Larry Norman, the dean of Contemporary Christian music passed away last week. Although never a huge Norman fan, I appreciate his ground breaking work. His influence would be hard to overestimate. You can draw a line of apostolic succession from Norman to the contemporary singers and songwriters whose artistic works fill our churches on most Sundays.
(I also learned from Norman that Christians don't always get along. He and Randy Stonehill had a tumultuous relationship. That fact is reflected in Stonehill's own eulogy for Norman here.)
There was a time in high school when I believed that his duet with Steve Camp “Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music” represented the zenith on Christian rock. (And the zenith of Big Hair).
But for now, I’ll pass along two You Tubes. First, his haunting “I wish We’d All Been Ready” performed by DC Talk
Second, his acoustic version of WSTDHATGM
HT: Dave Samples
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Too Close to Home...
Texas Monthly is a great magazine about the Lone Star state. Two recent cover stories hit a little close to home, however.In July of last year they had a cover story on a nurse who (allegedly) killed several patients in a small Texas hospital.
Last week, the March issue of 2008 arrived and the cover story? An article on a Baptist minister (who spent some time in Waco?!) who (allegedly) killed his wife.
Kadie (a nurse) and I (an alleged Baptist Minister) might each be sleeping with one open eye tonight.
(I have no idea how to tag this entry by the way.)
Friday, February 22, 2008
House Fever
Kadie and I almost bought a house yesterday. Well, to be more precise, we almost bid on a house yesterday. We found out about a house that was going up for auction with an opening bid of $50,000.00. We looked at the house and there were many things nice about it. It is 5,100 square feet, a veritable mansion. It’s in a great school district, in a fast growing area of town where property values are expected to continue to skyrocket. With Scooter reaching her teen years in a few months, she will be receiving her own room as we turn the original den area of our house into a fourth “bedroom.” But a real bedroom would be better (her new room is separated form the kitchen by only a flimsy folding door) so we were open to the idea of moving into a larger house.
But there were some problems with this house. First, since its going to auction, the previous owners obviously didn’t have the money to keep it up. It has been unoccupied for four of the previous six years. It needs new carpet and a lot of superficial (though not structural) work. In addition, it is a good 20 to 30 minutes from our places of work, unlike the 2 or 3 minute commute that we have now. The cost in gas and time boggles the mind. In addition, the home has 3 A/C units, all of which will likely need to be replaced soon (about 20K right there).
But, in what covers a multitude of superficial sins, it is large (cue the Olive Oyl song from Popeye). It would give the kids (not to mention the parents) plenty of room.
After some thought and prayer, we elected not even to bid on the house for a couple of reasons:
Given our pretty conservative financial sensibilities and the general slowdown in the housing market, the idea of floating two house notes while our current home sells is terrifying.
I am a home repair incompetent. We’d only be able to afford the house if we did much of the repair work ourselves. But given my own lack of ability in this area, we shouldn’t count on it.
So we decided to stay where we are and save money toward a remodel of our kitchen, and then our bedroom. We’ll save up the money over time and pay for it in cash. We also decided to try out a few small projects (tiling our utility room, changing out several light fixtures, etc) to develop some basic home repair skills.
(And in a final note, we had decided to bid no more than $80,000 for the house. I found out this morning that the final bid was $236,000).
But there were some problems with this house. First, since its going to auction, the previous owners obviously didn’t have the money to keep it up. It has been unoccupied for four of the previous six years. It needs new carpet and a lot of superficial (though not structural) work. In addition, it is a good 20 to 30 minutes from our places of work, unlike the 2 or 3 minute commute that we have now. The cost in gas and time boggles the mind. In addition, the home has 3 A/C units, all of which will likely need to be replaced soon (about 20K right there).
But, in what covers a multitude of superficial sins, it is large (cue the Olive Oyl song from Popeye). It would give the kids (not to mention the parents) plenty of room.
After some thought and prayer, we elected not even to bid on the house for a couple of reasons:
Given our pretty conservative financial sensibilities and the general slowdown in the housing market, the idea of floating two house notes while our current home sells is terrifying.
I am a home repair incompetent. We’d only be able to afford the house if we did much of the repair work ourselves. But given my own lack of ability in this area, we shouldn’t count on it.
So we decided to stay where we are and save money toward a remodel of our kitchen, and then our bedroom. We’ll save up the money over time and pay for it in cash. We also decided to try out a few small projects (tiling our utility room, changing out several light fixtures, etc) to develop some basic home repair skills.
