:17, Ezek. 14:15, Deut. 32:24, Psalm 74:19, Zeph. 2:15, Rev. 6:8). When Mark says that Jesus was with the wild beasts, he probably means simply that he had to overcome temptation. Had Jesus given in to the temptation, his ministry and his life would have been destroyed by the “wild beasts.”

6. The Good News (1:14-15). The Kingdom of God has complex meanings. Basically, the Kingdom of God is represented in God’s people. God brings about His kingdom through Christ, and the church furthers that kingdom. The Kingdom is both of this world and the next. It is here and now and in the future. The Kingdom of God is here when the people of God act as agents of God’s love. I believe this is what Jesus meant when he says that “the kingdom of God is near.” If God’s people follow the message of Jesus, Jesus’ “earthly kingdom” comes about naturally. It is a kingdom of love, forgiveness, acceptance, grace, etc., etc., etc.
There is a quick reference in verse 14 to John’s imprisonment. In part, this marks the completion of John’s ministry and the beginning of the full-fledged ministry of Jesus. It sets the stage for Jesus to take over. It also shows to the reader that bearing the name of Jesus is not easy. John is merely the first of many to be persecuted for teaching God’s righteousness. This is shown in full when Jesus himself is crucified, and it brings added meaning to Jesus’ phrase, “Take up your cross and follow me.”

Mark 1:16-45… The One With Authority

1. Call to Discipleship (1:16-20). In the gospel of Mark, Jesus’ call is quick and simple. He simply tells these particular fishermen to “come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.” The Old Testament references to fishing (Jer. 16:14-16, Ezek. 29:4, Hab. 1:14-17) apply a more negative connotation. It is either referenced as God’s wrath or the evil of man. Jesus, however, turns that upside down. They are “fishing” to find people who will follow God’s will. They are not shepherding because shepherds already have their flock, and they keep their flock safe. Fishermen, on the other hand, go out and look for more. Fisherman bring the fish out of the water, or allegorically, out of their old way of life. I think that this is important for understanding Jesus’ all-inclusive message.

2. Authority to Heal (1:21-34). In verse 22, Mark tells us that Jesus was a great teacher and that people were amazed at his teaching, and he also tells us that Jesus spoke as one “with authority, not as the teachers of the law.” The contemporary relevance of this passage, more than anything, is that it affirms the greatness of Jesus in the minds of the people. Jesus is much more than a great teacher or prophet. He is, as the demon admits, “the Holy One of God.” It is easy to get caught up in the world of demons in this passage, but I think that the overall point is that Jesus has the authority from God that no one else has. For us, if this passage reveals that Jesus had authority over sickness and demonic or unclean spirits, then how much the more can Jesus have authority over our lives? If we are to submit to his authority, then we are submitting to Holy One of God.
(1:41-45). When Jesus heals leprosy, this is a big deal because it “represents the manifestation of sin that only God can heal.” Earlier in chapter one Jesus is casting out demons and healing unnamed sicknesses, but this passage sets the stage for 2:1-12 in which Jesus openly forgives sin. Jesus can heal sickness which is caused by sin, thus he also has the power to forgive sin. This power, of course, drives the Pharisees crazy. It’s blasphemy! Jesus is able to overcome that criticism, though, because before Jesus speaks forgiveness, he demonstrates his power for forgiveness. Later, this pattern can be seen more fully when Jesus demonstrates his power to forgive on the cross.

3. A Pattern for Ministry (1:35-39). Early on in Mark’s gospel we see that Jesus spends a great amount of time in prayer. He prayed first thing in the morning while it was still “very dark.” This suggests to me that, for Jesus, this was one of the, if not the, most important things he could do. He got his power from prayer and meditation. He had to devote the dark hours of the morning to God so that he could effectively minister during the day. It is also important that Jesus found solitude. Jesus had to have alone time with God before he could minister to others. It leads me to believe that Jesus did this every day. If not every day, it must have been often. This passage speaks volumes to our daily lives today. If Jesus, the son of God, the Christ, the one who casts out demons, has to find solitude and pray first thing in morning for hours on end, then how much the more should we pray? How much the more do we need to seek God so that we can become more like Him?

Mark 2:1 – 3:6… The Controversy Stories

(2:1-12)
1. The precipitating event: Jesus forgives the sins of the paralytic.
2. The religious leaders’ objections: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
3. Jesus’ response: “Which is easier to say…?”
4. Conclusion: The paralytic is healed.

(2:13-17)
1. The precipitating event: Jesus calls Levi the tax collector and eats with him.
2. The religious leaders’ objections: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
3. Jesus’ response: “…I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

(2:18-22)
1. The precipitating event: Jesus’ disciples do not fast like John’s.
2. The religious leaders’ objections: “How come your disciples don’t fast?”
3. Jesus’ response: They are guests of the bridegroom…

(2:23-28)
1. The precipitating event: Picking grain on the Sabbath.
2. The religious leaders’ objections: “Why are they breaking the Sabbath?”
3. Jesus’ response: David eats the bread of the high priest, the Sabbath is made for man, the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.

(3:1-6)
1. The religious leaders’ objections: The religious leaders look to accuse Jesus for working on the Sabbath.
2. Jesus’ response: “Which is lawful on the Sabbath, to do good or evil…?”
3. Conclusion: Jesus heals the crippled hand.
4. Epilogue: The Pharisees plot against Jesus.

When I look at the theme developed in these stories, I cannot help but think of Matthew 11:29-30. Jesus says that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Each of these stories shows that Jesus is more concerned with loving God and loving neighbor than with following specific regulations. It is more important to focus on serving neighbor than to focus on the observance of law/oral tradition. Jesus is definitely not willing to fold to the religious leaders and their traditions.
Verse 3:6 characterizes the Pharisees. For one, it summarizes their response to Jesus in this particular passage. No matter what good Jesus does, the Pharisees have hardened their hearts to him. They are not open to Jesus’ message, but they are stuck in their own traditions. In addition, it sets the stage for their attitude towards Jesus throughout the gospel. They have already made their mind up about Jesus, and no matter what he does, they will seek to destroy him.

Summary Questions:

1. How would you characterize Jesus up to this point in the narrative? What does he do and say?
Early on, we see that Jesus is one with power and authority. Upon his baptism, God opens the heavens to signify that Jesus is starting his ministry and that God is fully behind him. He teaches with authority, he casts out demons, he heals the sick, and he challenges tradition. Jesus’ message is one of love and forgiveness, but at the same time he is bold and willing to challenge the status quo.

2. Why does Jesus command the leper to say nothing to anyone?
DeSilva writes that ‘the Messianic secret’ can be explained because discipleship “cannot be properly lived until the confession ‘Jesus is the Christ’ is stripped of its misunderstandings and seen in light of the passion” (202). In other words, Jesus tells the leper not to spread the word that Jesus might be the Christ because no one quite understands exactly what that means yet within the narrative framework of the gospel. Most people thought that the Messiah would bring about an earthly kingdom for Israel. Jesus’ message, however, is quite contrary to that. His message is about a way of life, not about bringing power. His disciples do not completely understand this until after the resurrection.

3. The effect of the use of the term immediately…
1:12, 1:18, 1:20, 1:30, 1:42, 1:43, 2:8
The word immediately occurs several times in chapters 1 and 2. It makes the flow of the narrative very fast, and the reader jumps quickly from story to story. It seems to me that the effect shows that Jesus was constantly at work in ministry, and he was very effective and powerful.

4. Questions for class…
- Besides Malachi 4:5-6, why is Elijah the important prophet that John represents over against any other of the prophets?
- Why do we not experience demonic activity as openly as the gospels seem to suggest Jesus and the disciples did?
- In reference to the confrontation stories, what potentially harmful traditions do we hold tightly to like the Pharisees? What would Jesus rebuke us for?
- We know from history that the Pharisees were much more than mindless legalists, but was the gospel writer trying to portray the Pharisees as legalists?
- Why in the world do the disciples just drop at everything without any kind of persuasion to follow this guy from Nazareth?
- Aside from quick narrative flow, why is the word immediately used so often? I really don’t know.

Mark 3:7 – 6:6a…

1. Summary (3:7-12). Mark summarizes the deeds of Jesus in this passage. This has a few effects on the narrative. For one, it shows that Mark cannot tell every story about Jesus. There are far too many to choose from, so the author must pick and choose which stories fit his purpose best. The life and ministry of Jesus is too great to be completely written out. The gospel of John says it well, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (John 21:25). The fact that Jesus does so much further elaborates on his power from God, and it further illustrates just how incredible he is. In a way, the summaries provide an extra emphasis on the miracles of Jesus.
The summaries given in Mark also serve as a transition. For example, in 3:7-12, is placed in between the five confrontation stories and the appointing of the twelve. In 6:12-13, the summary of the disciples’ works is placed before the flashback of John the Baptist’s beheading, and in 6:53-55, a summary separates two nature miracles with a confrontation story. The summaries add emphasis to the greatness of Jesus’ ministry, but they also prepare the reader for a shift in the story. The summaries in Mark can be found in 1:29-34; 3:7-12; 6:12-13; 6:53-56.

2. The Twelve (3:13-19a). The number twelve has symbolic meaning. It represents completion. Jesus chooses twelve because through these twelve disciples, Jesus’ ministry will be complete. When Jesus is gone, the disciples will have sufficient leadership and ability to continue his ministry. Practically speaking, twelve disciples offer enough diversity and at the same time enough continuity to work effectively together. In other words, Jesus did not pick too many or too few.
Jesus calls the twelve for three reasons. First, the text reads that they might be with Jesus. The disciples’ main goal is to know Jesus. When they know and understand Jesus, then they are able to complete the other tasks Jesus has for them - to “preach” and “have authority to drive out demons.” The twelve will be the foundation of the continuation of Jesus’ ministry.

3. Jesus’ Family (3:19b-21; 31-35). Jesus’ relationship with his family, for one, is secondary in comparison with his mission. It is more important to Jesus that he follow His father’s will. In this passage, Jesus’ family is trying to take him away from an opportunity to minister. In verse 21, the text reads that his family thinks that Jesus is “out of his mind.” It is probable that his family did not want to have anything to do with his ministry. In verse 31, the text reads that they were standing “outside.” The term “outside” probably has symbolic value more than anything. Those inside the house are close to Jesus and desiring to learn from him and be with him. Jesus’ family is looking from the outside in, and they are disturbed by him and his message. At this point in the story, they are not a part of his kingdom. Jesus’ true family members are those who do the will of the father.
Why does the text not mention Jesus’ father? It is possible that Joseph is simply not there, but I think that Mark’s aim in this passage is to teach something deeper. Jesus’ father is God; he has no true earthly father. Within the family of God, God is the only father, therefore those “who do the will of God” are children of God. In other words, Mark’s goal in this passage is more to teach about the family of God than to describe Jesus’ earthly family.

4. Jesus and the Scribes (3:22-30). According to the Markan Jesus, the unpardonable sin is to “blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.” Within the context of the entire passage (Mark 3:19-35) it appears that Jesus is talking about those who are outside the family of God. Those who do not do God’s will inevitably attack, or at least deny, the family of God. This would fit the interpretation of this verse that I have always heard, that not accepting Christ is “blaspheming the Holy Spirit.” In other words, those who do not follow Christ cannot be forgiven. Quite frankly, though, I am not sure how accurate this interpretation is. I am open to something different because this idea does not seem to accurately reflect the passage in its fullness.
The story of the scribes and Jesus’ family are related; this is evident because of the use of intercalation. The stories contrast the family of God and the family of Satan. Whoever does the will of God is a part of the family of God. Likewise, whoever does the will of the evil one is a part of the kingdom of darkness. If someone acts against the kingdom of God, he is not in it, and vice versa. I think that Mark is trying to say in this passage that if you do the will of God it becomes evident in your life, and if you do the will of Satan the same is true.

5. Parables (4:1-34).
a) The parable of the sower. The group that best fits the seed that is immediately swept away is the Pharisees. Jesus confronts them with his message time and time again, yet they continue to deny it. The seed that falls on rocky soil are like the crowds that follow Jesus. They hear the message and follow Jesus when he offers miracles, but when times difficult they are nowhere to be found. The seed that gets choked by the weeds can be seen in the character of Judas. As far as we can tell, Judas follows Jesus diligently until the time of the crucifixion. He betrayed him for money, which shows that he was deceived by wealth or power. The seed that fall on the good soil is seen in Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, and Salome. Even in his death they remained faithful to Jesus.
b) - In the parable of the sower Jesus seems to be saying that not everyone will take hold of the kingdom of God. There are only a few who take hold of it and hang on with everything they have. Others will either outright reject it, like it but think nothing of it, or take hold of it for a while but lose hold of it. Only those who truly desire to be a part of the kingdom will take part in it.
- In the parable of the lamp on a stand Jesus seems to be saying that is meant to be shared. Jesus’ message is light for the world. It is the way of life. His message turns everything upside down. It is countercultural. However, not everybody can see it for what it is. Only those who really desire it will gain it. If someone kind of wants it, they are not going to receive it. It takes everything to obtain it.
- In the parable of the growing seed Jesus seems to be saying that the kingdom of God grows. Whether it is in the individual or in the community, when the message of Jesus’ takes hold, it cannot go away. It bears fruit, and it grows in size. In other words, the kingdom of God brings about change for the good.
- In the parable of the mustard seed Jesus seems to be saying that the kingdom of God spreads. Even when it starts small, Jesus’ message spreads like wildfire, and it spreads in such a way that it affects the world around it. Even though the mustard plant is a garden plant, it can bring about shelter. Likewise, the kingdom of God, even though it may seem small, makes a difference in the world.
c) Mark 4:11-12 can be discomforting because it seems to be saying that Jesus does not want everyone to be a part of his kingdom. I would argue, however, that it merely seems this way because Jesus wants people to seek after his meaning. Jesus wants people to question and seek him. He makes his words hard to understand so that it separates those who really want his message from those who do not.
d) Jesus spoke in parables in order to prompt people to think and question and discover. I think that we as teachers should strive to model ourselves after him. We should prompt our people to think for themselves and to seek wisdom and understanding for themselves. If we lay everything out for them, they will never grow. We need to find creative ways in our own context to promote thought and spiritual growth.

6. Jesus’ Authority (4:35 – 5:43). The three stories in this section display Jesus’ authority. First, it shows his authority over nature when he calms the wind and the waves. Second, his authority is revealed when he exerts his power over a legion of demons. Finally, he reveals his power over sickness and death when he heals the bleeding woman and raises the little girl from the dead.
In reading the second story, a Jewish Christian during the Roman Empire may have noticed the word “legion” when Mark describes the demonic spirits within the possessed man. This may have invoked images of the powerful Roman army. The Roman legions had power over the Jewish people, but Jesus has ultimate authority over the Roman legions. Only he has the authority to cast out Rome. Even though Rome appears to have a strangle hold on the world, just like the demons over the man, Jesus has the power to release Rome’s grasp.
The relationship between the two stories in Mark 5:21-43 is evident through the use of intercalation. The story is introduced by presenting the sick girl, but Mark holds his readers in suspense when he interrupts with the story of the bleeding woman. In this story, Jesus exerts his power over sickness, so the reader knows that Jesus can, indeed, heal the girl. Then, the first story is reintroduced with the news that the girl has died. The reader thinks, “Surely he cannot heal her now!” But Mark shocks the reader by demonstrating that Jesus has power even over death.

7. Jesus in Nazareth (6:1-6a). Up to this point in the narrative, the only ones to recognize Jesus are the demonic forces whom Jesus drives away. Humans are amazed by him, but they merely question. They do not proclaim him with assurance as the demons do. I would argue that this is mainly because humans have not seen his full nature, yet. Jesus can only be fully understood in the light of the cross. The demons already know who he is, but humans do not. Given this information, the confession of the Roman centurion makes more sense in Mark 15:39, “Surely, this man was the Son of God!” It is through Jesus’ message, his miracles, and his sacrifice that humans can fully understand the kingdom of God.
The people in Nazareth were offended by Jesus because of his lowly background. How can a carpenter of all people have the authority to teach? This must have been offensive to the teachers and religious leaders in Nazareth. He should not have the status to teach and have authority. Jesus’ background was just about as lowly as one could get. I think that the only reason “romanticize his trade” is precisely for this reason. In other words, we emphasize that Jesus was a carpenter because it shows that God used the lowliest of trades in order to bring about his plan.

Mark 6:6b – 8:21…

1. The Mission of the Twelve (6:6b-13). The significance of verses 8-9 seem to be that Jesus wants his disciples to depend on nothing but God. They cannot bring anything to depend on – no bread, no money, no bag, no extra shirt. They are only to bring a staff, which is a clear reference to Moses’ staff, representing the power of God. Their description is also reminiscent of John the Baptist. They are to go out with only the power of God.
When Jesus tells the disciples to shake the dust off of their feet when the town does not accept them, he is telling them to leave it completely behind. In a sense, he is saying, “Don’t worry about it. They are not ready to receive my message.” The disciples did their job of presenting the message. It is not their fault if the people do not receive it.
Mark does not reveal the success of the disciples’ mission because he does not want to reveal the cost of following Jesus just yet. The full message of the gospel is not completely realized until the cross. Mark does, however, foreshadow this cost with the next segment about the beheading of John the Baptist.

