Broken Hands

As I finished watching Citizen Architect: Samuel Mockbee and the Spirit of Rural Studio, I was struck with a sense of a selfless man, who by all appearances had no religious promptings (Christian that is) and who was driven to better the human condition in one of the most impoverished communities in the nation. This led me to re-evaluate my service to humanity and ask a few inward questions. 

What does it mean to alleviate the suffering, poor and down-trodden? Is it something that we as humans are called to do? And by taking measures to make sure these things take place, what is our motive? Does the motive drive the action or does the action drive the motive? Do we help the suffering because of a mindset that it will enhance the Christian experience and place us higher on God’s “atta boy” list? Or is it possible that we help, nurture, care for, and love the destitute because of the pure motive that we love God so much that we will do whatever He asks of us, that we are so intimately involved and in love with Christ that we will truly love our neighbor as ourselves.

“Is not this the fast that I choose:to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house when you see the naked, to cover him...” Isaiah 58:6-7 ESV

“When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another.” Thus Christ on the Mount of Olives pictured to His disciples the scene of the great judgment day. And He represented its decision as turning upon one point. When the nations are gathered before Him, there will be but two classes, and their eternal destiny will be determined by what they have done or have neglected to do for Him in the person of the poor and the suffering. In that day Christ does not present before men the great work He has done for them in giving His life for their redemption. He presents the faithful work they have done for Him. DA 637                                                                                                                                

Christ has not called us to live a life of solitude but one of servitude. A servitude that is not for selfish gain, but one that is driven for a love of humanity. Be a follower of Christ and a leader of man. By following Christ, we become a leader of men; a leader that will be an exemplifies helping mend broken hands. 

As The Deer Panteth

As the deer pants for streams of water, so
my soul pants for you, my God. Psalms 42:1

Have you ever had that parched feeling in the back of your mouth because you were so thirsty that anything liquidous would satisfy. Have you ever been hiking and ran out of water only to realize that the car that has more water, is still three miles away. When that realization comes to fruition the tongue instantaneously becomes swollen, you get an headache, and your mouth in general becomes exceedingly hot (reminds of me those gum commercials that showed the temperature of your mouth before chewing their gum). Just as the Psalmist painted a picture of thirst that was only to be quenched by the cool, refreshing, pristine water, so we are to have our spiritual thirst quenched by Jesus via the Holy Spirit.

If there is or was ever the desire to have more than what the world is offering. A longing to have quenching of an dried and parched soul. An yearning to replace an lifeless Christian experience. An craving to be part of a movement that is more than an lifeless theory. “Then this is an evidence that Christ has wrought upon your heart, and created this sense of need in your soul, in order that He may be sought unto to do for you, through the endowment of the Holy Spirit, those things which it is impossible for you to do yourself.” [To Be Like Jesus” pg.350]

I know I long for these things. I know my sin ridden life thirsts for righteousness. I know my soul wants that which is beautiful, pure and Holy. But this quenching, this void that imminently wants to be filled, can only and must only be filled by the Holy Spirit. For as the Ten Virgins [Matthew 25] needed their vessels filled with the Holy Spirit in order to enter the wedding party, so to we need a daily “fill-up”. But this “fill-up” isn’t a patch work, its a transforming work, an quenching work that creates new motives, desires and thoughts.  

“I counsel you to by from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and shame of your nakedness amy not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” Revelation 3:18

The Metrosexual Worship Leader

What does it mean to be Metrosexual?  Metrosexuality has become quite the worldwide phenomenon and the word universally known.   The term Metrosexual, was first used to describe a “heterosexual man who acted or behaved like he was homosexual or bisexual.”   While many men (though metrosexuality applies to women as well) would have a hard time with this description, they are ok with a more ambiguous description of someone who embraces and accepts his feminine side and takes care in his appearance. 

