Kansas data from the latest 2010 census is now available. Here's how my town of Little River ranks within the state:
14th in poverty--25.8%. 279th out of 286 in median household income--$27,404. I knew our community's need were great, but ranking so high out of nearly 300 towns surprised me.
263rd in median home value--$39,600. Many homes were built shortly after WW2. Today, many have severe maintenance needs. 2.6% are mobile homes. 4.7% are unoccupied (I can't imagine where they are). No homes in Little River are valued over $1 million. Kansas City suburbs Leawood and Mission Hills each have over 450.
84.4% of our citizens have graduated from high school. 9.2% graduated from college.
In 51.7% of our families, both husband and wife work. The average commute time is 22.2 miles. 37% start their commute before 7:00am. This includes our house.
13.7% of our citizens are veterans. We have a very active local American Legion.
Little River ranks #15 in single men per single women--238 single men for every 100 women.
Only .05% of people in our community speak Spanish.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Advice For When You Go Home
Here's some good advice from football coach Jim Zorn on what to do during the holidays:
“When you go home to your families today don’t walk in the room and say, ‘Here I am!’ You need to walk into the room this afternoon and say, ‘There you are.’”
Be other-centered, not self-centered.
“When you go home to your families today don’t walk in the room and say, ‘Here I am!’ You need to walk into the room this afternoon and say, ‘There you are.’”
Be other-centered, not self-centered.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Secret Power of Time
Check out this fascinating talk by Professor Philip Zimbardoon on time.
Time is influenced by culture, geography, religion. And our perspective toward time affects our moods, behavior, and our brain.
What he says about the impact of technology on time is eye-opening and scary.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Republican First District Primary Candidates
With Jerry Moran vacating his congressional seat in order to run for the Senate, Republican voters in the Kansas first district will choose a new congressional candidate in the primary election on August 3.
In alphabetical order, here are the candidates:
Check out each of the candidate's websites and exam their take on the issues.
If fund raising is an indicator, it looks like Barnett, Huelscamp, Wasinger, and Mann have the best chance of winning.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Lost Dogs Perform in Oklahoma City on July 14
We live by seasons.
There's winter, spring, summer, and fall. Baseball, football, and basketball. Lent and Advent.
I have an additional season in my life. Each July, I see one of my favorite musicians, Michael Roe.
It started in the early 80's with trips to Cornerstone. When I moved to Kansas, I managed to bring Mike and his guitar to Little River for a couple of shows.
This year, he's touring with The Lost Dogs, a group of musical all-stars that deliver a versatile blend of country, roots, rock, and singer-songwriter tunes. On stage, they're personal, funny, laid-back, prophetic, charming, and stirring. Their new release is entitled, "Old Angel."
The Lost Dogs will perform in Oklahoma City, OK on Wednesday, July 14, 7:00pm, at St. Stephen's Church. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.
Check out a sample of their music with the video above.
Monday, June 28, 2010
The Mystery of Rembrandt's "Hundred Guilder Print"
Biblical art has been a growing interest of mine as I've sought to visually illustrate the Bible for my college classes at Sterling College and sermons at the Congregational Church.
Rembrandt's etching, "The Hundred Guilder Print," is of particular interest. Not only does the print beautifully portray the ministry of Jesus, the story behind the etching's title has the potential of illustrating a key a Christian doctrine--redemption.
According to the Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, redemption expresses the theological idea that "sinful humans are 'bought back' from the bondage of sin into relationship with God through grace by the 'payment' of Jesus’ death." Redemption is one of the metaphors used by the Bible to explain God's work of salvation.
According to two websites, art scholar Christopher White traced the title's origin, "to a print seller named Mariette, who sold an impression of this print to Rembrandt himself for 100 guilders." If true, the story would be a terrific illustration of redemption. As Rembrandt bought back at great price his very own print, so Jesus at the cross paid a high price to buy back his own (Mark 10:45; 1 Corinthians 7:23).
To verify the story, I went to the library and looked up Christopher White's Rembrandt as an Etcher (Yale University Press, 2nd ed., 1999). In chapter three, White states:
The apotheosis of Rembrandt's activity in etching in the 1640's, and according to popular opinion of his whole career, is the large etching known as The Hundred Guilder Print. The origin of the title can be traced back to the story that the artist himself bought back an impression of the print for one hundred guilders.Much to my surprise, this is all White says about the origin of the print's title. No mention is made about Rembrandt buying back his print from a dealer named Mariette. Nothing is said about where this story originated. However, White footnotes his last sentence. In the book's back, footnote #56 from chapter three, it says this about the etching's famous name:
It first occurs in Conrad von Uffenbach's travel diary for 1711 (S. Slive, Rembrandt and His Critics 1630-1730 (The Hague, 1953), p. 167.When you go to Seymour Slive's book, here's what we find on pages 166-167:
De Geest's account of high prices which Dutch collectors were willing to pay for Rembrandt's work during these years is confirmed by Zacharias Conrad von Uffenbach, a German traveler, who was Holland in 1711. Uffenbach makes the earliest exant reference to Rembrandt's etching of Christ with the Sick Around Him, Receiving Little Children, as The Hundred Guilder Print in his Merkwurdige Reisen durch Niedersachsen, Holland und Engelland; he writes that he visited the cabinet of David Bremer of Amsterdam on March 1, 1711 in order to see his prints:Notice that von Uffenbach states that the print in question was sold at an auction, but he doesn't identify who it was that paid the high price.
