myopic pilgrim

Rachelle over at the Thursday PM in Seattle Washington wrote about first becoming aware that she was looking at the world through what she describes as post-modern lenses. A bit like rose-colored glasses but more ridiculous looking. Part of her description shows people freaking out on her (i.e. she’s being too liberal, relativistic, etc.) but also feeling like things were “working well in my soul.”

I sympathized with her right up to “working well in her soul.” Read the rest of this entry »

Normally, reading from the Bible in church is an accepted part of the service, but last October Maureen Barrow was escorted out of the The Rock Church in Elk Grove by the ushers for reading out of Isaiah. But then she was reading a prophetic judgement and meant it specifically for the congregation. And the pastor claims to not have known who she was or what she was doing. Read the rest of this entry »

I want to go out and strike up conversations with strangers, specifically those who don’t follow Christ, and ask them what they expect a church service to be like. What are some things they want and don’t want to see? How will they answer me? Less fire and brimstone and more sermons about love and forgiveness. More modern music. No modern music (Christians never seem to get it right anyway) and more church-y music. Authenticity, genuineness, honesty, and safety. No condemnation of people, self-righteousness, or plastic smiles. I am so sure this is how these conversations would go that I’ve yet to have them at all. Read the rest of this entry »

I said: You should go with your sister to the nightclub.
He said: But then how would I be different? (i.e. how can I show that I’m Christian if I hang out in worldly, sinful places like nightclubs?)

I said: You’d be different because you follow Jesus and would be light in a dark world.
I should’ve said: Mm. Do you want more soda?

Imagine a tribe of hayseed yokels stumbling on a record collection of funky soul albums. Congratulations, now you’ve got Pufferbilly. They’re a local band that my band (you know, the one with the awful name) played with a couple times. Man, can these guys lay it down. They remind me a little bit of Creedence Clearwater Revival, but very soulful, and roots-driven, and funky, and they just rock their live shows.
I had forgotten how much I liked the band until someone emailed the old band wanting to book them for a show. I looked them up and found their website that had some samples off their latest album. I kept wanting more. Time to stroll to Tower and grab myself a copy.
Some additional links:
article in News & Review by Carli Cutchin
review by Dylan Riley of their latest album Faded