Community and Me

Have you ever met the solo super Christian?  The one who is sure that becoming like Jesus can be done Sawyer-style from Season 1-2 of “Lost” style.  Yeah I know few will get that.

I hesitate to even write about community just because it seems to have become so cliche in the last few years, but that does not change the fact that we need it.  We need it to become like Jesus it is not optional.  And no, Facebook, twitter, blogging, email, texting are not a substitute or should be a primary vein of community.  Imagine if these were the dominant methods in which you communicated with your spouse, and if you are thinking that is the case then repent.

My struggle with community is that I am a crock pot guy.  I need time to build relationships and know that the relationship will have time to marinate.  I have a hard time giving my all or being dialed in when I doubt I will ever speak to that person again.  Its not that I can’t converse and get along fairly well in social settings, or meeting new people, actually Crystal says I sometimes shine the most in these situations and am gifted at facilitating in groups.  Its just these atmospheres rarely feed my soul.  My blogging doppelganger on the other hand is like a puppy in a pet store when you put him around new people (make sure you put some newspaper down.)

I’m at a season in which I am begining anew in church community relationships, and then with little motivation to do so for fear I might move on again in the near future.  Why is it that this is a problem? I’ll tell you.

We live in a nation that is opposite of the Biblical framework, a person’s thought process begins with “I” instead of “we.”  We are individual in identity and accomplishment and we transport these things into our Christian faith.  We have bad experiences in the Church and become jaded.  We leave saying things like, “I love Jesus but not the church,” or “I am spiritual just not religious.”  What is really being said is that I have tried the Christian community and if my fault or others the result was negative.  Truth is though this is really just a self-righteous mentality that thinks the Church and/or others are more messed up than me.

I am on the verge of rambling here so let me just say this.  The average human spends 13 uninterrupted years watching TV, 13 years.  I think all of us could afford to give a bit more to creating and building Kingdom community so that we may show it to others and be transformed in it.

ryan

A Blast From The Past

Since Ryan doesn’t have Facebook this picture goes up here.

Also, this was the trip I asked Ryan to become my roomate on. Ahhh, when the Bromance started.

Fear

Media and Obama

I imagine the media is about as dizzy as a kid who spins around a lamppost 20 times and then tries to run a hundred yards. Why? Well because of all the spinning they are doing.

I have been blown away to watch the coverage of the media as Obama tries to sell the stimulus package. When he warns of dire consequences he is being “honest” and “real” with the American people. When Bush told people the consequences of their or doing or not doing something (terrorism, economy) he was leading by “fear.”

I can’t wait till I have kids and they try this kind of Crap. “Hey Jonny do not play in traffic.” “Dad your just trying to parent me by fear.” Fear is not always a bad thing. In fact we live in a world in which there is plenty to be fearful of (not everything so don’t freak out) but fear can often keep us safe and help us understand the magnitude of a situation.

Please media lets do better. And Obama it is not enough to say on the news last night lets stop being partisan and serve the American people who we represent and then in the VERY next sentence say the other side dead ideas that do not work.

For all of you who are married try that level of condescension in your next marital tiff.