"He has a considerable number and among the most outstanding a great number of Rembrandts; surely he had the best, but not the so-called Hundred Guilder Print, which is called thus because it once brought that high price at an auction. It represents the miracle of Christ where he heals a blind and deaf man..."
Then in footnote #1 at the bottom of page 167, Slive reports on further work he did to find out just how The Hundred Guilder Print received it's famous name. Here's what he says about his fact-finding mission:
The author has been unable to learn which collector or dealer paid 100 guilders for the etching of Christ with the Sick Around Him and at what sale this bid was made.So did Rembrandt actually pay the exorbitant price of one hundred guilders to buy back his own print of Jesus?
Unfortunately, I don't think the claim can be made with certainty. While Rembrandt was an avid art collector, it seems this particular story is more legend than fact.
I wish Christopher White said more about how the story was "traced back" to Rembrandt. In the meantime, it appears that the research of Seymour Slive is closer to the actual truth.
And those facts, ironically, are a mystery.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Word Study Example Using Logos "Learn To" DVD
To equip Bible students to dig deeply into God's Word, Logos Bible Software recently released an innovative DVD series entitled, "Learn to Use Biblical Greek and Hebrew." Co-author Dr. Michael Heiser contends, "You are smarter than a lexicon." In other words, by knowing the steps to doing good word studies, Heiser believes you can achieve results that are as good or better than entries in a Greek or Hebrew dictionary. Apparently, lots of people are buying into Heiser's argument because this DVD set is the best selling pre-publication product in Logos' history.
So when the discs arrived in the mail, I applied the first several lessons to a word in Genesis 26:8, where it says, "When [Issac] had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with Rebekah his wife." The translation note said that, "The Hebrew may suggest an intimate relationship." I wanted to know why, so I followed the steps given in the DVD. Below are my results. Interesting discoveries were made along the way! Bottom line, there's good justification for the translator's note.
1. Basic meaning, “to laugh.” Do we get any clue as to what kind of humor?
2. Appears in OT 13 times. 12 of 13 times are in Pentateuch. 11 occurrences are in Genesis. Then one in Exodus 32:6, and one in Judges 16:25.
3. In the story of Abraham and Sarah, where this word occurs 5 times, the laughter is one of disbelief. Because the possibility of having a child so late in life was beyond hope or expectation—especially after a lifetime of no success, the laughter revealed the comedy of the absurd.
4. Age 9 daughter driving backwards for the entire race on Mario Cart Wii illustrates the comedy of absurdity. It’s not something one normally sees or expects.
5. In Genesis 19:14, the narrator uses this word to describe the response of Lot’s family to the angel’s warning to flea the city. The thought that an entire city will be destroyed seemed absurd, that is, beyond imagination.
6. In Genesis 21:6, there’s a wordplay—Sarah testifies, “God has made LAUGHTER for me; everyone who hears will LAUGH over me.” Now, the absurd impossibility of having a child late in life has incredibly come to pass. The humor of what could never happen is now the humor of what actually occurred.
7. In Genesis 21:9, the narrator reports what appears is the laughter of mockery—that such a big deal is being made out of the fact that Isaac has stopped nursing. Who is one teasing? Is it the mother Hagar, or is it the boy Ishmael?
8. “Laughing” in Genesis 26:8—and the suggestion of interpreters that this word is suggesting an intimate relationship—is the reason for this word study. What exactly does this word mean here?
A. Was it considered culturally inappropriate for a man and woman to laugh in public? Was that considered flirting?
B. Wordplay—Isaac means “laughter.” Maybe we could translate, “...saw laughter laughing with Rebekah his wife.”
C. Context of Genesis 26:8
1. vs. 7 Rebekah is “attractive in appearance.”
2. Early on in Egypt, Isaac was concerned that is true relationship to Rebekah would be discovered. But much later (vs. 8a), in this incident, Isaac was not being careful in his public behavior toward Rebekah.
3. Imagine that you are married to your wife, but circumstances won’t allow you to have intimate relations with her—that’s frustrating!
4. After World War II, many couples kept their marriage a secret because a spouse was under 18 or didn’t want family to know.
