Owner: The Cubicle Reverend URL:http://thecubiclereverend.blogspot.com Join Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 18:48:06 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Seeking God in literature, humour, work, and life. Site statistics:Click here
Fallen Leaders 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I debated on whether I should post a link to a pictorial of fallen religious leaders and their offenses from Beliefnet, but I have to admit it can be seen as a cautionary tale to those of us in ministry to be cautious about believing the hype.And I debated on having this video of the farting preacher. What can I say? Working with youth has definately brought out my childish side. Read more:Fallen
, Leaders
Technocrati 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Technorati ProfileAnother attempt for me to get more readership!
Concert Weekend 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Thanks to Pre-Posthumous Musings I am going to the Over The Rhine Concert
this Friday Night. I'm stoked, it isn't often I get to go to concerts anymore.This is what I get to look forward too...And on another note, I was amazed to find on vinyl the Stray Cats. More amazingly I found an album of greek rock music from this oldies group The Four Coins. Who knew? Read more:Weekend
Moderation Is A Good Thing 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Last month I had a post on whether Christians who drink are pushing this belief on those who don't. This lead to a good deal of response on the matter. I am attempting to read a rather heady book from Blaise Pascal. The guy was a mathmetician and physicist so of course it's going to be a bit on the heavy side. Still, there is a part of me that likes the way he thinks:Too much and too little wine. Give him none, he cannot find truth; give him too much, the same.The guy was French, wine may have been an aid to him. If you want to muck around this work there is a free online version from Christian Classics Ethereal Library.Other worthwile reads:Strange Culture talks about the meaning of success and does it more successfuly than my own timid attempts.Pastor Chryst share's his most recent sermon.And Wilmer shares wisdom from Dave Barry. Read more:Moderation
, Thing
RIP: Jack Palance 1970-01-01 00:59:59 The man, the myth, the legend has passed. Jack Palance is the man. There isn't much I can say about him. He was the tops, and for years forgotten. I didn't know he was nominated for oscars twice before he finally won. Watch his big win below.
RIP: Ed Bradley 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Though I haven't made it a habit of watching 60 minutes, I'm still saddened by the fact that Ed Bradley
has passed.
Jesus Camp 1970-01-01 00:59:59 For a summer back in '94 I worked at a Christian camp. Though it was nothing like Jesus
Camp we probably did some similar things as what will probably be shown on this film (I have yet to see it, but I want to). Having spent the better part of a decade working in both youth and young adult ministries I do often ask myself an I doing too much to try to push my faith onto these guys or too little? Sadly, it's just as easy manipulate adults as it is children. I do not want to give any sort of judgment for this film one way or another without having seen it. If it comes around my area I'll make sure to do so.
Suprising Covers 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Don't Call Me Veronica had a post to a pretty cool cover of a popular song. I tried to find a version of Richard Thompson covering Britney Spears song Ooops I Did It Again. No lie. I saw him do it at a concert a few years ago. He actually makes that crappy song sound good! Instead here he is doing his classic song 1952 Black Vincent Lightning. Watch his finger work! Clapton has nothing on this guy. Read more:Covers
One Line, A Church Gets Cheeky, Is Darfur the New Ethiopia?, and Vonnegut 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Wes has a neat post about finding a line in a book. It's interesting to see what you come up with. Give it a shot, see what you find.The blog Slice of Laodicea isn't known for hit's sense of humour. And they keep the trend going. I'm sorry, they are stilly and stupid and I wouldn't necessarily show them to my church. But dag it's nice to see the church showing their silly side.I first heard about Darfur
from Reno. I'm going to plead ignorance. I admit, until he blogged about it I couldn't point out where Darfur is. To put it plainly: Modern Genocide. It's sickening what is going on there. And the never ending conversation has now turned their sights to the problems there. You know how I feel about this. Conversation good, action better. At least this time they are doing something. Not a lot, but it's a start. One thing I have noticed is that people never think about Africa except once every 10 years or so. First it was Ethiopia
, then Somalia, now it's Darfu Read more:Church
, Cheeky
, Vonnegut
RIP: Ed Bradley 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Though I haven't made it a habit of watching 60 minutes, I'm still saddened by the fact that Ed Bradley
has passed.
