2012, Real Hope!

A Homily for a Friday

A tip or the Beret to Joy and Bill Moeller for sending this one to me.

How to Grow a Church

(Blogger's Note: This is a "re-write" of a piece that was begun yesterday. Upon examination, it had a bit too much "punch-in-the-face" factor, so I've begun take two on the essay.)

My thoughts this week have orbited around the Church. Not just Celebration, but the church as a whole. In my approaching half century, I've had a relationship or been an active member of fourteen churches. Granted, this number is probably higher than average due to twenty years of military service and the requisite military moves. I suspect that you too, gentle reader, have had a relationship with a few churches. Each of these churches had their own distinct flavors, ranging from Irish-American Roman Catholic, to primitive mountain-folk Pentecostal and not surprisingly, each had their admirable qualities. Conversely, Many of them had undesirable qualities that adversely affected them and in some cases, led to their demise as a faith community.

If we were to consider all of the churches in our lives, the thriving/successful along with the dysfunctional/dying ones, our minds quickly draw a series of questions. What makes the thriving church thrive? Or, what's at the root of a dysfunctional church's decline and death?

I'd like to state from the beginning, that I don't believe in gimmicky, pop-wisdom methods for growing churches. It doesn't take a "rockstar preacher" or earplugs to build a successful, thriving church. Conversely, churches don't decline and die because they don't employ the latest multimedia tools, tips and tricks. No, let me say emphatically, that the reasons for either growth or decline are found solidly within the pages of Holy Scripture. We don't grow sustainable churches by becoming a disciple of Barna Research Group or Aping the latest thing that Willow Creek or Lifepoint is attempting, nor do we kill a church by not hanging on every word of a certified church planter.

Let's close this installment by getting one fact straight from the start; we don't build churches, period. The Church is being built by Christ Jesus, who in addressing St. Peter said:

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

More good stuff to follow.

Sandra Fluke is no Hero

OK, Let me tee this up for you with a little exercise in imagination.

Suppose you're a recreational golfer, someone who regularly hits the links. You really dig golf and enjoy a day out on the links with your partner. There's so much to love about the game; the warm breezes, the vibration that travels up your arm when you have a well-hit drive and the sound of that little titleist as it drops into cup. Then, there's the nineteenth hole, relaxing after the round over a crisp Reuben and a beverage. But, there're expenses associated with this recreational activity. True, you don't buy clubs every day, buy you've got to be kept in balls, tees, greens fees and the like. Sure, these aren't exorbitant but they do add up over time. But since this is your recreational activity of choice, you've counted the cost and play on.

Now, suppose you and your partner decide that your golf outings are a fundamental right that should be underwritten by others including those who like Mark Twain who consider golf "a good walk spoiled". Enter Stage Left, Miss Sandra Fluke.

The Socialist left in their never-ending parade of victims and grievances introduced us to Sandra Fluke Rather than present a poor and downtrodden woman, they (knowingly or not) created a poster child for subsidized recreational sex.

You are by all estimations Ms. Fluke, a mature adult. You need to be paying for your own recreational activities to include sex outside the bonds of marriage.

A Double Standard?

Taking in the news this week, I caught the story of how New Mexico hairstylist Antonio Darden publicly announced that he would withhold his tonsorial services to Governor Susanna Martinez over her stand on homosexual marriage. As I read this piece in the paper (Yes, I still read print journalism), my mind wandered back to a story about three years ago concerning another New Mexican business owner, Elaine Huguenin.

Ms. Huguenin and her husband, who operate a mom n' pop photography business were approached by a pair of lesbians wishing to have their commitment ceremony captured on film. This broached the couples religious beliefs and to wit, they politely informed the women that they would be unable to photograph the event. Shortly thereafter, the couple were slapped with a $6,000 fine levied on them by the New Mexico Human Rights Commission.

Now for the question of the morning: Will we see this same commission levy a similar fine against Mr. Darden for his clear case of discrimination and denial of services against Ms. Martinez?

OK, its the Catbird's turn to beef. If there's a law on the books that bars "Discrimination" against an individual over "gender equality" issues, that law needs to be enforced uniformly, or it needs to be struck down and those penalized by it must be compensated. I know that there are those who will give a thousand tortured reasons why these cases are are different, but they are identical.

OK New Mexico, Fine Mr. Darden or cut the Huguenin's a check.

Meanwhile, over at Bad Vestments...

Tip of the Zuchetto to the elves over at Bad Vestments...

Question: If minimalist composer Phillip Glass decided to build a Cathedral, what might it look like?

Teaser...

The term "Middle Class" has been buzzing around the airwaves like those green flies around sterecore cani. I'd like to discuss what each side of the debate would have as the future of these enigmatic denizens of Surburia Majora would become.

Stay tuned....

Considering the Almighty

Its about Him.

Launching Anno Domini 2012

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of [fn]the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.