5. Whatever behavior Isaac was exhibiting toward Rebekah, Abimelech interpreted this behavior as something that husbands and wives do (vs. 9).
6. Text of 26:8 says, “Isaac laughing with Rebekah” and not “Isaac and Rebekah laughing.” The focus is on Isaac’s behavior. Would this not be untypical in a male focused society?
D. Grammar of Genesis 26:8 (this section was authored by Vincent Setterholm in the Logos forums section) “...there is an important grammatical clue as well. In Hebrew (and English and I’d imagine most if not all human languages) some verbs generally take a direct object (e.g. I hit the ball) and some generally do not (e.g. ‘He died’, or ‘I slept’) and some verbs can occur with or without a direct object (sometimes with a change in meaning depending on which state you find them in). Verbs with a direct object we call ‘transitive’ and verbs without a direct object we call ‘intransitive’. Some verbs that are intransitive in English might be transitive in their closest Hebrew equivalent, so you can’t always reason just from the standpoint of English grammar, but in the case of ‘laugh’ and צחק, these verbs are generally intransitive. We can laugh ‘with’, ‘at’, or ‘near’ someone (that is, this verb regularly occurs with various prepositional phrases) but we don’t generally ‘laugh someone’ or ‘laugh something’. In the case of Genesis 26:8, צחק takes a direct object (Rebekah). That’s unusual and a pretty good grammatical indication that something euphemistic is going on.”
E. Tentative conclusion—context of 26:8 suggests that when Abemilech saw how Issac was acting toward Rebekah, he viewed it as behavior typical between husband and wife. Most likely, Isaac was engaging in flirtatious foreplay with Rebekah. Literal translation: “Abemilech saw laughter laughing Rebekah his wife.”
9. Genesis 39:14 and Genesis 39:17—the story where Joseph flees from the advances of Potiphar’s lying wife—provides strong evidence that SAHAQ has a sexual component in its range of meaning.
A. Genesis 39:14 there’s a parallel between “laugh” and “lie.” The NIV offers a good translation, “to make sport of us!” implying that Joseph was there for the challenge of sexual conquest.
B. At vs. 17, the verb “came” is followed by purpose statement—“came in to me to laugh at me”
10. In Exodus 32:6, SAHAQ is translated “to play” by ESV and “indulge in revelry” by NIV.
A. Their evil behavior was all encompassing, for the idolatrous Israelites “sat down” to eat and drink and then “rose up” to SAHAQ.
B. The general nature of laughter is festive and light-hearted.
C. Whether the word here has sexual connotations is possible, but not entirely clear. In ANE, idolatrous worship was often linked with sexual immorality.
11. In Judges 16:25, the captured and humiliated Samson is summoned before the lords of the Philistines, “that he may entertain us” and so Samson “SAHAQ them.”
A. The first “entertainment” word is different than the second “entertainment” word
B. Just how did Samson “entertain” them? Context doesn’t give us many clues. But in the other places where SAHAQ appears, there are sexual connotations.
12. Interesting to note—There are sexual connotations wherever the use of word SAHAQ appears. In the story of Abraham and Sarah, it concerns the inability to sexually conceive a child. In the story of Sodom & Gomorrah, the sexual immorality of the city. In the story of Issac and Rebekah, behavior indicates a husband-wife relationship. In the story of Joseph and Potiphor’s wife, it concerns adultery. In the story of the Golden Calf, immoral revelry. In the story of Samson, it’s not clear how he “entertains,” but seeing how SAHAQ is used in other places, it has to remain a possibility.
13. Initial Conclusions—SAHAQ, “to laugh”
A. Humor of absurdity. The response by Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17-21 to God’s promise of bearing a child late in life. The promise seemed so ridiculous, so improbable, so absurd, it brought about the laughter of doubt and unbelief.
B. Euphemism for engaging in sexual behavior. SAHAQ is one of the words Potifar’s wife uses in accusing Joseph of sexual impropriety in Genesis 39.
So when the discs arrived in the mail, I applied the first several lessons to a word in Genesis 26:8, where it says, "When [Issac] had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with Rebekah his wife." The translation note said that, "The Hebrew may suggest an intimate relationship." I wanted to know why, so I followed the steps given in the DVD. Below are my results. Interesting discoveries were made along the way! Bottom line, there's good justification for the translator's note.
1. Basic meaning, “to laugh.” Do we get any clue as to what kind of humor?
2. Appears in OT 13 times. 12 of 13 times are in Pentateuch. 11 occurrences are in Genesis. Then one in Exodus 32:6, and one in Judges 16:25.
3. In the story of Abraham and Sarah, where this word occurs 5 times, the laughter is one of disbelief. Because the possibility of having a child so late in life was beyond hope or expectation—especially after a lifetime of no success, the laughter revealed the comedy of the absurd.
