The Institute (協会)

The Tennessee Vols Must Really Suck: The Gamecocks?

Some people in South Carolina are probably commenting on how badly the Vols must suck to have lost at home to the Gamecocks.

The Gamecocks rule the Vols!!

What? Can any one explain this?

Hey, I already know that Clemson sucks this year and could loose to the Gamecocks in a few weeks as well. But we've sucked all season. We even lost to Wake Forest.

Halloween: Engage It Missionally, Don't Hide From It

Halloween is one the most brilliant opportunities to bring the Kingdom to our culture, but, instead tonight many Christians will either hide away into the holy huddles of Harvest Festivals(?) or Reformation Day services (by the way folks, the Reformation was not fun, this is like celebrating a divorce) while other Christians will party tonight as if they are not of the Way.

I mean, really call it whatever you want but if your church is having a costume-oriented program with candy and games for kids over this weekend or tonight you're celebrating halloween. If it walks like a duck. . .

Instead of hiding away from culture with our church programs or selling-out and acting like Jesus never calls his people to live better than everone else, why do we subvert it?

Why don't Christians throw the parties? Don't call it Halloween (or Reformation Day) parties? Come up with something else? Actually explain what the day was all about at your party? Show the world what it really means to have a good time WITHOUT celebrating evil.

If Christian parents have kids in government schools or private non-Christian schools I would imagine that they would use this opportunity to invite non-Christians to party with you? I might even imagine that the Christians in your community perhaps have developed an alternative that actually engages the fact of halloween without selling out (and NOT at the church building).

Or even better, why don't you have a Halloween Party and expose what it's really all about. I mean really explain it and just leave people hanging. Or go the Halloween party and wear a constume that would invite an engaging conversation about Jesus.

This is not to fake like Halloween does not exist but to turn the day into something else while keeping the party alive. We could actually be missional about halloween rather than running from it.

Hey, we did it with Christmas why can't we do it with Halloween (I'm assuming people know the real story of how Christmas came to be celebrated in December. (Jesus was actually born in the Spring) You all do know the story, right?

If we subverted that pagan Euro-trash December ritual to make it about Jesus' birthday then we can do it for Halloween.

Clemson Looses to GA Tech

Ok, I never really expected Clemson to win the ACC or anything but in recent weeks we have lost to Wake Forest and GA Tech.

We lost to Tech today 10-9. A very depressing season. I hope we can at least beat South Carolina.

Anthony In LA, Oct. 27-30

It's Fall Break. I'm headed to Los Angeles for some R & R. Will be there thru Sunday night. Hey, Ben's journey is really cool. Read it below. Peace.

"Anthony, So Are You Dating Anyone?" and other stupid questions

Stupid Questions to ask Anthony (ok maybe they're not stupid but they are questions that I roll my eyes at right now because people have no idea what my life is like):

Uniformed questions:

(1) Dating. Here's the reality. I work at least 10-12 per day Mon-Thur., I work like 8-5 on Friday. I usually go in the office saturday mornings from like 9-noon. And Friday night is dedicated to being with non-PCA and non-Christians.

Like many of you Sat. gets blown doing laundy, running errands, etc.

Here's look at my travel schedule. Between today and Jan. 31 2006 I will be in St. Louis FOUR WEEKENDS. The time when adults hang out.

Oct. 27-31--Los Angeles
Nov. 4-6--Board Meeting (Grand Rapids)
Nov. 15-20--Philadelphia (presenting a paper at ETS)
Nov. 24ish--Thanksgiving (Atlanta)
Dec. 10-11-Bachelor Party (Chicago)
Dec. 13-15--Speaking to the Staff of the Black Congressional Caucus (yeah, folks Congress)
Dec. 22-Jan.3ish--Christmas (Atlanta)
Jan. 13-15--Wedding (Chicago)
Jan. 20-21--Spain

Ok so don't ask me "if I'm dating". Who the !@#$ has time to hang out and play that game and where am I supposed to do that? Having endless amounts of free time is what I had in college and when I just graduated and was doing the 9-5 gig. That ended in 1994.

(2) How's the dissertation coming? Well, if it was going well I'd be finished by now.

(3) Have you seen this . . .(tv program, commercial, etc.)? Who has time for that?

(4) Have you talked to person X lately? (would love too but there's only 24 hours in a day)

I have a friend in San Antonio who's a doctor, not married, and is finishing up his boards and stuff and he never has time to hang out to play the stupid dating game (and he's about a year or so older than I am). What do people think grown, adult Christian men do? Sit at home and watch television every night?

I Lost Your Cell Phone Number

Friends, I got a new phone and forgot to make sure my phone numbers were transfered to my SIM card. So I lost a ton of phone numbers.

So if I had your number could you e-mail me your contact info. thanks.

abradley@acton.org

What's your story? Meet Ben Gortmaker from a band called "Mori": 23, Singer, Songwriter, Talks About Family, Music, Romance

I feel I live a pretty selfish life.--Ben G.

I’ve always been extremely romantic in every aspect of life--Ben G.

I have been filled with immense shame, brokenness and loneliness--Ben G.

Songwriting, to me, is a necessity. It is how I deal with life.--Ben G.

Ben is from the band Mori. Go there and buy one uf his CDs now!!! Yeah, right now.

Here's his story and he has a blog:

"I’m 23 years old and I graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN a year ago. I majored in Classical Guitar and minored in the Recording Industry, which was not something that was expected (but I’ll get there). I was born in Dallas, TX and my family moved to Murfreesboro when I was five. I’ve got two older sisters, both with strong personalities. I lived in Murfreesboro until a year ago, staying with my parents until I graduated. Many people might see my living at home as a sign of weakness and immaturity, but the accountability and rent-free living made it the best choice I could have made as a college student. I now live in Nashville and am working on my music.

