We Hoobastink

I was listening to “The Reason,” by Hoobastank earlier. Love the song. I am once again reminded of the human condition that we wrestle with. Check out the lyrics:

“i’m not a perfect person. there are many things i wish i didnt do
but i continue learning. i never meant to do those things to you.
and so i have to say before i go, that i just want you to know

i’ve found a reason for me, to change who i used to be
a reason to start over new, and the reason is you

i’m sorry that i hurt, its something i must live with everyday
and all the pain i put you through, i wish that i could take it all away
and be the one who catches all your tears, thats why i need you to hear

i’m not a perfect person, i never meant to do those things to you
and so i have to say before i go that i just want you to know

i’ve found a reason for me, to change who i used to be
a reason to start over new, and the reason is you

Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill in Seattle is doing two neat experiments.  First, they created a website in which the mass public can submit a question to be answered by Driscoll.  Then, the community voted on the questions that they’d most like Driscoll to answer.  He’s actually preaching sermons based on these questions now.  You can check out video of his sermons at http://marshillchurch.org/.  The top 9 questions have been decided and you can see the results here:  http://askanything.marshillchurch.org/. 

Recently, Driscoll polled the audience in real time.  He asked them to send questions to him in real time.  He would then answer the questions right there on the spot.  No question was off the table.  Anything could be asked.  The questions are “mature” in nature and deal with topics that you don’t traditionally hear in a church setting.  In fact, this is Driscoll’s take on the questions.  Here is a set of 11 questions and Driscoll’s response.

This may be premature, but I want to promote a book that is going to be critically important for taking the unchanging Christ to our changing culture.

Tim Keller has written a book entitled, The Reason for God, Belief in an Age of Skepticism. It comes out on February 14, 2008. It is written to non-Christians. This will be an important book for Sojourners to wade through, take notes on, and loan to a spiritual friend.

Here is an article that tells about it:

“How do you tell people something they probably want to know without playing into the great American hype machine? I’ve been getting so many questions about this I thought I would write a simple newsletter article to members and friends to let you know that, yes, I wrote a book.

These ruminations have been triggered by my (among other things) keeping what can only be charitably called a loose eye on the upcoming Republican and Democratic primaries. As I’ve watched the candidates, I’ve noticed people on both sides of the aisle who have no trouble invoking religious language to explain why voting for them is a good idea.

One of the best observations I’ve heard on the so-called “culture war” (a term which is hereafter used without the finger quotes) is one by Peter Kreeft in his little book called “How to Win The Culture War.” The observation goes something like this:

A new resource became available today. You can now access over 5,000 film reviews from Siskel and Ebert, and Ebert and Roeper:

http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/ebertandroeper/

Other good film resources:

Hollywood Jesus:
http://hollywoodjesus.com/

Rotten Tomatoes:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/

Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
http://imdb.com/

Feel free to reply with other film resources you use.

http://www.acts29network.org/article/twelve-marks-of-a-missional-church

Forgive me if this link is already posted; I couldn’t find it via the Search engine on this web site.

Bob
Fides Quaerens Intellectum

Extract:
The Missional Church:

1. Sent by God as missionaries in their own culture (Matthew 4:19).

2. Exists to take Christ to the lost: Go to the world (Matthew 28:18-20).