2. The Death of John the Baptist (6:14-29). This is the first part of the narrative that points to the extreme sacrificial nature (faithfulness even unto death) of the message of Jesus. The story of John’s beheading comes right after the disciples go on their missionary trip, so it foreshadows the future suffering of the disciples and Jesus himself. Mark does not place this story in the beginning of his gospel because he is slowly developing the sacrificial nature of Jesus’ message. He did not want to give the whole story away at once, so he slowly hints at the nature of Jesus and his message.
If John prepared the way of the Lord and was executed for his faithfulness, then, in one sense, this story is a foreshadowing of Jesus’ death on the cross. If someone is truly going to follow the way of Jesus, it will disrupt life. From experience, we can know that it may not always result in physical death, but the old way of life must surely die. When someone follows the way of Jesus, life may not, and most likely will not, be pleasant all the time, but it will be worth it if the kingdom of God is advanced. We can see from this passage that following Jesus is not easy and not always beneficial for the self in the here and now.

3. The Feeding of the 5,000 (6:32-44). This passage echoes the Old Testament story about the Israelites receiving manna in the desert. Even though it appeared that they had no means of sustenance, God provided. In the same way, Jesus provides bread for life that the people need, and he provides it in abundance (12 basketfuls left over). From the disciples’ perspective, the story seems to be all about physical food. They are chiefly concerned with feeding stomachs, and they do not understand that Jesus is more concerned with spiritual food. This passage points to the fact that Jesus must demonstrate the miracle again so that the disciples can begin to grasp Jesus’ deeper teaching through his miracle.

4. The Walking on the Water (6:45-56). This passage is important in understanding Mark’s view of Jesus. The phrase “he was about to pass by them” is a clear reference to God in the Old Testament. In Exodus 33:19 – 34:7, God passes by Moses and gives him the commandments. In 1 Kings 19:11-12, God comes in a still, small voice to Elijah. Here, Jesus walks by the disciples on water and shows them his power over nature. It shows the reader that Jesus is indeed the presence of God. He can walk on water and calm the seas.

5. The Traditions of the Elders (7:1-23). A Pharisee would have strongly disagreed with Jesus’ teaching. They would have agreed with him that what comes out of you can defile you, but they also believed that cleanliness was very important. They wanted to remain ritually clean so that they worship properly. If they ate or touched something unclean, it would affect, for example, their sacrifices. This was especially important for priests. Ritual cleanliness was of utmost importance in making sacrifices. If the priest was unclean, it could make any sacrifice null and void. Jesus, however, overturns this belief system in this passage. Jesus argues that the Pharisees’ system comes from the traditions of man and not from God. God desires for men to be pure on the inside more than anything else.

6. The Syrophoenician Woman (7:24-30). A parallel to this story can be found in Matthew 15:21-28. In Matthew, the woman is a Canaanite, but in Mark she is Greek. In Mark, Jesus is trying to stay hidden, but Matthew does not point this out. In Mark, her request is summarized rather than quoted, and in Mark she says that the dogs eat the children’s crumbs as opposed to the master’s in Matthew. The differences in Mark’s version seem to show that Jesus was annoyed by this woman.
In verse 27, he seems to treat her quite harshly. This may be because he wants to make sure that the woman truly cares for her daughter. If this is this the case, then it is definitely not out of Jesus’ character. I am not sure, though - this passage confuses me.

7. The Feeding of the 4,000 (8:1-10).
Feeding the 5,000 Feeding the 4,000
- 5 loaves, 2 fish - 7 loaves, a few fish
- 12 basketfuls left over - 7 basketfuls left over
- remote place - remote place
- the disciples distribute - the disciples distribute
- they leave in a boat - they leave in a boat
- the people sit in groups - the people sit in the grass
- Jesus breaks the bread - Jesus breaks the bread

8. The Disciples’ “Understanding” (8:14-21). The one loaf in the gospel of Mark is Jesus himself. In Matthew and Luke’s parallel passages, Jesus is strictly warning against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees, but in Mark, Jesus is showing that only he has the “bread of life” (John 6:35). Only his message is sufficient. The Pharisees and Herod’s yeast, or teaching, is insufficient. In feeding the masses, the fact that there are 12 and 7 left over baskets has significant symbolic meaning. Both 12 and 7 represent a completion. So, when they collect the baskets, Mark is letting the readers know that in following Jesus, there is more than enough to go around. There is more than enough compassion, more than enough grace, more than enough love, and more than enough of God’s power.
Jesus seems to be harsh to his disciples in verses 17-20 because they still do not understand the meaning of the miracles. It goes to show that Jesus’ words cannot be understood outside of his sacrifice on the cross, which Mark is leading us to. Even when Peter declares Jesus to be the Messiah, he still does not understand the full nature of his statement. More than anything, Mark is inviting the reader to keep reading so that they can understand the full nature of the message of Jesus. Jesus still does not explain everything completely even in this passage. The explanation is made complete through his death and resurrection.

Mark 8:22 – 10:52

1. The Healing of a Blind Man (8:22-26). This story is different because it takes Jesus a second try to completely heal the blind man. Before this, he had no problem healing anyone. This story is significant because it marks a turning point in the ministry of Jesus. Before this story, the reader recognizes that there is something special about Jesus. He is performing great miracles and teaching with great authority, but after this story, his ministry becomes even more authoritative.
In the previous story, Jesus warns his disciples of the “yeast of the Pharisees and the Herodians,” suggesting that only his yeast, or teaching, is to be followed. Then he asks his disciples, “Do you still not understand?” The disciples do not quite comprehend everything that is going on. Then, this story sparks a turning point. The partial healing of the blind man parallels the next few stories. Jesus is working in his disciples’ lives, and they can partially see. In the next few stories, Peter declares Jesus to be Messiah, Jesus predicts his death, Jesus proclaims the message of the cross, and three of the disciples see the transfiguration. These stories show that they are beginning to understand the message of Jesus, much like the blind man can partially see, but they do not receive complete sight until Jesus reveals himself fully on the cross.

2. Caesarea Philippi (8:27 – 9:1).
1) Caesarea Philippi was in the Decapolis, the ten Greek cities just outside of Galilee. This is the “perfect” setting for Jesus’ questions to his disciples because this was a very cosmopolitan area, and there would have been a great mixture of ideas. So, when Jesus asks who people think he is, then there is a great opportunity for a wide variety of answers. The disciples, however, know that Jesus is the one and only Messiah, son of God.
2) Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah which has only been exclaimed earlier in the gospel by the demons that Jesus casts out of people. Peter is the first person in the narrative to verbally recognize who Jesus is. The only problem with his confession, though, is that Peter expects Jesus to be a Davidic type of Messiah, or an earthly king. Jesus’ true nature is not completely seen until Jesus is on the cross and the Roman centurion calls him the Son of God.
3) Peter rebukes Jesus because of Jesus’ revelation that he will suffer. Peter thinks that the Messiah is supposed to conquer the Romans and bring about an earthly kingdom, so he tells Jesus that he has it all wrong. From the previous passage, it becomes evident that Peter was excited about Jesus being the Messiah, and when Jesus turns his ideas upside down, Peter does not like it and rebukes Jesus.
4) Jesus rebukes Peter because Peter has a selfish motivation in following Jesus. He expects that when Jesus brings about his kingdom, he will have a position of power alongside the Messiah. Jesus is trying to show him that true discipleship is selfless. For Peter has in mind “merely human concerns.”
5) In verse 31 Jesus speaks about himself, and in verses 34-38 Jesus speaks about the nature of discipleship. In both cases, though, Jesus speaks about suffering. This tells us that if we are to be followers of Jesus, then we must suffer just as he has suffered. It is not merely a figurative suffering. We are supposed to die so that we can become like Christ. When we put ourselves last, then we can gain true life, true discipleship.
6) When Jesus said, “Take up your cross,” he was not merely talking about everyday suffering, a random sickness, or even death. He was calling his disciples to follow the path of suffering that he would take. In other words, if you’re just sick because you’re sick, it is not necessarily the ‘cross you have to bear.’ When we are truly followers of Jesus, we will suffer in some way, shape, or form eventually as a direct result of our faith. When we suffer for the sake of Christ, we can count our blessings because we are becoming like our Lord.
7) I think that Jesus is speaking directly to his disciples in verse 9:1. The disciples will see Jesus crucified on the cross, which is the representation of God’s kingdom come to earth. We can know this because Jesus has just finished speaking about the cross. Essentially, Jesus is telling his disciples that they will truly understand his message when they see him on the cross and raised from the dead.

3. The Transfiguration (9:2-13).
1) In Exodus 24 and 34, Moses goes up on Mt. Sinai to be with the Lord. In these passages the Lord gives Moses the covenant and the commandments, and He speaks with Moses. The Israelites are absolutely stunned when Moses gets back and his face is radiant. The transfiguration story echoes this mountaintop experience. The three disciples get to see Jesus in this manner along with Moses and Elijah.
The parallel stories are in Matthew and Luke…

Matthew
Mark
Luke
6 Days later…
6 Days later…
8 Days later…
Peter, James, and John to a mountain
Peter, James, and John to a mountain
Peter, John, and James to a mountain
He was transfigured… face like the sun… clothes dazzling white
He was transfigured… clothes became dazzling white…
The appearance of his face changed… clothes like a flash of lightning.
Elijah and Moses appear talking with Jesus
Elijah and Moses appear talking with Jesus
Elijah and Moses appear in glorious splendor talking with Jesus about his departure

Peter and companions sleepy; they see his glory when they awake
Peter requests to build three shelters
Peter requests to build three shelters
Peter requests to build three shelters as they are leaving
A bright cloud covers them
A cloud appeared
A cloud appeared and covers them, and they were afraid
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
“This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
“This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him!”
The Disciples fall face down, terrified

Jesus picks them up, everything else is gone.
Suddenly, only Jesus is there.
Jesus is alone after the voice had spoken
Jesus tells them not to tell until he is raised from the dead
Jesus tells them not to tell until he is raised from the dead
The disciples keep this to themselves.

What does rising from the dead mean?

Why does Elijah come first?
Why does Elijah come first?

Jesus replies: Elijah has come and they have done to him “everything they wished.”
Jesus replies: Why must the son of Man suffer?/ Elijah has come and they have “done everything to him that they wished.”

The Son of Man will suffer like him.

The disciples understand.

2) I think that the gospel writers use Moses because of the passages in Exodus that Mark undoubtedly had in mind. Moses had been with God, and he comes to meet Jesus on the mountain during his ministry, as well. Moses is also a preparer, much like Elijah. Moses prepared God’s people for his covenant. Elijah, by tradition, would be the preparer for the Messiah. So, Jesus is glorified on the mountain top with those who prepare the way of the Lord.
3) The only difference between the words spoken from heaven in 9:7 and Jesus’ baptism in 1:11 is the last part. In 9:7, it says, “Listen to him!,” and in 1:11 it says, “With you I am well pleased.” In chapter one, it seems that the voice is directly speaking to Jesus, and in chapter nine, it seems that the voice is speaking directly to the disciples. Both verses point to the divinity of Jesus, but their intentions are very different. In chapter one, it marks the starting point of Jesus’ ministry, and in chapter nine, it offers further proof to the disciples that Jesus is indeed the Christ. It encourages them to follow him even though his life and ministry may not go the way they expect.
4) The transfiguration story is further proof that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of God. Just before this passage, Jesus introduces some harsh teaching, and it could very well scare the disciples away. They expect an earthly ruler to take over the Roman Empire, but Jesus introduces the idea of a suffering servant. The transfiguration offers further proof of his divinity, and it provides encouragement for the disciples to stick with him through the tough times. They will not fully understand until after the crucifixion, but this experience helps them along the way.

4. The Disciples’ Failure (9:14-29). The disciples fail to heal the boy because, for one, they do not yet fully have the message of Christ. They cannot completely grasp his message, and therefore they cannot completely heal as Jesus heals. Before they can, they must gain the whole message of Jesus – the cross. Secondly, Jesus tells them in 9:29 that this demon can come out “only by prayer.” Evidently they did not come before God first. They tried to do it on their own accord. Again, it shows that the disciples do not quite understand Jesus’ message of selflessness.

5. Take Two (9:30-37).
1) This pattern is a repeat of 8:31 – 9:1. Jesus teaches that the Son of Man will suffer.
2) This time, however, instead of rebuking Jesus, they kept quiet about it until they were by themselves. Instead, they were arguing about who was the greatest among them.
3) The disciples were afraid to answer Jesus’ question in 9:33 because they were starting to get the idea of suffering. Obviously, they did not completely understand, but they knew that Jesus would rebuke them for their argument. They knew on some level that they were wrong, and they were afraid of what Jesus might tell them.
4) The pattern that this passage shares with the previous passage goes something like this…
- Jesus predicts suffering
- The disciples misunderstand
- Jesus teaches on true discipleship

6. Another Exorcist (9:38-41). In this passage the disciples have an exclusive attitude. They do not like the fact that someone might be sharing their glory. They want to be the only ones who are following the Messiah, but Jesus quickly rebukes them. He explains to them that everyone who acts in his name will be rewarded, and the disciples should honor those who act on Jesus’ behalf.

7. Hard Sayings (9:42-50). In verse 47, Jesus says to pluck out your eye if it causes you to stumble. For it is better “to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell.” I think it is quite obvious that Mark is using hyperbole here, but the message is still harsh. If your eye causes you to sin, do whatever it takes to keep from stumbling. If you struggle sexually, for instance, you should cut everything out of your life that makes you think about sexual immorality. Do everything it takes.

8. Divorce (10:1-12). In this passage and in Luke 16:18, it seems to suggest that divorce is strictly outlawed. God joined the marriage, so no man can separate it. However, in Matthew 19:9, it seems to suggest that divorce is acceptable if one partner is unfaithful, and in 1 Corinthians 7:8-15, it claims that divorce is acceptable if a nonbeliever desires to leave a believer. Hermeneutically, I would argue that the Mark and Luke passages must be read in light of the Matthew and Corinthian passages, and vice versa. If done so, we can see that divorce is not something to be taken lightly. Believers should do everything possible to avoid it, and there are only two exceptions: sexual immorality and one unbeliever leaving another. If two believers are married, then ideally there is no excuse for divorce. The two partners should live up to the same Christ-like standards, and they are without excuse. If unfaithfulness becomes an issue, however, then it is biblically acceptable to pursue a divorce.

9. A “Rich” Man (10:17-31).
Matthew 19:16-22
Mark 10:17-31
Luke 18:18-23
A man comes to Jesus and asks what good thing he must do to inherit eternal life
A man kneels before Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life.
A ruler asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life
Jesus: “Why do ask about what is good?... Keep the commandments”
Jesus: “Why do you call me good?... You know the commandments…”
Jesus: “Why do you call me good?... You know the commandments…”
Man: “Which ones?”

Jesus names the commandments.

He has kept the commandments. What does he still lack?
The man has kept the commandments
The man has kept the commandments
Jesus: “If you want to be perfect, sell your possessions…. Then follow me.
Jesus: “Go, sell everything you have…”
Jesus: Go, sell everything and come, follow me
The man goes away sad because he had great wealth
The man goes away sad because he had great wealth
The man is sad because he was wealthy
Jesus: It is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven
Jesus: It is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom…
Jesus: It is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom…
Disciples: Who can be saved?
Disciples: Who can be saved?
Those who heard: Who can be saved?
Jesus: With God all things are possible
Jesus: With God all things are possible
Jesus: With God all things are possible
Disciples: We have left everything!
Disciples: We have left everything!
Disciples: We have left everything!
Jesus:… The first last and the last first
Jesus: …The first last and the last first
Jesus: Those who leave for the sake of the kingdom will be blessed

2) I have always heard that the eye of the needle was a specific opening at the ancient city wall that was very small. When the gates were closed at night, if someone wanted to bring his camel through at night, he would have to strip the camel of everything on it in order to get it inside the city. So, if this is accurate, Jesus is saying that if you want to enter the kingdom of God, then you have to let go of everything. In this case, the rich man is holding on to his wealth and is not willing to get rid of it. His wealth is more important to him than the kingdom.
10. Take Three (10:32-45). This is the third instance where Jesus teaches on true discipleship. It occurs in 8:31 – 9:1 and 9:30-37. This time, though, they are on their way to Jerusalem, and Jesus is getting ready to endure the final week of his life. He is about to show them what it means to be his disciple on the cross so that they can finally understand what he is talking about.

11. Healing Blind Bartimaeus (10:46-52).
1) As opposed to 8:22-26, Jesus heals this man successfully the first time around.
2) Bartimaeus responds by following Jesus in the Way. More importantly than on the road, as some translations put it, ‘The Way’ is used to show that Bartimaeus has become a disciple of Jesus.
3) In 10:52, two words are used that Mark uses throughout his narrative. The first is ‘immediately.’ This word is used all throughout the gospel to speed up the pace and show how effective Jesus is. Here, when Jesus heals Bartimaeus, Bartimaeus immediately responds to Jesus. The second is this idea of ‘The Way.” It can be translated road, but most likely, it refers to the way of discipleship. Bartimaeus is now a disciple.
4) This story and the healing story in chapter 8 mark a massive intercalation. The first story, when read in light of this intercalation, shows that outside of an accurate understanding of discipleship, Jesus’ message cannot be understood in full. The disciples, much like the blind men, can only see part of Jesus’ message. They do not fully understand it. In between, Jesus teaches about true discipleship three times, highlighted by stories that illustrate these points. The intercalation ends with blind Bartimaeus who receives sight in full. It represents a full understanding of Jesus’ message.