Relationships The Center (esp. with Mom)
My life has really been centered on relationships. My mother and I have a very close relationship. We’re both the most emotional people I’ve ever met. She was diagnosed with Manic-Depression soon after I was born and it was a pretty severe case too. She went through tons of medication and treatment. The balance she found was one that kept her stable, but stable on the side of depression. This changed the dynamic of the house. I’ve been told this story of when I was a young child where I came up to my mom, overwhelmed, and hugged her saying, “I love you mom.” As cheesy and unimportant as this might sound, for her it was what would help motivate her through her days.

Looking back, I see how this affected my youth. I could have friends over only when she could handle the commotion. Noise and music needed to be kept to a minimum, which, while playing the piano and guitar all the time, meant I played shut in my room. This never seemed strange to me, because it’s all I ever knew. When I made it to middle school everyone else had hit their growth spurt, leaving me in the dust.

Crying After School
As a result of being a small musician that liked school I was picked on all the time for those two personality-forming years. I came home every day and cried to my mom, who would listen and encourage me though she herself felt like crying. This happened every day during that time. It seems like God made my mom and me for each other. What’s amazing is as years pass, and as Mom discovers better medications, she’s becoming who she was before this all happened. What’s weird is that the mom I never knew is turning out to be just like me. It’s like I’m meeting someone for the first time, someone that I’ve loved all my life.

My Dad, My Hero
My dad is a stoic-like, German theologian and has the driest humor. There have been many nights where we’ve sat around the kitchen table laughing at his jokes, while he sat calmly with the slightest smirk on his face. He is my hero and will always be what I want to be when I grow up (maybe not so stoic). He supported and stayed with my mom when it seemed hopeless and impossible. I have never questioned their love for one another and for me.

Family Life's Been Amazing
You ask, “What’s the best thing to happen to me?” It’s being raised in a family like mine. Both my sisters were classical voice majors and I grew up singing, playing piano and the guitar (which I picked up in middle school. It was a nice escape from reality). I would retreat to my room for hours every day and play guitar, creating all night. This is a habit that has never stopped. I was going to be a vocal major, but my mom suggested guitar a week before auditions. I learned two pieces that week. I was accepted into the vocal department, but somehow got offered a small scholarship to be a guitar major. It was an easy choice there. My life and direction changed after that.

The Internal Battle
The question, “What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you?” This is a tough one. I’ve gone through some tough times with my mom, school and friends, but when I look back I only see a joy and satisfaction with life. I suppose that’s a blessing. My struggle has mainly been an internal one. I grew up in a Presbyterian Church, so from a very young age I heard about my depravity (though always with forgiveness). I’ve always been aware that something was terribly wrong with humanity. In college this manifested itself in a strong way. I felt this need to keep myself accountable to God in my head. I would internally lash myself (I’m now reminded of Martin Luther) for my “personality problems” or for the horrible, arrogant person I saw myself as. I still deal with this and carry a self-loathing mindset around. And, of course, my mother has always told me that I’m the nicest person she knows. That’s something I’ve needed to hear.

On Being A Romantic
I’ve always been extremely romantic in every aspect of life, so when I describe the most emotionally devastating thing in my life, I suppose it’s love. I made the mistake of getting involved in two long relationships that were both heavily one-sided (one of which I called “love”). As a result, I carried around an emotional burden. From these relationships I have been filled with immense shame, brokenness and loneliness. This went on all through college. Through all of this, I must say, I have been immensely blessed with love from friends and family. This is where my music comes in…

I Must Write Songs
Songwriting, to me, is a necessity. It is how I deal with life. I take something that is internally wearing me out and turn it into something tangible. When I write I want to find truths about all of humanity from my life experiences. The way that’s manifesting itself in many of my songs right now is the idea that there is something wrong. As Americans we live in a culture that tells us to make ourselves look pretty and to buy things until that happens. It just seems so dishonest. I think when we can realize that we’re all messes then we can move on to fixing it.

In college I was heavily involved in songwriting organizations, I took songwriting classes and I played out all the time. This really helped me develop lyrically to better say what I mean. I did a lot of singer/songwriter writing and have released a CD of some of those songs called “Love Shall Come” which takes all the songs I wrote about love and puts them in a story line.

My current project is my band, Mori. We have just recorded our first demo and are getting that rolling. In short we are a rock band. Brad is a rock/funk drummer. Antjuan grew up playing soul/Motown bass (he also sings). I play guitar from my folk/classical/jazz background and sing lead. The combination is pretty cool. What I hope to achieve artistically is to speak honestly about reality. I want to say, very boldly, “this is who I am, and this is who God has made me.” I want to be a Christian that makes music that’s worth listening to.

As far as the future, I hope for change. I am in a stage of life where I have been told to do what’s best for me; to be concerned with my future. As a result of that I feel I live a pretty selfish life. I want to serve others. I want my life to be an example of what grace and redemption look like. I very much long for love in the marriage sense, but until then I never want to take for granted the love I already have.

On Being A Man
I think a man is one who isn’t afraid to be weak. One that is known as a servant. One who lives his life for others.

Am I a man? In my definition, I’m making it. Slowly and not of my own accord. My worth is determined by whom God has made me. It is in this that I find my hope."

Creationists and Other Idiots

The above title is on the cover of the November (I miswrote Dec. earlier today) issue of Esquire Magazine. Charles P. Pierce, opens the article, titled "Greetings from Idiot America," by mocking Christians who believe in Creation claiming that in general Americans go with their gut instead of the facts.

"The Gut is the basis for the Great Premises of Idiot America? We hold these truths self-evident:

(1) Any theory is valid if it sells books, soaks up ratings, or otherwise moves units.

(2) Anything can be true if somebody says it on television.

(3) Fact is that which enough people believe. Truth is determined by how fervently they believe it"

Hmmm. . .well, Mr. Pierce why ain't it also true that evolution is just as faith-based as creation? Evolution based on facts? Hmm. . .

However, the list of how American's thinks is on point!!

