Southern Sojourner

Friday Lenten Lyrics

I meant to start this last week, the first Friday in Lent, but forgot.  Nonetheless, my plan is to offer you some lyrics for Lent each Friday for your contemplation.  This week's selection comes from Derek Webb. You can download this song here.

I Repent

I repent, i repent of my pursuit of america's dream
i repent, i repent of living like i deserve anything
of my house, my fence, my kids, my wife
in our suburb where we're safe and white
i am wrong and of these things i repent

i repent, i repent of parading my liberty
i repent. i repent of paying for what i get for free
and for the way i believe that i am living right
by trading sins for others that are easier to hide
i am wrong and of these things i repent

bridge
i repent judging by a law that even i can't keep
of wearing righteousness like a disguise
to see through the planks in my own eyes

i repent, i repent of trading truth for false unity
i repent, i repent of confusing peace and idolatry
by caring more of what they think than what i know of what we need
by domesticating you until you look just like me
i am wrong and of these things i repent

Business, Schools and Worship in McCalla

More good news for McCalla.  It appears the Home Depot distribution center down at the industrial park is a go.  The estimate is that this will create 400 new jobs within 3 years.  I am not crazy about tax abatements, but I guess you work with the business environment dealt you.

In school news, I saw where several Jeffco schools will be participating in new Advanced placement initiatives.  A four year investment totaling 4 million dollars will be given to these projects.  It is not fair to express disappointment, since I admittedly don't understand all of it, but why isn't McAdory a participating school? 

Finally, I have worshiped at three congregations over the last month and have a few observations that I need to note to myself as I continue to pray about a new faith community in the area.  These were not really surprising to me, but rather reinforcing what I have felt for a while.

1. I don't really have any desire to go to a big box church.  I know that everyone clamors to hear about the big stores at the Tannehill Promendade, but I don't share the same enthusiasm for churches.  Each weekend comes around and I try to think about where I wish to spend a Sunday morning and there hasn't been one yet that would leave a big footprint.
2. I don't want to dress up.  If I feel I have to put on a sports coat and slacks to feel comfortable then go ahead and count me out. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with those who want to "dress up" but I don't want to feel any conforming pressure to do so.  Can I wear jeans?  That is what I have been asking myself each Saturday evening.
3. Hospitality must be expressed authentically and not be overbearing.  I like being waved to in the parking lot.  I enjoy a smile and a handshake, but beyond that, let me be.  When I am ready to converse I will, but don't overwhelm me with false welcomes.
4. I like to hear scripture read.
5. I like to hear songs by Over The Rhine and Derek Webb. Thanks!  I am not interested in "pop" worship.  It is not completely true, but the more commercial the song, the less I find it to be significant for worship. 
6. I like musical diversity, but I like music to be conducted in a non-performance way. I want to worship, when I go to worship.  If I want to go to a concert, I will, but when I go to worship, I would rather focus my attention on God and how I relate to Him, not watch bands or singers show off their talents. I like the piano/keyboard, acoustic guitar, and acapella singing.  I like drums in moderation, but think that snares can be overbearing. I like it when I can hear others around me sing, regardless of whether they can actually carry a tune or not.  There is community in common voices.
7. I think visuals in worship are great but they must be stimulating or provocative not titillating.  The use of visuals for the sake of using visuals is useless.
8. I need communion on a weekly basis.
9. I like dialogical or conversational preaching.  I am not very good at this, but I find it very attractive and engaging.
10. I like it when I get the sense that anyone would be welcome, no emphasis (intentional or not) on socio-economic, racial or even sexual status.  That would explain my aversion to the "dress up" stuff I was talking about.  I like the freedom to be able to state where I am on my journey and what beliefs I hold without worrying about whether I am going to be found to be "too far" out there to fit in. 
11. I like and need grace and I appreciate it when the congregation seems to have an idea that they are all recipients of that grace not purveyors of it.  This means you don't have to have your crap together to worship. 
12. I miss choirs.
13. I need coffee.  Good coffee.  And I want to be able to "take it" with me to worship. 

More to come. 

If you read this, I would love to have input on what you like about your church or if you don't go to a church, what you would like if you were to go. 

