Nothing to report today. Business as usual. El Pico (coffee) at 7a. Handy-Boy gig from 9a-6p. Play with Agent Offspring. Dinner & dominoes with the family at Obi-Wan's. Baby bathtime & bed. Blog.
But I'm enamored with Dr. James' post today. Please read it.
One of my most favorite chapters in one of my most favorite books in the universe (_Blue Like Jazz_) details the author's outreach with some friends at some sort of college campus drug party mayhem. They dressed like monks (?!?) and had a confessional booth set on campus. But the schtick was...when people went in to the confessional, the author and his Christian buddies confessed THEIR sins as well apologized for every boneheaded thing done in the name of Jesus (the crusades, inquisitions, Republicans, etc). Their whole deal was a humble light in a dark place.
Dr. James and friends recently did this same confessional booth gig at a similar event. And it sounds like Jesus placed his comforting arm on the shoulders of several witches and people of pagan religions. Whoa...
After reading this in "Jazz" I've been of the mindset of "apology" vs. arrogance within my faith. Does that make sense?? I mean, I want to do what Don Miller and Dr. James and others did. Maybe not with the booth & costumes (or maybe so). I've looked for opportunities to apologize to non-believers for my arrogance of the past and my faith's arrogance and wrong doings.
Abilene doesn't have any huge drug-fest-pagan type gatherings. At least none that I know of. Abilene has plenty of gatherings which often get over run with church groups passing out tracts or setting up booths that try to make membership inviting. Yuck.
Maybe I should start following the tract passers with my own tracts apologizing for these first tract passers and their drive-by evangelism. Or next time the fair & rodeo is in town I should round up the troops to pay for kids' farris wheel rides instead of manning a marketing booth for our church. "All welcome". Yeh, no shit. Really. I'm welcome to come to your church?? As long as I fit your mold and jump through your hoops.
Got any ideas? The wheels are turning.
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4 comments:
man i would love to see that tract!
Actually, as I watched one "turn or burn" guy walking around with tracts this past weekend, i stolled over to one of his victims. After seeing the repentish-type tract in her hand, i took the opportunity to represent the confession booth by apologizing on behalf of the church for this kind of evangelism.
"Turn or burn". Good one.
So...you already beat me to the anti-tract ministry, eh? You Bostonians are thinking ahead.
Could always use the help though...keep at it.
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