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Church Basement Roadshow review

I fumbled with my words when inviting people to the Church Basement Roadshow, because even as the local organizer, I had little idea of what to expect. But having seen it last night -- how do I describe it? I think I have to fall back on Doctor Dolittle: "You've never seen anything like it in your life!"

Honestly, that video matches the feel of the show. It's old-timey. It's zany. It's also deeply meaningful. The show clips along and does not stay in any one place for very long.

Since it is hard to describe what the show is like, parents will ask, should I bring the kids? If they are teenagers, definitely. Even pre-teens will enjoy it, as long as you don't mind them hearing Mark toning down two quotes to (literally) "effed" and "effing", and references to drug use in a quite negative light.

It's fun for whole family -- bring grandma, too! I don't know how to say it without sounding like I am exaggerating. Find a show near you and go. How can anything be so much fun, and so meaningful, at the same time? I've never seen anything like it in my life!

God is throwing a party

All are invited.

What did you think/feel while watching this?

(h/t: Mike)

Life after life after death

Tom Wright appears on the Colbert report. The most important part zips by in a second: "The point about that re-creation is that we can do re-creation here and now, because it's already begun with Jesus."

Roadshow coming to San Jose

Has your experience or observation of Christianity left you, uh, with reservations -- but the Way of Jesus still intrigues you, perhaps even beckons to you? Darn it, I hate cognitive dissonance!

Along come three revivalists from 1908, with a message of hope:

I'm organizing the San Jose event -- come join the fun!
Gas money alone is going to kill these guys as they cruise across the U.S. in an RV (note the holy RV in the poster), so please support them when the offering is collected. (I would suggest $10.)

My worship hero

Ladies and gentlemen, the person who has had the single greatest influence on my perspective and leading of worship: David Ruis (here with his excellent new band Indigika)

I post this to reassure myself that, indeed, this lingering prophetic art style which I try to emulate in my own small way is not a fit for my current church. And so, because it was not a good fit, I resigned from leading worship.

It was the right thing to do.

So why do I ache?

Technorati Tags: worship

Church Basement Roadshow - San Jose

The guys are coming to town! Uh, guess who volunteered to be the local chairman?

churchbasementroadshow.com
Friday, June 20th
7:00 - 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:30)
First Presbyterian Church
49 N. 4th St, San Jose

I am stoked about this. I hope we can create a San Jose emerging-missional cohort out of it.

Technorati Tags: missional, emergent

Living Sacrifice

Last Sunday, Kay took her first crack at preaching. Or I should say, her first crack at preaching in the United States, and in English. This was also the first time she's had a predetermined topic assigned to her: "Living Sacrifice" in a series on paradox. I'm going to blog most of her notes. (Make sure you get to the punch line towards the bottom of what is our job, what is not our job, and what is God's job!)

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice -- the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2

Keep Jesus in the center of everything you do!

Erin just drew this (click to enlarge):

Heavenly myths

This is so last week, but for those who haven't seen it, I thought I should pass along the link to TIME magazine's interview with N.T. Wright: Christians Wrong About Heaven, Says Bishop

Impromptu communion

Erin & I just went shopping for a few groceries. It's raining, so I was looking for a parking spot close to the store. I noticed an older man holding up a sign: "hungry, need help".

In front of our neighborhood Lucky grocery store? We live in middle-class suburbia, a place designed for comfort. This man was an uncomfortable reminder that the world is not all like this.

I parked the car, and we ran through the rain. The man had moved out of the rain to the sheltered area at the entrance to the store. I went about fetching a cart, not sure what to do, not sure what to feel, trying to fool myself into thinking that I didn't notice him. But 10-year-old Erin, bless her heart, said, "Did you see that man holding the 'hungry' sign? I feel sorry in my heart for him."

So we did our shopping, keeping our eyes open for anything that might help get him. As we shopped, Erin said, "I saw another homeless man not too long ago. As I was going to bed, I prayed for him quietly in my heart."

We picked up snack bars and orange juice, along with the rest of our shopping. We put the snack and juice into a separate bag along with a $10 bill. And we walked out of the store.

He was gone.

We looked around, but couldn't find him. Was he kicked off the premises? Where did he go in the rain? We walked in the rain. We searched by car.

I asked Erin what we could learn from this experience.
She said, "That we have a lot more than many people."
I said, "I wish I hadn't been afraid to talk to him at first. I could have asked him how we could help. We could have taken him shopping, or if that was too uncomfortable, we could at least have told him, 'Wait here, we'll be right back.'"

When we got home, I wanted to do something to help us remember this as a God moment. So we had communion, just the two of us, using the food we had hoped he would eat.
"The body of Christ, broken for you and for that man" — a Quaker Baked Apple Crisp Bar
"The blood of Christ, shed for you and for that man" — Sunnyside Farms Original 100% Pure Orange Juice

Technorati Tags: communion, poverty