Finalmente: More Real Sex Talk

Finally, I sat in a church here in St. Louis last night and heard the most wonderful sermon exploring the biblical details of marital sexuality and seduction from the Song of Songs chapters 3 and 4. The Journey is doing a series on sex. Yesterday's messages was titled, "Maximizing Your Sexual Relationship."

Steve, one of the pastors at the Journey, actually applying the texts to the details of people's lives (imagine that), opened by saying, "married couples should have lots of sex."

At the beginning of the service a warning was given to parents that "todays message is rated PG-13." As soon as I heard that I thought, "finally, we're going to hear about some real issues regarding the details of the beauty of marital seduction and sexuality."

The message, of course, was challenging to singles--as well especially about their pre-marital sexuality.

Pathetic: That we live in a sex saturated culture and pastors (in a Mr. Rogers fashion) say "don't lust" but never described what that actually means. Assuming that there is consensus on the definition of lust is naive and unrealistic.

I almost stood up an shouted "AMEM, their parennts and churches have failed them" when Steve said that men don't know how to be "servant lovers." They only know how to be, in our culture, "selfish lovers." And THEN, yes folks, in a church that has an ethos of biblical authenticity, he went on to talk about how men have never learned to vulnerable with women having Mom's as maids [this is pathetic], selfishly pursuing sexual exploration through "masturbation," "pornorgraphy," "hooking-up," etc. Yep, he actually mentioned the words and their effects on marital sexuality.

Pathetic: Why is this NOT normal language in preaching and teaching since its the normal experience in the real lives of people in the pews (or chairs, or on the floor). Do churches teach that men's jacked-up sexuality learned from our culture ends on the wedding day? This must be regularly addressed.

Since sex is nevered address in the "Kingdom of Niceness" boys grow up thinking sex is about them and girls are brought up for 25 years to think of sex as the greatest, most dirty evil ever.

Pathetic: Men learn about sexuality mostly from movies and television and bring that junk into marriage and it remains jacked up. And they may be in a church for YEARS and never be challenged how to physically love their wives well. Pathetic.

Pathetic:Parishoners have real issues that get skirted over by Pastor Nice Guy. Pastor Captain Kangaroo preaches on being a nicer person, that's pretty much it.

Our culture teaches men how to consume women in their thought life when their alone and when they get married they have no idea how to do pursue biblical sexuality. Where else are middle school and high school men to learn what God desires on these issues?

Pathetic: Steve, also talked about how women use sex to manipulate their husbands. This is sooooooo common but you never hear about it. Why?

Single guys, here's some bad news: at some point your wife is going to learn how to use sex to control and manipulate you (Gen 3:16). Make sure you talk to your father, uncles, brothers, married friends, and pastors about this now and in your pre-marital counseling.

PATHETIC: that men leave high school having NEVER been through the details of the Song of Songs.

Ok, so if you're church hopping for a place that deals with real issues with no "off limit" topics my new list includes (again this is just from my experience): Mars Hill Church (Seattle), Mars Hill Bible Church (Michigan), The Journey (St. Louis), Liberti (Phildelphia), Redeemer Pres. (New York), All Souls Church (Atlanta), of course there's more. Feel free to list the ones you know of.

I got the "kingdom of niceness" phrase from a friend in Scotland.

Bandonicus@Little Geneva Seems To Be Shutting Down: Why I Liked The Racists

Friends, it seems that Bandonicus is closing up shot at Badlands. For nearly a year now my racist brother has posted many comments about me being a "negro" and my being an affirmative action hire, and so on.

I went to the site just to check on the lastest slander and all the content about me is gone.

It seems that Bandonicus was actually Harry Seabrook himself who hosts littlegeneva.com--so I'm told. And once that was exposed things died down.

Here's why I liked the racists: they single-handedly increased my "google rating" significantly. Now what will I do? Perhaps another racist will take the lead and increase my rating even more! Although much of the content Harry posted on the site has been moved I was able to "cache" find some of the more recent stuff.

America: God's Christian Nation! Do People Still Believe This Ever Was the Case?

Again? What? Is this for real? When was that? Here's a good question. What if Americans read American history?

Mark Driscoll:

The religious right has so committed itself to revisionist history that it sells the myth that the founding fathers were all good Christian folks with minivans who attended fundamentalist churches and received the Constitution on tablets of stone from deist Thomas Jefferson, who encountered the triune god (slavery, diesm, and rationalism) on the same grassy knoll from which Roman Catholic John F. Kennedy was later killed.

It's even worse. Many conservative Christians have so syncretized Republican politics with Christianity that they do even think about the fact that Republican supported farm subsidies are starving the 3rd world by sabotaging the emergence of new agricultural markets with tax-payer lowered American grain prices.

How Christian is that? Let use the tax payer's money to lower American prices so the developing world can't compete and develop and healthy agricultural economy.

Get the government out of farming.

For the record, America has never been a Christian nation and will not be anytime soon.

Details Mag Article: "The Pussification of the American Man"

(A French Pussy Willow)

The October 2005 issue of Details Magazine describes what they call "The Death of the Alpha Male." Jeff Gordinier writes an article titled, "The Pussification of the American Man."

Gordinier's article notes,

"Male softness is no longer some fluky trend, some temporary laspe into quiche-eating. It's the norm."

"The one time you see men acting like men is in the gym", says Love Monkey novelist Kyle Smith. "Otherwise they are reading Vogue while eating fat-free yogurt. Women are in charge. They lead us around like dogs. And we're not even mastiffs. We're poodles on the leash."

I'm assuming these guys aren't Christians but they seem to have good insight into the American context. Ok, so if this is the real world in which the church's men grow up in what is the church doing that's distinct in order to produce the real deal as God intended?

Youth group? Is that it? Are you serious? Is it fair to tell a guy to be a man of the Way and never really spend concentrated time teaching what that means and then tell him to basically "figure out on his own" after high school? What are we setting guys up for? Are the attempts at making Jesus cool with an "exciting" youth experience inadvertently sabotaging our young men?