Surviving Junior High Sunday School 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I wasn't nervous. Not at all. I wasn't confident either. As I stated recently it has been almost 10 years since I have taught a sunday school lesson and for good reason. I wasn't nearly as patient a person as I am now. I yelled a lot. We have a challenging group of 6th - 8th graders. A lot of new faces to the church, a pastors kid, ones from broken homes, a few who are uber-boy/girl crazy, and the one or two who are quiet and don't want to be noticed. A normal group of kids. I was asked to teach kind of that last minute the day before Thanksgiving. Thusday I was all turkey'd out so it wasn't happening then. Friday..... still recovering, but managed to pull out a lesson on being a servant from John 13:1-17. My predecessors have been trying to teach them how to be more loving towards each other and less self-centered. Yeah right. I was just hoping that one little seed gets planted to sprout sometime later. I asked them four main questions.1. Why did Jesus wash the Read more:Sunday
, Surviving
, Junior
, School
Turn Of Events 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I am doing something I swore I'd never do again, teach junior high sunday school. The usual guy is not going to be around this weekend so the youth director asked me to fill in. Ugh, I tried it once a number of years ago... it didn't turn out so well. On top of that, the current teacher is planning on stepping down to focus on something else and the youth director asked that I take it over permanently. He says I was the first person he had in mind and the only person he asked. I'm not going to like, it kind of scares me a bit. For the past 10 years I have been strictly in a support capacity. My ministry has usually been to just make myself available.Speaking of the youth director, this wednesday we had our thanksgiving dinner at church. He was holding his young son when he said, "Say Hi, to Uncle....". It brought up some old wounds. At a previous church the youth director there had his children refer to me as Uncle.... Sadly, he eventualy put my friendship aside. I didn'
Too Much Conversation, Too Little Action? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I keep hearing about the Christian Conversation
. New voices are now being heard in a wide range of mediums. Between talk radio, books,tv programs, and now the internet we are getting covered in words. Jim Wallis points out with no small amount of glee how the conversation is starting to spread and more people are talking about social justice. Even his new label of Red Letter Christians points to the fact that there is a lot of talk going around. I agree with him. The conversation does need to change, but what about action? Christ was more than just some words he spoke. He lived them out. Whether it's feeding the five thousand, healing the sick, and even dying on the cross. I am in a small group and we are trying to come up with a way to better serve our community. We've been talking about it. If we don't do something soon it may just die on the vine. Wes in his blog shares a recent experience at a pizzaria that is doing just that. Several years ago the church I was a Read more:Action
What do Joyce Carol Oates and Salman Rushdie Have in Common? Nothing 1970-01-01 00:59:59 JoyceCarolOates
has an impressive resume: Princeton University Professor, prolific author, winner of numerous awards including being short listed for the Nobel Prize. I have read a bunch of her stories in the past usually taking an extended break because they tend to be so dark I can get berried in the story. Recently her reputation has taken on a more notorious side when she based a story off of the local murder of a college student. It isn't uncommon for writers to draw off of news events or another persons life story. Truth is stranger than fiction and life can have a stronger dramatic impact than anything a person can make up. Joyce capitalized on that fact by writing a particularly harsh story based on recent events surrounding the death of a local college student. The story is well written and can be used as a cautionary tale warning of the dangers of binge drinking on college campuses. What many people will find disturbing is how you are never left with a clear resolut Read more:Salman
, Rushdie
, Common
, Nothing
, Salman Rushdie
In Case You Wondered 1970-01-01 00:59:59 If you never were involved in youth ministry and have always wondered what it is we do. Here are some pics from the last few events we had.EPC Youth RetreatPumpkin Fund Raiser
Does God Want You To Be Rich? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Thanks again to Don't Call Me Veronica for this one. I have been a part of the prosperity Gospel in my younger days. All it did was leave me feeling that I was one of God's children and must be the worst of all sinners because I wasn't being blessed in this manner. The blessing that they offer only leads to bondage. Pray for the people who follow this teaching. Instead, pray we all have a healthier attitude about finances and learn that the greatest blessing we can ever receive is to be called his children.
Just Because We Can, Should We? Part II 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Art's Jesus drank wine - And don't tell me that it didn't contain any alcohol (like they told me in the CofC).An occasional social drink never killed anyone (nor sent them to hell).The problem is that this is such a downfall for so many these days...After all Jesus might have drank wine but that doesn't mean He went on three-day benders either.I think we must be very careful, as Christians, to avoid extremes. We shouldn't condemn those who drink responsibly nor those who abstain.And it's not our business to condemn those who drink irresponsibly either - but we should try to help them and avoid tempting them.There is a fine line here between trying to reach people through unconventional means and validating self-destructive behavior.If you figure out where this line is please let me know!The Southern ConservativeMy response to this was shaped by C.S. Lewis. I think it's a sin to drink to excess... or to smoke to excess, eat to excess, etc. Doing anything is really turning someth
Christ Follower Vs. Christian 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Can you tell the difference?Hat tip to Don't Call Me Veronica for this one. And just because he's too darn cute, my youth pastor shows off his son in his first costume. Read more:Christ
, Follower
, Christian
More On Haggard 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I wasn't planning on commenting on the whole Haggard
fiasco (engouh people are doing that for me), but I found an interesting article at the huffington post. And Art has some sage words on the subject. I wasn't as gleeful as Art was, but I do admit I did have a sense of, "See I told you we shouldn't turn pastors into idols" smugness. Maybe it's time we stop following these guys around like they are Bob Dylan and see them as men of God with a gift who can still fall.