A year of discovery

    Happy Epiphany, everyone!  Today is the feast of Epiphany, one of my favorite days and the season that follows January 6, is among my favorite times in the liturgical calendar.  The day marks the biblical account of the Magi visiting the Christ Child, and serves as a time in the year to focus on revelation, most particularly God's revelation and discovery of his work in the world. It is this theme of discovery that appeals to me most. 
    Ironically, I did not worship anywhere this morning.  This was my first Sunday since leaving Fellowship of the Valley, a wonderfully open and loving group of Christ followers that deserves a visit from you if you do not have a community of faith.  I left with the hopes of creating a space for those in the McCalla/ Bessemer area who find that the traditional religious offerings are not satisfactory.  But on this feast of of Epiphany I drank fine coffee, ate  aebleskivers, watched CBS Sunday Morning, read the Sunday paper before noon, made phone calls due to a semi-family emergency, and observed my little "E" trying to discover for herself the possibilities of mobility.The family emergency notwithstanding it has been a fine morning, but it has reminded me that the optimism is always tempered by the unpredictable and that even our best made plans are subject to the unexpected, much like the Magi's journey and the subsequent events that followed their visit with the baby Jesus.  So do you have discoveries you wish to make this year?  Here are a few of mine, in no particular order, understanding full well that some of these may not happen in 2008 and there will be other discoveries made of which I had not planned or expected. That is the joy and challenge of the journey, but the hope of discovery gives me a purpose and it would be a depressing indeed to have no purpose.

• I hope to discover what is it like to drop a pants size for a change.
• I hope to discover if I  have the nerve  and ability to draw income out of my business since I have no other income now.
• I hope to discover wisdom, pleasure, and provocation from the 25-35 books I will read this year.
• I hope to discover if I can start a community of faith without succumbing to the temptation to do "church" like it is always been done (in this area) or expected.
• I hope to discover that others yearn for that type of faith community.
• I hope to discover if McCalla can truly be a community for me rather than a place where I sleep. 
• I hope to discover a 7+ lb bass.
• I hope to discover a African American or a woman taking the mantle of the presidency of the United States.
• I hope to discover retirement savings again, since I have put my aggressive savings plan on hold the last three years while I started another church and business.
• I hope to discover a new language and instrument.
• I hope to discover that American Idol will air its last season.
• I hope to discover a Birmingham that truly progresses and not just the rhetoric of progress.
• I hope to discover more confidence, new friends, touching art, and moving music.
• I hope to discover that I am a better poker player than I have demonstrated of late.
• I hope to discover that I can afford a newer car for my wife.
• I hope to discover the bitter sweet joy of the concluding seasons of The Wire, Battlestar Galactica and the next to last season of Lost.
• I hope to discover the satisfaction of roasting your own coffee and the skill to brew your own brew (though i think that is technically illegal in which case, for the record, I don't want to discover this... wink).
• I hope to discover lower gas prices and a better stock market (though I am not optimistic).
• I hope to discover that I am improving as a dad and husband.
• I hope to discover that I am a better blogger than I have been in the past and that I actually attract a reader.
• I hope to discover that I am growing in favor of God and humanity.

So I raise my metaphorical glass to you on this day of Epiphany and hope that this year our paths will cross either virtually or in person.  Feel free to share your discoveries or aspirations and may your life be filled with purpose in 2008.

On Suburban living, taxation and the sacrifice of following Christ

The power of blogosphere has once again become evident.  I came across this list from Josh, who found it via Steve, who posted it from Will, who received the thoughts from Chris.  I found these suggestions for suburbanites to be interesting, thoughtful and provocative.  If you live in a suburb and struggle with feeling apart of a community (particularly difficult if you don't have children in the local schools system) you may want to consider some or all of these suggestions.  If you are interested in living out your faith in the suburbs you might want to check out Will's book, Justice in the Burbs. I haven't finished it yet, but it is worth contemplation.

On another note, my new friend Steve Craven, after a discussion of tax policy one night at the poker table, reminded me of one of the macroeconomic principles that served as a foundation of Reagan's "supply-side" economics, call the Laffer Curve, or you might want to call it the Laugher Curve.