Note: Mark’s understanding of discipleship is one of selflessness and service. We have to die to ourselves by taking up our cross. We have to become last in order to be first. We must give up everything that we hold dear for the sake of Christ. This idea of discipleship is extremely sacrificial. The contemporary implications of this teaching are huge. We live in a very wealthy and materialistic society. In America it is so easy to hoard things. Even America’s poorest are among the richest in the world. We must be willing to give up our wealth and our selfishness in order to give to those who are really in need.

Mark 11:1 – 13:37…

1. The “Triumphal” Entry (11:1-11).

Mark
Matthew
Luke
John
Jesus sends two disciples to retrieve the colt with directions
Jesus sends two disciples to retrieve the colt with directions
Jesus sends two disciples to retrieve the colt with directions
The Crowd hears about Jesus and shouts “Hosanna”

This fulfills prophecy

Prophecy is fulfilled as Jesus rides on a donkey
The disciples find the colt tied up

The disciples find the colt
The disciples do not understand until later
People inquire the disciples

The owner inquires the disciples and the disciples respond accordingly

The bring the colt to Jesus
The disciples bring the colt to Jesus
The disciples bring the colt to Jesus

People spread their cloaks and branches on the road
People spread their cloaks and branches on the road
The people spread their cloaks on the road

The crowd shouts “Hosanna”
The crowd shouts “Hosanna”
The crowd of disciples shouts praise to God
The crowd goes out to meet him because of what they have heard

The Pharisees tell Jesus to rebuke his disciples
The Pharisees are frustrated with Jesus’ following

Jesus responds that the rocks will cry out

Jesus enters Jerusalem and the temple courts
The city is stirred upon Jesus’ entry
Jesus weeps over the city and curses it

Jesus goes out to Bethany with the twelve
The crowds proclaim Jesus as the prophet from Galilee

2) This passage refers to Psalm 118. The crowd shouts verses 25 and 26, asking for the Lord’s salvation. The crowd expects for Jesus to save from worldly powers, but if we read the verses before Psalm 118:25-26, we can understand Jesus’ message more fully. In verses 22-24, it mentions the stone that the builders rejected has become the capstone. Jesus will be rejected by his people, but God will use him to set up his kingdom.
3) This is more of a subversive entry than triumphal. Much like the rest of the gospel, the entry into Jerusalem turns the traditional ways on their head. A king would never enter a city on a donkey, but a magnificent horse. The people use their cloaks to pave the way for Jesus, which is hardly kingly. Mark is using this passage to show that Jesus’ kingdom is subversive, from the ground up, and it is not of this world, but from God’s world.

2. The Fig Tree and the Temple (11:12-25).
1) Unlike Matthew’s version of the story, Mark intercalates these two passages to emphasize meaning. Matthew separates the stories. Mark wants to show that the temple looked good and the outside, but inside it was rotten. The intercalation of the fig tree illustrates his point.
2) Jesus does not just cleanse the temple; he curses it just like he curses the fig tree. The story illustrates that since the temple is not functioning as it should, Jesus curses it in God’s name, and like the fig tree, it will be utterly destroyed.
3) A contemporary parallel to this story can be exemplified in many American churches. The church is supposed to be a place of worship, but I fear that numerous churches have lost sight of this fact. Instead, we come together as a social club or we go through the motions. I am reminded of Revelation 3 and the church of Laodicea – are we cold, hot, or lukewarm?

3. Conflict in Jerusalem (11:27-33). This passage is parallel to the five controversy stories earlier in the gospel. The Pharisees seek to undermine Jesus, but they are not able to. It shows that the Pharisees are continuing to try and trap Jesus, but they cannot because Jesus has the authority of God. Even though they will eventually crucify him, Jesus still has power over death.

4. The Parable of the Wicked Tenants (12:1-12). This passage brings light to the character of the Pharisees in the gospel. They want to kill Jesus, the son, because they fear him. They understand who Jesus is, but they do not respect him, and, therefore, they do not love God. They are looking after their own worldly interests instead of God’s interests.

5. Taxes (12:13-17).
1) The Herodians are also mentioned in 3:6 in connection with a plot against Jesus. Historically, there is not much known about a particular group called Herodians, but their purpose in this passage is interesting. It is unlikely that Herodians would have completely agreed with the Pharisees. The Pharisees and Herodians are working together to get rid of Jesus.
2) This passage is not necessarily about supporting government as much as it is about Jesus proclaiming that God’s kingdom is not of this world. If Jesus were trying to stage an earthly messianic movement, this passage would be much different. He is saying that the powers of this world may exist for a time, but God’s kingdom is eternal and not of this world. In a sense, taxes do not matter in the big scheme of things.

6. Resurrection (12:18-27). 1) The Sadducees denied the resurrection because they believed that Torah never spoke of it. For them, Torah was the only authority, and therefore there was no resurrection.
2) Jesus does not cite another source to show that there is a resurrection, but he uses the episode of Moses and the burning bush to show that they are missing the point of the resurrection. The Sadducees are more interested in proving their point than finding the truth in Torah. For Jesus, God is the God of the living, and for Jesus, the people of God have eternal life.

7. The First and Greatest Commandment (12:28-34).
1) Jesus draws his source of the greatest commandment from Deuteronomy 6:4-5, but Jesus adds to love the Lord your God with all your mind.
2) The teacher agrees with Jesus in verses 32-33 that loving God and neighbor is more important than any sacrifice, and Jesus tells him that he is not far from the kingdom of God. Jesus is telling him that he is close because he has mental understanding. He is not quite there because he does not quite practice what he preaches. If the teacher can combine right belief with right practice, then he will take part in the kingdom.

8. David’s Son (12:35-36). I have no idea what Jesus’ point is.

9. A Dramatic Contrast (12:38-44).
1) The scribes were a branch of religious leaders who had authority. They translate and interpret the scriptures.
2) Jesus contrasts the scribes with the widow by showing that even though the scribes seem religious, and they receive much credit for what they do, they are not a part of the kingdom. They take advantage of the poor, and they use their wealth to gain more prosperity. The widow, though she seems like an insignificant person to most, gives everything she has for the kingdom. Though it is not much in the world’s eyes, it is everything in God’s eyes.

10. The Little Apocalypse (13:1-37)
1) Jesus is responding to the disciples’ question about how they can know when the end will happen. Jesus essentially answers them by saying that only God knows.
2) There are several themes in this passage. One: the spirit of deception. Many will come declaring themselves to be a messiah, but they are not of God. Two: tribulation. Followers of Christ, and everyone for that matter, will suffer many things. Some will suffer because of conflict and others will suffer because of disaster. There will be much distress. Three: the time is unknown. Only God knows when the end will come. The only way you can know is when you see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
3) The contemporary significance of this passage is enormous considering the wide craze of end times literature. People everywhere are trying to figure out how every event fits in with ‘prophecy.’ If this passage is interpreted correctly, Christians should realize that only God knows when the end will come. There is no way that people will be able to figure it out.

Mark 14:1 – 16:8

1. A Conspiracy and an Anointing (14:1-11).
1) This passage is an intercalation. In verses 1-2 and 10-11, it discusses the plot to kill Jesus, and in verses 3-9, it discusses the woman who pours perfume on Jesus. It contrasts those who worship and follow Christ (the woman) with those who plot and betray Christ (the Pharisees and Judas).
2) Even though Jesus is constantly talking about giving to the poor, he praises this woman for giving all that she has to him. The rebuke of the others was well-intentioned, but Jesus is telling them that they should give her a break. True, they should give to the poor, but it is just as important to give to God. This woman is taking advantage of an opportunity to physically give to Jesus and worship him.
3) Verse 7 is not an excuse to not give to the poor. The passage he references in Deuteronomy 15:11 teaches that you should indeed give to the poor. Rather, Jesus is saying that we should give to the poor, but we should give to God as well. When we do give to the poor, we should do it with a kingdom mindset.

2. The Passover Meal (14:12-25).
1) The Feast of Unleavened Bread represents Passover, and it celebrates the deliverance from Israel.
2) A man would not normally carry a water jar; this would be a woman’s job in that society. This is one of those upside down moments in the gospel. The kingdom of God is not normal.
3) When the early Christians celebrated the Lord’s Supper, it was confused with cannibalism. The Christians ‘ate the body of Jesus and drank his blood,’ and the Roman culture was repulsed by this very idea. They did not understand the symbolic nature of the practice.
4) It is quite easy to take verses 22-24 literally because Jesus simply says: “This is body” and “this is my blood.” For ample reason, Catholics have interpreted these verses as such. Protestants, however, disagree. I think in part, that this has to do with the rise of the age of reason. Protestants came about during this period, and it did not make much sense the bread and wine actually became Jesus’ body and blood. Some Protestants believe that Jesus is spiritually present during communion, and some believe that these are mere symbols.

3. Denial (14:26-31). Peter is the only specific name mentioned, but all of the disciples in verse 31 claim that they will never disown Jesus.

4. Gethsemane (14:32-42). This is a very dark moment in Jesus’ life. He knows what is about to happen as he begs the Father to take this ‘cup’ from him. There is a part of him that does not want to go through with the task. He knows and understands the physical, emotional, and spiritual pain that he is about to go through, and he comes to God with his anguish. This passage, however, does not take away from his divinity. It shows both his divine and human natures. He knows that he must suffer, which shows his divinity, but at the same time, he is fearful of the pain, which shows his humanity.

5. Betrayal and Arrest (14:43-52). The disciples respond to Jesus’ arrest by scattering. It contrasts what was said in 14:31 that the disciples would never disown Jesus. When Jesus is arrested their true nature is revealed, and they are shown naked as the man in verse 51. For they did not follow the call of discipleship that has been presented all throughout the gospel – to take up their cross and follow Jesus, even in the face of certain persecution.

6. Jesus Before the Council (14:53-72). There is another intercalation in this passage, but we must go back to 14:27-31 to discover the first part of the story. The first ‘piece of bread’ is the emphatic assurance that Peter will not deny Jesus. In the second piece, in 14:66-72, Peter does deny Jesus three times. In between is the story about Jesus’ arrest and questioning. The intercalation emphasizes the level of sacrifice that must be made in following Jesus. The meat of the story shows just how difficult it is through Jesus’ suffering, and the beginning and end portions emphasize this point with Peter’s inability to go through with his promise.

7. Jesus Before Pilate (15:1-15). When Jesus is crucified, he takes Barabbas’ place. The name Barabbas means “son of the father.” This shows that Jesus, the Son of God, or the Son of the Father, dies for the son of the father. In other words, Jesus dies so that Barabbas can become a son of God. Barabbas is freed by Jesus. This is a bit of irony to show that Jesus dies so that we might live. Barabbas represents each one of us. Barabbas was actually guilty of his crime, and he deserved crucifixion, but Jesus did not. The same goes for us.

8. The Mockery (15:16-20). These verses are filled with irony. Jesus’ mockers have no clue, but they are proclaiming what is actually true about him. They place the purple robe on him, put on his crown of thorns, call him “King of the Jews,” and pay homage to him. Even though they do this in mockery, their actions speak truth about him.
9. The Death of Jesus (15:21-41).
1) Jesus’ last words in the gospel in verse 34 are, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This is a clear reference to Psalm 22. In this Psalm, it begins with this very statement, but at the end of the Psalm, it declares, “He has done it!” This reference shows that Jesus was expecting for God to complete the plan, even though he is about to die. He has faith that God will come through.
2) The only people who remain faithful to Jesus are unexpectedly the women. The male disciples should have been there to take care of Jesus’ dead body, but it is the faithful women. This fact is crucial in understanding Mark’s message. The gospel belongs to the least, to the ones who by the world’s standards don’t deserve it.

10. The Resurrection (16:1-8).
1) Mark ends his gospel uncomfortably. There is no physical appearance of Jesus. Others have added to the ending because it is troublesome. We want to know for a fact that Jesus did raise from the dead; we want to be certain. Mark has a specific purpose for this, though. With the abrupt ending, he is showing that most of us did not get the privilege to see Jesus either. Yet, we must choose to believe. Are we going to chase after him, or are we going to ignore his message? Read in this way, Mark’s ending is very powerful.
2) Again, the only ones faithful enough to follow Jesus to the tomb are the women. The implications of this are the same as mentioned above about the women being faithful to the cross.
3) The first evangelists are the women who see the empty tomb. They must go tell the other disciples that Jesus is risen. They were faithful, and as a result they are given the responsibility of the good news of Jesus Christ.
4) Even though Peter was unfaithful, he is given a second chance as the angel specifically names him. Even with the harsh message of much of Mark – to take up the cross – there is a beautiful message about redemption and the power of Christ’s resurrection in mentioning Peter’s name. Even though we mess up, even though we neglect him, there is always opportunity to chase after him.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2006-11-22T23:59:00.000-06:00

THE FOUNTAIN

2006-11-22T23:38:00.000-06:00

See this movie. It's absolutely beautiful. Artistically, it's stunning. The score is amazing. It will make your head spin.

It tackles issues like death, human spirituality, love, and more through 3 parallel stories about a man who seeks immortality. It's very thought provoking. I would highly recommend it.

LICENSE

2006-11-16T14:26:00.000-06:00

As of last night, I am officially licensed for the ministry. I can now marry you or bury you in a legal manner. Whichever you like. So, here's a minister for hire. Any takers?

On a related note, I am no longer the Interim Minister of Students at Western Heights Baptist Church, I am simply the Minister of Students. Pretty exciting, I know. It's still part-time, but I feel like I have some more ownership in my job now. Let's see what happens...

THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE

2006-11-13T14:35:00.000-06:00

Last night at our youth worship service we were talking about salvation. Specifically, what does God save us from, and how are we saved? And, of course, the ever-pressing question(s) was brought up: If God is so good, then why can Jesus be the only way to God? What happens to people who are brought up Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, or whatever else? It's not really fair for a good God to send people to Hell when they were trying to live the best life they knew how based on the faith they grew up with. Why is Christianity so narrow-minded, and why is it that we think that only we have it all right?

I told my group that throughout church history, there have been four basic responses to this question. We went thirty minutes over talking about it.

1. The conservative view. This is the view that most conservative protestants take based on John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, for no one comes to the father but by me." There is no other way to God but by Jesus Christ, end of story. This view is consistent with the New Testament, but it doesn't seem to do justice to God's grace. If one takes this view, there are many problems that come with it - as illustrated above.

2. The Catholic view. This view was adopted by the Catholic Church at Vatican II in the 1950's. Under this understanding, God offers grace and salvation to those who couldn't know Christ based on their circumstances, yet lived a life worthy of the gospel. The problem with this view is that the New Testament writers don't address the question, so it is not completely based in scripture, but rather in tradition and the doctrine of God's grace. It does, however, promote God's goodness.

3. Pluralism. This is the idea that all religions, in their own way, lead to God. In other words, Jesus is one of many ways to get to God. The good thing about this view is that it takes away the problem addressed above. There is no issue if Jesus is merely one of many ways to the Father. Everybody's happy, now. The problem is that it has no basis in scripture whatsoever. It denies the authority of Christ's teaching in the New Testament.

4. Universalism. This is the idea that everyone will be saved through Christ at the end of time. Christ's atoning sacrifice is a sacrifice for all people. This idea is based in the New Testament, but it is a very liberal and unorthodox interpretation. It testifies to God's grace, but it completely diminishes God's justice. Universalism, along with pluralism, would be considered heresy by most Christians.

If I have to make a decision, I would probably take the Catholic view. But that's only if I have to decide. I just think it's a bad question to ask. The bottom line is that there's no way we can know. We can either take what we think is most consistent with scripture or what best fits our ideas of God. Either way, we're standing on shaky ground. Yes, I believe in the infallibility of scripture, but people's interpretations of scripture vary to extreme ends. If we're confronted with this kind of question, we should offer our best explanation, but in humility, because we can't know. We're not God.

I would say, rather, that we shouldn't focus on this kind of question. We should focus on our own commitment to Christ. We should live for God and love people, regardless of what religion they are. Nor should we mindlessly try to 'convert' peoples of other faiths because of our interpretation of John 14:6. This kind of attitude is offensive and ineffective. Rather, we should show people what it means to follow Christ. If they accept it as their own faith, then great! If not, it's not our job to convince them that they're wrong based on theological presuppositions.

The best interpretation of John 14:6 that I've heard is from Rob Bell in Velvet Elvis...

... Jesus' teachings aren't to be followed because they are a nice way to live a moral life. They are to be followed because they are the best possible insight into how the world really works. They teach us how things are.
I don't follow Jesus because I think Christianity is the best religion. I follow Jesus because he leads me into ultimate reality. He teaches me to live in tune with how reality is. When Jesus said, "No one comes to the father except through me," he was saying that his way, his words, his life is our connection to how things truly are at the deepest levels of existence. For Jesus then, the point of religion is to help us connect with ultimate reality, God. I love the way Paul puts it in the book of Colossians: These religious acts and rituals are shadows of the reality. "The reality... is found in Christ." p. 83

HAVING A VISION

2006-11-08T15:38:00.000-06:00

Today, the pastor of Harris Creek Baptist Church spoke in our leadership class about having a vision. Ministers should have a personal vision, and that personal vision should inspire them to lead churches to have their own vision for themselves and for the community. This is something I've been trying to tackle this sememster. What is God's purpose for me? What is my vision for life? Yeah, I'm supposed to follow Christ. I got that. But what exactly does that entail? What must I pursue? What am I passionate about? What kind of ministries do I want to be involved in? More answers lead to more questions.