Seems like what is needed is for the men of the church to take young men between grades 6 and 12 out of the constant wisdom of their peers, give them something more than a confused 25-year-old "young guy" to relate to the kids and make Jesus "cool, popular, and fun" (because he's confused about his own junk having grown up as a latch key kid with an absent father himself resulting in the blind leading the blind), get them away from the distractions of their hormones for a moment, and rescue them from the emasculation of American culture and Mr. Rogersation.

Young men grades 6-12 don't need to spend more time with their peers on Sunday mornings and one night a week (at youth group) because they interact with peers all day long. They needed to be invited and initiated into the world of what it means to be a man of the Way but older men.

I have some friends that would take the title of Gordinier's article and replace "man" with the word "church." Now that would be controversial. Imagine if Christianity Today came out with a cover story with that title. Haha!!

For the record a Pussy Willow is a plant.

Friends, Let's Confess Our Cussing: What tempts you to drop a few bombs (even the grandmaster, F-bomb)

Dearest friends, proud Americans, Bible thumpin' fundees: let's just get it out and admitt that there are a few things that would even drive a Mr. Rogers Presbyterian to cuss.

Here are a few things in the last week that have led me to drop a few bombs:

(1) the Notre Dame loss. I hate Norte Dame but I hate USC worse because they're over-ranked and the PAC-10 conference is mediocre at best.

(2) the Notre Dame loss.

(3) Every Clemson football game so far this season.

(4) the stupid people that drive in front of me in the morning.

(5) everytime I see a rich kid in my neighborhood with a car more expensive and nicer than mine (so this is about every day)

(6) the Notre Dame loss

(7) George Bush: on Iraq and the recent Supreme Court nominee (a corporate lawyer?? Who the [BEEP] thought that would be a great idea?)

How about you, what tempts you to drop a few f-bombs or S-curves every know and then? You can be honest we're among friends.

REGULAR, GREAT SEX: Christians Should Do It More and Talk About It Often

Sex is good, right? God created it for us, right? Then why don't we talk about it at church regularly? Why don't conservatives seem to do it much? Maybe if married Christian couples had more sex they wouldn't be so uptight, some would say.

I've discovered two things recently: (1) Some Conservative evangelical women, for the most part, seem to have a low view of sexuality and sexual desire, and (2) Conservative men have no idea how to romance their wives into a life of passion and because many men have stupid expectations of what actually invites their wives into desiring deep, physical intimacy with them. Granted, part of the beauty of virginty is the anticipation of entering into marriage to spend a life exploring how to get better, and better, and better, and better at it. But there is a need for more churches and pastors to courageously teach everything that the Bible says about how good sexuality and sexual desire can be when done correctly. For example, Mars Hill in Seattle where Pastor Mark Driscoll says that they teach:

"[a] liberated marital sex and provide frank teaching on everything from why husbands enjoy oral sex to the different types of orgasms a wife can experience. In our kingdom culture, the marriage covenant is sacred and the marriage bed is sensual. We speak frankly, but not crassly, about sexuality because if our people do not get their information from the living waters of Scripture, their thirst will compel them to drink from the toilet of pornography and perversion." (from his book The Radical Reformission, 185).

Wow. I only know a few evangelical pastors that would actually teach about marital sensuality in a church context from Scripture: Mark Driscoll, Darrin Patrick, and Tim Keller. If there's more let me know. Men, if your sex life is cold consider moving to Seattle and going to Mars Hill (Mars has an intro class about related issues on Oct. 22.)

However, this may just be a cultural thing among white conservative evangelicals, it seems. Here's what I mean. . .

I grew up in a black church and in the black church no subject in all of creation is off limits to speak about from the pulpit, including sexuality in marriage. I've recently heard a black pastor teach about the benefits of men pursuing their wives with love, passion, and service and the good, natural consequence of him loving her well: really good sex.

I have a friend who used to pastor an all black church and now pastors a church of mostly conservative white evangelicals. We recently discussed pastoral challenges and differences between the cultures and he admitted that most of the couples in his church now don't have sex much at all. And I said that was also true for many of my white friends as well (esp. if they married girls that grew up in conservative homes). We were both like, "huh, what's up with that?"

We sat in shock talking about the things we hear from our white brothers like "yeah we only have sex a few times a month (two or three tops)." Or we both heard this one from different men "yeah, we haven't had sex in six months." The number of married guys I know confused and frustrated about the fact that their wives just don't seem to be interested in sex much has blew us both away.

Growing up in the black church, having worked in black churches, having listened to many conversations about marital sensuality with lots of Christian black couples my friend and I just sat in shock last week confused about this aspect of our friend's conservative evangelical world.

Can anyone explain this? Both my Latino and Black male friends seem to have special gifts (some too gifted) at romancing women and the ones in Christian marriages have totally different sex lives than their white conservative evangelical brothers. What is this about? I didn't grow up in a Christian culture where sexual desire was taught as something bad so I honestly don't know.

Why is there no frank discussion in conservative white evangelical churches, like Mark said about "oral sex" and "orgasms?" Why do we raise kids to believe that sexuality, sexual desire, sexual feelings are bad? If kids are taught their whole lives that sexuality and sexual desire is bad then no wonder (1) boys aren't taught how to romance their wives (2) women aren't interested. Initiate a life of Godly, biblical, sensual marital romance (in some church communities). Why aren't men taught about what is needed to increase marital sensuality? Is it because boys to every see it modeled in their homes and their fathers never talk about it?

We're too busy? We're too tired? The kids? The house is dirty? I don't have the money to romance her? P-LEASE!! If you have enough time to sin and serve the idols of American culture then you can make time to truly make you're bedroom (or anyplace else in your house, or your parent's house, or in your tent) a biblical love shack.