Reagan bought into the curve citing his own personal experience.  Saying that if he has the choice between making one movie or a second movie and being taxes at a higher rate, he would only make one movie (thus, in his mind, progressive taxes hurt productivity, since he, himself was less productive if it meant paying more tax). So much for making art for art's sake.  The reality of Reagan's own example is that it underscored his own greed and economic self-interest. Some people do things for something more than mere economic purposes.

Which brings me to the fascinating insight of Susan Pace Hamill.  She had a "conversion experience" while studying theology on sabbatical from her taxation professorship at the University of Alabama.  She began to truly explore and develop theology of taxation if you will.  You can read her ideas here.

I have heard Professor Hamill speak on a number of occasions, most recently at the screening of Golden Rule Politics. I have fallen in love with her distinction of "High sacrifice" theology vs. the prevalent "low sacrifice" theology.  This not only applies to how we should think about taxation inequities, but a host of other issues as well.  For example, citing common "pro-life" stances by the religious right,  she points out that they usually only focus on abortion, which is a low sacrifice issue, but focusing on infant mortality, pre-natal care for the poor, providing contraceptives that would actually lower the need for abortions, etc, is a high sacrifice stance. 

The same would hold true with regard to environmental issues.  Too many want to deny the affects of climate change and question the science because that is low sacrifice, but actually having to look beyond one's own economic self-interest for benefit of the environment is a high sacrifice issue.  Ultimately, she rightly asserts that the gospel of Christ is a high sacrifice position and woe to those who want the benefits of an eternal heaven without wanting to pay the sacrifice. As she would say, those of us who have the most have to sacrifice the most to help those with the least.  Perhaps, as  Reagan, Christians are motivated by their own economics rather than a firm commitment to the gospel as lived and preached by Christ.

Equally compelling was Dr. Jim Evan's analysis of the Republican triumph over the South in the last thirty years, but I don't have time to address that, perhaps in a future entry. Lot's of links in this blog, but worth the exploration if you have time.

Quick Reactions to Tonight's "The God Delusion" Debate

I hope some of you got an opportunity to attend or listen to the debate between Richard Dawkins and John Lennox of Oxford University.  Talked my small group meeting into listening to the debate and then we had a time of debriefing. 

The debate was great, though I would have preferred a little more exchange than the format and time constraints allows.  Dawkins is the author of The God Delusion, which as the title suggest an attack on religion and the espousal of atheism.  Dawkins is one of leading, if I will, evangelists, for this new atheism. Christopher Hitchens, editor of Vanity Fair, is another as seen in his book God is not Great, which is currently ranked #66 on Amazon's bestsellers.  The God Delusion has an equally impressive ranking of 135.

It is getting late so I will just make a few comments.

• New atheism sees this moment in our history as the strategic time to deliver a knock off punch or at the very least a series of crippling body blows to religion.  This is based, as I understand it, primarily on scientific progress, which they see as having advanced enough to have answered the questions that religion sought to answer before.  The fundamental premise of Dawkins and his colleagues is that science is evidenced, whereas faith is blind.  Therefore, science has provided the rational answers, whereas religion continues to propagate superstition.
• Dawkins, also looks for a messiah.  Acknowledging that cosmological explanations have not kept pace with biological success in coming up with reasonable explanations, he stated that there was still some unknowns cosmologically speaking.  Then he expressed his own eschatological hope, and I think I quote him correctly here when he says, "cosmology is still waiting for its Darwin."  Maranatha!
• Many of Dawkins' criticism's of religion are well deserved, though I am not sure religion itself is fully responsible.  Among those criticisms that I think are warranted:
• Religion is dangerous-  Clearly it has been, but as Lennox pointed out, no more necessarily, than atheism.  There should be some differential between fanatical religion/non-religion and those atheist/theist that live lives more rationally.  That said, there has been much evil done in the name of religion.  Dawkins spends most of his time criticizing Christianity, but acknowledges that is only so because that is what he knows most.  He states in this Q&A that Islam is currently the greatest evil. Step aside Salman Rushdie.
• Religion is often used to excuse intellectual laziness-  True.  Actually, Dawkins claims that religion teaches us to be satisfied with not seeking answers.  I do not agree with that, though I can't obviously speak for all religions.  Clearly, however, this is a criticism that those of us who are religious need to hear.  The "God said, I believe it, that settles it" mentality is grounded in much of religion, and unfortunately very much evidenced in much of my own evangelical tradition.  I disdain an uncritical church, but my understanding of Christ teaching is that we are to engage our entire selves including our minds towards love and service.  I agree with Dawkins, that skepticism can be a great gift to give our children.  We should not simply accept everything we are taught blindly.  But skepticism does not necessarily lead, as Dawkins would think, to atheism.