It's so easy to get stuck in the day to day ruts of life. If you don't have a vision, then how can you live with daily goals? I'll be praying about this kind of stuff now and in the near future.

P.S.
I'm usually not one to brag, but I got a 98 on my Intro. to Theology test. Woot Woot.

VOTE OR DIE

2006-11-07T18:43:00.000-06:00

I didn't vote. Does that make me a bad person or just a bad citizen?

Excuse number one: I procrastinated and didn't get my voter registration card in on time.

Excuse number two: There wasn't anybody I really wanted to vote for. It would have been, for me, a game of pick your poison that I didn't want to play.

Excuse number three: I'm a bad citizen.

CHURCH AND EDUCATION -OR- THE LACK THEREOF

2006-11-06T11:36:00.000-06:00

I went to Mesquite this past weekend so I could watch my little brother play some football. He's a quarterback for the Mesquite High School Skeeters. Friday night, he had a game winning drive with 2 minutes left on the clock, but then the other team came back with a 60 yard run on 4th and 1 to undo said game winning drive. It was a good game and I was really proud of my little bro. It was a good weekend because I got to spend some time with my family.

I also got a chance to talk with my sister. She is in her first semester in college, and she has a religion course (this is at a public community college). They're learning about the Exodus from Egypt, and the professor is talking about possible scientific explanations behind the ten plagues. For example, when the river turns to blood, it is really a red algae that turns the water red, and "Red Sea" is probably more accurately translated "Sea of Reeds." I was kind of surprised because this teaching is really tame compared to most secular arguments. Most secular places will tell you that the exodus never really happened because there is no archeaological evidence for it, that it is just oral traditions passed down over generations. So it's a good thing my sister wasn't just thrown to the wild beasts. Nonetheless, she was shaken up a bit, and I was glad to see that she was being stretched. She had never been exposed to this kind of thing, but it made sense to her, and I thought she was handling it really well.

But my mom, on the other hand, could have had a heart attack. "Well that just takes away from the miracles!" (said in strong Arkansas accent). She couldn't believe that someone was saying this kind of stuff about the Bible. I tried to explain that God can and does work through nature to bring about His purposes, but I don't know how much of what I was saying she believed. I didn't really want to get into the historicity of the Old Testament, and I didn't want to get into the genre of the literature. I could have gotten into the first few chapters of Genesis and how they are not literal to explain my point further, but I think that would have made her head explode. I think baby steps are the key here.

I wonder, though, if we as leaders in the church do a disservice to people when we don't expose them to this kind of thing. For instance, we don't teach that there were pagan cults before the time of Jesus whose gods were born of a virgin or raised from the dead. What happens when they go to college and learn this stuff from secular, and even religious, universities instead of in a community of faith. When I got to Baylor, I had to totally rework my theology because of the things I learned, but there are others who completely lose their faith. Dr. Bart Ehrman, who is a world renowned biblical scholar, is a classic example. Ehrman grew up in a very conservative church that taught a strict doctrine of inerrancy of scripture. When he discovered that this teaching was probably wrong, he totally abandoned his faith. He calls himself a 'happy agnostic,' now.

Especially in dealing with younger generations, I think it's important to teach them the hard things about scripture. Things that can challenge the faith. When they learn within the community, it can be very healthy, but when they're thrown to the dogs without any sort of prior knowledge, who knows what can happen? We set them up for failure when we don't educate them. Luckily for me and my sister, we already had a strong, yet flexible faith. My world was stretched, but not broken, when I learned that, historically, Jericho was destroyed well before the Israelites got there.

In dealing with people who will never really encounter and deal with these kinds of ideas, on the other hand, I'm not sure how vital it is to point these things out to them. Especially older generational types who have a very strong faith in the Bible - which is a GREAT thing.

The most important thing to remember in all of this, though, is that the Bible is true. It teaches the truth about God, and it teaches the truth about how God relates to people. Most importantly, it reveals the good news of Jesus Christ, which is the foundation of our faith.

NEXT SEMESTER

2006-11-01T16:09:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm all signed up for classes next semester. The bad news is that I have straight 8 am classes. Gross. The good news is that they are good classes.

I-Term:
The first week in January I have a week-long, 9-5 course over the Baptist Identity. This one sounds fun.

Monday and Wednesday:
8 am. Scriptures 4 with Dr. Todd Still. We go through the New Testament from Romans to Revelation.
10:30 am. Greek Readings: The Thessalonian Letters with Dr. Todd Still. I'm skipping over Greek 2 because I took Greek in undergrad. Let's hope I have enough discipline to study over Christmas break.

Tuesday and Thursday:
8 am. Christian Worship with Dr. Terry York. This is a required course. I have no clue what it's going to be like.
10:30 am. Discipleship in the New Testament with Dr. Hulitt Gloer. Dr. Gloer is amazing, and the content of the class looks great. I think I have to right my own epistle, but we'll see how it goes.

So far, seminary classes are wicked awesome. Let's hope I feel the same way after next semester when I have successfully completed 30 hours of class.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2006-10-31T11:01:00.000-06:00

FAITH TO MOVE MOUNTAINS

2006-10-30T13:09:00.000-06:00

In Mark 11.23, Jesus tells his disciples that "if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him." Now, I've always thought that this sounds nice. Oh sure, Jesus, next time God wants me to singlehandedly move a mountain, I don't have to doubt. I can just do it!

The neat thing about this passage is that it is not simply an exaggeration. Jesus was using an illustration that the disciples would have recognized. Here's where a little historical information can illuminate the meaning of scripture for us...

King Herod was famous for building things. He built entire cities, places of worship, and most famously, he renovated the Jewish Temple. He also built some stuff for himself, including a vacation home on the top of a mountain which was visible from the Mount of Olives. In the process of building this palace, he actually had his construction crew remove the top of this particular mountain! King Herod moved a mountain.

Now, when Jesus tells his disciples that if they have faith in God, then they can move mountains, I can't help but think that either he was pointing to Herod's mountain or he at least had it in mind. If King Herod can physically move a mountain, then how much more can God's people accomplish through faith? What kind of mountains can we move through prayer? We can move much more than physical mountains. We can tackle things like world hunger, like the AIDS epidemic in Africa, like turmoil in the Middle East, like widespread Christian nominalism in America. All we have to do is believe and put our trust in God to the point of obedience, and God will work through us to bring about his kingdom. Am I an idealist? Maybe, but I believe that God works through one person at a time, slowly but surely revealing his goodness to humankind.

TAKE A BREATH

2006-10-29T20:36:00.000-06:00

Whew. Sundays are such a long day. They're good days, but long. It's time to take a breath. Hang out with my wife. And just chill. We'll talk tomorrow.

God bless.

PS
Happy Birthday to my little bro, Luke! He's 16 and tearing it up as quarterback for THE Mesquite High Skeeters.

JESUS CREED

2006-10-26T15:43:00.000-05:00

I found this really great new blog (well, new to me). It's called jesuscreed.org, and if you look to the right of my page under for further reading it's the fourth one down. It's by Scot McNight, a Christian scholar and professor at North Park University, and it has great articles and great links on it to browse around about the emerging church, prayer, sholarship, and all kinds of good stuff. McNight's blog has been rated #1 for the emerging church by technorati.com. I browsed around for an hour last night reading up on all sorts of things. Check it out. It is outstanding stuff.

CAMERA PHONE

2006-10-24T15:36:00.000-05:00

So my old phone broke. It was strange because when I answered the phone, the person I was talking to could hear me loud and clear, but I couldn't hear them at all. Thankfully, I had insurance, so I sent my phone in to cingular. Apparently, even with insurance there is a $50 fee (go figure). But much to my pleasant surprise, the new basic phone that I received comes with a camera on it. I've had much fun with this thing, namely taking surprise photos of Cruz for the sake of being annoying. It's what I do.

CHANGING STUFF...

2006-10-24T10:43:00.000-05:00

Now that blogger has this new set-up, I'm playing with the way my blog looks. Let me know what you think. I'll probably keep changing it until I figure out what I like. In the mean time, the green and gold is in honor of the big game this week vs. aggie. Sic'em Bears!

SO SORRY TO ALL MY ADORING FANS

2006-10-23T12:35:00.000-05:00

To all of my adoring fans out there (all two of you), I apologize for the lack of blogging. It seems that I hit a dry spell for over a month. I guess I just didn't want to do it. Oh well. I'm back now. The Halpinator blog is not dead just yet. There will be more to come, probably this afternoon.

IT'S BUDGET TIME!

2006-09-19T16:07:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again... I get to plan our youth and college budgets. This wouldn't be a huge deal if I didn't HATE money and math and things of the like. It makes it worse that I can't go off of the same budget I used last year because we have to make cuts. It's enough to make the left side of my brain explode.

I think we should all take the advice of my college Sunday school teacher's son Luke, who is about 4 or 5 years old. Scott is on the policies and procedures committee of our church, and Luke gave him this advice: "You should make a rule that all things in stores... should be free!" Luke, wiser words have never been spoken, my friend. If only everybody else thought like you....

Budget planning also drives me nuts because we spend SO MUCH money on different programs and activities within our church. If we spent a quarter as much serving our community as we spend on ourselves, we might be doing something right. It's insane how much we spend on petty things within the church (i.e. flowers or anniversary activities), and then we wonder why we're hurting on budget.

Since I wrote this mini-rant, now I have to put my own money where my mouth is (ha-ha, get it?) and use the youth budget in such a way that might honor God. Ouch. I wasn't thinking that way beforehand. Before, I was thinking about our own programs and what not. How can I use our budget to serve others, and how can I use our budget to help our students serve others instead of just spending money on self-absorbed and self-interested programs? This is going to take some thought.

God works in funny ways sometimes. I didn't even plan on writing any of this. I really just wanted to complain about budget stuff, but God used my own writing to convict me. Didn't see that coming.

CELEBRATING 50

2006-09-12T16:26:00.000-05:00

This marks my 50th post since moving to blogger! In celebration of this feat, I will count down my top 5 posts of all-time. Ratings are completely subjective and chosen based on the ones that I like. Here goes...

5. BIG MISTAKE:
This post was fun. Everybody and their dog is getting married these days. And now I can add Carolyn and Stephen to the list... it keeps growing.

4. DEAR ANONYMOUS,:
This was my response to an anonymous letter I received from someone in our church that I thought was a little backhanded. I would probably change the way I wrote this one if I had to do it over. My tone is a little arrogant in this post. I was angry at the time.

3. TOP TEN: GREATEST SUPERHERO MOVIES:
This was right around the time that Superman Returns came out, so I got on this Superhero bit. I'm a nerd. I made this list before I saw M. Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable, and that movie would definitely make it in my top 5.

2. TAKE UP YOUR CROSS:
My most recent post on the list, and it's why I love seminary.

1. THE DOGS OF WAR:
This was my first real post and still by far my favorite. This is my current take on the whole pacifism/just war/violence issue. I'm always open for new arguments, though. I think it's my favorite, though, because a famous person commented on it. You'll have to look to see who - I'm not giving it away that easy.

WOMEN IN MINISTRY: AN EGALITARIAN COMMUNITY

2006-09-11T13:06:00.000-05:00

I believe that the early church community held a radical view of male and female equality. We can see through Jesus' ministry that he didn't make any distinction between anyone. Whether they were rich, poor, male, female, sick, healthy, Jew, Samaritan, or anything else, if they wanted to follow Jesus, he was all for it. The only condition was that they had to really want it. We can see this all through the gospels. Jesus didn't hold anything back for anyone based on social status or apperance. The only thing that Jesus looked for was the heart, and I believe that the early church held this view, too.

In Galatians 3 Paul writes:

[27] for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [29] If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

In other words, the message of the gospel is all inclusive. If you want it, you can have it.

Then in 1 Corinthians 11 Paul writes:

[3] Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. [4] Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. [5] And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. [6] If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. [7] A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. [8] For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; [9] neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. [10] For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head. [11] In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. [12] For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.

On the surface it may seem to some that Paul is distinguishing between man and woman. But if you look deeper into the passage you notice that Paul is advocating for men and women to support one another, to follow God together. He says in verse 12 that everything comes from God. Male comes from female and female comes from male. In the kingdom of God, gender doesn't matter. Also notice in verse 5 that he recognizes that women pray and prophesy. For the early church the word prophesy basically means to speak the truth, to preach. Then in verse 10 he says that a woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head. So, we can see from this passage that Paul doesn't think that women in general ought to be silent and stay in the kitchen. Women and men have an equal role to play in the church.

I've only given 2 passages on gender equality, but there's plenty more. I think it's evident from the New Testament that the church was a community that viewed everyone equally. This begs the question for those who think that women shouldn't be in leadership...

If the church is a community of equals, then why are men more qualified to be leaders than women? Why can't a woman be a pastor?

I don't think there is an adequate answer. The only answer I've found is in 2 passages of scripture in the New Testament. And as I've mentioned in a previous post, those 2 passages are widely taken out of context. Next week I'll tackle the first of these passages - 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, and then I'll tackle 1 Timothy 2:9-15.

Stay tuned.

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS

2006-09-06T20:05:00.000-05:00

This is why I love seminary. It's because I learn stuff like this every day...

In my Scriptures 3 class (the gospels and Acts) with Dr. Hulitt Gloer we're going over the time period of Jesus. We briefly sketched out a history from the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 BC to the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in 70 AD. In a nutshell, the Jewish people were fed up with political domination and oppression by the first century - the time of Jesus. Around this time, many Jews started to look for hope in an apocalyptic sense. In other words, they lost hope in the world around them, and they expected God to come down and intervene on their behalf. They were expecting a Messiah to set things right, to bring in God's holy rule.

During the 1st Century and even beyond, there were numerous Messianic movements. You couldn't go far without somebody saying, "Follow me, I'm the Messiah." For the Jews, it was great political turmoil, and for the Romans who ruled over the Jews, it simply was annoying. Of course, all of these movements were absolutely mowed down by the Romans.

Here's the part that blew me away in class the other day:

Around 6 AD one of these Messianic movements was headed by a man named Judas of Galilee (not to be confused with Judas Iscariot). He started a revolt, and it was absolutely obliterated by the Roman army. But the Romans didn't just quelch the rebellion. They crucified about 2,000 men all in the region of Galilee. 2,000! That's a lot of dead bodies, and Galilee is not a big territory. Obviously, the Romans were making a statement - don't jack with us.

Now, most scholars think that Jesus was actually born around 6 BC - 2 BC, not 0. So, if Jesus was born that early, that means he was probably between 8 and 12 years old. Jesus lived in Nazareth, at town in the region of Galilee. Chances are that Jesus as a young boy saw all of these people, his countrymen, crucified like they were nothing. Chances are that this image was ingrained in his head as a kid. That had to make a massive impact on him as he grew up in the political turmoil of his day.

It made me think about when Jesus said to take up your cross and follow me. What was he thinking about when he said that? People, following Jesus isn't pretty. It's not fun, and it's not always happy. In fact, sometimes it sucks. So why do we do it? It doesn't make any sense to make him Lord over our lives. It's so much easier to just forget about it and move on. OR - another question. Do we really take up our cross and follow him like he meant? Do we really give it all up to God? Or, do we pick and choose what makes sense for us in America where we can sacrifice a little bit and still live fat and happy.

Now I give my time, I give my tithe, I serve in the church and sometimes in the community as a whole, but is it enough? Is it ever enough? What is enough?

Jesus already showed us what enough is on the cross.... Everything.

Seminary... this ain't Lifeway.

WOMEN IN MINISTRY: THE LADIES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

2006-09-05T14:53:00.000-05:00

Those who try to suppress women leadership within the church often ignore or forget the major role that women played in the New Testament and the early church. Let's look at a few examples...

Many scholars think that Mary Magdalene played a major role in church leadership in the very beginning of the church. Some scholars believe this in part because of her role in the gospels and in part because she is mentioned in other noncannonical texts(ancient writings that aren't in the Bible). This seems to suggest that although Mary wasn't mentioned in the New Testament after the gospels, she did play an important role in founding the church. For a lot of people, though, the fact that Mary is listed in nonbiblical writings doesn't really mean anything because it's not scripture. So, we'll move on to writings within scripture.

Priscilla is mentioned in Acts 18, Romans 16, 1 Corinthians 16, and 2 Timothy 4. The interesting thing about Priscilla is that she was married to Aquilla. Usually in ancient texts when an author mentions a married couple, the author will write the male's name first (in Romans 16:7 Paul mentions Andronicus and Junias - probably a married couple), but in many of these passages Paul writes about Priscilla and then Aquila. He mentions the woman first! Why would he do this? I think that this is because Priscilla played the more important role in the story. In Acts 18 we learn that Priscilla and Aquilla welcomed Paul in Ephesus as he went through his missionary journey, and we can definitely tell that Paul greatly appreciated their ministry because he mentions them 3 different times in 3 different letters in the New Testament. I can't help but notice Priscilla's importance through these passages, and I can't help but think that she was definitely a leader within her church.

Then, in Romans 16, Paul gives a long greeting to different members of the church at Rome. 4 of the first 7 people he mentions are women...