4. Age 9 daughter driving backwards for the entire race on Mario Cart Wii illustrates the comedy of absurdity. It’s not something one normally sees or expects.
5. In Genesis 19:14, the narrator uses this word to describe the response of Lot’s family to the angel’s warning to flea the city. The thought that an entire city will be destroyed seemed absurd, that is, beyond imagination.
6. In Genesis 21:6, there’s a wordplay—Sarah testifies, “God has made LAUGHTER for me; everyone who hears will LAUGH over me.” Now, the absurd impossibility of having a child late in life has incredibly come to pass. The humor of what could never happen is now the humor of what actually occurred.
7. In Genesis 21:9, the narrator reports what appears is the laughter of mockery—that such a big deal is being made out of the fact that Isaac has stopped nursing. Who is one teasing? Is it the mother Hagar, or is it the boy Ishmael?
8. “Laughing” in Genesis 26:8—and the suggestion of interpreters that this word is suggesting an intimate relationship—is the reason for this word study. What exactly does this word mean here?
A. Was it considered culturally inappropriate for a man and woman to laugh in public? Was that considered flirting?
B. Wordplay—Isaac means “laughter.” Maybe we could translate, “...saw laughter laughing with Rebekah his wife.”
C. Context of Genesis 26:8
1. vs. 7 Rebekah is “attractive in appearance.”
2. Early on in Egypt, Isaac was concerned that is true relationship to Rebekah would be discovered. But much later (vs. 8a), in this incident, Isaac was not being careful in his public behavior toward Rebekah.
3. Imagine that you are married to your wife, but circumstances won’t allow you to have intimate relations with her—that’s frustrating!
4. After World War II, many couples kept their marriage a secret because a spouse was under 18 or didn’t want family to know.
5. Whatever behavior Isaac was exhibiting toward Rebekah, Abimelech interpreted this behavior as something that husbands and wives do (vs. 9).
6. Text of 26:8 says, “Isaac laughing with Rebekah” and not “Isaac and Rebekah laughing.” The focus is on Isaac’s behavior. Would this not be untypical in a male focused society?
D. Grammar of Genesis 26:8 (this section was authored by Vincent Setterholm in the Logos forums section) “...there is an important grammatical clue as well. In Hebrew (and English and I’d imagine most if not all human languages) some verbs generally take a direct object (e.g. I hit the ball) and some generally do not (e.g. ‘He died’, or ‘I slept’) and some verbs can occur with or without a direct object (sometimes with a change in meaning depending on which state you find them in). Verbs with a direct object we call ‘transitive’ and verbs without a direct object we call ‘intransitive’. Some verbs that are intransitive in English might be transitive in their closest Hebrew equivalent, so you can’t always reason just from the standpoint of English grammar, but in the case of ‘laugh’ and צחק, these verbs are generally intransitive. We can laugh ‘with’, ‘at’, or ‘near’ someone (that is, this verb regularly occurs with various prepositional phrases) but we don’t generally ‘laugh someone’ or ‘laugh something’. In the case of Genesis 26:8, צחק takes a direct object (Rebekah). That’s unusual and a pretty good grammatical indication that something euphemistic is going on.”
E. Tentative conclusion—context of 26:8 suggests that when Abemilech saw how Issac was acting toward Rebekah, he viewed it as behavior typical between husband and wife. Most likely, Isaac was engaging in flirtatious foreplay with Rebekah. Literal translation: “Abemilech saw laughter laughing Rebekah his wife.”
9. Genesis 39:14 and Genesis 39:17—the story where Joseph flees from the advances of Potiphar’s lying wife—provides strong evidence that SAHAQ has a sexual component in its range of meaning.
A. Genesis 39:14 there’s a parallel between “laugh” and “lie.” The NIV offers a good translation, “to make sport of us!” implying that Joseph was there for the challenge of sexual conquest.
B. At vs. 17, the verb “came” is followed by purpose statement—“came in to me to laugh at me”
10. In Exodus 32:6, SAHAQ is translated “to play” by ESV and “indulge in revelry” by NIV.
A. Their evil behavior was all encompassing, for the idolatrous Israelites “sat down” to eat and drink and then “rose up” to SAHAQ.
B. The general nature of laughter is festive and light-hearted.
C. Whether the word here has sexual connotations is possible, but not entirely clear. In ANE, idolatrous worship was often linked with sexual immorality.
11. In Judges 16:25, the captured and humiliated Samson is summoned before the lords of the Philistines, “that he may entertain us” and so Samson “SAHAQ them.”
A. The first “entertainment” word is different than the second “entertainment” word
B. Just how did Samson “entertain” them? Context doesn’t give us many clues. But in the other places where SAHAQ appears, there are sexual connotations.