I could write more but I am still processing some of it and some of it I didn't follow very well, perhaps because I was only listening on the radio.  But it was a fascinating evening and hopefully more will be written and reported on.  Really proud that Birmingham was the host of the newsworthy and delightful evening.  If you heard or witnessed the debate, I would love to hear your reactions.  Here's to more dialog in the future.

God Delusion Debate to be on radio tonight!

This debate tonight at the Alys Stephens Center is sold out, but I found out that you will be able to hear it live on WLJR 88.5 and 88.9 in Birmingham.  It will be streamed as well.  My small group meets tonight, but I am trying to get them to let this be our activity this evening. 

I was hoping for some podcast after the event, but all I can find right now is the opportunity to purchase audio CDs or DVDs.  No Thanks!

For more information:

Try here
or
here

If any of you get to hear it, I would be interested in your comments or thoughts. 

Great Conversation

We started our small group that meets at mine and Tracy's home last week with a wicked fish fry.  My good friend Brian and I labored for the Lord all summer, catching bluegill for the occasion.  Good times. 

We decided then, that for this week we would choose some quotes from a list given out and discuss them.  The conversation that ensued was invigorating.  Below are the quotes we discussed:

From the Carter Center Report, February 16, 2007- "According to the Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, the program sponsored by The Carter Center to eradicate the Guinea worm in Africa has reduced cases in his country from 656,000 to 48."

    Doug had done some research on the Guinea worm and it was both disgusting and fascinating.  It was
    a testament to what can be done when we allocate resources and work to help those less fortunate. 
    They have essentially eradicated this disease in Nigeria.  Amazing!

From Sojourners Online (6/15/07)- "Farm workers who pick tomatoes for Burger King's sandwiches earn 40 to 50 cents for every 32 pound bucket of tomatoes they pick, a rate that has not risen significantly in 30 years.  Workers must pick two tons of tomatoes to earn $50 in one day. 

    Sobering stats indeed.  Makes the case for buying fair trade even stronger.

From Peter Singer of the Brooking Institute- "This is not the coalition of the willing, but the coalition of the billing." A quote made on PBS radio regarding the 180,000 private contractors in Iraq, who are paid higher salaries with tax dollars than our 130,000 military personnel there.

    War profiteering.  That is what this immoral war is really about.

From Bill Moyers speaking to a graduating class at Southern Methodist University- "You are leaving here as our basic constitutional principles are under assault- the rule of law and independent press, independent courts, the separation of church and state and the social contract itself...America's a broken promise.  America needs fixing."

Amen!  Bill Moyers rocks.  Check out his expose on how journalist let the American public down as the march toward war with Iraq began.  Chilling.

From Connie Neal on the Harry Potter series- "It's been 10 years since the first book was released.  If the book really did cause a mass of kids to join the occult, we would have noticed it by now."

    Harry Potter rocks also.  Fundy's are so funny. 

Over the next few weeks we are going to be discussing Christianity and Islam.  We will be using a study guide from Christian Reflections. Check out the study guide and come join us each Wednesday at 7 P.M. Drop me an e-mail and I will give you directions.  We would love to have/meet you.

Cause for Concern!(?)

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Bob pointed me to an ABC News report about this documentary, Jesus Camp.  I was horrified.

This week at my cohort meeting, my new friend Nick, said that he and wife got to see it at the Sidewalk Film Festival and it was one of the most distburbing films he has ever seen.  Adding sheepishly, that he had seen some disturbing films. 

So I have been digesting all this, after hearing my respected friend Jim Evans, express very feel discouragement about how to reclaim faith in our country from being hijacked by political machinations and far right ideaology/theology.  (That is not exactly how he said it, but it is how I interpreted it).