(And in a final note, we had decided to bid no more than $80,000 for the house. I found out this morning that the final bid was $236,000).
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Why Behind the Tradition
I've noticed an interesting dynamic at work at my home church, Lakeview. I suspect it plays out in most other churches as well. As I’ve outlined before, I had a mixed experience with our previous pastor. Although he was more autocratic than I am comfortable with, he was benevolent in how he exercised his authority.
Over the thirteen years he was pastor, the church took on his image. One example is how he emphasized the importance of love and reaching out to all people regardless of race or socio-economic status. The church has embraced that mind set, a mind set that it definitely didn’t have before his arriva l. But it is fascinating to see how the church has continued on in his absence.
After six months in which one staff member and two members of the congregation shared the pulpit (not at the same time), we called an interim pastor to the church. He is in his seventies, but full of energy and with decades of pastoral experience. But most of all, he meets the most important rule for the interim pastor: Primum non Nocere.
After he arrived, he noticed something unusual. Our previous pastor didn’t like to pass offering plates. We’ve had offering boxes at each exit for as long as I’ve been a member. When the topic would come up, our pastor would quickly say “We thought about it carefully and made that decision so that we don’t interrupt the flow of the service.” Although there were some who disagreed with the practice, it was never a big enough issue to become divisive. Our new interim simply asked the deacons, the staff, and some of the church leaders is they wouldn’t mind passing the plates again (leaving the boxes at the entrances for those who preferred that method). He found that no one opposed the i dea of the offering plate.
So last Sunday, with little fanfare, he preached a sermon on tithing and we passed the plates. I heard no opposition or grumbling about the plates after the service and our tithe was over twice our normal average.
No real major point to this I suppose, except that as a church member, it would probably be a good iddea to revisit the "whys" of our church traditions. If we do something merely because we've always done it that way before, it should be revisited. I’m also intrigued by how willing a church is to follow their pastor, even when, at the end of the day, they aren’t particularly in agreement with him on an issue.
After six months in which one staff member and two members of the congregation shared the pulpit (not at the same time), we called an interim pastor to the church. He is in his seventies, but full of energy and with decades of pastoral experience. But most of all, he meets the most important rule for the interim pastor: Primum non Nocere.
After he arrived, he noticed something unusual. Our previous pastor didn’t like to pass offering plates. We’ve had offering boxes at each exit for as long as I’ve been a member. When the topic would come up, our pastor would quickly say “We thought about it carefully and made that decision so that we don’t interrupt the flow of the service.” Although there were some who disagreed with the practice, it was never a big enough issue to become divisive. Our new interim simply asked the deacons, the staff, and some of the church leaders is they wouldn’t mind passing the plates again (leaving the boxes at the entrances for those who preferred that method). He found that no one opposed the i dea of the offering plate.
So last Sunday, with little fanfare, he preached a sermon on tithing and we passed the plates. I heard no opposition or grumbling about the plates after the service and our tithe was over twice our normal average.
No real major point to this I suppose, except that as a church member, it would probably be a good iddea to revisit the "whys" of our church traditions. If we do something merely because we've always done it that way before, it should be revisited. I’m also intrigued by how willing a church is to follow their pastor, even when, at the end of the day, they aren’t particularly in agreement with him on an issue.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Random Drivel (II)
Random Drivel
Scooter had a test with over fifty questions on the anatomy of an earthworm. She made a 92, God bless her. But why do they spend so much time on it?
Squealer has picked up a new word and I must say I’m proud. He savors it, grinning right before he deploys it in a conversation. The word is “miscreant.” I think he picked it up from one of the Ice Age movies. It is one of the few critical words I allow him to use against others, because usually they have no idea what he’s talking about.
Skeeter has signed up for additional studying for her state mandated exams. (Curse them). In addition to her normal school work, she then studies specifically for this test from 3:00 to 5:00. Strangely, she’s enjoying it.
Scooter is now taller than some of the ladies in our (adult) Sunday school class. I keep wondering where this young woman has appeared from???
I preached a sermon a few Sunday nights ago in church. It was called “The Proper Care and Feeding of Your New Pastor.” I enjoyed it because it is precisely the kind of sermon a pastor cannot preach about themselves. (I shared with them a pastoral pet peeve. When your kid is selling candy or discount cards from school, don’t let them hit up the pastor. It puts the pastor in a position of either telling your kid no (and looking like a jerk) or saying yes and having every other kid come up to them as well.)