[1] I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchrea. [2] I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me. [3] Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. [4] They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. [5] Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. [6] Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. [7] Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

Notice that the first person he mentions is a woman, and he calls her a deacon! Then we see Priscilla, probably the same person as in Acts 18, then Mary, and then he mentions that Andronicus and Junias are apostles. He calls a woman an apostle! His list goes on in Romans 16 and there are several men and women that he mentions. It seems to me that in this list there is no distinction between men and women. It seems that men and women play an equal part in the church that Paul is writing to.

If we move on to Philippians 4, Paul is writing to correct a problem within the church. Apparently, two ladies named Euodia and Syntyche aren't getting along so well...

[2] I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the
Lord. [3] Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have
contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest
of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

I love that Paul isn't shy, and he's not afraid to confront a problem when it hinders the church. He straight up calls these women out in front of everybody so that they can fix the problem. Notice, though, that the problem is not that there are women leaders. The problem is that they are leaders who can't see eye to eye. It wouldn't matter if they were men or women. How do you know that they are leaders and not just regular people causing problems, you ask? Look at verse 3 - he says that these women "contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest...." These women worked alongside the apostle Paul. They were involved in the ministry of God.

Just from these examples, I think that it's plain to see that women had leadership roles in the New Testament church. Next week, I'll take a look at a few passages that focus on the fact that the church is meant for everybody and discuss what implications that has for the nature of leadership.

WOMEN IN MINISTRY: AN INTRODUCTION

2006-08-28T10:29:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting to do this post for a good while now, and I'm finally getting to it. I'm not going to post it all at once because it will take too long for me to write in one sitting and too long for you to want to read it, so I decided to do a series. Part one will be an introduction...

I firmly believe that the church, especially the fundamentalist church, has wrongly left women out of leadership roles. I believe the New Testament reveals that in the early church women played a huge role in ministry. There are really only two passages in the New Testament that would seem to suggest otherwise, and I believe that those who use those two passages to discriminate against women take these passages out of context. Not only do they take these passages out of context, but they ignore the rest of the New Testament. Don't get me wrong, though, I am not trying to bash those who think this way. I believe that those who are against women in ministry mean well. They want to follow the scriptures, and they want to follow God's plan. However, I can't get past the rest of the New Testament, and I truly believe that their interpretation of these passages is misguided.

The two passages I'm talking about are 1 Timothy 2:9-15 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35...

In Timothy it says:
[9] I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, [10] but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
[11] A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. [12] I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. [13] For Adam was formed first, then Eve. [14] And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. [15] But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

In Corinthians it says:
[34] women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. [35] If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

Before I delve into these two passages, I'm going to take a look at the passages that would support women leadership in the church. Stay tuned.

BACK TO SCHOOL

2006-08-22T09:03:00.000-05:00

Today is my first day back to school. I only have one class, which is good. YAYA! I get to start out the semester with Greek 1. Many of you are thinking, "wow, that's going to be ridiculously hard. It's all Greek to me (Ha Ha Ha)." Man, I've never heard that joke before. I think my dad says it every time I mention greek class. When it happens, though, I practice my best sarcastic laugh. He thinks it's funny every time. But don't worry about me and Greek; it shouldn't be too hard since I took 4 semesters of Greek in undergrad. The only problem will be to remember this stuff.... Wow, that's so weird. I used to be in undergrad. I'm all growed up now and in grad school. Rock on, me.

So as the semester rolls on, hopefully I won't get too stressed out from all of the classwork, ministry, and everything else. It's time to lean on the everlasting arms. Yay for Jesus.

JAMBALAYA, DAVID CROWDER, AND THE TRAGEDY OF WALKING

2006-08-21T11:29:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was a busy one, but a great one. Friday night Truett treated all of the incoming students to Buzzard Billy's. If you don't know, Buzzard Billy's is the local cajun food restaurant here in Waco. It was a catfish buffet type of thing with hushpuppies and other good stuff. I only wish they served jambalaya because I haven't had some good jambalaya in a good while. I can't complain complain, though, because the catfish was excellent, and it was free.

The coolest thing about Friday night was the people we sat by. Things got interesting when Shari and I slowly figured out that 2 of the people live in the Quadrangle apartments, our former home. We also figured out they both lived in our exact apartment. The guy lives in Shari's old place, and the girl lives in my old place. We figured this out because the girl started talking about bugs, and immediately I figured that it was my old apt. We had a disgusting bug problem when we lived there. It was a funny little coincidence.

Then Saturday was the big church mixer thing for all of the incoming freshmen at Baylor. We went out and passed out flyers for our church's college ministry. It was a good time, and we met lots of cool people. Apparently it went really well because we had several college students visit our church this Sunday. Our table was pretty close to UBC, home of the David Crowder Band, and sure enough, THE David Crowder was there. I really wanted to go over there and meet him, but I figured he probably got that all the time, and I didn't want to be "that guy." I'm sure he's a great guy, and I'm sure he loves meeting new people since he's the worship pastor at a church and all, but still, I would have felt funny. I did, however, meet another guy named Adam from UBC who is a Truett student who has a wicked cool blog. He goes to Coco's shaved ice and rates all of the snow cone flavors. Check out his site here. From there, I found another good blog by a friend who is an intern at UBC named Matt Singleton. Click here. Both of these new blogs are on my sidebar.

Add a major mood shift... now.

This week at the youth Sunday School, one of the verses we used was Micah 6:8: And what does the Lord your God require of you? To do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Sometimes I wonder if I ever really get it right. I do all of this talk on Sunday nights about sharing our faith with our friends, and I talk a lot about giving everything you have to God, but, man, I wish I could it right myself. What happens if I teach our students something wrong? What happens if my words slip in such a way that it influences somebody in a negative light. I guess I just really hope and pray that all that I do comes right back to this wonderful scripture in Micah. I pray that with everything I have I am following God, including my words, my actions, my hopes, my fears, my relationships, etc. I hope and pray that our students grab a hold of this concept, too. I pray that give all that they have to following Jesus.

Tragically, we'll never get it completely right, but it is through the grace of God that we try, and that we can try with all of our hearts.

ORIENTATION

2006-08-17T09:15:00.000-05:00

Today is my first day of Orientation at Truett Seminary. I am excited. I get to start something new and refreshing, and I know that I already have friends there. I am confident that God is going to use Truett to teach me amazing new things, refresh my spirit, and provide me with new support and friendship. Yay for God, yay for Truett, and yay for today. My socks are rocked off once more.

YOU ROCK MY SOCKS OFF

2006-08-16T10:18:00.000-05:00

WARNING: this post may envoke warm, fuzzy feelings on those who were involved.

Do you see those pair of feet on the right? Do you notice that they aren't wearing any socks? Do you know who's feet they are?

To answer all of your really good questions... Well, those are my feet, and they don't have socks on because you rocked them off of my feet. It's also why I'm wearing flip-flops today. Those darn socks just won't stay on. You may ask, "Marc, how did we rock your socks off?" Another good question. Answer: Our student ministry made my birthday one of the best ever.

I really didn't expect you guys to do something for my birthday in the middle of the first week of school. I kind of got the hint that you were going to do something, but I figured it would be on a Sunday when everybody was there anyways. You guys are awesome. On top of that, there were like 25 people at Cheddar's last night! Even if I did expect something in the middle of the week, I would never have expected to see that many of you there. Again, you guys made my day. You made my week. You even made my year! It was so cool that all of you guys showed that you care.

Not to mention all the crazy cool gifts you guys got me. Some great books, Jack Johnson CD's, giftcards from Target, Starbucks, and Hastings, a crazy cool T-Shirt, and straight up cash. Thank you all so much for being so kind and so generous!

Seriously, I love all of you so much that it hurts. I can't tell you enough how much I appreciated everything! Rock on, WHSM!

UNLEASHED

2006-08-15T15:29:00.000-05:00

So I went to Promise Keepers this past weekend with my father-in-law (dad #2), and I had a pretty good time. On a scale of 1-10, I would rate it at about 7. If you don't know what Promise Keepers is, it's basically a huge, thousands of people man rally. Picture a Disciple Now for men, only packed in the American Airlines Center. Lots of testosterone.

On my way up there, though, my back right tire blew out on the busy part of I-35 getting into Dallas. Luckily it was just after the construction, so I had a shoulder to pull over and put on my spare. It was all well and good, but after I drove for another five minutes, I remembered that I forgot to tighten the lugnuts. So I had to pull over again, and thankfully nothing bad happened.

Anywho, Promise Keepers was pretty cool. The speakers were pretty good. In a nut shell, the whole weekend was about letting God work in every aspect of you life, and being obedient to him. Mostly, it was angled from an evangelistic perspective, so I didn't get as much out of it as I had hoped.

As far as teaching goes, the coolest thing was a video they showed by Rob Bell (you can check out his stuff at nooma.com). He described how disciples were picked out by rabbis in Jesus' time. Rabbis picked disciples if they were the best of the best of the religious students. They picked the smartest and the brightest. But Jesus came along and picked up some fisherman and tax collectors, guys that had already picked up the family trade, guys that couldn't make the cut. These disciples weren't good enough to be religious leaders in most people's eyes, but because Jesus believed in them, these were the guys who changed the course of history.

The second best part about PK was Lincoln Brewster. I would say that he was easily in the top 5 Christian artists that I've seen live. Brother could play the guitar. And the funny thing is that he had diarrhea (I know because he told us). Even though he was sick, he still rocked my face off. It was sad, though, because he only played like 5 songs.

I can't stand it, though, when preachers scream the entire message. Especially when I have a headache. It's okay, you can just talk to us, I promise. We're still going to listen. I have an easier time listening when you're not yelling, actually. I know you mean well, but please don't scream at me. Oh, and to all you worship bands out there, if you have an event with 3 or more sessions, please pick different songs to sing and use a different song order. It just gets old when you don't do that.

But all in all, I have to thank Dad #2 for a great weekend!

STOP IT!

2006-08-11T13:48:00.000-05:00

I saw this report on Nightline the other day, and it spoke of some Christian groups that support Israel mainly because they believe that they are God's people. Waco got some more bad publicity because one of the preachers mentioned in the report was a pastor in Robinson, and of course, the report cast her in a negative image. In a nut shell, some Christians are pretty much blindly supporting Israel's attacks on Lebanon solely because of their interpretation of scripture. I gather that those who think this way are the Tim LaHaye/Left Behind types who interpret literally the apocalyptic literature found in Daniel and Revelation. They think that the "prophecies" found in these books foresee an outline of the distant future, and they believe that the nation of Israel is one of the main players in the story.

STOP IT! This kind of thing makes us look ridiculous. We (especially the church) should not blindly support a nation that bombs the heck out of somebody else because of a kidnapping. Where is the justice there? Where is the mercy? The nation of Israel is NOT the representation of the people of God. I'm sure that there are Godly people in Israel, but the nation as a whole does not adequately represent the God of the Universe. If you want to look at this situation through the light of the scriptures, the church is the people of God - not any nation founded through war. The church represents God's people, not Israel. God's people are those who pray for their enemies and who love their enemies.

I guess if you want to support Israel, that's fine, but don't do it because of some futuristic interpretation of scripture. We have to remember that people wrote the Bible, so there is naturally going to be a certain difference in thought, literary style, and motives of writing from what we might think today. There are certain places in the Bible where we can't just pick it up and expect to know exactly what it means without a certain amount of study. Prophetic and Apocalyptic books in the Bible are some of those places.

Support Israel if you really think they're doing the right thing, not because of literal interpretations of Revelation or Daniel. Just from my own personal viewpoint, though, I don't see how Israel's reaction to Hezbollah is really going to solve anything. Israel has been in the same cycle of violence since its inception, and the blame should be placed on both sides.

PAINTING CATS

2006-08-08T10:03:00.000-05:00

So this past week I have had the pleasure of painting Lindsey's condo. But it wasn't just painting, per se. We also had the joy of taking down wallpaper and texturing the wall. When I say taking down wallpaper, though, it seems to give the connotation that this was an easy task, which is hardly the case. It was more like scraping off a few decades worth of plastered on wallpaper - there that's better. It took about three days to get that mess off, and even still, there are traces of the stuff. It was impossible to get it all off. So when we tried to texture the wall last night it looked like poop. That's mainly because the texture we used was subpar at best. We're going to try the whole texture thing again today, but we're going to use a different method. Let's pray for my sanity's sake that it works. I really want this to be our last day of painting. That would be ideal.

Needless to say, it's been an eventful week. I haven't been able to blog because of the whole painting thing. Painting has taken all of my free time that I normally use to get on the ol' computer. But, hey, at least Shari and I got a new cat this week. She looks kind of like the one in this picture. We named her Lois - after Lois Lane if you're me, and Lois Griffin if you're Shari. But you are neither me nor Shari, so I guess that means that you didn't name her. We found her off the street, and she has gotta be less than 6 months old. She definitely plays like a kitten. One thing she likes to do when Shari and I are asleep is run downstairs, then in about 5 minutes sprint back upstairs and attack our feet, then sprint back downstairs before we can do anything about it. She'll do this over and over until she gets tired. Needless to say, Shari and I haven't slept incredibly well in a few nights. She's a very playful cat, almost too playful. At least she's got great personality, though. Normally I don't like cats all that much, but this one acts kind of like a dog (except with really sharp claws that scratch me sometimes), so I like her pretty well.

I'll be back with another post much sooner next time. I realize that it's been over a week. I've just been worn out from blogging. You could say that I needed a blogging vacation. But I wouldn't suggest saying that if I were you because someone might laugh at you.

THINGS I WANT TO BLOG ABOUT

2006-07-30T00:40:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick list of things I would really like to blog about but am to tired to do so. This way you'll have somewhat of an idea about what's going on in my head. You won't get the full story, but, hey, it's better than nothing, right?

1. The tubing trip. The youth ministry went tubing at the Guadalupe River, and I would love to tell you about it, but, alas, I want to sleep instead.

2. An adventure in the radio station. I got to see a real live radio station for the first time today when I went with Cruz for his live interview on 89.9. I would love to tell you about it, but, my goodness, I'm tired.

3. Moving Day. Today I got to help a good friend move into her rockin' cool house. Tiffani rocks my face off, but again I can't tell you about it because I'd rather hit the sack.

4. Women in Ministry. I really want to do a post about women in ministry. I think the church is sexist in a lot of ways, but I can't elaborate right now because my eyes are heavy.

5. 50th Anniversary. Our church is having its 50th anniversary this weekend, but I just don't care enough to write about it as my bed is calling my name.

6. Truett Seminary. School is about to start soon, but I have not the time to speak of it.

7. Church Politics. Church politics are absolutely wearing me out, but I won't even go there. That's an entire book.

8. The love of Youth Ministry. I love the nonpolitical part of my job! Our students are incredible, and I will talk about it eventually, but my fingers can't go on much longer.

9. M. Night Shyamalan. Lady in the Water was great, and I just saw Unbreakable for the first time today. He is soon to surpass Timmy Burton on my favorite director list. I would say more, but I think you have the idea by now.

10. God is Good. He keeps me moving. Again, that's a book I don't have time to write yet.

All this and more in the near future.

MY BLOGGING METHODOLOGY

2006-07-25T11:25:00.000-05:00

As many of you may have noticed, my blogging has become less and less intense over the past month, so I thought that I would take a look deep within myself and really try to understand how I use my blog in everyday life.

I think that the first thing that you have to understand when you read my blog is that my blog is not in my top five list of important things I have to do today (at least on most days). Other things that hold higher importance are:
1) Waking up in the morning, that way I can keep living.
2) I need to spend time with my beautiful wife so she doesn't leave me. That would really suck. Yes, my wife comes before my blog, you're shocked I can tell.
3) Going to work. I love my job, and I want to keep it. If blogging became more important to me than ministry, well that just wouldn't be right at all, would it? If blogging takes up too much time and energy away from the youth ministry, then I'm not doing my job. Funny thing is, though, that sometimes I blog while I'm in the office. (Did I just negate point number 3?)
4) This isn't the case right now, but when school starts I need to concentrate on classwork. I'm going to have to ask myself which is more important - Do I waste time writing my blog, or do I get my homework done? Unfortunately, I will choose to write in my blog more often than I should just to waste time. Then, I will complain about all of the classwork I have to do, and then I will complain about my procrastination tendencies.
5) TiVo. Not because it should be more important, but because it is. I'm sorry, but when Season 3 of Lost starts up again, try and guess what I'm going to be doing on Wednesday nights after church.

Another important thing in understanding my blogging methodology is the fact that I use my blog as one more way to communicate and connect with students. This may be the most important thing about my blog. I don't do it so that I can get a huge following from the nations of the world. I don't really care that much. And, besides, my ideas and writings aren't that good anyway. I write my blog so that the students of WHSM can understand where I'm coming from, and in turn I can better understand them. I love the WHSM so much, and this is one more way to participate. If you want a better idea of how many of our students have a blog, and how many of our students use their blog for the Kingdom of God, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. And still more read the blogs without actually blogging.

I also use my blog to practice writing. I like to write stuff. I know it doesn't seem like it lately, but I like to write about theology, ministry, and things of the like. Eventually, I would really like to write a book. Writing is ideal for me because I'm not so great at speaking off the fly, so when I write it gives me time to think about what I'm saying. When I speak, I'll say things I don't really mean, or the words come out wrong. Sometimes my speech makes as much sense as about your shoes, but when I write, I do a much better job of getting across what I really want to say. For example, if I write out sermons, they tend to be much better than if I make an outline.