12. Interesting to note—There are sexual connotations wherever the use of word SAHAQ appears. In the story of Abraham and Sarah, it concerns the inability to sexually conceive a child. In the story of Sodom & Gomorrah, the sexual immorality of the city. In the story of Issac and Rebekah, behavior indicates a husband-wife relationship. In the story of Joseph and Potiphor’s wife, it concerns adultery. In the story of the Golden Calf, immoral revelry. In the story of Samson, it’s not clear how he “entertains,” but seeing how SAHAQ is used in other places, it has to remain a possibility.
13. Initial Conclusions—SAHAQ, “to laugh”
A. Humor of absurdity. The response by Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17-21 to God’s promise of bearing a child late in life. The promise seemed so ridiculous, so improbable, so absurd, it brought about the laughter of doubt and unbelief.
B. Euphemism for engaging in sexual behavior. SAHAQ is one of the words Potifar’s wife uses in accusing Joseph of sexual impropriety in Genesis 39.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Bible Books on Video
Here's an interesting video project--Bibledex--a summary of every book of the Bible.
Created by the University of Nottingham, the school's professors discuss key themes, interpretative challenges, and historical facts.
Check it out.
Created by the University of Nottingham, the school's professors discuss key themes, interpretative challenges, and historical facts.
Check it out.
Sunday, May 09, 2010
Mother's Day Song
My son's kindergarten teacher taught the entire class a song that she sang to her mother as a child, and keeps singing to this day.
The song is to the tune of Beethoven's, "Ode to Joy."
"Mother, mother, I adore thee, you have given life to me
You wash my clothes and bake me cookies, and you're beautiful to see
You make sure I do my homework, get me into bed on time,
You mean all the world to me,
I wouldn't trade you for a dime"
Here's to you Mom!
The song is to the tune of Beethoven's, "Ode to Joy."
"Mother, mother, I adore thee, you have given life to me
You wash my clothes and bake me cookies, and you're beautiful to see
You make sure I do my homework, get me into bed on time,
You mean all the world to me,
I wouldn't trade you for a dime"
Here's to you Mom!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Sorry for the Blog Fall Off
Yes, this blog has experienced a significant fall off in posts! Between church, teaching, and family responsibilities, there's been little time for social media.
Check out previous posts or links to other bloggers--who are more active than me right now.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Links to the Intergoogle 2/26/10
CHILI EARTHQUAKE: Pictures of the 8.8 quake
HOAX: 17 best known doctored photos
HAMAS: London has become a hub for the terrorist group's fund raising efforts
TWITTER-MAZING! Twitter now generates 50 million (yes) tweets a day
TOTALLY HILARIOUS: Mouse adventure called, "Nolan's Cheddar." You must check this out! My family has watched this over and over. HT: Vitamin Z
HOAX: 17 best known doctored photos
HAMAS: London has become a hub for the terrorist group's fund raising efforts
TWITTER-MAZING! Twitter now generates 50 million (yes) tweets a day
TOTALLY HILARIOUS: Mouse adventure called, "Nolan's Cheddar." You must check this out! My family has watched this over and over. HT: Vitamin Z
Monday, February 22, 2010
Who Are You, Jesus?
I just made my very first video! And I'm pretty tickled about it. Take a look!
Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Tim Tebow Super Bowl Ad
Here's the Tim Tebow Super Bowl ad that will air later today.
After all the controversy and criticism from pro-abortion advocates, this ad, I hate to say, is a dud.
It says too little. It's not memorable. And it really doesn't have a strong pro-life message.
Sometimes it's said in Christian circles, "If we touch one life, it'll be worth all the effort." Given that this commercial is a missed opportunity, here's hoping at least one life gets affected.
Friday, February 05, 2010
Links to the Intergoogle 2/5/10
How Pastor Matt Chandler is taking advantage of his brain cancer diagnosis. An inspiring article of faith in the midst of suffering.
Incredible video: 3-D modeling of deep space images captured by the Hubble Telescope.
"Others May, But You Cannot." A timely reminder when you're envying what others are doing and shouldn't be doing.
Incredible video: 3-D modeling of deep space images captured by the Hubble Telescope.
"Others May, But You Cannot." A timely reminder when you're envying what others are doing and shouldn't be doing.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Links to the Intergoogle 1/29/10
Fishing in the famous Sea of Galilee has been banned for the next two years by the Israeli government because of decreasing numbers of fish.
Should I get a tattoo? A thoughtful question and response by Russell Moore.
Another reason why John Clayton is the most incredible reporter-analyzer of the NFL: He even knows that the football used for the Super Bowl has more paint on it than a regular season ball.
Memorable story about post-modernism by Ravi Zacharias.
Al Mohler comments on the marriage trial in California.
Should I get a tattoo? A thoughtful question and response by Russell Moore.