And it's not the youth intern’s job to do this for kids. It should be the parents primarily to do this for kids. This is not something that can only be raised during the couple of months of premarital counseling. Older married men should be teaching younger single guys have to really treat a women? Older women need to be teaching younger about how to really treat a man? All this within the context God designed because his way, as the creator of sex, is the only way to have the best sex in the world. (Grrrrr. . .Song of Songs, Ephesians 5, Titus 2, 1 Corinthians 7,etc).

I recently told a 21-year-old guy that if he wants to have a highly sensual marriage then he needs to find a girl that DID not grow up where sexuality was never preached about or where sexual desire was always spoken of in negative terms. Sexual histories, past sexual sin, past sexual abuse, also play a role in marital sexuality. And these are the things the church needs to lead the culture in teaching about.

I have two (white) friends, both named Steve (who are both seminary trained (oldly enough)) told me this: "Anthony, I just really want to spend my life lavishing [my wife]." And the other Steve, who used to be a model in Europe before going to seminary, recently told me about how he longs to delight in passionately pursuing his wife for the sheer purpose of her joy and edification. Why are both these guys in the late 20s still single? Well, frankly, they're having trouble finding women who know how to respond well to that kind of pursuit. That kind of pursuit, romance, and passion results in increased vulnerablity and the giving up of control and the liberated, indendent Gen-X or millennial evangelical woman does not easily give that up (even in marriage).

Christians have the best sex, right? Then wouldn't be cool if a church dared to have a class for couples (inviting non-Christians as well) on how to have the best sex ever. That would rock.

Since, sexual desire is good shouldn't we treat it that way by openly leading God's people and the culture into uniting with God who will instruct us on how to have the best sex ever?

I know, granted, what I'm saying is anecdotal and based on my conversations with people and my friend who's a pastor. And I know that all white conservatives don't cold martial sexual lives. And I know that some conservative churches and parents have very frank discussions, and I know that all ethnic Christian marriages aren't as I described, and I know that some conservative evangelical parents have frank discussions with their kids about sexuality. And I know that all girls that grew in conservative homes don't turn out same way, and I know that past sin and abuse plays a role, and I know husbands suck and loving their wives in a way that they would want to have a lot of sex. I know, I know, I know. BUT unless Christians get real and start talking about this a lot nothing's going to change and people will be left with getting their knowledge about sex from our perverted culture.

You Bloggers Are Fake: Searching for authentic bloggers(Go UC Berkeley)

Humanflyz, a UC Berkeley student, offers great insight into why it's almost impossible to find a blogger that's real:

"So what's the real deal when the world has become fake? People take on different personalities when they are online, and the guy sitting quietly next to you in bio class could be the guy who writes a blog about cooking with sperm. You just never know, and you don't even know if what you are saying is completely true. Are you just saying shit because you have a safe place to say it, or are you saying shit because you actually believe it? You may know in the beginning, but as time goes on, the distinction blurs.

All I'm saying is that the explosion of the internet, and the gift and the curse of annoymity it gave to millions of people who would not otherwise speak up, has made authenticity of ideas nearly impossible."

It's amazing how a lot of bloggers will say stuff on line that they wouldn't have the courage to say to someone in person.

It can encourage and perpetuate a culture of cowards. If you're not willing to be the blogger we read in person then perhaps you shouldn't do it. Again, his blog is hilarious.

F#$& Liberals: Another Brilliant College Student (Go UC Berkeley!!)

Humanflyz (a UC Berkeley student) says this about why he's sick of liberals:

Don't get me wrong, I support gender and racial equality, I support the civil right movement, I support affirmative action. What I don't support and can't stand is how, once those ideas have become entrenched in our public discourse, that it is then no longer acceptable to let people who disagree speak their mind. I may not agree with what they say, but they should have the right to say it. Freedom of speech doesn't work that way. If it is okay for you to march on Washington D.C. for the civil rights movement, then it should be okay for a bunch of Klansmen to organize their own rally. You can't have it only your way, that is not how the f@$king constitution works.

This college student is brilliant and has incredible insight. I'd love to make his blog into a book. His posts are amazing.

He's so right both liberals and conservatives subscribe to victimology.

Have A Great Weekend!!

Folks, I'll be back Monday. I'm off to Dallas in a couple of hours for a weekend of Acton Institute lectures on Christianity and economics. Guatemala will be there in full force! Cuidate mucho!

Jesus The Sword Bearer and Men United With Him To Do The Same

Jesus said: "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." (Matt 10:34).

"Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight." (2 Sam 10:12)

"Fight the good fight of the faith." (1 Tim 6:12)

The Evangelical Church of Emasculated Men does not raise boys to fight or call men to fight. Men of the way are made to wield the sword wherever evil and untruth exists in the world. Men of the Way unite with Jesus to bring the Kingdom to bear everywhere in the world.

The message to fight as Jesus fought is unfortunately absent in the Western context. As such, boys aren't trained to fight for beauty, truth, honor, integrity, peace, love, their own hearts, their friend's hearts, their wives' hearts, the family's hearts, and so on. Fighting men absent from the Great Battle has reaked havoc in the church--Christians fighting each other, envy, jeaousy, disunity, dissension, rampant divorce, sexual abuse, adultery, boys and girls seeking validation in the wrong places, idolatry, posing, Mr. Rogers as the archetype Christian man, passivity, hiding, withdrawl, resentment, anger, confusion, and so on.

Many men (including high school and college-age) are lost. Having never been fought for themselves they are the walking wounded, almost lifeless.

This emasculation has left many men with no sense of calling or vision for their role in the Kingdom. What am I here to do? What should my major be? Who am I? What does it men to be good husband? Am I the real deal? What do I have to offer?

But there is hope. I've seen it. There's an emerging generation of men who have decided to live Christianity missionally, not passively and defensively, but seeking to bring truth and beauty to the world even at great personal risk. Truly being salt and light at work, at school, in the gym, at the bar, on the basketball court, in the art studio, in the music studio, in the operating room, while driving a bus, while pursuing their wives and kids, while protecting widows and orphans. . .