I blog to waste time sometimes. If I don't have anything else to do, I can blog. This is rarely the case, though. Right now, my life is pretty crazy, and I rarely have "free time" to blog.

A blog is a great place to let out my frustrations and share my hopes/joys. When I'm angry, it's a great way to vent. But I do have to be careful so as to not gossip or make folks mad. This part of blogging is all about me. That's right, I'm selfish.

You see, for me, blogging is a strange and complicated thing. Sometimes it's important, and other times it gets placed on the back burner. Recently, it's been on the back burner, but that should tell you that I've been working hard at other stuff. I would like to have the dedication to make my blog great and to always post great material, but I don't, and that's okay. I could compare blogging to following my favorite sports team. Sometimes I get really into it, and at other times I could care less. But the next time the Mavs get to the NBA Finals they better win. And yes, I'm still mad about that.

GOOD DAY

2006-07-20T08:55:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a great day, and I needed it. I'm not going to lie, I've been discouraged by a quite a few things over the past week, but yesterday was a breath of fresh air.

Yesterday was an outstanding day for our youth ministry. We welcomed in several of the new 7th graders at The Break, and we had 23 students. That's the biggest group of students I've ever had at this church! Not only was it a big group, but our leaders stepped up to the plate and made sure that everyone felt welcome. Thanks guys and girls for making my day easier.

Encouraging item #2 was the conversation I had with Shari, Cruz, and Jerry yesterday. I love these folks so much. We sat at Starbucks forever last night just chatting about the things that God is doing in our church and in our ministry.

Encouraging item #3 didn't really happen yesterday, but I want to write about it because I couldn't comment on her site. Thanks for your post, Thespian-Pirate, about your experience Sunday night. I can't tell you how happy it made everyone who saw it. You rock!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

2006-07-18T09:59:00.000-05:00

Vacation Bible School is in full swing this week. VBS is always a rockin' good time. I get to be a floater all week. That means instead of having any real responsibilities, I get to go where I want, see what I want, and not listen to the music if I'm so inclined. Basically, I'm trying to hang out with the upcoming 7th graders all day, that way we can start the process of getting comfortable with each other.

I've gotta say, though, that Marcy is a beast of a children's minister. She has a way of dealing with children that I can only dream of. Let's just say I work with youth for a reason.

MAJOR PROPS

2006-07-16T15:16:00.000-05:00

Major props to Cruz for writing and recording this song all by himself. To listen click here. Be sure and listen to the lyrics because they are outstanding. Soft rock on, Cruz.

GOSSIP

2006-07-16T14:56:00.000-05:00

It makes me angry when I hear about students talking about other students, and then I have to stop it and correct it. It happens, that's what teenagers do sometimes. But when I hear about adults talking and spreading rumors (whether they are true or not) about one of our students, I don't even know what to do. I'm so mad I can't even see straight right now. Please pray about the situation with me.

WEEKEND AT THE LAKE

2006-07-14T11:40:00.000-05:00

This weekend the wife and I are going to the lake with my family. Maybe I'll catch a fish or two. Maybe I won't. We might even fall off of the jet ski a couple of times. Who knows, it's even possible that the boat might sink. There is one thing I do know, however, and we will spend both an arm and a leg on gas to get there.

THREE WISHES

2006-07-13T15:57:00.000-05:00

If I had three wishes, this is what I would do:

1. I would wish for long lasting health. This way, I wouldn't have to worry about what I eat or how much I exercise. It's not that I want to be lazy, it would just be nice to not have to worry about it all. Then I could totally concentrate on everything else I have to do.

2. I would wish that our student loans would be paid off. I wouldn't wish for lots of money because I don't want lots of money. I don't want to be rich, I just don't want to have debt. This would also include Truett being paid off.

3. I would wish for a teleportation device. I mean c'mon, how cool would that be? I could go to Hawaii right now in like less than a second. Rock.

A SERMON

2006-07-11T11:34:00.000-05:00

For those who may have missed it, here's the rough draft of the sermon I did for our church on Sunday night. God was all over me this week, and I knew that He was calling me to speak up in our church. I honestly felt like Jeremiah when he wrote that he wanted to stay quiet, but the word of God was in him like a fire. Jeremiah admits that he wanted to hold it in, but it hurt so bad that he had to let it out. Sunday afternoon my stomach was physically sick as I waited to speak to our church. Once the message came out, I was fine.

This past Sunday night our church really worshiped. Not because of anything I said, but because our students came before our church and showed them the love of God. They showed them that God can and will move in the hearts of people. If you pray, please pray for our church - for healing, for forgiveness, for the desire to see God move, and please pray for our search for a new pastor. God bless you guys.

Note: This is not word for word what I said. I changed it up a little as I spoke. This is also incomplete. I added to it and left some of it out.

"I’m going to take a minute to brag about what God has done with our students over the past year. I’m not bragging about what they have done. I’m not bragging about what I or Cruz or Shari or Tiffani or Jerry Hill have done. It’s all about what God has done. I want to take this opportunity to brag because in Jeremiah, God says that if you’re going to brag about something, brag about me! That makes God happy – when we brag about Him. So if you don’t mind, I’m going to share with this church what God has done with your students.

When I was hired as the Interim Student Minister, our youth ministry had a sickness. Our students did not look like followers of Christ, and I think they will tell you that as well. Instead of building each other up, they tore each other down. Sometimes, I think it became almost a contest to see who could be the cleverest, the wittiest, and the funniest person. If you could cut somebody down, then you could make it in this youth group. A lot of times our students were really funny, but they fell short of what really mattered. We forgot that we were supposed to be the 0church; we were supposed to be the people of God. Instead of growing, our youth ministry was divisive. There were clicks, and there were groups within the ministry. People made each other angry and there was not much room for forgiveness. During this time, we had a lot of students leave and never come back. People were hurt. We were supposed to be building each other up, not tearing down.

Things started to change when we noticed the problem and pointed it out to the students. The word of God was able to get a hold of their hearts and the word of God helped to change our ministry. Over the past year our students have grown so much. I think it all started with camp last year. Our students shocked us last year because they were so open to other churches, and I think for the first time in a long time, they really saw what it meant to love and serve others. And over the last year we have taken every opportunity to show what it means to love each other. We have learned what it means to be family, to be a church, to be the people of God. Our students genuinely care about one another. They really do love each other. And this full year of learning and growing just exploded this past week at camp. Camp wasn’t just a fluke experience for us this year. God has been shaping us and preparing us all year for this past week. And as you saw our students come up here and share their hearts with you, know that camp was a result of a year’s worth of growth. God has worked in their lives. This past week at camp we had 6 students give their lives over to God, 2 students surrender to the ministry, and 1 student made an extremely hard decision about forgiveness. God has blessed our students because they have been open to His word. They have been open to following Him. They deeply desire to serve Him, and They want with their whole hearts to see Him move. They are hungry to see God. And God has changed them. He has changed my heart.

I tell you this story today because I am deeply troubled. My heart is heavy. I am tired and I am hurting for this church. Before God brought change in our youth ministry, our students were a microcosm of what our church looked like. Honestly, at times, going to church has become more of a burden than a time of worship, and I am ready to see God work. There are people in this church who are hurting. There are people in this church who have become bitter. There are people in this church who are angry. There are so many in this church who have been hurt by others, and there are so many who have hurt others – whether intentionally or not – it still hurts. And I am grieving because instead of giving this pain over to God, our church has put up walls and created a battlefield. We have sides. There are those who think that their side is right, and there are others who think that their side is right. There are still others who look at the situation and condemn both sides. There are still others who think that because Mike and/or Roger are leaving that the problem is going to go away. I am here to tell you that this situation is not something that we can just ignore and expect to go away. The problem runs much deeper than that.

I want to take a look at a passage that our camp pastor used this past week. It truly was amazing because his main theme throughout the week is relevant to what I wanted to speak about originally tonight. If you’ll turn to Jeremiah 24…

This passage is referring to the exile into Babylon. The people of Judah had messed up. They stopped following God, so God allowed the Babylonians to take over. Jeremiah sees the situation and says that there were some bad figs in Judah. They are rotten to the core. Zedekiah, the king and the leaders of the nation had forgotten who their God was. They forgot about their daddy. There was nothing good in them, they were the bad fruit. If they were the fig tree, there was no good fruit on their tree. And Jeremiah says that God is going to let the bad figs go. God’s going to give the bad figs over to their own selfish desires and their own sin. They’re going to rot in their own filth. They’re nasty and rotten because they refuse to let God work in them.

The good figs, on the other hand, God has a plan for. In verse 9, he says that “I’ll give them a heart to know me. They will be my people and I will be their God, for they’ll have returned to me with all their hearts.” The good figs in Judah had messed up too. They had sinned against God, but the difference is that they desire to follow God. They desire God, and as a result, God shows them himself. The good figs have to suffer, but God is going to take care of them. God is there for them. He says, “I’ll build them up, not tear them down; I’ll plant them, not uproot them.” The good figs, the people of God are going to suffer and they’re going into captivity, but God is going to take care of them as he says in Jeremiah 29:11: he’s going to take care of them and He has a plan and a purpose for their lives. They will come back to Judah with a heart to see God.

It’s like the story that James Darby told of the man who found a cocoon….

Here’s the deal, church: if we ignore the problems that exist, this church is going to die like that butterfly. We have to allow God to work in us. We have to let God sift through our pains and our hurts. We have to let God heal us. We have to forgive one another. If we do not do these things, this church will die. God will do to this church what he did to the bad figs in Jeremiah. We can see this again in Revelation 3 when God is talking to the church in Laodicea. He says you are neither hot nor cold. You are stagnant. God says he wants to vomit them out of His mouth. They claim to follow God, and they act like Christians, but they give no fruit. They are not real. Our church is not far from this. The bitterness and the utter hatred within this church are far too prevalent to be ignored. God desires healing, and he wants us to repent, to change, to alter courses. And as James Darby said all week, “We’ve got to hang on!” We’ve got to give all of ourselves to God. Everything. No exceptions! Give your pain over. Give your hurt over. Give your anger over. Let God work in this church. Let God deal with his people. I am on my knees begging you! Let’s forgive one another.

My heart is burdened even more because I am convinced that everyone in this room pretty much agrees that something needs to be done in this church. But here’s the problem: everyone thinks that everybody else needs to get right with God. In other words, some of you are sitting in your chair right now thinking of somebody else who needs to change, somebody else who needs to forgive, somebody else who needs to stop the hatred. And if you’re sitting here thinking that somebody else needs to change, my brothers, it’s you who needs to change. It’s you who needs to look inside of yourself and search deep into the dark corners of your heart and find out what God is trying to say to you. Because guess what? We’re all people, and we’ve all messed up. And this mess within this church has been going on way to long for you to be completely innocent. Have you ever talked about anyone behind their back? Have you ever judged another without looking at yourself? Have you been just flat out rude to someone? Chances are that there’s something you’ve done. I’m not innocent. This church is hurting, and it goes way back. It goes back before Brother Mike even came here. The pain is deep. We have to seek God’s mercy and grace and find a way to heal.
My friends, church is not about what you want. It’s not about I want. Church has nothing to do with politics. Church has nothing to do with the way you think it should be run. Church is not a business meeting. Church is not something you go to every Sunday and Wednesday. Church is NOT ABOUT YOU. It’s not about your goals. It’s not about your agendas. Church is not about whether or not you can control things. It’s not about a certain worship style – whether it be traditional or contemporary. Church, my brothers and sisters, is about the people of God being the people of God! We are supposed to work together in this. We’re supposed to be a family. Sure families fight, but this has gotten ridiculous. We don’t even have to like everybody, because let’s face it, some people just aren’t going to get along, but we darn sure better love everybody. We darn sure better respect everybody.

What does it look like to be the people of God? This is a completely different sermon, but here’s three things that James Darby talked about this week that we as a church need to do. One: We need a heart for God. Because Jesus said that all of hearts, souls, mind, and strength are supposed to be in love with God. Do you really love God? Do you obey God? Do you seek him day in and day out? Two: we worship God. Like I said before worship is not about a style. Worship is letting God come in and us falling on our faces before Him. Worship is not a song. It’s mind’s attention and heart’s devotion looking toward our creator. Three: We love people. The second greatest commandment according to Jesus. Love your neighbor as yourself.

I have actually had a conversation with someone who didn’t believe that our church could change. I have a problem with this because if you don’t believe that God can change our church, then you don’t know my GOD. I have seen God work in our students lives and change our youth ministry over the past year. I have seen miracles. I have seen the love of God pour out where there was hatred before. If you don’t think that God can change our church, then I tell you to look at our students. God can and will change us if we want Him to. In Chronicles God says that if my people will humbly pray, then I will come to them and heal their land. If we as a church fall down on our faces before God and seek forgiveness, then God will do great things. He can and will work miracles. I am begging each and every one of you in this room to dig deep down in your soul and find what God would have you do. I am begging you to pray. To pray for change within yourself and to pray for change within this church."

HAPPILY EXHAUSTED

2006-07-10T17:21:00.000-05:00

What a great week I have had! God has challenged me in more ways than I could have ever imagined. After last night, I was physically, spiritually, and mentally exhausted. I don't think I really need to talk about camp because everybody else that has a blog from our church has said everything I want to say and more. Click here, here, here, and here to find out more. I will, however, say that I am so proud of our students for their great attitude and their willingness to serve and worship.

My internet at home is out, and I don't have enough time in the day to blog, so this is all I've got for now. Peace. More tomorrow.

THE BOSS

2006-07-03T17:21:00.000-05:00

Our youth ministry went to KLTY's Celebrate Freedom on Saturday and we had a blast! We sat through the squelching heat most of the day, but at around 6 pm the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees and it was amazing. Jeremy Camp, Big Daddy Weave, Kutless, and The Afters put on some pretty good performances, but Chris Tomlin proved to me that he is indeed the Bruce Springstein of Christian music. He has an amazing ability to get people into the music and lead people to worship. I want to see him again.

Tomorrow, our youth ministry is going to youth camp, so please be in prayer for us. I'm extremely excited about it, and I know that our students are as well. So, if time permits I will only have one more post until Saturday. It is possible that this could be my last for a few days because I do not have the passion for blogging that my friend Cruz has. No audio posts for Marc.

TOP TEN: GREATEST SUPERHERO MOVIES

2006-06-30T20:51:00.000-05:00

Here's the top ten superhero movies of all time (according to me, that is).

10. The Incredibles
A pitch perfect action-adventure, The Incredibles has something for all ages to enjoy. Written and directed by Brad Bird (The Iron Giant), Incredibles combines elements from spy, superhero, family drama and action flicks, deftly displaying suspense, action, family drama and a mid-life crisis. There's plenty of humor and references for a sci-fi or comic book fan to geek out about, while younger kids get a kick out of super-kids Dash and Violet taking on the bad guys.

9. X-Men
When Bryan Singer's X-Men hit theaters, it had the gargantuan task of living up to the expectations of many rabid fans. Luckily, the casting was superb, especially Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, and the film stayed true to spirit of the comic enough to appease even the harshest fans. With good effects, a succinct and tight story, and great performances by Patrick Stewart (as Professor X) and Ian McKellan (as Magneto), it helped to launch a franchise and help secure one of Marvel's most successful adaptations to date.

8. Superman II
While there's no substitute for the heroics of the original Superman movie, its sequel, which came two years later, eventually became the template by which not only all superhero movies but all follow-up films would be constructed. Unlike its predecessor's origin story, Superman II found the hero contemplating deeper issues – namely what sacrifices he should make in the name of human love – against a backdrop of some truly amazing stunts: his rescue of a kid who falls over Niagra Falls seems quaint by today's standards, but in 1980 there was no more thrilling moment at the movies, while Superman's battle with General Zod (a predictably brilliant Terence Stamp) and his cronies makes for a spectacular set piece.

7. Batman
Tim Burton's imaginative big-screen interpretation of the Caped Crusader comic was an instant pop culture phenomenon. Fans had been anticipating the movie for months and the film's branding was plastered everywhere... not to mention that Prince song that got entirely too much airplay. It's interesting to watch the film now, over fifteen years later... The film definitely still holds up, even if Burton's Gotham City feels a little bit dated. Fans weren't initially sure about Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman, but the actor quickly won them over with one of the best performances of his career. He was only out-acted by Jack Nicholson who delivers an absolutely sensational portrayal of Gotham's Clown Prince of Crime... the Joker.

6. Superman Returns
(This is actually my own review). Superman Returns is outstanding. It picks up from where Superman II left off, and it doesn't miss a beat. Brandon Routh does an adequate job of filling in the shoes of Christopher Reeve, but the most delightful part of the movie is Kevin Spacey's performance as Lex Luthor. He's just as good or better than Gene Hackman, and he's almost as good a super villain as Jack Nicholson in Batman (almost, but not quite). This movie is 2 1/2 hours of quality Superman action. It's classic good vs. bad superhero stuff. Plus, it's great to see Superman doing his thing outside of the cheesy Smallville series.

