Free to Be Me—Part 1

The Rascals sang the heartbeat of post-mods: “People everywhere just got to be free.” Admittedly, this song is now a relic of ancient history (the ‘60s). In spite of it’s age, it surely describes the mindset of many of us. We just want to be free to be whoever we want to be; to do whatever we choose to do.

Christianity doesn’t seem to have any appeal to make to such mindsets. Seem is the operative word, though. Christ has something very important to say about freedom—real freedom!

What the freedom folks are so quick to demand is not freedom; it’s slavery. “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin,” Christ says.

What is so liberating about addiction—to drugs (legal and illegal), to alcohol, to gambling, to pornography, to lying, to constant amusement, to shopping, to cheesecake? What about the heartbreak of broken relationships? The pain that never goes away and loads you with regrets—where’s the freedom in that? That’s not freedom. That’s shackles and chains.

Sin does not free us to be ourselves. We choose sin because we are afraid to be ourselves, we perceive some deficiency in ourselves. Remember Eve? The hook? “You’ll be like God.” That did it. Paradise lost. East of Eden.

Yep. We’ve been free ever since. Haven’t we????

Growing Up and Growing Apart

I was watching my daughter play with her friends on the playground, and observing their parents and grandparents, too. Though they have occasional issues with each other, they just keep on playing together. Occasionally, only occasionally, someone gives up the whole deal because he has been hurt. Even then, he'll be right back at it tomorrow.

Why is adulthood so complicated? Why do we grow up and grow apart? Proximity. Affinity. Sure. Don't forget about sin, though. It's the main culprit. People make choices that affect community. Self-esteem destroys community.

Paul, in view of Jesus, said, "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others" (Phil. 2:3-4).

This is the only way to recapture community. But it's not easy. We have a lot to overcome. I have a lot to overcome.

"Our Band Rocks"...Who Cares????

The goal of this blog is to be a place for me to express my take on things in the church today. I haven't written as much I could have. I'm just not a disciplined blogger yet...whatever that is.

I get distracted (thankfully) from all the bad in the brotherhood with all the bad in the world, our country, myself,etc. Then, something else happens that gets me all fired up or makes me sad, and I write about it.

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. I'm so glad I can connect with almost all of my friends from college. At the same time, I keep shaking my head over their spiritual conditions. In some ways, because I'm not the same person I was then, I have grown apart from them ideologically.

It would appear that some of my friends now worship with churches that are not connected at all to us. Some go to churches with bands. One friend made a comment about the Easter service at her church. I inquired more about it. The reply was, "Our band rocks."

I just don't get it. I'm not surprised or shocked by it. I just don't understand why it matters whether or not something "rocks" in worship. What about worship needs to rock?

Here's where I get real critical: I'm not much of a fan of "the singing sounded good this morning," either. Who cares about how it sounded? What about our worship needs to sound good?

I'm wondering aloud: Why doesn't the we-need-to-teach-people-how-to-sing-four-part-harmony stuff seem much different from the reasoning behind praise teams or praise bands?????

"These people having sweet-sounding, rockin' worship, but their hearts are far from me."