Reflections on Emerging Cool

For the past few months, I've been interacting and wrestling with the ideas of the Emerging Church movement. I won't go into an in-depth comment about it at this point. The movement itself is very nebulous, so it's hard to get an accurate sense of what it actually means to be "emerging". I've seen so many good ideas coming from this "conversation", and I'm excited to seen how it can possibly wake the wider body of Christ to greater holiness and service.

But, there are many issues that I'm still not sure about. Again, I won't go into it at this point. One thing that I have been thinking about lately is the tendency in the younger generation of Christians to go to great lengths to be cool in today's culture. This trend is not confined to the Emerging Church, but it's definitely a current running through it. Anyway, younger believers are going out of their way to dress their ministries and their lives in such a way as to be attractive to the dominant cool culture. It seems that this demonstrates a deep insecurity in our faith and convictions.

But, I just can't seem to shake the question, is Jesus cool? In my eyes, we serve a rather uncool God. Why then do we (myself included) want to dress up our faith in hopes that we meet the approval of our generation? Our generation may be attracted at first, but many will soon discover the decidedly offensive Gospel still lies underneath the fancy wrapping.

I highly recommend this post from The Hub. Check it out.
Also, if you want to laugh, check out Purgatorio's spin on the Emerging Church.

Reflections on American Materialism, Part Two

As was evidenced by yesterday's rant, it's easy for me to condemn the ills and evils in our society from my protected shelter of criticism. The reality is that I have to go no further to find materialism than my own heart. Right now Kathi and I are saving up for a new laptop. I find myself becoming protective of this money even though there have been numerous opportunities that have arisen to help friends or family members who are in need. I have been deeply convicted about my lack of generosity.

The Lord has been revealing to me that materialism is not so much an issue of negative behaviors as it is an issue of not clothing ourselves with positive, Christ-like character. The Scripture that has been most convicting to me lately is Ephesians 4:28.

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

What stood out to me about this was the explicit purpose Paul gives for work. In American society, work is seen as a means to provide oneself and one's family with food and shelter as well as comforts and luxuries. In Paul's eyes, the purpose of work is to gain resources which can then be shared with those in need. The question becomes, what is our motive for working? Are we working to make enough money for that sweet vacation or a nice retirement? Or are we working so that we can immediately turn those resources towards sharing with the needy?

Not only do our negative behaviors need to be surrendered, but we also must clothe ourselves with the generosity and contentedness that Christ exhibited. This kind of overhaul is possible only through the sancification of the Holy Spirit. As believers, let's turn from our worldly behavior and attitude, and pray that God would transform us into givers instead of takers and horders.

Reflections on American Materialism, Part One

If there's one thing I dislike about American society, it's the shameless priviledged attitudes we hold. This has been further reinforced by the current grumblings over gas prices. I read on CNN.com that in a recent poll 69% of Americans say they are experiencing moderate to severe "hardship" due to the higher fuel costs. Hardship?!? Agghh!! I can understand how it might pinch those families living on the edge of poverty, but I doubt that number comes close to 69% of the country! But, apparently spending an extra $15-$20 to fill up your H3 is classified as hardship. And the irony is that according to the numbers, right now we're in some of the best economic growth our country has ever seen. If there is any time when Americans can afford higher gas prices, it's now.

The fact is that low gas prices have been seen as a vitual birth right to most Americans. The low costs of the past have made it possible for us to buy that bigger car or the more expensive TV, thereby fueling our ever increasing lust for more stuff. The most startling statistic to me is that for the first time in our history, the average savings rate for Americans is in the negative. That means we are now on average spending more than we make.

I may be the only person in this country that's rooting for prices to keep going up. I'm pushing for $5-$6 per gallon! Why not $8! Then maybe, just maybe, we might start producing energy efficient cars and homes, or develop alternative sources to fuel, or create a reliable public transportation network.

I say all of this though knowing that I'm a product of my culture just as much as I'm a critic of it. I've been convicted by the Holy Spirit many times of how I like to horde possessions and money to satisfy my own lusts. But, one of the reasons I detest what I see in society so much is that I also see it me. Lord, have mercy on us. We really do need to be transformed in our hearts and minds so that we can be in the culture but not of it.

