Church Website

A church without a website is a surprising thing. When I first got up to Chicago, I did my preliminary checks on churches in my area by getting on their websites. Some were better than others, but just that they had them gave me an idea of their existence.

All that to say, I just got on board with a church located near Midway in Chicago and they, er, we have no website. So my question goes out to all five of you reading this: What would you like to see in a church website? What would be your top five most desired elements? If you've created a church website before, what did you put into it? And finally, what should not be on a church website?

Wii Danger

I want a dog very, very badly. I'd also like a Wii. I think I'll have to make a clear choice between the two.

Empty Hands

Faith is not something we give to God. In that case, faith would be a work, and a silly kind of work because it would be work we do even though it doesn't benefit anyone. But exactly the opposite is true. To have faith in God is to be "without works" before God. Faith is the way we as receivers relate apporpriately to God as the giver It is empty hands held open for God to fill.
...
Faith tells us that we do not exist simply to live our three score and ten years without pain, with ease and enjoyment, to accumulate possessions, power or knowledge, to receive accolades and enlarge our egos. How empty such a life would be! Faith is an expression of the fact that we exist so that the infinite God can dwell in us and work through us for the well-being of the whole creation. If faith denies anything, it denies that we are tiny, self-absorbed specks of matter who are reaching for the stars but remain hopelessly nailed to the earth stuck in our own self-absorption. Faith is the first part of the bridge from self-centeredness to generosity.

Volf, Free of Charge, 44, 45.

Preacher Man

So it's been about 2 years since I've preached what I would call a real sermon. I came to this realization this past Friday as I was preparing my sermon for yesterday. Such a thrilling and daunting task. I gave it at a church that just after the service was deciding whether or not they were going to stay open or close their doors.

And while I don't know the outcome of their decision, the sermon seemed to go well though. You can make up your mind about that though.



I welcome any and all feedback.

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Ephesians Quote

The picture the text paints is bleak. Because of sins humans are the living dead. They live in keeping with a world that ignores God and in keeping with a tyrant who works to cause disobedience. In their enslavement they follow desires and distorted reasonings that leave God out of the picture and, therefore, they are under God's wrath. But , the main point of Ephesians-- and especially of 2:1-10-- is that God will not stay out of the picture.

Klyne Snodgrass, Ephesians.

This is August?

Cubs Game

Not knowing just how much longer I'm going to be in Chicago it was
hard for me to turn down a spur of the moment Cubs game. We got there
just into the 2nd inning and squatted underneath the score board in
center field. It certainly wasn't the most comfortable game that I've
been to, but the excitement and the feel of having snuck in- which
trust me, for the price we paid there was no sneeking. But the W flag flew.

Sent from my iPhone

No Sleepwalking

Exegesis introduces another dimension into our relation to this text. The text as story carries us along, we are in on something larger than ourselves, we let the story take us where it will. But exegesis is focused attention, asking questions, sorting through possible meanings. Exegesis is rigorous, disciplined, intellectual work. It rarely feels "spiritual." Men and women who are, as we say, "into" spirituality, frequently give exegesis short shrift, preferring to rely on inspiration and intuition. But the long and broad consensus in the community of God's people has always insisted on a vigorous and meticulous exegesis: Give long and close and learned attention to this text! All our masters in spirituality were and are master exegetes. There's a lot going on here; we don't want to miss any of it; we don't want to sleepwalk through this text.

Eugene Peterson, Eat This Book, p. 50.

Quote of the Day

“I’m not going to lie: I used to smoke crack in there,” said one homeless woman, Veronyka Cordner, nodding toward the toilet behind Pike Place Market. “But I won’t even go inside that thing now. It’s disgusting."

She was talking about the removal of the self cleaning toilet toilets. (eBay via NYT via Gizmodo)

When Love Comes to Town

I was sitting eating my granola and trying to find something to watch on the TV and the only thing I could find was U2's Rattle and Hum from 1988. It was shot all in black and white and documents their Rattle and Hum tour.

During that tour they encountered a lot of music over here in the States. One of the musicians they saw was B. B. King. After seeing him, Bono went back and wrote a song to play with BB. That song is "When Love Comes to Town." Phenomenal lyrics about what happens when Love comes to town.





I was a sailor, I was lost at sea
I was under the waves
Before love rescued me
I was a fighter, I could turn on a thread
Now I stand accused of the things I've said

Love comes to town I'm gonna jump on that train
When love comes to town I'm gonna catch that flame
Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down
But I did what I did before love came to town

I used to make love under a red sunset
I was making promises I would soon forget
She was pale as the lace of her wedding gown
But I left her standing before love came to town

I ran into a juke joint when I heard a guitar scream
The notes were turning blue, I was dazing in a dream
As the music played I saw my life turn around
That was the day before love came to town

When love comes to town I'm gonna jump on that train
When love comes to town I'm gonna catch that flame
Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down
But I did what I did before love came to town

When love comes to town I'm gonna jump on that train
When love comes to town I'm gonna catch that flame
Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down
But I did what I did before love came to town

I was there when they crucified my Lord
I held the scabbard when the soldier drew his sword
I threw the dice when they pierced his side
But I've seen love conquer the great divide

When love comes to town I'm gonna catch that train
When love comes to town I'm gonna catch that flame
Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down
But I did what I did before love came to town