5. Spider-Man
Spider-Man isn't just a great movie, but the greatest comic book adaptation of all time: no other movie has better captured both the flights of fantasy and real-world context of comic superheroes as Sam Raimi's franchise-starter. Tobey Maguire, perfectly cast as the least likely guy to be made a superhero, truly embodies Peter Parker's irresistibly human combination of personal guilt and selfless nobility, while James Franco, Willem Dafoe, Rosemary Harris and an equally irresistible Kirsten Dunst expand Stan Lee's comic creations into three-dimensional characters. Oh, yeah, and there's tons of terrific action as well; but whether you're looking for a searing character study or a blockbuster-style action extravaganza, Spider-Man should be your web-slinger of choice.

4. X2: X-Men United
2003's superior sequel to X-Men starts out with a BAMF! as teleporting mutant Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming) goes on a one-man rampage in the White House. The action doesn't let up from there, as the X-Men must take on military leader William Stryker (Brian Cox), who plans to use Professor Xavier's (Patrick Stewart) telepathic powers against all mutants. X2 does a great job of presenting the intolerance of non-mutants towards the X-Men and their fellow mutants, remaining realistic and entertaining.

3. Superman: The Movie
Richard Donner's take on Superman set the standard by which all superhero movies will be judged. The film featured perfect casting, from Marlon Brando as Jor-El to Margot Kidder as Lois Lane. But the standout will always be Christopher Reeve, who will forever be inextricably tied to the character of Superman. In short, Reeve is Superman to many people on the planet, and his ability to completely own a decades-old character makes the film work.Couple Reeve's spot-on performance with a balanced, delicately-paced script, an outstanding performance by Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, and one of the most memorable endings in cinema, and you have one of the best superhero films ever made.

2. Spider-Man 2
This 2004 sequel brought back all the main players – director Sam Raimi and stars Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, and even a short cameo from Willem Dafoe – and did an excellent job of presenting a new Spider-Man villain, Dr. Octopus, a.k.a. Dr. Otto Octavius (superbly played by Alfred Molina). Surpassing 2002's original Spider-Man with a better flowing storyline, more emotional depth, and a less ridiculous looking supervillain, Spider-Man 2 elevated the series to just about everything that comic fans love about the character.

1. Batman Begins
Widely considered one of the greatest comic films of all time almost immediately upon release last year, Batman Begins does everything right and gives Batman fans the film they have always demanded. Nolan is the perfect director and Bale is the perfect Batman. The film presents an exceptionally competent storyline that succeeds in explaining and justifying everything the superhero is able to achieve, something rarely seen even in the comics. It has a crossover appeal that works for the geeks, the laymen and even for the ladies. It's a truly terrific achievement and a promising start for the series to follow.

Note: most of this material came from ign.com. I think I'm satisfied with my Superhero stuff for a while. I promise I'll stop for a little while.

TOP FIVE: SUPERHEROES

2006-06-29T22:06:00.000-05:00

I just saw Superman Returns, so I'm on this superhero bit. And as beyondfutility says, it's my blog so I can do whatever I bloody well please. If you don't like the fact that I have three superhero-related posts in a row, I'm not sorry. If you think I'm a nerd, well that's true. But I'm still not sorry. In fact, I plan on having one more superhero-related post in the next few days; maybe even two. In the meantime, here's my top five favorite superheroes of all-time:

5) The Flash
The Flash was always one of my favorites as a kid. I wish I could run that fast. That would be awesome!

4) Wolverine
Wolverine is probably the coolest and baddest on this list. You just don't mess with him or he'll jack you up.

3) Superman
Superman is more of an icon than anything. If it weren't for the fact that Superman is basically responsible for the whole superhero phenomenon, then he probably wouldn't be on my list. He's this savior figure, but he doesn't have any real human traits. It's hard to relate to Superman.

2) Batman
Anybody who can pull off being a superhero without having any superpowers is okay in my book. Not to mention the fact that Batman Begins is probably the best superhero movie of all time. Batman is dark and mysterious, and I like that.

1) The Amazing Spider-Man
Stan Lee is genius for creating Spider-Man. He's a normal guy one day, and all of a sudden he's got all these powers. If there's any superhero who fans can relate to, it's Spider-Man. "With great power comes great responsibility."

On the bubble: Professor X, Silver Surfer, The Green Lantern, The Hulk, Iceman, and Frozone (from The Incredibles)

10 LONG MONTHS...

2006-06-29T15:49:00.000-05:00

I have to wait 10 more months to see this! It looks incredible, and most likely the best yet.

TOP FIVE: SUPER VILLAINS

2006-06-29T10:05:00.000-05:00

5) Doomsday
A creature of immense strength, first burst onto the comics scene in epic fashion, fighting and killing Superman. Created on Krypton about 250,000 years ago, Doomsday has actually existed in various iterations, each being better than the last. His Kryptonian heritage gives him the power to hurt Superman far more than most creatures. Doomsday has also been manipulated by other Superman villains such as Brainiac, Lex Luthor and Darkseid.

4) Venom
Crazed, powerful, and maniacal all come to mind with one thinks of Venom. Venom isn’t a person per SE, rather the costume is the villain in this case. The Venom costume is a symbiotic creature that attaches itself to a host, granting super strength, speed, agility, and web slinging powers. In every instance, the prime motivation of the costume has been to take down Spider-Man. Fortunately for us, that hasn’t happened yet.

3) Magneto
The Yin to Professor X’s Yang, Magneto will not rest until humanity takes its rightful place, behind that of the world’s superior race, mutants. Magneto has been the leader of a group of mutants whose sole mission is to make a world where mutants rule and humans are left behind on the road of evolution. Adding to the fact that he is arguably one of the most, if not the most powerful super beings in the Marvel universe, Magneto is one of the greatest, tortured villains of all time.

2) Lex Luthor
Genius, ex-president, criminal mastermind, businessman, sociopath. Superman’s number one bad guy is right near the top of the list of the all-time best super villains. While Lex doesn’t have magical powers, super strength, or any of the other things that make up the common super villain, he more than makes up this with his superior intellect and utter ruthlessness. Don’t get on his bad side. If you do, you can bet you won’t last long.

1) The Joker
The Joker is mad. Maybe that is what is so appealing about this character. Pain, morality, logical thinking, and every other normal human trait go out the window when one thinks of the Joker. Combine his sanity with his penchant ability with toxic chemicals, and you have the makings of an unpredictable madman that can bring those around him to their knees.

Note: all of the writing is taken from comicbooks.about.com. Again, I didn't want to write all of this out.

TOP FIVE: CRAZY DICTATORS

2006-06-28T11:21:00.000-05:00

THE MOST EVIL RULERS OF ALL TIME:

5. The Emperor Nero. In A.D. 59 he murdered his mother and in A.D. 62, his wife Octavia. He later married Poppaea. When half of Rome was burned in a fire (A.D. 64), Nero accused the Christians of starting it and began the first Roman persecution. In A.D. 65 there was a plot to make Caius Calpurnius Piso emperor. The detection of this plot began a string of violent deaths, e.g., of Seneca, Lucan, and Thrasea Paetus. Nero had ambitions to be a poet and artist. In A.D. 68 a series of revolts, including one by his own Praetorian Guard, caused him to commit suicide. Among his last words were, “What an artist the world is losing in me!” His memory was publicly execrated.

4. Maximillien Robespierre. Robespierre was the mastermind of the Reign of Terror (1793–1794), the dark underside of the French Revolution that perverted its lofty ideals of democracy with fanaticism and inhumanity. Robespierre, leader of the infamous Committee of Public Safety, turned France into a police state, sending "enemies of the nation" to the guillotine without benefit of a public trial or legal representation. About 40,000 French men and women were executed or died in prison, and another 300,000 were imprisoned. Only Robespierre's own beheading ended the slaughter.

3. Ivan the Terrible. On January 16, 1547, Ivan became the first czar of Russia, ruling until 1584. His early reign was primarily spent in battle in an effort to expand Russian land. His tyrannical cruelty only developed later in life, when he turned increasingly paranoid and vindictive—historians suspect mental instability. In 1570, Ivan formed a troop of personal bodyguards called oprichniki, who answered only to him and became the vehicle for massacring his perceived enemies over a seven-year period (1565–1572). The landed gentry was Ivan's particular nemesis, and he unleashed his oprichniki upon thousands of them. He was equally guilty of domestic violence, killing his son and heir, Ivan, in a state of fury, as well as several of his wives—he is believed to have had seven of them.

2. Joseph Stalin. Totalitarian leader of the U.S.S.R. from 1929–53, Stalin crushed the Soviet peoples with his megalomania and repressive version of communism. His adopted name meant "man of steel," and the term Stalinism has become the definition of a cruel, draconian socialism. He sent millions of Soviets not conforming to the Stalinist ideal to forced-labor camps, and he persecuted his country's vast number of ethnic groups—reserving particular vitriol for Jews and Ukranians. Soviet historian Roy Medvedev estimated that about 20 million died from starvation, executions, forced collectivization, and life in the labor camps under Stalin's rule. Another 20 million survived imprisonment and deportation.

1. Adolf Hitler. History's most chilling tyrant, Hitler controlled Germany from 1933–45. His fascist maneuverings for world domination, his dream of a Teutonic master race subjugating all non-Germanic peoples, led to a criminality unmatched by any leader this millennium. Responsible for the genocide of six million Jews, the slaughter of Gypsies, Slavs, homosexuals, Communists, and other "undesirables" and "decadents," as well as the invasion of Europe and the preposterous ambition to rule the world, Hitler defies any more sophisticated explanation than categorical evil.

On the bubble: Caligula, Tamerlane, Saddam Hussein, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, Napoleon III, and Nicolae Carpathia (that last one's a joke).

Note: all of the information was taken from infoplease.com. I had no desire to research and write this on my own.

TOP FIVE: WAR MOVIES

2006-06-27T12:53:00.000-05:00

5. The Patriot. A lot of people didn't like this one, but I did. It's the best portrayal of the Revolutionary War that I've seen.

4. The Longest Day. Old school WWII movie (1962) about the Normandy invasion with John Wayne, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, and a whole lot more.

3. Glory. It's about a union black regiment in the Civil War. It's outstanding. Matthew Broderick, Cary Elwes, Denzel Washington, and Morgan Freeman.

2. Braveheart. Mel Gibson again. I've seen this one like 10 times and it never gets old. "They may take our lives, but they will never take our FREEDOOOOMMM!!!"

1. Saving Private Ryan. This is hands down the best war movie ever. There is no equal.

On the Bubble: Memphis Belle, Apocalypse Now, Platoon, Gettysburg, Patton. Band of Brothers would be on my list to replace The Patriot, but it was an HBO mini-series - not a movie.

TOP FIVE: ROCK MUSICIANS

2006-06-26T00:12:00.000-05:00

This week I'm going to post a series of top five lists. I was inspired by my buddy Mikey in this post. I love top five lists. They're always fun.

TOP FIVE MOST INFLUENTIAL ROCK ARTISTS:

5. U2. The number 5 spot was a tough decision. I could've gone with Hendrix, Clapton, or some others. The top four, though, are pretty much non-negotiable for me.

4. Led Zeppelin. Hard rock just wouldn't be the same.

3. Elvis. The king of rock 'n roll. He made rock music popular.

2. Nirvana. Whether or not you like them, they changed the face of music forever. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was a phenomenon.

1. The Beatles. I don't think I need to argue this one. It's the freakin' Beatles.

CHANGE IS GOOD: CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM

2006-06-23T12:38:00.000-05:00

In a previous post I said that we as a church need to examine the way we do things and evaluate them. I compared it to a football team that watches film in order to correct mistakes. The first thing I wanted to discuss was the American church's nationalism.

It seems to me that the majority of American Christians think that the American government was founded on God's principles and that because of this God blesses us. When in fact, many of our founding fathers were deists, not Christians, and our constitution was based on the ideals of the enlightenment, namely teachings from John Locke(not to be confused with John Locke from from the ABC hit show Lost). Another thing that bothers me is that George W. Bush claims to be a Christian, therefore we get a lot of people who blindly follow him. We tend to think that if we can get a Christian in the White House then all of our problems will be solved. As we can see now, that couldn't be further from the truth.

With all of that said, I love our nation. It's a great place to live, and we have the freedom to worship Christ. After my first time out of the country, I don't think I ever want to leave again. We are so lucky, we are rich, we don't have an oppressive government, etc., etc. And as the apostle Paul said, we need to respect our government. We need to give to Caesar what is Caesar's. We should vote. We should be involved. We should pay our taxes. But where do we draw the line? My own church focuses on America during our worship service on July 4 week. Is this okay? Furthermore, do we really fight for God and Country? Or do we fight for Country? I guess my basic point here is that America does not represent God. God is holy. America is not. Sure we live in a wealthy nation and it's relatively safe, but America does not represent the values of Christ.

One thing the Christian Right wants to do is gain political power so that they can push their agenda: ban gay marriage, ban abortion, teach creationism, and so on and so on. But is this really necessary? I'm not against voting by any means, but as Christians, should it be our goal to push what we think is moral on others? For me, it's not about living a moral life. If we can make others live moral lives by law (which we wouldn't be able to do anyway), what good does that do? We're supposed to be the light and the salt of the earth. We are supposed to be Christ to people. That means we live on a daily basis ministering to those in need, those who are hurting, those who have nothing, those who can't stand on their own. I just don't see the good in pushing political agendas. Why can't we be the people of God?

In Revelation 13, the Roman Empire is depicted as a beast. It has the authority of Satan, and it is inherently evil. It is selfish and it desires worship. If you do not worship the beast, it has the power to kill. How close is America to this depiction of government? Does America desire worship? I think it's getting closer and closer to evil.

How nationalistic should we be? Do we support war in the name of democracy? Do we focus on how the government should solve problems or do we go out and be the church? Where do you draw the line? When does America overstep its bounds?

PS
In regards to the church dealing with the state, I enjoyed Shaun Groves' post about the church's dependence on government to do the dirty work in Uganda. Click here.

LAST COMIC STANDING

2006-06-22T23:01:00.000-05:00

Wow. I laughed the entire way through this show tonight (I'm just now watching the last episode because of TiVo). If you haven't watched it yet you should. It's amazing. It's definitely my favorite reality show of all time (I don't like reality TV so much). You know the relaxation you feel after laughing too hard for too long? I totally had that. This show will keep me busy until season 3 of Lost starts up again. Yay!

My top 4 list in no particular order:
Josh Blue
Kristin Key
Chris Porter
Gabriel Iglesias

BIG MISTAKE

2006-06-21T22:42:00.000-05:00

It all started on December 30 when I got married. Now it seems that everyone I know is getting hitched by December. Is this my fault or is there something in the air? Here's a quick list of all the people I know that are getting married over the next few months or have already tied the knot.

1 - Josh and Ashley. I played football with Josh in high school, and Ashley was a trainer for our team. Their wedding is this Friday.

2 - Charlie and Ginni. I've known Charlie since the seventh grade and Ginni since high school. They got engaged the same day Shari and I did and got married last week.

3 - Brandon and Autumn. Brandon is one of my best friends. Me and Autumn go way back. I'm particularly excited about these two getting hitched. They've been together longer than Shari and I.

4 - Jeff and Ashley. Jeff. What can I say? Congrats, man. Totally happy for ya! I don't know Ashley that well, but she seems like an awesome girl. Plus, I get to be a groomsman for this one.

5 - Jerry and Julie. What would I do without Jerry Hill? Sports writer. Youth Ministry guru. Awesome dad. Church leader. I'm so excited. These two are a perfect fit.

6 - Tony and Leah. I know Tony from the Baylor religion dept., and we'll be entering Truett together in the fall. They get married in Dec. I think.

I'm sure I'm missing someone. Seriously, though, what's up with all the weddings? At least I get a lot of cake out of this.

PS
A quick disclaimer about the title - Big Mistake. The 6 months I've been married has been the best 6 months of my life. No joke.

JAMES BOND: OVER-RATED

2006-06-20T15:04:00.000-05:00

James Bond movies aren't good. I don't see what the big deal is. All the Bond movies I've seen are pretty boring. And they're all the same - there's a bad guy, some formulaic action, and Bond has sex with lots of girls. That's it. Why is he so awesome? Oh that's right - guys love the movies because they want to be like him. There's some kind of thrill in escaping to that kind of lifestyle, even if for only two hours. He gets lots of chicks, and he has a cool job. Well guess what? I'm perfectly content with where I am. I have an awesome job that I love to go to everyday, and I have the best wife in the world (plus she's really hot). I'm glad I don't have herpes like Mr. Bond. I'm a one woman guy. No need to fantasize.

And Chic-Fil-A is over-rated too, but for different reasons.

CHANGE IS GOOD

2006-06-19T11:27:00.000-05:00

In my last post I noted that my church is on the verge of making some major changes. We'll be looking for a pastor and an education minister, and who knows what direction God will take us? Hopefully, we'll make the right decisions. Change is good, and I'm excited about what God is going to do not only for our church, but also for our ministers who are moving on. If our church makes the right decisions, there is no doubt in my mind that God is going to do some great things with us and with our community.

This whole episode got me thinking about change. About what I need to change in my life and what we as God's people need to change to be more like Christ. Just like my church here in Waco, I think that the American church is on the verge of a major change as well. In my next few posts, I'm going to talk about some things that I think need to change in American churches. Hopefully this can spark some conversation. I like talking about this sort of thing because it convicts me of what I'm doing wrong. Not only that, but if we don't talk about what we're doing wrong it's never going to change. It's kind of like a football team that watches film. In high school I played for a state championship football team, and we watched film of practice every morning and after the games. We didn't didn't do it so much to see what we were doing right. We did it so that we could correct mistakes. The church needs to do something similar. Instead of always trying to defend ourselves, we need to take a step back and honestly try to see where we're going wrong. There are things we need to change, and we need to do so on a large scale. What do you think? Stay tuned and join the conversation.