It's God world and the world needs men to get off the couch, come out of the bathrooms, lay down the books down, turn the play stations off for a while, turn the TVs and movies off for a while, stop devouring the church with petty theological arguments, stop lusting after the fictional battles, unite with Jesus and his mission and fight your own. There is much work to be done in the world and living in the "land of make-believe" is inconsistent with being men of the Way.

Fight the good fight. What churches are raising boys, and calling men, to do fight with absolute fearlessness? Our families, churches, communities, and the world needs this desperately. When you hear "fight" and immediately think about more quarrels within the church you've been brainwashed and have missed the point. The world's evil is not located primarily in the Bride.

What will it take to raise up a generation of men prepared and ready to "fight the good fight?"

Lepers, HIV/AIDS and Conservative Evangelicals Fear Of The Unclean

(Bono speaking about AIDS)

Why don't conservative Christians seem to extend love to people infected with HIV/AIDS? I could be wrong but I rarely hear anyone talking about ways to actually love people infected with the disease. Why is this? I'm looking for conservatives who care but I'm not finding this much.

There is an HIV/AIDS pandemic internationally. More than 20 million people have died of AIDS since 1981. Africa has 12 million AIDS orphans. By December 2004 women accounted for 47% of all people living with HIV worldwide.

According to the CDC, at the end of 2003, an estimated 1,039,000 to 1,185,000 persons in the United States were living with HIV/AIDS, with 24-27% undiagnosed and unaware of their HIV infection.

Why does it seem that conservatives have no interest in taking grace to the world's "lepers."

"While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper" (Matt 26:5). WHOA!!! Hold on. . .what's Jesus doing hanging out with someone designated as unclean? Jesus seemed to think it important to bring himself to those who are social outcasts? Why don't some conservative Christians want to do this? Or do they and I'm just in the wrong circles. Help me here.

Would it look like if the Christians that talked a lot about the "doctrines of grace" would take that grace to widows, orphans, lepers, women and men infected with HIV/AIDS, etc. (James 1:27). What if the doctrines of grace actually moved people to live out the doctrines of love to a hurting world?

What would happen if several people infected with HIV/AIDS came to your church for help? Why aren't Christians leading AIDS walks? Why aren't masses of Christians adopting AIDS orphans?

I'm not big on programs but if you're in a conservative, Bible believing church that seeks to bring healing to those infected with HIV/AIDS either in the U.S. or around the world could you please link the ministry or individuals here--or give me their contact info.? I'd like to contact them to see how they got conservatives to care about this issue.

What does your church do to invite those infected with HIV/AIDS, tax collectors, prostitutes, you know, cultural "sinners." I'm looking for new ideas here to reach people in the real world.

So when I walk into a church I don't give a rip about the "small group" programs, "retreats," blah, blah. How are the people in your church living out true religion (James 1:27)? What's the point of being in churches that keep grace to themselves?

Warning: Hanging out with "sinners" may get you kick out of your conservative evangelical church (esp. in the South). Jesus is for good, upstanding people not needy people right? (Mark 2:16-18).

Could we say this? If your church is full of the "culturally" clean that something may be wrong. We wouldn't want our kids to be around unclean, sinners, right?

Doesn't following Jesus compel us to be with people that we culturally avoid? Am I crazy? Does this make me a liberal?

What's Your Story?: Meet Daniel Toner, a Covenant College Freshman Discusses Suicide, Peru, The Marines, And Authentic Masculinty

(Daniel in Peru)

"Between 7th and 12th grade I was severely depressed and I tried to kill myself a few times."--Daniel T.

"Since I never had much depth of a relationship with my father I never got assurance that I was a man."--Daniel T.

"I have always enjoyed fighting, and its time I found something to fight for."--Daniel T.

"If it involves friends or adrenaline I probably do it or would if I was given the chance."--Daniel T.

"I have a definite desire to go into the United States Marine Corps."--Daniel T.

Below is more evidence that the millennials will secure a good future for the Kingdom. As GenXers continue to clean-up after the boomers, men like Daniel emerging in the church encourages me greatly! The revolution continues. . . and it will bring the Kingdom in ways unimagined with men like this from Covenant College.

Eighteen Years And Counting
I'm late into my 18th year of existence. I am currently a freshman attending Covenant College. I am a business major, but I have no idea where that is going to take me. I was born in Virginia, but I've moved around a fairly good amount because of my dads job. Stayed below the mason dixon by the grace of God, lol. My home is Suffolk, Virginia, its where my teenage years were spent. My family life is really hard to explain. My parents are not separated, which I am very thankful for.

Good Family, But Not Real Close
But, my family is not very close to each other. My older sister and I do not get along well with each other at all and there is always a large amount of tension in the house when we are both home. We both do things to really hurt each other. I have never really opened up to my family. In high school I basically pushed them out of my life until I needed them. That was definitely a pretty dumb thing to do, and now I do not have the sort of parental mentoring relationship with them I wish I had.

Daniel, who also has a blog that's being added under with the other "bruthas", has an amazing story of God keeping him alive, how the Enemy tried to take him out, his journey at figuring out what it means to be God-made man. Read the rest of his story below:

A Man Living Out Creation's Call
Ha, if it involves friends or adrenaline I'd probably do it, or would, if I was given the chance. I love to do everything I possibly can outdoors in God's beautiful creation. I will put whatever I am doing down immediately to go out and go for trail ride or cliff jumping excursion. I think the only reason I can justify doing that is because God said to fill the earth and subdue it. I love to race cars or go karts and I've been known to tear up a field or two in my truck. No matter what though, I never have as good a time doing anything unless I have some friends around me.

The Best of Times: Peru
I went on a missions trip to Peru in 2004 and that was definitely the most amazing time of my life. The people there were absolutely the nicest people I have ever met and just working with them was really moving. Our church worked in two cities there, Huancavelica and Lima. Huancavelica was in the mountains and had the most amazing scenery surrounding it. I had the opportunity to give my testimony to some of the youth in Lima and it was just an absolutely great time. When I got back I had this absolutely incredible spiritual high. Sadly, it didn't really last past 3 months. The mission trip was just incredible, if you ever have the chance to go on one DO NOT HESITATE!

