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In 1953, it took 27 hours to create one Marshmallow Peep. Today, it takes six minutes. The first Peeps were squeezed one at a time out of a pastry tube and the eyes were painted on by hand. Now, machines create 3,500 Peeps' eyes per minute. Did you know that only Target sells red Peeps? Did you know you can freeze them and they are still sticky? This picture is a sneak "peep" of Journey's upcoming Easter advertising. Now please pardon me while I wipe the marshmallow from my keyboard.
This list isn't original to me but I thought it was worth re-posting here. How many of these have you heard before?
1. I'll pray about it = NO!
2. We need to pray for so and so = Guess what I just heard?!
3. I'm waiting for God to open some doors = I'm living in my parent's basement.
4. God gave me a word for you = I have advice to help you with your disaster of a life.
5. I'm going to have my quiet time = Leave me the heck alone!
6. God is good = My life sucks.
7. Bless his/her heart = What an idiot.
8. I have the gift of discernment = I can judge people without even talking to them.
9. I was having fellowship with them = We had beer and pizza and watched the game instead of going to church.
10. I'm saved by grace, not works = I can do whatever the heck I want.
11. She caused me to stumble = What a skank.
12. I kissed dating goodbye = I couldn't get a blind date, literally.
13. Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth = I can't believe you said the real curse word!
14. I don't mean to judge but... = I'm going to judge.
15. I'm dating Jesus right now = Are you kidding? I'm way out of your league.
16. God wants me to take some time off from this relationship = I met someone else and I'm too coward to break up with you.
17. I'll pray about marrying you = NO!
18. God told me that we are supposed to get married = Maybe you'll say yes if God is behind this.
19. I'm fasting = Your spiritual life is miniscule compared to mine. Try to keep up.
20. God has called me to minister to her = She's really hot.
21. I think you should pray about it = You'll see that I'm right.
22. We've decided to court, not date = My parents have a death grip on my life.
23. Courting = Homeschool dating.
24. Lord willing = My plans are His plans.
25. Take this with a grain of salt = I'm about to really offend you.
26. I'm feeling convicted about this = One day my actions might change too!
27. Have I offended you? = Why are you treating my like garbage?
28. Who wants to pray? = I don't want to pray right now.
29. Jesus turned water into wine = Jesus turned water into grape juice. (Southern Baptist Dialect)
30. Jesus turned water into wine = I can drink whatever I want. (Presbyterian Dialect)
I was in Office Depot today and saw one of the best displays of conflicting messages I have ever seen. A couple was shopping for a new cable modem. The first helpful salesman while not truly understanding the questions the couple were asking recommended a specific piece of equipment telling the couple the other one they were looking at always got returned and wouldn't work for them. Salesman #1 walks away and salesman #2 enters the scene shortly thereafter. You guessed it; he gave the exact opposite advice as someone else on his own team just had. Reminds me of the mixed messages that churches often send out. How can multiple churches who should be on the same side have so many conflicting messages? The problem comes when you substitute your opinion for the Truth. The bible is the ultimate guide and always contains the truth. It's the twisted way that the church retells the story that gets things all screwed up.
Sitting here listening to the movie "Across the Universe" playing in the living room and just heard this line: "It's not what you do but how you do it." I think that's a good description of what makes Journey different; it's how we do things.
Lots of churches claim to want to reach the unchurched, they advertise contemporary worship service, and say everyone is welcome in their casual atmosphere. The question is how do they go about doing it? Many churches seem to think that simply mixing in a couple of Chris Tomlin songs with their traditional hymns is going to be attractive to the unchurched. Others think that by removing their ties and wearing khaki pants on Sunday mornings they have created a casual welcoming atmosphere. Most unchurched people aren't bypassing the church because they don't like to dress up or they don't like the music. Most are unchurched because they don't like the crap that goes on in your typical church. They aren't interested in Deacon's meetings, committees, or country club politics. They aren't interested in hearing your church's view on politics, abortion, or homosexuality. They have no idea who Beth Moore is and could care less about attending her Bible study. They are looking for a place that can help them deal with their messed up lives without condemnation. They want a place where they can ask spiritual questions without being mocked for their unbelief. They want a place that cares about the needs of the community they live in. You can change your music, change your dress, and change the day and time you meet, but until the church learns how to answer the questions the unchurched are asking the church will continue to reach only those who look and act just like it does.
Journey is a place that is different not just because of our music or that we think blue jeans are fine to wear on Sunday morning. We are different because we are willing to be completely sold out to the mission of doing whatever it takes to reach those around us who don't know what Jesus has to offer them. That idea drives everything we do. Our friend Shawn Lovejoy calls that being mean about the vision. Look for Journey to be the "meanest" church in town when it comes to reaching out to those that are far from God.
"That place isn't a church it's like a Rock and Roll Show" I was certainly happy to hear that comment because Journey doesn't want to be like any other church in the area. We exist to Love God and Love People..Period. Our music is simply part of the environment we use to connect people with God who are far away from Him. Come hear more of our vision at the March 9th preview service!
It would be nice to believe that all churches are Kingdom minded and want to do all that they can to cooperate with each other in reaching the unchurched. For the most part that just doesn't happen. Many churches become self absorbed and more worried about maintaining the status quo instead of reaching out to the unchurched around them. I think one of the enemy's greatest tactics is to distract us from competing against him while we compete amongst ourselves for our portion of the "pie".
We had band rehearsal tonight in a garage so I guess we now have a genuine "garage band". Special thanks to Kevin and Brent from Cross Point Community Church for coming up and helping us out. Also thanks to David for letting us use his garage. As Jeff Foxworthy says: "You might be a redneck if you have a large #3 on your garage wall and your so proud of your riding mower that you keep a cover over it to keep the dust off".
The life of the church planter isn't always glamorous. There are routine things such as printing and making name badges to be done. Some days even the routine becomes a challenge. In the midst of getting ready for Sunday our laminator decided to melt a badge and refuse to spit it out. This led to a total laminator disassembly.
After about 30 minutes and a trip to retrieve a pair of needle nose pliers the offending melted badge was removed. It should be noted that the inside of a laminator stays really hot for a really long time. We now can claim the honor of having two certified laminator repair technicians on our volunteer team. I'm not sure how marketable these skills are but I am proud to have them on our team.
Mental Note: While making a quick read through of the laminator instructions trying to figure out how to take it apart I ran across the following statement "Be certain to always use the carrier sheet to avoid melting laminated items into the roller mechanism" I believe there is some truth in that statement. 
Well Mark finally decided on a recliner he likes. I think the green color will clash with the rest of his office but he likes it and that's what counts. :)
Still waiting. I'm amusing myself by making up new lyrics to the Aerosmith classic "Dude Looks Like a Lady". Everbody sing along : Dude,Dude,Shops like a lady...
Nikki Sixx: The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
John Burke: No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a Come As You Are Culture in the Church
Dan Kimball: They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations
David Foster: A Renegade's Guide to God: Finding Life Outside Conventional Christianity
