UMC leadership are a bunch of weenies

Whatever your stand is on ordaining women or even gay women, you kind of have to wonder about the level of conviction of the UMC leadership. Read here how they're afraid to take a stand on a culturally hot topic.

FYI...I ordain straight guys.

There might be a move from PC to Mac

Our new worship arts pastor is a budding Mac dude. Small wonder. He did the Northpoint thing and his buds do Macs. The preschool director at the church is a true blue Mac fan. Her husband is a Mac freak. I always thought Macs were cool, just too expensive. After a bunch of research and even though Dell has been "beddy beddy" good to me, I think we may just take the plunge into the world of Apple.

If we could just get Christians to be as passionate about sharing their faith as Apple people are about talking about their computers, lots of people would begin following Christ.

the Truth is uncomfortable for the seeker from ___________

Here's my response. It has become a bit of a form response as of late...

xxxx,

I deeply appreciate your kind words about the name of the church. After reading your email, it's very apparent that you continue on a spiritual journey that's been long for you. Our hope is that the name of the church would be the genesis of dialogue just like this one. Our music rocks and our kids have fun when they come. As our website says, we hold the Bible very highly and it is the basis for what we believe.

As I read your words, it is clear that you have read many different people in your search for truth. Your thoughts on the nature and character of God are interesting. It seems as if your perception of God has been guided primarily by Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Don Miguel Ruiz, Gary Zukav, etc. Based on what you've written about your belief in God, it seems as if you haven't read the Bible as much as other books. In my view that's unfortunate because it has been proven to be the most accurate historical record of Jesus. Both biblical and the extrabiblical records of Jesus' time period reflect Jesus in a completely different light than what you believe (except for your statement that Jesus wasn't afraid). I would encourage you to read the Bible and see that what it says about Jesus, God and His love. I would encourage you to read the book of John in the Bible. Since you're an avid reader, I encourage and challenge you to read The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel. It is a fair and itellectual discussion of the validity and dependablity of the Bible. If you ever attend The Journey, I would be more than happy to give you both as a gift.

As a spiritual architect and coach (and pastor), I see a common thread in what you've written. You deeply desire to determine your own truth, and from a spiritual and logical perspective I find that troubling. My reasoning is this: You nor I have the ability to determine what truth is. Truth, by definition, is an irreducible fact that cannot be changed. Truth is supra-human. Truth is consistent. It is the same in ___________ as it is in Perth or Khartoum. For instance, the truths that exist in the laws of physics (like the Law of Gravity and the Laws of Thermodynamics) are not negotiable. We may choose to deny that they exist or we may even express our dislike for them, but it doesn't change the fact that they do exist. I can either adjust my way of living to those laws or I engage their consequences. It sets the agenda for us no matter how much we fight or deny it. We, as human beings, don't own truth. With that in mind, it seems quite illogical to me that every human being can own and generate their own truth. That being the case, truth must have a single, perfect, and unchanging source. It seems to me that many spiritual seekers I talk to want to define their own truth and therefore define God by their terms. If God is the source of all truth (which I believe He is), I don't get to choose what truth about Him is...He decides what truth is...perfect and unchanging. Truth is also evident. You don't have to look very hard to find it. Think of all the "If this, then that" things that you dealt with yesterday. They are all around us...irreducible facts that will always be true. Truth is absolute.

It seems to me that if God is Truth, He would make Himself easy to find and know. If God is Truth, why would He try to confuse me by making me look all over for Him in countless writings? Why wouldn't He, as Truth, clearly and specifically reveal Himself?

At The Journey Church, we encourage you to come and investigate what we believe to be the specific revelation of who God is through the Bible. Since we don't own Truth, we don't judge people and their beliefs. We don't get to fit what we believe into Truth. Truth determines what love, justice, hope and peace is all about. Come and investigate the claims of Jesus at your own pace. We use the Bible, we just try to let it speak on its own. We believe Truth doesn't change so we must change or our lives will be full of unpleasant consequences. We at The Journey have encountered the Truth and it has wonderfully and radically transformed our lives.

You didn't write me by chance. God is drawing you to Himself. He wants to make Himself clear to you through His word to us, the Bible. If you just can't buy that right now I understand, but an intense, deep relationship with God isn't as hard as you're making it.

My wife and I will be praying for you and your son. You are welcome to visit us at The Journey anytime. We start at 10am every Sunday.

Peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ,
Ken

Her response:

Thank you for your time and heart felt response. It was kind of you to respond
in such detail and it is appreciated.
Love, Light, & Peace, thank you

Almost everyone that I've had this initial conversation with end up visiting once. Most don't stick around because they value "their truth". There's hope as long as they're alive.

Onto the next step of the journey...

from hate mail to seeker mail

It used to be that when I opened up my email every morning I would cringe, bracing myself for hate mail from a deacon or spiritually unhealthy long-term member. The chance to reinvent and create a biblically based communication culture has allowed me to once again enjoy checking email. Some stuff gets through obviously, but not from core leadership anymore. Praise be to God, King of the Universe.

In the last year or so, it's not unusual to get emails from people asking questions about the church or just dropping a line to say something kind. I thought I would share one I got last night from a lady that was intrigued by the name of our church. While our church name, The Journey Church, is becoming more and more common it still brings in responses from seekers...which is exactly why we used the name in the first place. The following email is why I do ministry:

Thank you in advance for your time in accepting this email.

I am seeking a church close to my home (name of town) that would be accepting of 'New Thought' philosophy. I believe in reincarnation, and that we create our own reality by our thinking and our perceptions of a situation. (In other words, I can CHOOSE to have a good day or bad day, by my own beliefs and thinking.) I believe in one God, the power of prayer, and the peace in meditations and positive affirmations. I believe in Jesus Christ, yet I believe there are many pathways to God, and that all should be honored & respected. I do not believe that if a person does not believe in Christ the way I believe in Christ that they are going to a place called Hell or that God has no place for them. I believe God is pure love, not of judgments and condemnations. I believe once we've made our transition from this life, we find ourselves in the kingdom of God, Love, and the Light of knowledge; & we are all knowing & can see the errors, the places we got off track and "filled with this knowledge" we judge ourselves, (i.e. Karma, our next life (if we so choose, etc)

I believe a person should believe in whatever serves them well & fills them with "peace". Because it is only through our own internal peace that the world can be changed, not by trying to change others or judge their faith and belief in God. I believe the Bible is symbolic and not necessarily to be taken literally in every sense. I believe the Bible has been translated from different languages, was written thousands of years ago, and can be a very confusing piece of history and religious literature, and has caused many conflicts and wars. I also feel that for many years the clergy have tried to control the thoughts of man/woman by interpreting the bible "for people" and then telling them they must believe in a certain way and will say, "But the Bible says..........." thereby trying to make the person feel they should not be using their own inner voice & their own mind to decide for themselves. By giving a voice to "Hell" "evil" & other negatives, they only become more real. And the only thing real (I believe) is God's love, our love for God & for each other, love for the planet, love for the universe. Everything else is just an illusion we create in not believing in the power of God, the power of good (non-judgmental). Jesus was not afraid, Jesus did not judge, Jesus lead by example & let the rest go. God created us all, we are all his children and we will all go home one day. I would like to find a church that has a good mix of new thinking & openness, with (some) "traditional", and of course music. Yes! spirit is about music and God does love a joyful noise.

MY QUESTION: I don't want to be condemned, judged or put down for believing in the teachings of spiritual leaders such as Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Don Miguel Ruiz, Gary Zukav, etc., or saying I don't accept that people go to Hell if they don't believe in Christ the way I do, or for believing in reincarnation.....IS THERE A PLACE FOR MY BELIEFS AT YOUR CHURCH KEN? I have a seven year old son, who is a very spiritual loving child & I'd love to find a "loving" place to worship, and make friends; however, I am passionate about what I believe. Is there room for all thoughts at your place? (I have inquired because your web site intrigued me and your church sounds like fun for all & perhaps especially the children, which is most important to me.)

Once again, a very grateful thank you in advance for listening (and responding :) (I will understand completely, if your response back has to be, a simple "no", most Biblically driven churches are still pretty traditional about what members should believe. But yours sounded like a possibility.) (And by the way, even if you say no & I should keep church shopping, I must tell you, I think your church name is great, life is truly a journey & how fitting for a church name :)

Sincerely,
with peace & light,

Name withheld

My response tomorrow....

An evening with Elton John

I've been a fan of Elton John since 1973 when I was a kid growing up in Arkansas. We lived in the boonies, so even the closest country station didn't come in clearly. On top of that, we lived way down in a holler (hollow for any Yanks reading this) and it was almost impossible to get a good radio signal except at night. After the sun went down, I would turn on my radio and listen to WLS in Chicago. I don't know how, but the signal came in crystal clear, especially after 10:00pm. That's when I first heard Elton John. It was a year later and I got my first Elton John eight track, his greatest hits.