Middle School and High School Sucked
Back in seventh grade I went to a private school in Suffolk, and while I was there I was basically the kid that got picked on by everyone. Every single one of the guys put a joke in every chance they got, and most of the girls too. All of the teasing and some times even physical abuse got to me and made me think that there was something wrong with me. No matter how many times anyone told me that there wasn't anything wrong with me I would never believe it. Not even when I became a Christian did I believe it. It took me till last summer to finally realize that there was not anything with me, but there is still a part of me that lets some comments people make get under my skin. Between 7th and 12th grade I was severely depressed and I tried to kill myself a few times, but something has happened since school ended. I don't feel that way anymore.

Baseball and the Marine Corps
The future is a mysterious thing. Every now and then you can get thrown a nasty screw ball or two and it will change a lot. Right now though I'm playing for Covenants baseball team and I may stay here at Covenant till the end of the year to finish out the season. I love the baseball team, and its definitely the best team I have ever seen in my life. However, I have a definite desire to go into the United States Marine Corps. I'm not sure whether or not I'm going to go in the spring or after the summer, but I sometimes can't sleep because I am thinking too much about being a marine. That is a good enough sign for me to need in order to justify something that may require me giving my life.

The Few, The Proud
As I said, I have not joined yet. But I am just trying to make up my mind as to when I want to start. When I find that out I'll be on my way to the recruiter. I plan on just being a rifleman, and I do not care where I am stationed as long as it is at the front lines. I have always enjoyed fighting, and its time I found something to fight for.

What It Means To Be A Man
What does it mean to be a man? Ha ha. I wish I knew, it might solve some of my problems. When it comes to manhood I don't even have a clue. Does it mean loving your wife, does it mean being a nice guy? Does it mean doing the right thing? I think we try to solve tough questions like "what does it mean to be a man" with simple answers when in all reality there is no simple answer. It is one of those things that you can not simply figure out overnight. It is one of those things you can not say what it means but you always recognize when you see it. I can give you a handful of names of guys I think are real men, but I'd be hard pressed to tell you what makes them men.

Wild At Heart
Wild at Heart is an amazing book. I just finished reading it two weeks ago and I really cannot get some of the things it has taught me out of my head. One of the biggest things I learned from the book was about how our fathers initiate us into manhood. Here's a little excerpt, "Do I have what it takes? Am I powerful? Until a man knows he's a man he will forever be trying to prove he is one, while at the same time shrink from anything that might reveal he is not. Most men live their lives haunted by the question, or crippled by the answer they've been given."

Since I never had much depth of a relationship with my father I never got assurance that I was a man. So I find myself sometimes trying to prove I am a man or not participating in activities that might expose whats really inside of me. I think a lot of teasing comes out of this desire for manhood. Guys constantly try and one up each other or they constantly try and get the last word. I'm just as guilty of doing that as the next guy. Since I have read the book though, and I know why men do that to each other, I am responsible to try and catch myself before I say something to undercut someone.

I know what it's like to being constantly undercut and put down, so the fact that I sometimes do it to others is downright stupid of me. Something that has piqued my interest as a result from reading Eldredge's book is how a father should be. I hope I can be a father like Eldredge is. His examples of how he interacts with his sons are amazing. I think he shows us how we are supposed to affirm their questions and give them the support they need to grow into men. Flat out the book is amazing, it is a must read for anyone my age.

Thanks Daniel!! Friends when I read this--"I have always enjoyed fighting, and its time I found something to fight for."--I literally cheered because the Kingdom is desperately in need of men who are willing to fight the good fight in the Great Battle (1 Tim 6:12).

How The Internet Ruins College

Zach O., a college student at UMASS, had some pretty insightful things to say on his XANGA about how the internet may be deteriorating the college experice.

Here's an excerpt:

I'm willing to bet a lot of money that college would have been a whole lot better to attend fifteen years ago than it is today.

It's because the internet has ruined college.

I expected college to have been the best experience of my life thus far, and it has lacked a bit for me. Part of that is UMass and the type of person the Northeast breeds (sorry, but it's true), but the biggest factor is how people are content to let their college experience be going to class and then spending time on AIM the entire night. I'm not absolving myself of complete blame, but there's a point where you can look around and say, "It's them, not me." My roommate and I, both out of state, have been on similar pages about this.

What the internet ruins is the need for new friendships in college.

Yeah, I think e-mail and IM probably has changed the relational dynamics of campus life.

Moving From Milk To Meat

Hebrews 6:1ff--"Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment."

Milk: Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved. . ."

Meat: Ephesians 2:10 "We are God's work of art, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. . ."

There are many of you who are frustrated that your churches seem stuck on the milk by fighting the important battles of the past (and those battles were important). We need to take the lessons learned and the fruit from those battles and move on. What many of you long for is more, much more.

You want to be Jesus followers who are more than just "right" on "all" issues, and obedient you long to see your faith make a real difference in the world. This is meat that those in way long for.

The revolution fully consumes the milk, matures to the meat, and brings the Kingdom

Covenant, Kingdom, Mediator. . .the meat revolution continues. . .

Is Following Jesus Primarily About Your Personal Piety?

I'm not convinced (maybe you all can convince me) that the focus of the Christian story is individual personal piety.

It seems that perhaps in light of the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20), Jesus own prayer for his people (John 17:20-23), what grace is destined to do (Eph 2:8-10), and so on, that fundamentally following Jesus direct our lives to bringing the Kingdom purposes of God to bear everywhere in the world where it is not.

Sin, brokenness, etc. gets in the way of the people of God being used by God for Kingdom purposes in redeeming His people, His world, and bringing all things into harmony with Him in all areas of life.

The obsession with personal piety seems to keep people out of the Great Battle for beauty, truth, and righteousness in the world. Limiting the Christian story to personal piety makes men passive.