Our trampoline has been very enjoyable lately. Each day, we’ll spend thirty or forty minutes as a family jumping on it at the same time. The kids are spry and fearless. Squealer weighs around thirty-five pounds and, like a flea, can jump 70 times his own height. Scooter and I are competing to see who can be the first to turn a complete flip and stick the landing.
Kadie continues to amaze me. She’s about as non-confrontational as they come, but she’s been on Lakewood’s personnel committee dealing with a very difficult situation. She volunteered to accompany the committee chairman to confront the recalcitrant staff member. They did and it has been a positive experience for the church.
We are almost to the point of buying three gallons of milk every time we hit the store. We drink a gallon a day. The two girls drink the most, but at $5.00 a gallon, it is getting expensive. I am looking into the price of a good, mid-sized cow.
Scooter had a test with over fifty questions on the anatomy of an earthworm. She made a 92, God bless her. But why do they spend so much time on it?
Squealer has picked up a new word and I must say I’m proud. He savors it, grinning right before he deploys it in a conversation. The word is “miscreant.” I think he picked it up from one of the Ice Age movies. It is one of the few critical words I allow him to use against others, because usually they have no idea what he’s talking about.
Skeeter has signed up for additional studying for her state mandated exams. (Curse them). In addition to her normal school work, she then studies specifically for this test from 3:00 to 5:00. Strangely, she’s enjoying it.
Scooter is now taller than some of the ladies in our (adult) Sunday school class. I keep wondering where this young woman has appeared from???
I preached a sermon a few Sunday nights ago in church. It was called “The Proper Care and Feeding of Your New Pastor.” I enjoyed it because it is precisely the kind of sermon a pastor cannot preach about themselves. (I shared with them a pastoral pet peeve. When your kid is selling candy or discount cards from school, don’t let them hit up the pastor. It puts the pastor in a position of either telling your kid no (and looking like a jerk) or saying yes and having every other kid come up to them as well.)
Our trampoline has been very enjoyable lately. Each day, we’ll spend thirty or forty minutes as a family jumping on it at the same time. The kids are spry and fearless. Squealer weighs around thirty-five pounds and, like a flea, can jump 70 times his own height. Scooter and I are competing to see who can be the first to turn a complete flip and stick the landing.
Kadie continues to amaze me. She’s about as non-confrontational as they come, but she’s been on Lakewood’s personnel committee dealing with a very difficult situation. She volunteered to accompany the committee chairman to confront the recalcitrant staff member. They did and it has been a positive experience for the church.
We are almost to the point of buying three gallons of milk every time we hit the store. We drink a gallon a day. The two girls drink the most, but at $5.00 a gallon, it is getting expensive. I am looking into the price of a good, mid-sized cow.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
A Death
A colleague’s 30 year old daughter died this week and the funeral was this morning. During the process of grieving with a colleague in a loss of this magnitude, I was struck again with how unusual the pastoral ministry is. As a pastor, I grew accustomed to hospital visits and to spending time with grieving families during highly emotional situations. But most people aren’t experienced with these types of situations. For many, hospital visits and trips to the visitation time at the funeral home are necessarily awkward and simply to be endured. Although these times bring devastation into the lives of people, I think it is their rarity that causes people to respond in surprising ways.
Shortly after speaking to the colleague I was asked by another coworker “How did he sound?” I struggled for a moment before answering. I’m still not sure what answer they were looking for. Another colleague was angry because someone in the College of Business found out about her death before he did. “They are in a completely different college and I am in his own department. That’s not right!” I told him that shocking news like this can be difficult to direct.
I am convinced that one reason why people so often say the wrong things to those who are grieving is because there is no right thing to say. It is a reminder of the tremendous power that death holds over our society.
Most often, the best response is the response of Job’s friends when they first arrive on the scene of the mournful Job. “They sat with [Job] on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a wordto him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.” Job 3:13. Job’s friends take a lot of heat for their subsequent diatribes, but it was their silent suffering alongside Job that gave them credibility in his eyes for their later conversation. Sometimes silent presence can be a tremendous source of comfort.
Please pray for my colleague and his loss.
Shortly after speaking to the colleague I was asked by another coworker “How did he sound?” I struggled for a moment before answering. I’m still not sure what answer they were looking for. Another colleague was angry because someone in the College of Business found out about her death before he did. “They are in a completely different college and I am in his own department. That’s not right!” I told him that shocking news like this can be difficult to direct.