Another reason why John Clayton is the most incredible reporter-analyzer of the NFL: He even knows that the football used for the Super Bowl has more paint on it than a regular season ball.
Memorable story about post-modernism by Ravi Zacharias.
Al Mohler comments on the marriage trial in California.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Music and the Church--Fitting the Occasion
On a typical Sunday morning at our church's worship service, you'll find the last row of pews on the right side filled with high school students. I'm thrilled they come, but I often wonder what they think about our service's music because its not what they hear on the radio or their I-Pods.
Our church uses the Celebration Hymnal. I like it because it combines the great traditional hymns with the more recent genre of praise music. The Celebration hymns are timeless, but its choruses gradually appear out of date in light of the latest round of good modern worship music. I'm glad our students get exposed to this type of music in our service--it adds to the diversity of music they hear--but sometimes I wonder if they think if Pastor Ted only like old hymns and 25 year old praise choruses.
As a former music store manager, I certainly like all kinds of music. In fact, I'm rediscovering a whole host of great jazz music, courtesy of the Hutchinson Library. But why does our worship service include only certain types of music and exclude others? I've received this question especially when at weddings and funerals. In a good article by Douglas Wilson, the answer comes down to appropriateness. Music needs to fit the occasion and not all music fits all occasions:
Our church uses the Celebration Hymnal. I like it because it combines the great traditional hymns with the more recent genre of praise music. The Celebration hymns are timeless, but its choruses gradually appear out of date in light of the latest round of good modern worship music. I'm glad our students get exposed to this type of music in our service--it adds to the diversity of music they hear--but sometimes I wonder if they think if Pastor Ted only like old hymns and 25 year old praise choruses.
As a former music store manager, I certainly like all kinds of music. In fact, I'm rediscovering a whole host of great jazz music, courtesy of the Hutchinson Library. But why does our worship service include only certain types of music and exclude others? I've received this question especially when at weddings and funerals. In a good article by Douglas Wilson, the answer comes down to appropriateness. Music needs to fit the occasion and not all music fits all occasions:
Ragtime is not suitable for a wedding march. Complicated operatic music is not suitable for congregational singing. Conversely, swing is suitable for a particular kind of dancing. It might therefore be suitable at a wedding reception, but not during the wedding itself. The preacher tells us there is a time to mourn and a time to dance (Eccl. 3:4). We have music for dancing, we have music for funerals, we have music for military parades, we have music for lovemaking, we have music for a peaceful evening at home, we have music to pump up the crowd at a basketball game, and we have music to write chapters like this by...I like all kinds of music. So on Sunday mornings, I'll be singing "Amazing Grace," and during the week, I'll be listening to James Brown, U2, 77s, Chris Tomlin, and Thelonious Monk.
The music of Bach and Mozart are the musical equivalents of a great cathedral. And we can all recognize the vast architectural superiority of such a cathedral over the typical suburban house. But it would be a drag to have to make your breakfast or watch Monday Night Football in the cathedral. The fact that it is a superior building does not mean it is superior for every function.
In the same way, congregational worship has a particular function; our corporate goal should be to hallow God’s name. This is what we are doing in worship. And having come to this answer from the Bible, we should ask what music is fitting.”
Friday, January 22, 2010
Links to the Intergoogle 1/22/10
I can't believe it! Out of a three hour NFL game, there's only 11 minutes of action.
Picture proof: The world's tallest man meets the world's shortest man.
How to achieve more by doing less. I need to do this.
Creative! 25 most inventive companies.
The devil writes a letter to Pat Robertson.
What's in a Name Department: Little Hope Baptist Church in Canton, Texas suffers an arson fire. Years ago, I actually saw this church while driving.
An interview with Brian Eno, one of the most influential persons in modern music. I knew he was an atheist, but didn't realize his grandfather built the organ in the church he attended growing up.
Here's the recently created blog of music producer Charlie Peacock. I really like Charlie. He's a thoughtful Christian who made an impact on me years ago when I worked in music retail.
Picture proof: The world's tallest man meets the world's shortest man.
How to achieve more by doing less. I need to do this.
Creative! 25 most inventive companies.
The devil writes a letter to Pat Robertson.
What's in a Name Department: Little Hope Baptist Church in Canton, Texas suffers an arson fire. Years ago, I actually saw this church while driving.
An interview with Brian Eno, one of the most influential persons in modern music. I knew he was an atheist, but didn't realize his grandfather built the organ in the church he attended growing up.
Here's the recently created blog of music producer Charlie Peacock. I really like Charlie. He's a thoughtful Christian who made an impact on me years ago when I worked in music retail.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Links to the Intergoogle 1/15/10
Attention world travelers: 10 places you cannot go.
I really, really like Logos Bible software. Introductory discounts to version 4 end January 31. Get yours before its too late.