It seems that the direction grace (Eph 2:8-9) takes the people of God is toward actually using the grace to bring the Kingdom to bear in the war against the Enemy (Eph 2:10, 2 Cor. 10:4-6, Rev. 12:9-11).

The people of God cannot ally and fight for Kingdom purposes if it's shackled in sin and internal strife--which is why that's such an emphasis. But more fundamentally it seems that personal piety has a missional purpose, beyond "my" personal piety, to move out as the united people of God bring the Kingdom (Acts 1:8) and to fight together for beauty, truth, and righteousness in the world (Phil 4:8) even to the point of death. This is the way of Jesus.

Being salt and light (Matt 5:13-16) is not huddling up at home or in your small group or on Wednesday night with your family and friends limiting your movement to fact that "you're not holy." Navel gazing Christians are useless to Kingdom movement.

Mark Driscoll@Mars Hill Nails It On Reaching People

Mark Driscoll, founding pastor of Mars Hill Fellowship in Seattle, reminds us that central to the teachings of Jesus is to be close to God. "This transforms our hearts to love what he loves, hate what he hates, and to pursue relationships with lost people in hopes of connecting with them and, subsequently, connecting the with him. This actually protects us from sin because the way to avoid sin is not to avoid sinners but to stick close to Jesus."(The Radical Reformission: Reaching Out Without Selling Out, 40).

Exactly, the world would be a radically different place if followers of The Way actually desired to connect with lost, searching people. Instead many avoid, ridicule, malign, and hide from those in need of liberation, redemption, healing, hope, and an unmatched love.

To hate what God hates and to love what he loves would radically change our movement. For those Christians on so-called "secular" campuses (high school/college) is there a real desire to pursue close relationships with those who are searching, questioning, experimenting, lost, cold, arrogant, wealthy, poor, hurting, etc? If so, how would that effect who you sat with at lunch and how you spent your weekends? Being in the "holy huddle" is not the way of Jesus.

And for the rest of us, what does it look like to, on purpose, desire to reach those outside of community into the greatest community possible connected both to Jesus and his people? When Jesus followers have NO non-Christian friends what does that tell us about how we love what God loves?

There is nothing Godly about living a life avoiding "sinners."

Finger and Brain Don't Always Agree

How come my brain suggests a word to be typed and my fingers type a completely different word? Algunas ideas?

Will There Be Traffic In Heaven?

I sat in some of the above this morning (and really just about every day). @$#%@$%!!! Serenity now! There won't always be traffic, right? In Heaven?

The Suburbs (sub-boring land): A Place Where Some Christians Go To Live Boring Lives and Escape The Samaritans

The word sub-urbing really stands for "sub-boring." Seriously, now I know why it seems like almost all suburban high school kids are pot heads. There's nothing else to do. The American suburbs have to be the most boring place in America. All that money and nothing to d0--other than spend it.

Evangelical Christians in sub-boring land go there to get away from the Samaritans--i.e., the "white trash," and ethinic minorities who will lower your property values. Yes, friends, this is EXACTLY what it means to be salt and light (Matt 5).

It's a cardinal sin for Christians to live near people who aren't like them culturally, right? It's just not safe for the kids, right. And you don't want them hanging around the ceremonially unclean "trailer trash" of America.

But thank goodness for sub-boring land (the burbs): a place where Christians can escape the challenges of being "salt and light" and serve the fetish idols of comfort and ease--while pursuing their multiple marriages and totally jacking-up their kids. This is such a great witness to the world about what Jesus followers should be.

If I actually saw a Reformed church in the sub-urban land burbs that actually had a diverse group of poor whites and middle-class whites or some middle-class whites that on purpose live near "white trash" I would probably pass out.

Or even more dramatic would be to find some middle class blacks who, ON PURPOSE, decided to live among the lower income blacks. Too radical.

Why are suburban evangelicals so desperate to get away from people not in their economic class (it seems)?

Later, I'll tell the story of how I found out that one Christian family in my suburban Chesterfield, MO neighborhood are the racists on the street. Mr. "P" told one of my neighbors just how much he didn't want blacks moving into the neighborhood. Yep, this is the Christian guy. More to come. . .

Judge Roberts Will Create Black Genocide, Reverse Laws, etc.

Bernie Hayes of the St. Louis American newspaper had this to say about Chief Justice Roberts:

It is no secret that the next chief justice of the Supreme Court will be the puppet of the president and the conservative wing of the Republican Party. Brace yourselves for justices Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, David H. Souter and the person who will replace retiring justice Sandra Day O'Connor, to join the imminent new Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. in an all-out assault to overturn abortion laws and to reverse current rulings on gay rights, ethnic diversity, civil liberties, gender equality and civil rights.

What? There's a right-wing, white conservative agenda to "reverse" this stuff. Really? How will that actually happen?

I know it's not nice to call people's ideas stupid so I won't. However, to suggest that there will be an "all-out assault" reminds me that liberalism and post-modernism is the new worldview of black intellectuals.

Many blacks have "sold-out" to left-wing white extremism. This is a new era for sure.

No Racial Diversity Without Asians

UC Berkely is now over 40% Asian! This is most definitely good news.

I was recently at large evangelical church in St. Louis called The Journey and when I walked in I looked up and saw that the worship leader that Sunday was Asian.

I then looked around an noticed that among the blacks, whites, and latinos was a large number of Asians. It was the first time I had ever been in an evangelical church that was actually, truly diverse ( esp. since having mostly blacks and whites does not mean "diverse").

It's become my new litmus test. Do not brag about your church being diverse if there's no Asians.

Here's what I love about the Journey the don't make racial reconciliation (blah, blah, blah) a platform to boast about they just live that way. No bragging, no boasting, no multi-racial posters, just authentic living.

Wouldn't be awesome if the Christians actually spent more time doing the things they value that are good rather then preaching and boasting about them. Let your living do the preaching.