I am convinced that one reason why people so often say the wrong things to those who are grieving is because there is no right thing to say. It is a reminder of the tremendous power that death holds over our society.
Most often, the best response is the response of Job’s friends when they first arrive on the scene of the mournful Job. “They sat with [Job] on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a wordto him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.” Job 3:13. Job’s friends take a lot of heat for their subsequent diatribes, but it was their silent suffering alongside Job that gave them credibility in his eyes for their later conversation. Sometimes silent presence can be a tremendous source of comfort.
Please pray for my colleague and his loss.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Some random thoughts on hiring...
Over the past four years I’ve been involved in a wide variety of job hires. Several of these have been at work and a few have been at church. We’ve conducted about six academic searches at work and I’ve been on music minister searches and now a pastoral search. In addition, I was on the search committee for our campus that brought us a new BCM director. Some random thoughts…
It is an awkward thing, these job interviews. You sit down for a few hours and try to project the candidate into a variety of situations. In addition, I have no idea what my other colleagues are thinking as we talk with them. I thought one interview with a pastoral candidate went well, but afterwards several committee members pointed out that he had his arms crossed the whole time and looked defensive.
One candidate for a Foreign Language position asked where the erotica section of our library was while on a campus tour. The librarian looked stunned only for a second, then chirpily informed the candidate where the section was. And no, I had no idea we even had an erotica section… (We didn’t hire her.)
When interviewing a music minister candidate, I asked him about the role of lament in worship, pointing out that there are more lament psalms than praise psalms in the Bible. I then asked “Do you ever incorporate public lament into the worship service?” He replied “I generally try to keep things a little more joyful.” (We called him)
While explaining to a candidate the lack of leadership in our department, I noted that we needed a hard worker. I said “We don’t have any up and coming leaders in the department. We really need some good worker bees. If you join our department, one day our established leaders will retire…” Without hesitation she added “Then when they retire, I’ll be the Queen Bee.” (We didn’t hire her).
When we interviewed a newBSU BCM director, I asked him what the biblical foundation of his job was. He replied that there really wasn’t one (an honest answer I appreciated) (We called him)
One of the standard destinations for job candidates is to meet with a few campus officials (our dean, the Provost, and the Chancellor). When I took a candidate for an art position to meet the Provost, the Provost made the comment that “We are a well managed institution.” The candidate replied “You must be very proud.” (We didn’t hire her).
Some suggestions for future job applicants:
1. Google yourself before you the interview. If there’s anything that will need to be explained to a committee, then disclose it yourself. Because the committee will be Googling you.
2. Trust the interview process. I think we set ourselves up for mutual dissatisfaction when we try to “game” the system and get a job based on telling the committee what we think they want to heart.
3. Make sure that you are applying for a job that you are genuinely interested in. We had a new hire who decided about 2 weeks in that he didn't like teaching. He resigned and we scrambled to cover four sections of his classes for almost an entire semester. Our Pastor Search Committee has also received letters applying for Director of Missions positions as well. Make sure that you are really interested in a job before you apply for it.
It is an awkward thing, these job interviews. You sit down for a few hours and try to project the candidate into a variety of situations. In addition, I have no idea what my other colleagues are thinking as we talk with them. I thought one interview with a pastoral candidate went well, but afterwards several committee members pointed out that he had his arms crossed the whole time and looked defensive.
One candidate for a Foreign Language position asked where the erotica section of our library was while on a campus tour. The librarian looked stunned only for a second, then chirpily informed the candidate where the section was. And no, I had no idea we even had an erotica section… (We didn’t hire her.)
When interviewing a music minister candidate, I asked him about the role of lament in worship, pointing out that there are more lament psalms than praise psalms in the Bible. I then asked “Do you ever incorporate public lament into the worship service?” He replied “I generally try to keep things a little more joyful.” (We called him)
While explaining to a candidate the lack of leadership in our department, I noted that we needed a hard worker. I said “We don’t have any up and coming leaders in the department. We really need some good worker bees. If you join our department, one day our established leaders will retire…” Without hesitation she added “Then when they retire, I’ll be the Queen Bee.” (We didn’t hire her).
When we interviewed a new
One of the standard destinations for job candidates is to meet with a few campus officials (our dean, the Provost, and the Chancellor). When I took a candidate for an art position to meet the Provost, the Provost made the comment that “We are a well managed institution.” The candidate replied “You must be very proud.” (We didn’t hire her).