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, 'If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt!'...and Moses said, 'You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.' -Exodus 16:2-3, 8

Reflections on Baseball Angst

The one thing I wanted this weekend was to able to take some time off from school work and go to a baseball game. And, we did just that on Saturday. Seduced by half-price ticket day as well as the allure of $1 hot dogs, Kathi and I drove up to Milwaukee to catch a Brewers game. You can't beat twelve bucks for tickets! We joined 36,000 other people to watch the Brewers hammer my Reds 11-0. Unbelievable. Well, at least we got to enjoy $1 hot dogs, right? Unfortunately, once we got home I discovered why $1 hot dogs were $1. I proceeded to vomit the half-digested $1 hot dogs all over my bathroom. Worst baseball game ever. Thanks alot Brewers!

Thesis Update:
Completed: 30%
Due In: 21 Days

Reflections on Working Man Blues

I am so bored! I'm at work right now sitting at my desk doing nothing. They're paying me to stare blankly at my computer screen. The past few days work has resembled some sort of cruel medieval torture. Besides Monday, I've had very little to do. I basically arrive at my office, do my morning ritual of checking email and the baseball scores, and then nada...usually I'll have an hour of phone calls to make in the afternoon, and then nothing again till I leave.

I don't want to give the impression that I'm lazy. I want to work. I love the feeling of ending the day knowing that you have gotten something done. The problem is that I just don't have much to do. I'll usually ask my supervisor for something to do, or I'll try to conjure up a job, but it's normally fruitless. What's worse is that I feel like I'm dishonoring God by not working. He provided this job to us when we needed it the most. I'm so thankful for that.

Well, I'm going to see if I can scrounge something up.

Reflections on Battlestar Scholastica

One of the reasons for my busy lifestyle the past few weeks has been my Masters thesis, which is due next month. Thesis is a bit of a misnomer though. It's technically a Masters Integration Paper meaning it's not as long and is supposed to "integrate" my theological studies with practical application. But, I just say thesis because it's much easier to explain and it makes me look smart.

Since Christmas I've been slaving away in the library doing research, and I've finally reached the point where I'm writing the stupid thing. It's entitled Signs and Wonders in Missions: Moving from Debate to Praxis. I'm exploring the link between miracles and evangelistic ministry found in the Gospels and Acts, reviewing much of the controversy surrounding the Pentecostal movement, and forming practical implications of signs and wonders in modern missions.

Completed: 20%
Due In: 26 Days

Reflections on Lebanese Forces?

This was the silly saying on my daily blopper calendar yesterday:

Today Lesbian forces invaded...no, sorry, that should be Lesbianese.
-TV newscaster during a news report in the UK, on a Lebanese conflict

I though that was pretty funny.

Reflections on Easter Smackdown

It was a good weekend for the Cram family. We set out on Friday morning for Ohio and got into Dayton around 1:30. We met up with Brian and Karin there at which point we had lunch at the best Greek restaurant ever. After killing some time at the Air Force Museum (it's free!), we drove out to Columbus and met up with Randy and Sarah Surface as well as Shannon Lisko, Brooke Williams and her boy toy, Gabe. There we gorged ourselves on Quaker Steak and Lube wings.

I sat around most of the evening with the guys and had some wonderful fellowship. Mostly we annoyed the employees and patrons of Coldstone Ice Creamery by occupying two out of three of their tables for most of the night. It was great to be around people who really know you. That's one thing I miss about college. I haven't made friend like those I made at Ohio University.

Anyway, we spent the rest of the weekend at Kathi's parents. I mostly did homework while Kathi played with her two nieces. On Sunday we went to Easter service at the church Kathi grew up in. That night we had to battle through thunderstorms and crappy traffic. We didn't get home till late. Well, that's the weekend recap. Now it's back to real life.

Reflections on Miscellaneous

Tomorrow Kathi and I are heading to Ohio to spend Easter with her family. On our way we're going to stop by Dayton and hang out with Brian and Karin, and Randy and Sarah. We may perhaps indulge in a little Quaker Steak and Lube. Best wings ever.