New York Times reporter and columnist Nicholas Kristof asks why so many religions oppress women.
Norway's Northern Lights in an evening: An incredible time lapse video by National Geographic.
Tragic pictures of the devastation after Haiti's 7.0 earthquake.
Denny Burk investigates and debunks Pat Robertson's claim that Haiti made a pact with the devil.
Albert Mohler asks if God hates Haiti.
John Mark Reynolds writes: "Pat Robertson’s statements on Haiti are bad theology, bad philosophy, bad history, and bad pastorally." Amen to that.
I really, really like Logos Bible software. Introductory discounts to version 4 end January 31. Get yours before its too late.
New York Times reporter and columnist Nicholas Kristof asks why so many religions oppress women.
Norway's Northern Lights in an evening: An incredible time lapse video by National Geographic.
Tragic pictures of the devastation after Haiti's 7.0 earthquake.
Denny Burk investigates and debunks Pat Robertson's claim that Haiti made a pact with the devil.
Albert Mohler asks if God hates Haiti.
John Mark Reynolds writes: "Pat Robertson’s statements on Haiti are bad theology, bad philosophy, bad history, and bad pastorally." Amen to that.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Goodwill Humor
Yesterday after the worship service, I was visiting outside with fellow members, when someone told the following story:
My neighbor is really good about cleaning out unwanted things. One day, she told her elementary aged son, "We're getting rid of toys and taking them to Goodwill." And the boy replied, "Mom, why are we always giving away my toys to Will? Why is he so good?"
My neighbor is really good about cleaning out unwanted things. One day, she told her elementary aged son, "We're getting rid of toys and taking them to Goodwill." And the boy replied, "Mom, why are we always giving away my toys to Will? Why is he so good?"
Friday, January 08, 2010
Links to the Intergoogle 1/8/09
Advice on how to leave your church (not like I want anyone to leave...)
Top 10 funniest YouTube videos. Some of these are just plain stupid.
How religious is your state? Find out here. Kansas ranks #13.
Ford unveils a car that allows you to send Twitter tweets. Cool.
My friend's funny pic.
Can homosexuals be Christians? A thoughtful article from C. Michael Patton.
Christianity Today interviews Fox News anchor Brit Hume about his "become a Christian" remark to Tiger Woods.
I love Taylor Guitars.
Top 10 funniest YouTube videos. Some of these are just plain stupid.
How religious is your state? Find out here. Kansas ranks #13.
Ford unveils a car that allows you to send Twitter tweets. Cool.
My friend's funny pic.
Can homosexuals be Christians? A thoughtful article from C. Michael Patton.
Christianity Today interviews Fox News anchor Brit Hume about his "become a Christian" remark to Tiger Woods.
I love Taylor Guitars.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Epiphany Through Donald Miller's Story Lens
Today is Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas, or the last day of Christmas on the church's liturgical calendar. The day traditionally celebrates the episode in Matthew 2 where the Magi find and worship the Christ child. In our worship service this past Sunday at the Congregational Church, the Magi's story was the first Scripture reading of the New Year.
In my sermon, I took up the New Year's challenge of author Donald Miller and urged the congregation to not make the typical new year's resolution, but resolve to live a good story. Toward this end, Miller suggests we do three things--want something, envision a climatic scene, and create an inciting incident. Each of these elements are essential toward making a good story. Interestingly, these elements are evident in the story of the Magi. Consider the following...
The Magi wanted something. For several weeks, they traveled in search of a newborn Jewish king. They were highly motivated to find this king.
The Magi envisioned a climatic scene. Before leaving on their journey, the Magi packed their bags with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They anticipated finding this child and when they did, they bowed down and worshiped him.
The Magi had an inciting incident. Events in the sky convinced the Magi that the Jews had a new born king. The unique appearance of a star compelled them to act. Staying was not an option. They had to go.
The Gospel of Jesus contains the elements utilized by modern writers and movie makers to create compelling stories. This is no surprise, because the Gospel is the story of all stories.
What story do you want to live in 2010?
In my sermon, I took up the New Year's challenge of author Donald Miller and urged the congregation to not make the typical new year's resolution, but resolve to live a good story. Toward this end, Miller suggests we do three things--want something, envision a climatic scene, and create an inciting incident. Each of these elements are essential toward making a good story. Interestingly, these elements are evident in the story of the Magi. Consider the following...
The Magi wanted something. For several weeks, they traveled in search of a newborn Jewish king. They were highly motivated to find this king.
The Magi envisioned a climatic scene. Before leaving on their journey, the Magi packed their bags with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They anticipated finding this child and when they did, they bowed down and worshiped him.
The Magi had an inciting incident. Events in the sky convinced the Magi that the Jews had a new born king. The unique appearance of a star compelled them to act. Staying was not an option. They had to go.
