The Baby Blog

http://babypai.wordpress.com

 

I couldn’t resist. I had to do it.

Regarding Community

The idea of community is wierd. What is community really? Is it the place that you live in? Or is it the company that you keep around you? We have a strange community emerging within the last five years or so with MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and even as you read this blog entry we are engaging in some sort of faux community.

We have our home community in which we live in a neighborhood. This is our direct community. Sometimes we try to block out this community by building fences around our homes, to which only those who are invited may enter. This home community is quite tricky, because none of us truly want to invite others into our lives usually. Sometimes I find myself inside of my home with the blinds drawn and the lights off so that nobody thinks I am home. We seclude ourselves so that we never have to speak to others, but really we are missing out on the community that we crave.

We also have our work community (neighborhood) in which we go and punch the clock. Sometimes we get so caught up in how much our job sucks that we forget the impact that we might have on people. Sometimes when working at the church, I feel like a jukebox playing the songs that people like or dislike. I feel like I am there to play the hits, but then something changes. I see somebody standing and truly worshipping. Those are the moments that my work community is at its best: when I’ve led somebody to a place of happiness, or they are touched by Jesus. The same thing happens when I work at starbucks. Sometimes I see people who are regulars coming in as I am leaving and they say things like, “you can’t leave, who will make my drink for me?” Though they may not be complimenting me, I feel that I am touching their lives in some way. Though I leave somedays hating people more than one man should, I know that Jesus loves them even more than I hate them.

I think this is the purpose of community. True community is the effect that you have on other people’s lives. Whether you are living around them, serving them at your job, or even seeing them on the same bus everyday, true community is formed when they notice you aren’t there anymore. When people start to miss you, then you know that you have formed community.

I’m Kind of Sick of Matthew McConaughey

He makes me uncomfortable with my self image and he makes movies like this one:

 

Though I’d go see it to see Willie Nelson.

Wanna See Something Funny?!?

In honor of the Football Season starting and my Fantasy FB team being awesome in the first week, I give you this. Yes, I realize that this is arena football, but it is still hilarious. You’re welcome.

The Numbers Game of Churchdom

Something that really frustrates me in the church world is the importance of numbers. Case in point: in the past two days, I’ve talked to people who went to the church that I used to lead worship at. Both people asked me where I’ve been, to which I replied that am leading at Roosevelt Community Church. First question out of both of their mouths (at different times of course) was “How are the numbers?” Augh! it’s so frustrating! Something that our culture has taught hte world is that numbers = success. But what about numbers says that your church is successful? We continue to live the lie that we have been taught that says that the more butts in the pews (or seats) that you have means that you are making a big impact.

My question is this – What about attendance says success? Is it really the number of people that dictates how well you are doing? Another idea: is it the purpose of the church to be successful? Is it our goal to have thousands of people coming to the church?  How does this measure the impact on the kingdom?

Maybe it’s not the idea of the successful church but instead it is the idea of the thriving church. Maybe it’s the idea of what you do with the numbers as opposed to just having them come to your church. It reminds me of the parable of the talents. When given many, if you stay within the walls, you will answer for it. But I wonder if it is bigger than we all could imagine. Imagine if you took the biggest churches in your town and began quarterly service projects. Service projects where they get no recognition and nobody wears shirts or hats with church names on it. Imagine if this was a regular thing.

I guess I just get angry at teh numbers game. It’s basically a pissing contest between people who are a part of the same body of Christ. Why do we divide ourselves over something as stupid as numbers? I once went to a service at a rehabilitation center and a guy who was there was telling us how he goes to the big church up the street and that they have over 3000 peopel and 5 services. How is Jesus moving in the church? That’s the question. Luckily I know that Jesus is doing incredible things there, but what are they teaching this guy who lives in the rehab center? Who is visiting him? Has he created an idol in his head over the size of the church? Does he realize that we are all God’s children and that it’s not just the church we go to that determines us christians?

I’m starting to rant. Any thoughts on this?

Community Developer = Bad?!?

Watching the Republican Party last week, I noticed how they ripped on Barack Obama’s history on being a community developer. This was a bit frustrating. This is one of the things that I would want in a president: a heart for people. It really isn’t strange that they would rip apart one of the things that people would like about Barack, but come on! As if Rudy Giuliani’s speech and awful attempt at comedy wasn’t bad enough, then everybody got into the act.

I guess it doesn’t matter. It really just drives my vote even more toward Barack.