PS
A New Blog Has Opened. I promise you will enjoy...
Beyond Futility

PRAYER REQUEST

2006-06-18T13:25:00.000-05:00

If you pray, please pray for the Western Heights Baptist Church. Last week our Minister of Education resigned. He does so much work with Sunday School and the administration side of things in our church. This week our pastor resigned. So, by July 16 we will only have myself, Cruz (the two youth guys), a children's minister, and a part-time music minister. Only the children's minister is full-time.

To say the least, our church will be going through some changes. We could definitely use your thoughts and prayers. Thanks and God Bless.

Disgusting

2006-06-16T12:43:00.000-05:00

Last night was one of the most disgusting things I've seen in a while. The Mavs were absolutely pathetic. Dirk was 2-14 while D. Wade had like 30 something points. It was classic choke-it-away Maverick basketball. The only thing that was good about the Mavs last night was the effort by Devon Harris. You could tell the guy was playing lights out even though the rest of his team was somewhere else.

If the Mavs don't get it together for game 5, stick a fork in them.

Not Even Close

2006-06-15T12:04:00.000-05:00

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Sometimes I do. Like right now. I know that I have this huge job to do. I'm supposed to be a minister of Jesus Christ to a bunch of junior high and high school students. I'm supposed to be an example for them of what it looks like to follow the God of the universe. I'm supposed to lead them in their journey with God. I'm supposed to show them what it really means to be like Jesus...

I don't even know if I know what it really means to be like Jesus. I can't swing this. I don't even come close. How am I supposed to do that? I'm too stinkin' lazy and selfish. I am a far cry from a good example of Jesus. Am I really up to this task?

Thank God for grace, and thank God for His power. If I didn't have the desire to follow God, then my situation would be hopeless. The situation I am in gives a whole new meaning to Phil. 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." If I really, truly, and deeply desire to be like Christ, then God will empower me. If every fiber of my being is devoted to Him, I just might be okay. Maybe the students I am supposed to lead might see something in me. Hopefully it can catch on. Hopefully they will see how the Great and Holy God can change and work in their lives. Hopefully they desire to reach others and show in their lives what it means to follow God. My ultimate prayer for them and for myself is that God is glorified in our lives. Not me, not them. May others see the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ through our ministry, and may he receive all the credit.

"Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength."

A Fun Night At The Movies

2006-06-14T12:05:00.000-05:00

So Shari and I went to go see The Omen last night. Despite the theology (which isn't really the point of the movie anyway), it was an outstanding movie. It was really intense and that little kid freaked me out. It was much better than the original, the acting was good, the directing was good, it kept me interested, and it was pretty frightening. But my favorite thing about the movie was its cinematography. Artistically, the movie was beautiful. There was one dream sequence in particular where Julia Stiles is in an all white bathroom wearing a red robe. She shuts a mirror to see what's behind her and there's this hideous demon thing. It was so delightfully Tim Burton-ish.

The scariest part of last night, though, was not the movie itself. Shari and I actually rented out the movie theatre for 10 bucks. That's right, no one else was in there! Watching scary movies in a big theatre alone is not exactly the best way to go. The only way to keep yourself sane in that situation is to talk during the movie (preferrably tell jokes) - which we could do because no one was in there, and we could be as loud as we wanted. It was definitely one of my favorite movie experiences ever, and it was the first good movie I've seen in the theater in a while. It was great fun until we got back home and watched the Mavs choke game 3 away.

Hola Amigos!

2006-06-13T10:10:00.001-05:00

Well, we're back, and we had an outstanding trip. Here's a few things I noticed about Puerto Vallarta, Mexico...

1. Everybody's trying to sell something there. We couldn't walk down the street for two minutes without somebody trying to sell us something, whether it be a time share (HA!), a bracelett, braids, a cruise, or whatever. I know it's how they made their money, but man it got annoying.

2. Tequila! When Shari and I ordered cokes (no Dr. Pepper there) instead of alcohol, people looked at us like we were nuts. They love their alcohol there. I think that's why everything started later in the morning than here. If you have a hangover, you don't want to start working at 8 am.

3. The beach wasn't all that great. It had really rocky sand, and it was dirty. Not to mention you couldn't relax because people would try to sell stuff. We went to Destin, FL last year and the beaches were much nicer there. It's all good though because the resort we were at had some really nice pools, and only those staying at the hotel could actually be inside the resort.

4. Drivers there are insane! We got in a taxi, and the guy would weave in and out of traffic like it was nothing. Even the busses would pass each other no more than 2 feet apart. I was amazed that we never saw any wrecks. Even though it was crazy, the drivers were really impressive.

5. The TV there is basically American TV. A lot of the channels featured American shows with American networks with Spanish subtitles. We also saw Ferris Bueller's Day Off dubbed over - that was fun. Most of the movies were American, too. The Omen was called La Profecia, and the DaVinci Code was El Codigo de DaVinci. Oh, and we also saw game one of the NBA Finals (GO MAVS).

Mexico was great fun. If nothing else, it helped me better understand and appreciate the Mexican culture. I probably wouldn't go back, but I'm glad we went. After all, we did get to snorkel.

Mexico!

2006-06-02T18:59:00.000-05:00

To all of my adoring fans out there (all 5 of you), I'm leaving for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico this weekend. My wife and I are going for our real honeymoon thanks to my parents for providing the travel and my G-ma-ma who provided the time share. It promises to be a week full of fun and beach and sun and things of the like. Needless to say, this will be my last post for a little while. But don't worry, I'll be back with more and better things to write about. Not that anybody's reading...

P.S.
Go Mavs!

Flop

2006-06-01T10:14:00.000-05:00

X-Men was a huge disappointment. It was mildly entertaining to see all the mutants do their thing, such as Magneto demolishing the Golden Gate bridge, but other than that this movie was hard for me to get through. And I absolutely can't get enough of Superhero movies.

The plot was poorly put together, the writing was cheesy, and there was very little character development. It looked like they had to put this movie together, so they just jumbled some scenes together and made some cool special effects. It was easily the worst of the X-Men movies and in the bottom 4 of the recent string of Marvel movies. If this was some type of transitional movie for the X-Men series then I can live with it, but if that's really how they're going to end it, this movie was a massive failure. There's so much to do with X-Men, and this movie didn't even scratch the surface. Boo to X-Men 3.

I Missed You

2006-05-31T10:45:00.000-05:00

After one week of camping, two nights in Dallas, and three nights at Jerry Hill's casa, Shari and I are finally done moving. It was made official last night when we set up our TiVo. TiVo has spoiled me to a new level, and I realized this when I didn't have it for two whole weeks.

For one, we had to bend over backwards just to catch the final episodes of season two of Lost. It was hard, but we got it done. On top of that, we had to watch commercials. What the crap is that about!? I haven't had to watch commercials for months. I don't like them - especially in my post-TiVo world. Without TiVo, you can't just sit down and watch an episode of King of the Hill in 15-20 minutes. It takes an entire half hour. It's just not something I have time for. TiVo shrinks TV time, and makes the time you do spend watching TV worthwhile.

TiVo is one of mankind's greatest inventions. Hands down. I'm glad I have it back.

Not a lot to say...

2006-05-25T12:19:00.000-05:00

Since I just don't have a lot to say today, here's a quote by Brian McLaren in Adventures in Missing the Point.

How are we supposed to be in the world without being conformed to it? There are two hints suggested in the next sentences of Jesus' prayer:

Hint one: "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."
Sanctify means make holy or special, or set apart. Jesus is saying that his followers are protected not by isolation, but by identity. Their very identity as disciples means they understand themselves to be set apart, called to a special and holy purpose. They have received the truth of God's message, and this truth has become for them a call to a higher, deeper, richer, more purposeful life....

Mustard is SO Much Better Than Mayo

2006-05-23T14:29:00.000-05:00

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed....

This is a scraggly, ugly, and surprisingly small plant. If you were a farmer back in Jesus's day, the mustard plant would be a huge nuisance because it was hard to get them out of your crop(assuming you were trying to grow something else). Why would Jesus have used this analogy to describe the Kingdom of Heaven. In Eugene Peterson's translation of the Bible, he changes this parable from a mustard tree to a pine tree. That would seem to make more sense. After all, the pine tree is big and majestic, but a mustard plant? Really?

Better Than Pie

2006-05-22T12:13:00.000-05:00

As my good friend Cruz-Control says, "Two hours of Lost this Wednesday! That's like... better than pie." I am uber-pumped about this season's last episode. Supposedly, this is going to be the biggest cliff-hanger ever on a TV show. I'm sure it's going to drive me nuts for about three months. I have never been this much into a TV show. These writers are genious, the acting is superb, and consequently, I can't stop wondering about what the heck is going on with this show. Rock on, LOST.

Summers Always Rock

2006-05-19T14:55:00.000-05:00

Here's the cover of our summer calendar for our youth ministry. I thought it was pretty cool. We're doing all kinds of fun stuff this summer.

We're going to Piney Woods Camp for church camp with James Darby and the Justin Cofield Band.

We're doing some mission work around Waco, going tubing at the Guadalupe River (always fun), and going to KLTY's Celebrate Freedom. We're also having a lock-in, a pool party, and going to a concert.

Plus, every Wednesday at "The Break" is something different. We go have fun somewhere around Waco. Sunday night we have our worship service, and Sunday morning is the same as usual.

It promises to be a great summer.
God bless and much love...

Dear Anonymous,

2006-05-19T08:37:00.000-05:00

Last week I received a letter. On the surface it looks like a compliment, but deep down I wonder if this person (and I'm pretty sure he/she did) had a mean spirit when writing this letter. The letter is anonymous, which only adds to my suspicions since this person did not have the guts to "compliment" me to my face.

A little background info. is required before you read this letter... I am a youth minister at my conservative southern baptist church. I, of course, am far from conservative southern baptist. As far as my beliefs go, I'm really not a hardcore baptist at all. The most important thing in understanding this letter, though, is that I don't really dress up for church all that much. Part of it is that I simply don't have a lot of nice clothes. I just got out of college and got married, so I'm not going to go spend tons of money on clothes. Another part of it is that I don't think it's all that necessary to dress really nice at church. We're there to worship and meet together - not impress each other with our wardrobe (or so I thought). The thing is - I have about three pair of nice pants, some of which don't fit right. So, often times, I will resort to cargo pants. When I wear my cargo pants, I generally don't tuck shirts in out of choice of style. Anywho, we have a lot of elderly at our church, which I love. Most of them are kind, sweet, giving, loving, supportive, complimentary, Christ-like people. But there are a few who make all elderly look bad. They think that church has to be done their way, like when they were kids. When something changes they absolutely make a huge fuss. That's enough background.

Since this person wasn't so kind as to give their name, I will write a response to them. Hopefully, they might come across it and realize that their letter may not have been so helpful. If not, oh well.

Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for your compliment. There are a few things, though, that are troublesome about this letter. As a brother or sister in Christ, I'm not sure that you're catching the point of why we have church. Here's why I think so:

1) You say that "we are so quick to criticize our young people." In other words, I think you mean - "Yes, I have judged you." Why have you judged me? From the context of your letter it seems that you have judged me because I am young, and I don't tuck my shirts in sometimes. Since I know you have judged and criticized me, I really don't want to know what you have thought. Is it really bad? Have you thought of me as less of a person for the above reasons? I hope this isn't true.

2) You say that "we" have criticized. I assume you are referring to the elderly in our church. By this, do you mean that all elderly in our church criticize young people? I hope not. If that's true, I want to leave: Now. Please don't make such generalizations because it's scary to me. Just be honest and say that "I" have criticized young people.

3) "They will follow you in more ways than you can think." Are you honestly saying that my kids will follow me based on the fact that I have my shirt tucked in? My goal is to teach them to follow Jesus, not necessarily teach them how to dress. If you want me to teach them how to be ultra-conservative baptists and good dressers, then I am not your man. You should get me fired right now because I am failing miserably. I am very confused by this statement. I don't see how it applies to my job at all.

I have a hard time believing that this letter is a sincere compliment. If you really have an issue with the way I dress, just come talk to me face to face. I will be happy to discuss it with you. When I was hired, they gave me no guidelines on how to dress with one exception: no flip-flops on Sunday morning. I have never broken the flip-flop rule. Again, if you honestly believe that the way we (young people) dress at church is telling of our relationship with Christ, you are sadly missing the point of church, my friend. This letter, though I'm sure you meant otherwise, was hardly a compliment. It was more disheartening than anything. Why can't we just be a family? Why is our dress so important? I hope this response was helpful.

In Christ,
Marc

P.S.
Please don't send anymore anonymous letters. Just come talk to me.

My response is over now. If I am way out of line here, somebody send a comment my way. I really want to know what everybody out there thinks... Much love.

The Dogs of War

2006-05-18T07:50:00.000-05:00

So last night was interesting. Shari (my wife) and I are camping for a week because we're in between apartment leases, so we have three or four ice chests outside our camper. At about 12:30 a.m., we hear what we think are two people rummaging around our stuff. It sounded just like people walking around - I swear. Shari was absolutely terrified. I was skeptical, but at the same time, I wondered, "Who in their right mind would go through somebody's campsite this early in the night and be so loud?" I picked up a knife close by just in case somebody barged in, and I waited. The noises went away after about 20 minutes or so, and Shari and I had enough confidence to turn on the lights. I figured we were fine, but Shari wanted me to call the police, so I did. We waited a little longer, but we did not go outside until the police showed up. Nothing was missing except the meat in our coolers. It definitely wasn't raccoons - I've seen and heard the workings of raccoons before. Dogs. Stupid dogs. After the cops left, I felt absolutely ridiculous. Here I was, just waiting for some crazy to barge into our camper and hold us hostage, and my kitchen knife was supposed to stop him. It turns out that all I had to do was walk outside and scare the dogs away.

This little event got me thinking. I've been reading a lot of stuff about pacifism lately, and for the most part, I am convinced. Christians are called to be peacemakers and lead lives of nonviolence. BUT - what if somebody barges into your home and there is a legitimate threat against your family. I know I won't even hesitate - I will kill, or at least critically injure that person. To me, it is much more justifiable to harm the criminal than to allow your family to be harmed in any way. If I really love my family, I'm going to protect them. I'll do whatever it takes.

With that example, it's also important to note the difference between pacifism and pasivism. Being passive means that you just let things slide. For example, not going outside to scare the dogs away. A pacifist, on the other hand, takes action. A pacifist, like this guy or this guy, fights - he just does so nonviolently. So, what does a pacifist do in the situation mentioned above? How does he protect his family? Is it okay for a pacifist to kill in this situation?

Here's what I think: I think that pacifism, in this case, is irrelevant. If you look at the early Christians, they advocated nonviolence in direct response to persecution. Even when the Roman Empire would kill and torture Christians, the Christians would respond with nonviolence in order to show the love and mercy of Christ and to show that Christ was indeed truth. Even in the face of death, followers of Christ remained faithful. I believe that we, as Christians, are supposed to remain loyal to Christ and Christ alone. But I don't think the same scenario applies to situation above. The dog invading my camper is not attacking my belief in Christ, he just wants to hurt my family, and I am obligated to protect them - because I LOVE them.

To take this argument further (although I'm not even sure about what my argument really is at this point), what if this same type of situation could be applied on a larger scale? How do Christians respond when people are persecuting other people? Do we just give them food? That's not enough. Sometimes, I think that force may be necessary to adequately destroy social injustice. If you've seen Invisible Children (which you should) you know that the kids in Northern Uganda are having a rough time. They are being killed and abducted by the rebel army. If we want to adequately help these kids, then I think that force is the only answer. There are some nasty people out there who won't respond to grace. Tough love, in some cases, is necessary.

At the same time, I do not think that war among nation-states is justifiable for the Christian to be involved in. Nations have their own interests, and they ask citizens to die for their causes. Nations ask for loyal citizens to die and kill for them. To me, this is putting the nation over and above God. We are called to serve Christ, not America. We are called to love, not to hate. The book of Revelation, when properly understood, warns against the nation that exalts itself above God. Christians must not bow down to the nation-state. We must serve Christ, and Christ only. Just war, understood by most modern Americans, is completely bogus. We tend to think that if you mess with America, we can blow you up, and we think that God is behind us because we stand for democracy. Well guess what? God is not an American. God rules over the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is here and now. We need to follow Jesus, not American ideals of democracy.

In regards to pacifism or just war or whatever other terminology you want to use, I would call myself, as Dr. Steve Sadler puts it, a near pacifist. I think we are called to live nonviolently, but at the same time, I am not going to say that there is absolutely no circumstance in which the Christian should use force. So, when the dogs of war come tramping on your ice coolers, what are you going to do?

My Will Has Been Shaken

2006-05-17T11:32:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Cruz-Control and this post by Shaun Groves I have decided to create a blogger account. Apparently it's about ten times better than xanga, so I'm going to check it out and see what happens. But, don't worry, I'll still keep my xanga account, I just won't blog on it.

Here's to blogger...