Ok, so this is obviously a trend that has been going on for some time, a trend that  is very much the status quo among the secular crowds. However its hard to say that even now because as humans, specifically the Christian religious crowd, there is the  tendency to follow the latest fashion propaganda at any cost.  But how does it look when worship leaders of the Christian faith start to embrace the fashion status quo, all in the name of identifying and blending with the non faith practicing person?  In other words a means to reach out and not seem like a peculiar, Bible thumping, Christian. Now please don’t get me wrong, we should look and dress our best, not sloppy and unkept (and even after reading this disclaimer, someone will invariably claim that I’m saying we are not suppose to look presentable and in good taste - something about the human tendency for mental shutdown and blockage on a point), but there is a difference, that difference being, time, money and self worship.  Someone that is over the top in appearance, clothing, and material possessions, IMHO; that mentality is problematic, especially for the Christian that is called to be “in the world but not of the world.”  Furthermore it looks like the the Metrosexual trend is also grungy too - ahh the vicious circle. 

As a practicing Seventh - Day Adventist, I find it a little on the humorous side, as Adventists, it is apparent that some of us are about two steps behind the world (trying to keep up with it) and one step behind the contemporary, postmodern, evangelicals. In this case, its the Metrosexual Worship leader.  In light of all this, here is a list of identifying characteristics of the Metrosexual Worship leader, taken from the book, Stuff Christians Like, by Jonathan Acuff. In the context of the book, it takes a humorous perspective, which initially, I laughed as well.  I think my laughter was more because these characteristics I have seen in a lot of Seventh-day Adventist Worship Leaders (Prayer & Praise, Youth Pastors, and Senior Pastors alike) and it really hit me how much it means to us to be accepted and not appear like one of those Christian, Final Generationalists. Well with out further procrastination here is the list.

1. Has a faux hawk hairstyle
2. Has more product in his hair than you wife
3. Has Rob Bell-style, black rimmed glasses
4. They are not prescription, but just for effect
5. Attends the Catalyst Conference - A conference that helps worship leaders blend in with the postmodern secular society, as well as gives them ideas and tactics to entertain A.D.D. worship goers. 
6. Performs at the Catalyst Conference
7. Owns white Puma, Vans, Asics, or Diesel sneakers
8. Wears jeans on stage
9. Wears designer jeans on stage
10. Wears designer ladies jeans on stage...aka skinny jeans
11. Wears Wranglers or Rustler jeans on stage
12. Has a goatee
13. Wears on of the Castro revolution looking hats
14. Drinks coffee on stage
15. Drinks some kind of coffee you did not know existed
16. Brings a French press on stage and makes his own coffee during service
17. Has a handlebar mustache 
18. Good at Frisbee but hates getting all “sweaty” 
19. Has a haircut that covers on of his eyes while singing
20. Owns a white belt 
21. Wears suspenders, although no in an ironic way
22. Wears a scarf, with a T-shirt
23. Wears a winter knit hat even in the summer
24. Reads quotes from the Bible between songs using his iPhone or Kindle
25. Driving an Audi or VW (silver, of course)
26. Uses the words postmodern, relevant, anything with “re” as a prefix, or emergent nonstop
27. Cringes a little when people say the “H word” (Hymnal)
28. Owns a Grizzly Adams red and black flannel shirt
29. Named his kid after a color, number, or city
30. Casually references Norwegians punk bands you’ve never heard of
31. Wears a tie
32. Wears a tie as a belt
33. Looks as if he might exfoliate
34. Has a man bag or European Carry-All
35. Brings said bag onstage with him
36. Has a tattoo
37. Has a visible tattoo
38. Wife accompanies him on stage and plays tambourine
39. Was formerly in a punk new wave band
40. Is currently in a punk new wave band
41. Your wife ever says, “He needs a barrette for his hair.”
42. Has a soul patch
43. Won’t play barefoot on stage until he gets a pedicure
44. Refers to California as “the left coast”
45. Twitters and updates his blog while leading worship
46. Read that last line and laughed at how outdated Twitter is because he’s already using some sort of hologram technology the rest of the world won’t find out about for three years. 
47. His toddler dressed cooler than YOU!