RIP: Andre Waters 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Andre Waters
had a long career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He had fame, fortune.... he did what so few people get the opportunity to do: get paid well to do something he loved to do. What happens afterwards? The clapping becomes quiet, the offers become few and far between, and you are older having to leave behind the things you love. What are you left with? I don't think a person alive doesn't get scared thinking about the future when we are old and gray waking up in the middle of the night with the question:What have I done with my life!?It scares me to think of it. Praise God we do have a greater hope.Pray for his family that they may find peace. Read more:Andre
Rattle Online 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Rattle is one of the better lit journals out there. They just produced their first online version of the journal.And I also joined the 3rd day blog roll mainly because I thinkt hey are an awesome band. I do not necessarily endorse any of the blogs on there, so bear that in mind if you check any of them out.UPDATEHere is the link to it. Because of some problems re-loading I had to start again.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe5p1BXNCQM Read more:Rattle
Slacker's Hues Of Midweek 1970-01-01 00:59:59 If any of you get the chance check out reforming slackers hues of midweek. She always picks out a great painting to post and it really adds a little beauty in life.Hat tip to Slacker
. Read more:Midweek
The Way Rock 'N Roll Ought To Be 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I am not as aware of Black Angel's music, but I can safely say The Black Keys are the real deal. NPR describes their music pretty well and offers a sample of a recent concert in DC. Fat Possum Records first discovered them and I don't think anyone else would have done them any justice. The lavel started by finding old blues men who had long been forgotten or never got the opportunity to record. Many of which were in their 80's and 90's and hadn't been heard outside of the Mississippi Delta.
Just Because We Can, Should We? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 A few weeks ago Pomomusings posted a picture of himself smoking a hookah with a beer in his hand. This prompted a post on another blog which pomo has also made a response. Both make valid points and bring up the issue booze and Christianity. There are a few of you here who know my stance on drinking and smoking, but I am going to keep them to myself for the time being. Instead, I want to ask a few questions:It seems to be the vogue right now for Christian groups to have meetings in bars, is this a good idea? Are we preaching to the lost or just using it as an excuse to get drunk?There are a lot of people out there who think drinking is a sin, aren't we to help keep our weaker brothers and sisters from sinning? Because drinking has become more acceptable in the church are we now throwing in the face of those who still have a problem with it?Just because you feel that scripture bears out that it is okay to drink does that mean we should?Finally, do you think it's a sin to drink o
Christ The Punk? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Ok, seems like a far stretch, I'll admit that. What does the uber-agressive punk rock movement which included: The Clash, The Sex Pistols, and Philly fave's The Dead Milkmen have to do with Christ
and his message of love, hope, charity, and faith? More than I even realized. Never Mind The Bibles is a wild book. I made a few connections between Christ as raddical, but he takes it a step further to talk about the radical inclusiveness of the punk rock music. Many of whom were much more socially minded than even I realized. They tore at the false idealism of society to show that they aren't as clean as we'd like them to believe and need something else to make them pure. Much like Christ, who showed us we are sinners and can only be saved through the grace of God. In the introduction the author, Andrew Careaga, how Joe Strummer from The Clash tried to rip down a fence that seperated fans from each other. Sounds awfully violent and not very christ-like doesn't it? Then consid
Over The Rhine - After The Show 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I love suprises. If I think something could be good, but get something far beyond that I am happy. On Saturday night Ken, his wife, a friend of his from Ohio, and myself went to see Over The Rhine. They were nice enough to give me a free ticket after a friend of theirs backed out. So it was cool getting to socialize with Ken and Kathy outside of church and youth ministry. Both of our schedules are pretty hectic so we do not get much opportunity to hang out. And as an added bonus I got to bond with the J.Myles who has developed the habit of scratching me and laughing. Anyhooo....I had no real expectations about the concert, but I was more than pleasantly suprised. First of all, they didn't have an opening act. Hmmm, a bold move? No one to get the group warmed up and ready to go? Alright. There concert lasted about two hours with no breaks. And the band members looked like they were enjoying themselves being there. It wasn't just another job to them, but a chance to play
R.I.P. - Peter Boyle 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Peter Boyle
was a Catholic brother, but left to pursue acting. In my mind he and Doris Roberts made Everybody Loves Raymond. He had a gift for timing and the one liner that many people very lamely try to copy. Very few people can top him. Even when he had very few or no lines he lit up the screen. Watch a scene from Young Frankenstein and see him at some of his best. Read more:Peter
Who Goes To Heaven? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I am wary to post a short video by Brian McLaren for no other reason I do not want to be a person to attack another Christian just beause they may be misguided. There are a few points where I think Mclaren is spot on, brilliant, and creative about how he sees the faith. On the other hand, there are other times I think he forgets that there are parts of Scripture that may tweek a few ears. In other words, he plays it too safe. This is a typical message which has a part of truth that is stretched a tad too far. It makes people comfortable, makes them feel warm, and well fed without any real challenge. Plus, and he's not the only guilty person, he comments about Jesus' primary message. I am beginning to wonder if Jesus ever had a primary message. When I get more time I want to look at this a little further.Did Jesus have a primary message?Who goes to heaven and who goes to hell? Are we too obsessed with this?More on this later.Also, I have a secondary blog I just started. I pl Read more:Heaven
Buy Nothing Christmas 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Anyone interested in giving and receiving nothing this Christmas
?Hat tip to Geeze Magazine for this one.And merry christmas to all, and to all a good night. Read more:Nothing
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