I’ve got 98 theses but the Pope ain’t one!

In lieu of anything substantive to say, here’s something rather silly.

That’s right, it’s a Reformation Rap! And considering that Reformation day has just passed, I find this a fitting celebration.

My favorite line:

“Oh snap, he’s messin’ with the holy communion.”
But I ain’t never dissed your precious hypostatic union!

Whose to blame for The Bailout?

According to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama, the financial crisis is all due to the Bush Administration’s “failed economic policies” and the “right wing ideology of anything goes, no supervision, no oversight, no regulation.”

In his opening comments during the first debate, Barack Obama responding to a question about the economic situation of the United States, and specifically the bailout bill said,

“Now, we also have to recognize that this is a final verdict on eight years of failed economic policies promoted by George Bush, supported by Senator McCain,

Turning

The leaves turning

Green to golden glow

Warmer in the chilly blow

Live as if they’re burning

Unafraid of death

Lord, turn my heartly yearning

An Anecdote with Reflection:

Going Inward to go Upward and Outward

Here in Johannesburg I live across the street from a little shopping mall.  At the signal out in front of the mall I often see a guy standing in the street with a sign that says something to the effect of “I’m homeless and have no food, please spare some change.”  Two quick points about this scenario:  First of all, this homeless beggar is actually a white man, which is an extremely rare occurrence in S. Africa since the whites are almost always the rich minority zooming past the poor blacks walking the streets in their brand new BMW or Mercedes.  Secondly, seeing as how I’m quite fond of walking and skateboarding and doing pretty much anything that gets me outside without using my car, I’ve done more than simply drive by this man (you really do see more when you’re walking along the way rather than driving), and in walking along the opposite sidewalk from where he stands with his sign I’ve found that there’s actually two of these white beggars, and they take turns manning the sign out in the street while the other one lounges under the shade of a tree.

Legacy of Sons

At a recent conference, pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle peppered his session on preaching with valuable commentary and beneficial advice.  He shared the story of the men’s ‘boot camp’ which his church carries out yearly for young men interested in figuring out life as a true man who is a disciple of Jesus.  Unfortunately the young male population in so many sections of our nation consists of lazy, self-centered singles who spend too much time obsessing over blogs and video games and little time using their hands to reach into the lives of people for their good.*  Furthermore, the spectrum of view for these men is not only stunted horizontally (in relation to other people around them currently); it is stunted in its longevity.  They probably don’t realize their impending legacy.

America: A “Third Soil” Nation

African shamanism, Eastern mysticism and Latin American visions blatantly display the spiritual realm. A realm too often only exposed to North Americans via the theatre, with movies featuring ‘exorcism’ in the title. Surely ‘supernormal’ situations bring those faithful few believers to their knees. These recognize that the only power potent enough to dispel the dark forces is the Creator of light. They stay alert, petitioning and praising the invisible God who sustains the universe and brings life to the deadly world. But what happens when a spiritually sensitive Chinese believer is transplanted into a North American culture? She sees danger here as well, but it is deceptive.

Calendar, College, and Candidates

I celebrated the New Year in Las Vegas. This is where I have welcomed the turn of the calendar for the past decade. Fortunately, our television set acts as a shield, protecting us from the craziness of the Strip’s festivities, which otherwise are a twenty-minute drive away from our Las Vegas home in a quiet community on the eastern side of the city.

As we watched the fireworks and the music and the reveling, with sparkling cider in hand and warm blankets around our shoulders, I began to wonder a bit. Why is it that we celebrate the New Year? What is the big deal, anyway? Is it just an excuse to have fun and party? Or does it say something deeper about us as Americans, as humans?

In Bars and Brothels

In Bars and Brothels:

“Walk with the common man, lose the kings” or Fanfare for the Common Man

I know that plays aren’t exactly a big thing right now, but there was this one play written awhile back that I think we could stand to learn a lot from. For the setting of the play the author (we’ll just call him B.S. for now) takes the history of the old kings of England. The play is all about a king named Henry, who has just deposed the previous king and taken his throne, and all of the battles and turmoil that ensues from that fateful decision. But the thing I want us to focus on in the play is the king’s son, Prince Hal.

To Walk with Kings

I memorized a poem when I was twelve years old. And one line from that poem reappeared to my memory like an unexpected but welcome visitor when I reached the peak of my education. The poem was “If—” by Rudyard Kipling. The line:

—or walk with kings, nor lose the common touch.

This line by itself is not a complete thought; but within the poem, it exhibits potency. Kipling’s poem lists a series of qualities, or tests, which, if one achieves, shall allow him to inherit the earth, “and what is more”, truly be a Man.

A Theology of Rest

The nature of the task: What does Scripture say about rest? What is rest, and how ought we to use rest in a way that brings glory to God and enriches our own souls? Rest had a central place in Old Testament worship, actually making it into the Big Ten (10 commandments). It is rooted in God’s creation of the world, and it was very important to God that Israel keep the Sabbath day. When Christ came, he tampered with this law a bit, which resulted in the day of worship changing from Saturday to Sunday, and the Christian church no longer upholding the Sabbath with meticulous care.