I have discussed this some with other friends of mine, who don't share my concern.  So I offer you the official trailer to Jesus Camp.  What's your thoughts?

Art at Work

Having no creative abilities myself, I marvel at those who are gifted to create.  My appreciation for art has grown immensely in the last few years.  Beyond its beauty, I continually be amazed at art's ability to evoke emotion, to tap into somethingthat can not be expressed or articulated. Of course, art is often not beautiful by design, it may exist to confront us, to make us ponder or face something that we would not face otherwise. 

Our church has a resident artist that creates something each week that relates to our worship.It allows for reflection without some preacher telling them what to think, feel, or how to respond. I suspect that the weeks that don't move me, are weeks that intimately touch someone else and vice versa.  Art is accessible on so may avenues and that is why is can be so provocative and powerful. 

I came across a video that is a great example of how art, whether it be your preferred genre or not, can be used for good.  Here you have the musical art and the art of videography coming together to confront us with the unspoken, but very real issue of human trafficking.  Regardless of your musical taste, I hope you give this a listen and watch and let art confront you, as it did me.

Give it All Up

So I go down to parent's house this evening with my wife, to celebrate her birthday.  We are sitting around the table on the screened in back porch as a gentle rain pelted the calm surface of the lake that resides behind their home.  The conversation turned to the talk of town, at least until the college football season starts, the docu-drama about the 2005 Hoover High School football season on MTV called Two-A-Days.

We made the usual comments that have been hashed out on the talk radio scene:

• There was nothing new in it- High School is high school, Coaches cuss, cheerleaders act like, well, cheerleaders, and the reminder that high school kids are really kids.
• What's the deal with parent's letting their 17 year daughter get on national television wearing a bikini and having slow, full body camera shots of her air so that other hormonally crazed 17 years can lust after her.  Won't be long before that vidcap is broadcast into every pervert's PC.
• Do teens get breast augmentation for the 16th birthday's these days?

Finally, my sister asked me about something that really bothered me when I saw it, but I haven't commented on it yet.  It was a scene in the 42nd minute of the premeire of, I assume, the team chaplain "preaching" to the team before they play on ESPN against a school from Florida. 

The guy is a prominent youth minister in the area and he stands before the team, bible tucked under his arm and his tone suitable for a 30 minute TBN special.  It is 6 AM, according to the screen title and he begins speaking the stereotypical cliche's of having a gameplan for life and all that jazz.  No big deal, I guess.  These guys still have eye boogers and cobwebs in their head from the early wake up time, so I doubt they really care what this guy is saying.  But here is what he says first:

"Every person is born with a game plan.  And the reason I stand here today and the reason I have the faith and the fortitude for what ever I do is all the because of one thing; I’ve got God’s game plan in my life and I want you as players to understand, to have something to hang on to,  and the Lord’s that person."

Then, I assume there is some editing, but it moves further into his gameday homily.  His voice raised in evangelical fervor, where he proclaims the following:

"There will be people in those stands today that want you beat.  They want to see you fall.  They want to see you take a misstep. They want to see you embarrass yourself.  Don't you dare, embarrass this program by the way you play.  Let them know that they have come to the state of Alabama where football is king, where football is football, where we play like it is supposed to be played.  And you make sure, if you play in this game today, that you can't walk off, that you have to crawl off.  Give it all up, give it all up!"

Nice!  This exactly what needed to be reinforced for these guys.  Essentially, that all that matters is football.  Now I don't ever remember sitting at a high school wishing harm on the other team.  I have never wanted any high school athlete to embarass themselves.  Never! Not once.  And I have never desired that a high school athlete crawl off the field.

I haven't heard anybody comment on this yet, but I was embarassed.  It is one thing to try to bring some spiritual perspective, but to use religion as a means to propogate coach speak, to talk about the program as if God Himself was watching to see if the mighty Hoover program was going to be embarassed was infuriariting.

 

That youth minister ought to be ashamed of himself.  To denigrate faith to nothing more that a pregame pep talk reeked of his own agenda. What would that agenda be?  To stay in the good graces of the coach, so he can hang around the program and get those guys and hopefully their parents who have money to show up to church.  It made me want to puke.

I do think I will take his advice however.  I will give it all up.  Watching Two-A-Days, that is.