The Gospel of Jesus contains the elements utilized by modern writers and movie makers to create compelling stories. This is no surprise, because the Gospel is the story of all stories.
What story do you want to live in 2010?
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Hume Offers Woods Spiritual Advice
Former Fox news anchor Brit Hume made a bold suggestion on Fox News Sunday to scandal stricken golfer Tiger Woods--turn to Christianity:
"Whether he can recover as a person depends on his faith. He’s said to be a Buddhist. I don’t think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. So my message to Tiger would be, ‘Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.’"Hume's advice to Woods is creating a stir. Why does he bring up Christianity on a political program? Some think he should save the remark for church or the 700 Club. But the claims of Christianity go beyond the realm of private faith and personal experience. It is public truth. Christians call Jesus, "Lord" because in all times, in all places, we believe He has dominion over life.
Who knows? Maybe Hume's message will prompt Tiger to consider the Savior Jesus.
Monday, January 04, 2010
How Far (and Little) We've Advanced
Cell phones. Internet. Airplanes. Electricity. Computers. These are modern conveniences we often take for granted. Last week I was reminded of how recent and incredible is this technology.
I was in St. Louis last week for a short family vacation. There, we visited the Gateway Arch. Seeing it up close and personal is an awe inspiring experience. It's catenary curve is 630 long from leg to leg and 630 feet high. The margin of error for joining the two ends was only 1/64". All measurements were done without the aid of computers. When you watch the movie of how the Arch was built, you realize it was an incredible engineering accomplishment.
While we were in St. Louis, I learned that a 95 year old member of our church had passed away. This dear lady was born in rural Kansas in 1914. Rural Kansas a that time had no electric lines or telephone. Cars and farm equipment were scarce.
But fast forward 50 years later. Electricity, telephone, cars, and farm combines are in abundance. And in 1965, the Arch was completed. Obviously, the innovation in technology continued to explode. Today, we have robotic surgery, the Internet, cell phones, and computerized everything.
We have all this amazing technology--and it's come about in just the last 50-100 years.
And yet, humanity has progressed so little. 1914 was the start of World War I. A few more wars have occurred since then. We still have conflict, aggression, self-centeredness, and wickedness. We still need a Savior.
We've come so far, but not much has changed.
I was in St. Louis last week for a short family vacation. There, we visited the Gateway Arch. Seeing it up close and personal is an awe inspiring experience. It's catenary curve is 630 long from leg to leg and 630 feet high. The margin of error for joining the two ends was only 1/64". All measurements were done without the aid of computers. When you watch the movie of how the Arch was built, you realize it was an incredible engineering accomplishment.
While we were in St. Louis, I learned that a 95 year old member of our church had passed away. This dear lady was born in rural Kansas in 1914. Rural Kansas a that time had no electric lines or telephone. Cars and farm equipment were scarce.
But fast forward 50 years later. Electricity, telephone, cars, and farm combines are in abundance. And in 1965, the Arch was completed. Obviously, the innovation in technology continued to explode. Today, we have robotic surgery, the Internet, cell phones, and computerized everything.
We have all this amazing technology--and it's come about in just the last 50-100 years.
And yet, humanity has progressed so little. 1914 was the start of World War I. A few more wars have occurred since then. We still have conflict, aggression, self-centeredness, and wickedness. We still need a Savior.
We've come so far, but not much has changed.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Top 10 Tweets from 2009
2009 wasn't a great year for my blog. Between pastoral responsibilities at the Congregational Church and teaching responsibilities at Sterling College, I just didn't have much time for writing thoughtful blog posts.However, 2009 was the year I wrote extensively on Twitter. Twitter is a site where you confine your thoughts to just 140 characters. Yes, it's limiting, but it's amazing how much you can communicate in so little words. My "tweets" can be found on the bottom right of this blog or you can follow me at Twitter.
The impact of Twitter in social media is evident in this article--"The Top 10 Most Important Tweets in 2009."
Check it out and start tweeting!
Friday, January 01, 2010
A Bible Reading Plan You Can Do!
Reading the Bible regularly and consistently is always a challenge. If you're like me, your motivation is great at the beginning of the new year and wanes as the year progresses. And then, when you get behind, you get discouraged, and eventually give up.But fear not, here's a plan that provides the guidance, discipline, and (missing from most plans), the grace to help you consistently read the whole counsel of God's Word. Called the "Shirkers and Slackers" program, it assigns a specific section of Bible literature to a day of the week. So for example, Thursday is dedicated to the Old Testament prophets. When you finish a reading, you check it off. If you miss a day, the reading will be waiting for you next week.
This is my official Bible reading plan for 2010. I challenge you to do it too! Tortoises, charge!
HT: Justin Taylor
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