Tonight at the concert (My sister was in town for an Herbalife convention. Elton John was the entertainment and she bought me a ticket. Thanks, Sis.), I realized just how much I listened to those songs. I sang along with most of them. He was phenomenal. Gee whiz, I just don't think he could play a bad song at a concert. He and the band are consumate musicians. Bobby Birch (bassist) was the reason I started playing bass (edit...playing bass again. Dee Murray was Elton's bass player in the 70s). Solid, groovalicious, and lots of pop. Davey Johnstone was right on and did great work. He played two SG doubles (two different colors), a Flying V, Les Paul, Strat, and a couple different acoustics (and Ovation and Larivee I think). Nigel Olsson is a machine.

Michelle got to hear Philadelphia Freedom via my cellphone. Whoever did the sound had it dialed in.

I may try the Peachtree Road project although it has a bit of a country flavor.

Great concert. The ______ is Back was incredible. The guitar on that song always makes me want to learn guitar. I'm sleepy and rambling now..................

Stunned, amazed, and in awe...then "Unbelievable."

"Unbelievable." That was the only thing I could say today after I hung up the phone from a 4.5 hour conversation. The culmination of a process that's actually been going on for three years. The search for the worship arts pastor that has the same passion, vision, and dreams as I do. It's unlike any ministry position interview I've ever been a part of. No committees (buzzards feasting on human carnage...see my previous post), no mind games, no Chamber of Commerce dog and pony show. As I talked in this unfettered walk to Emmaus I sat there stunned, amazed and in awe of God.

I've prayed, I've fasted, I've asked God to increase my faith, and I've told the mountain to take a hike. Then you wait for God to be who He says He is.

Then it happens. God moves.

I hung up the phone and say, "Unbelievable."

More later as we look for the jars to put the new wine in. I'm sure I saw some behind the mountain before it moved...

I'm on a roll now...You have got to read this book!

.

I'm an Erwin McManus fan. His first book, An Unstoppable Force was the fulcrum to me leaving the First Church County Seat gig I was at and leap into the world of church planting. The dude is dangerous. Some people think he's too pomo. He would say to lose the label already. The bottom line is that he's a prophetic voice that isn't afraid to challenge what he calls "domesticated Christianity". I think I like Erwin because he's not just a theorist mad at "the man", he practices what he writes about. That should, in and of itself, prove that he's not a pomo. When he writes about "having little patience for institutions and beaureaucracies", I am so there. Even if you don't think you'll like reading McManus, or just haven't heard enough about him to take the plunge, go ahead and get the book and read it. Here's an excerpt that will remain a priceless jewel as long as the established church is stuck in the mire of man-made tradition:

"With insects most of us know that bees are called swarms, and ants are called colonies. Among ocean life, I was aware that whales are pods, and fish are schools. Cattle are herd, birds are flocks, and if you watch Lion King, you know a tribe of lions is a pride. If you grew up in the country, you might know that crows are murders. Maybe the most unnerving one is an ambush of tigers."

Brace yourself.......

"I was surprised to learn that a group of buzzards waiting around together to feast on leftover carnage is called a committee. Just this one insight is worth the price of the whole book. This explains so much of what's going on in churches - a lot of committees waiting around to live off human carnage."

Erwin Raphael McManus

* The cost of pastoring established, unhealthy churches - 3 years of religious detox.
* The cost of The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus - $11.55 plus shipping.
* The quote above from the "Resident Alien" - priceless.

OK, I'm blogging again...

I've been reminded by a few folks that my blogging activity has fallen off. The reason for this is two-fold. One, I am getting better at spending time on things that I do best. Blogging is not what I do best, even though it's a wonderful outlet for frustration. It's sort of like going into the middle of a big pasture and screaming at the top of your lungs, except it's a bit more intellectual...usually. Two, I've been super busy working on finding a worship arts pastor that I vibe with. Like I've told some friends, you would think that North Atlanta would have worship dudes all over the place. The kind I'm looking for are already way busy or hooked up and happy. No worries, God has the right guy out there. I'm feeling pretty good about one for sure. Frankly, I'm cautiously stoked. That's a good feeling for a change.

OK, so is everyone happy now? All four of you that have mentioned something to me...