I've been feeling very hollow and empty lately. My busy schedule has taken its toll. I've been neglecting times in the Word and in prayer, and it has left me very weak. Today I'm doing better, but it's been a rough go the last few weeks. Thank God that His love is not dependent on my diligence or faithfulness. Even when I am faithless, He is faithful. If you think about it, please pray for me.

Reflections on Ancestry

So, we discovered something really cool this weekend while we were down in the city. One of my ancestors was the architect who designed the Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue. My grandmother had told me about this guy before. His name was Ralph Adams Cram, and I think he's a great, great uncle, or something like that. He was the originator of the Gothic Revivalist style of the late 19th- and early 20th-century, and he's famous for having built St. John the Divine in New York. I just never knew he had designed this church which I've walked past so many times.

With my curiosity piqued, I went on the web and found out that in the 1920s, he was the chief architect and builder at Princeton University. He designed the chapel and numerous other buildings at Princeton, and he's responsible for the Collegiate Gothic architecture that dominates that campus.

Anyway, I thought that was pretty cool. Next time I'm down in Chicago, I'm going make sure to take lots of pictures of Fourth Presbyterian Church. I'll post them after I've taken them.

Reflections on T-Rice and Chi-town

Kathi and I went into the city on Saturday to hang out with our friend Tony Rice. He's this cool guy we went to college with who now works as an engineer in the city. We had dinner at this cool English pub on Huron called the Elephant & Castle, and then we had drinks at the Signature Lounge which is on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Building. Good times.

Everytime I go into Chicago, I'm reminded how it is the greatest city in the world. I don't think I could articulate why that is. Chicago has character. I just love it. It would be great to live down in the city someday. It doesn't help that Tony has an apartment in the Loop overlooking Grant Park. So jealous.

Reflections on Lazy Days

Here's a nice picture of my mom with Kathi and I. She's a wonderful woman who loves the Lord. Hopefully, we'll get to go to Ohio for Mother's Day and visit her.

I took today off from work! I accumulated some comp time by working nights this week, which translates into three day weekend! I'm meeting with one of the guys I'm discipling, and then Kathi and I are going to spend the rest of the day sipping hot chocolate at Caribou.

Reflections on Crack Rocks

God bless my mom. I talked with her on the phone last night. She works at a residential drug rehabilitation facility in Hamilton, Ohio. A few weeks ago she caught one of her clients smoking crack in her room! Crack! Anyway, she busted the person. She made the mistake though of getting some of the other clients to help her clean up the room. Oops. Fortunately, they didn't steal the rest of the unsmoked crack. Instead they threw it in the dumpster out back. Knowing that half the center would probably sneak out there after dark, my mom had to dig through this dumpster and find the missing crack rocks. Crack!! She almost got fired for that.

I love my mom. She has such a heart for addicts. She is a recovering alcoholic and has been wrestling with some form of addiction most of her life (I think right now it's cigarettes). So, she has a particular interest in really loving these people. Unfortunately, much of the time her job is reduced to babysitting adults, but she has some wonderful stories of being able to minister to those who are suffering from addictions.

Reflections on The Pasttime

Joy, joy, joy! Opening Day is here! Finally, we can put behind us the dark and depressing days of winter. We can cast off the incessant droning of lesser sports. Baseball is back! Today has to be my favorite day of the entire year. Christmas? Bah! Valentine's Day? Scowf! Arbor Day? Garbage!

Let me tell you why baseball is so great. No sport in this country has 160 years of heritage to draw from. No sport in this country has so mirror American culture and society. No sport in this country has the nuances and refinements of this game. No sport quite has the beautiful balance of physical prowess, perseverence, mental toughness, and ultimate triumph as baseball. I love baseball!


There are some out there who will tell you that baseball is boring and slow. That just exposes their ignorance! We live in such an instant gratification society that if nothing is blowing up or someone's not getting the crap beaten out them then it's obviously not a sport! Baseball is so much better than all of that!

Now, I know Opening Day springs hope eternal, but I think my Cincinnati Reds could be a real dark horse this year. I mean, I know a lot things would have to come together, but it's possible! Well, I gotta get going. Reds vs. Cubs is starting. Gonna take my lunch break to watch the game!