Some suggestions for future job applicants:
1. Google yourself before you the interview. If there’s anything that will need to be explained to a committee, then disclose it yourself. Because the committee will be Googling you.
2. Trust the interview process. I think we set ourselves up for mutual dissatisfaction when we try to “game” the system and get a job based on telling the committee what we think they want to heart.
3. Make sure that you are applying for a job that you are genuinely interested in. We had a new hire who decided about 2 weeks in that he didn't like teaching. He resigned and we scrambled to cover four sections of his classes for almost an entire semester. Our Pastor Search Committee has also received letters applying for Director of Missions positions as well. Make sure that you are really interested in a job before you apply for it.
Monday, February 04, 2008
DeMarcus
His enormous, black hands began to tremble as he took out a pencil to write down my email address on a sheet of paper. We were in my office, sitting down across from each other with only my desk between us. DeMarcus had come down from our Hebrew class to follow up on a few questions he had asked in class. He’s a large man, about mid-thirties, who's led a difficult life. DeMarcus was involved in various criminal activities as a teenager before coming to faith in Christ.
He didn’t have the patience to excel in his college classes and ditched them for a career in construction. When the hurricanes came to the coast, he traveled throughout Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama working hard. But he felt God calling him into the ministry and was now a pastor in a local African-American Baptist church.
DeMarcus is one of the top students in my class, but in my weaker moments he pushes my patience. Every teaching point I raise brings a question to his lips. He asks some questions that are at least tangentially relate to the topic at hand “Did the High Priest have a rope attached to him on Yom Kippur?” “”What does amen really mean?” “What’s the difference between seraphim and cherubim?” Other questions matter much less in our Hebrew class “Why do preachers raise their hand when they baptize someone?” “How often does the Bible say we should partake of the Lord’s Supper?” “Did Isaiah and Micah know each other?” I’ll patiently (and at times impatiently) explain that this class isn’t a at a seminary and we need to stick to the subject at hand (although when the subject involves Hebrew participles and construct nouns, I too am tempted to wander).
When he came into my office I took the opportunity to hear his story and find out a little about him. He explained to me why this class is important to him.
“You see Doc,” he began uncomfortably, “in the Baptist churches of my tradition there aren’t many of our pastors who have any education beyond High School. That’s one reason why I came back to finish up my degree. I study hard because I have to face the congregation. And every Sunday morning, when I’m standing in that pulpit, I have to get it right!”
His voice found new intensity at this last phrase. I told him I understood, and then he left the room.
I often wrestle with the fact that I’m not teaching at a Christian institution. I grow weary at times of keeping my light under a bushel. I suspect that often, I too pepper Him with many frivolous questions about my “secular” job and why I’m not working somewhere else.
But once in awhile Christ allows me to see a glimpse of Himself working through me. And that’s gratifying.
He didn’t have the patience to excel in his college classes and ditched them for a career in construction. When the hurricanes came to the coast, he traveled throughout Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama working hard. But he felt God calling him into the ministry and was now a pastor in a local African-American Baptist church.
DeMarcus is one of the top students in my class, but in my weaker moments he pushes my patience. Every teaching point I raise brings a question to his lips. He asks some questions that are at least tangentially relate to the topic at hand “Did the High Priest have a rope attached to him on Yom Kippur?” “”What does amen really mean?” “What’s the difference between seraphim and cherubim?” Other questions matter much less in our Hebrew class “Why do preachers raise their hand when they baptize someone?” “How often does the Bible say we should partake of the Lord’s Supper?” “Did Isaiah and Micah know each other?” I’ll patiently (and at times impatiently) explain that this class isn’t a at a seminary and we need to stick to the subject at hand (although when the subject involves Hebrew participles and construct nouns, I too am tempted to wander).
When he came into my office I took the opportunity to hear his story and find out a little about him. He explained to me why this class is important to him.
“You see Doc,” he began uncomfortably, “in the Baptist churches of my tradition there aren’t many of our pastors who have any education beyond High School. That’s one reason why I came back to finish up my degree. I study hard because I have to face the congregation. And every Sunday morning, when I’m standing in that pulpit, I have to get it right!”
His voice found new intensity at this last phrase. I told him I understood, and then he left the room.
I often wrestle with the fact that I’m not teaching at a Christian institution. I grow weary at times of keeping my light under a bushel. I suspect that often, I too pepper Him with many frivolous questions about my “secular” job and why I’m not working somewhere else.
But once in awhile Christ allows me to see a glimpse of Himself working through me. And that’s gratifying.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)