Yes, Jesus Married a Prostitute

Anybody remember, a little over a year ago, the media went nuts over a documentary called "The Lost Tomb of Jesus"? Here there was claimed to be solid proof not only that Jesus died and stayed dead, but that he was married to a woman named Mary or "Mariamne".

Anybody remember, about five years ago, a guy wrote a book called The Da Vinci Code? Although the author insisted it was a work of fiction, he also claimed that all his supporting facts, documents and historical data were accurate. The secular world was giddy with the notion that Jesus was not who Christians have thought him to be, and once again, that he was married to a woman named Mary.

In retrospect, it's easy to see that neither of these "breakthroughs" ever really broke through. The lasting impact on Christology (even popular Christology) was negligible. It simply emboldened those who held alternative beliefs about Jesus, and frightened those who toed the traditional line. But that's it.

Why do people want Jesus to be married? Obviously those of us who believe the biblical account don't want this, but I have to admit that, at times, I have wished that Jesus could relate to my married experiences... my challenges and failures and successes. (Why does that make it sound like I've been married more than once? )

But those who have less of themselves invested in the biblical, historical Jesus may want him to be married for two reasons: 1) so they can thumb their nose at Catholics or Evangelicals, and 2) so they don't have to deal with the existence of such a lofty person. Their lives might be more comfortable if they could bring the zenith of humanity down a notch, and imagine him as a sexual being who satisfied his urges. He may have done it properly, through marriage, but if his bride was indeed a prostitute (as the cultural detractors are claiming,) then we can all feel a little better about ourselves.

And we traditionalists bristle at the thought. Jesus is God, after all. God can't get married! Well, he could, if he wanted to, I mean, he IS God, so I guess he can do whatever he wants. But can you imagine? God picking out a human woman for a wife? What would their children be? Some sort of demi-gods out of Greek mythology, like Hercules? And if God shows no favoritism, how could he possibly choose one woman to marry, and reject all the others?

I'm glad you asked.

Let me answer the last one first. Although Jesus did not chose an individual woman for a wife, God is actually not opposed to singling people out for his honor. Mary the mother of Jesus was the only woman out of billions to be chosen to give birth to the Son of God. John the Beloved was the only man out of billions to be Jesus' best friend. And we can see how their names reflected their chosenness. Jesus declined to choose an individual for a wife, but not because he was opposed to singling people out... it was for other reasons.

Because think about it... if the Son of God was going to have a wife, what would she be like? This is a little different from choosing a mother or a best friend. This is choosing a partner to become unified with. One flesh, in other words. And no human being is big enough to be THE unified partner of Christ. No matter whom he chose, it would be a record-scratching anti-climax.

And he most certainly can't chose multiple women. The Bible may not condemn polygamy as often, and as loudly, as we'd like, but it's pretty obvious that Jesus cannot be a polygamist.

The only bride for Jesus that would declare his divinity, that would manifest his purposes for coming to earth and fulfill the eternal symbolism that God intended for marriage, would be the Church. The Body of Christ.

And what a name to carry... the Body of Christ. We may still look forward to the wedding feast of the Lamb at the end of this age, but nevertheless Christ has already given himself to us. We are betrothed, and declared to be one flesh. "Those who stay united with me, and I with them, are the ones who bear much fruit." [John 15:5] That is why we are the Body of Christ. We are the bride... the body that Jesus chose, and now we share it with him, just as he gave his body for us.

As encouraging as all that is, we eventually come down off this epiphany, and remember the blood on our hands. We recall our fallenness, and despair at the lopsidedness of this arrangement. We are a filthy bride, wearing red and black and a muddy shade of brown.

And suddenly the reality occurs to us... Jesus really did marry a prostitute. Just like Hosea married Gomer, and loved her and bought her and called her out of herself.

So we can see that even larger than Jesus' sense of marriage, is Jesus' sense of grace. It is far wider than we can imagine, great enough to swallow up all our inadequacies and rebellion.

Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?" I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent [or marital chuppa] over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. [Revelation 7:13-17]

+

Letter to Christianity Today

I wanted to share with everyone a letter I wrote to Christianity Today. So here it is:

William Lane Craig is 99% right in "God is Not Dead Yet", but I believe his take on the impotence of post-modernism needs correction. He falls into a common trap—equating relativism with post-modernism.

Relativism is just one aspect of post-modernism, and not even the most defining aspect of it.

Although I would agree with Craig that “modern” apologetics will always be vital, he does not recognize the amount of damage done to that faith by modernist thinking.

And by damage, I am primarily referring to the reduction of a faith which values both certainty and mystery, into one which we have a right to thoroughly categorize and systematize for human consumption.

Post-modernism has, in my opinion, the potential to correct this mistake. Granted, it also carries numerous dangers, like relativism, but fortunately it is not a package deal. I believe that relativism is beginning to wane, even as the post-modern point of view is spreading rapidly, especially among those under 35.

Merry Christmas! I Got You Some Slideshows!

I hope that wherever you find yourself this Christmas Day (or later) that you have the peace of Christ with you.

I've been storing up some pictures of the Front Porch lately, trying to find the time and energy to put them into slideshows, and upload them to The Core website. So now that I've managed to get it done, I'd like to present them as a little Christmas gift from me to you.

Best Photos of 2007

These images have been culled from the various and sundry events of 2007, and selected for their artistry, humor, or poignant depiction of the Front Porch experience.

Hit the Lights Fashion Show, December 8

The largest event by far to be hosted by the Front Porch was the Fashion Show. I had to divide the pictures up into 3 slideshows, the first for the event itself, the second for the preparation activities, and the third to show every garment exhibited.

Event Slideshow

Preparation Slideshow

Garments Slideshow

Spirituality in the Arts, December 7

Arguably the second largest event to take place at the Front Porch was the First Friday Spirituality in the Arts event on December 7, the day before. Together with the Fashion Show, it made for a pretty big weekend, which we called "A Weekend of Culture and Compassion"

Spirituality in the Arts

Recent Concerts

The rest of the slideshows are from three concerts held at the Front Porch over the last month. Enjoy!

SaltBox w/ 8th Plague

Apia Benefit Concert

Light Pollution w/ Jesse James Wax Museum

Another Write-up for The Core

I almost missed this one, in the November 2 News-Leader... http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007711040319

Here's our portion of the article, in case the link gets archived, and becomes unavailable:

On a recent weekend night, the Front Porch on South Avenue was filled with young people hanging out on couches, playing board games and perusing a selection of books lining a wall. Blackbird Cathedral, an instrumental trio, played music on a small stage while listeners ordered pastries or coffee.

"It's pretty laid-back," said Britney Carlo, 20, who was checking out the venue with her friend Emerald Callon, 21. "We like this atmosphere."

Not the typical mental picture one might think of when it comes to a night out in downtown Springfield. Though the perception of downtown as merely a bunch of bars and nightclubs is a common one, it is increasingly a misconception.

Though nightlife watering holes helped lead the revitalization of the center-city district throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, the continuing evolution of the area has meant more options for people of all ages and wider interests. From coffee to arcade games to music to comedy, a wide array of entertainment options downtown have nothing to do with alcohol.

Ryan Wiksell, who runs the Front Porch along with his wife, Christina, said they intent for the Front Porch to be a place for meeting and mixing.

The venue is a physical space for a Christian group called the Core, but Wiksell said the space isn't devoted solely to Core activities.

"It's a social venue for art, culture and community," Wiksell said. "Community — that's the big word for us."

The Front Porch opened in September. For Wiksell, there wasn't any doubt as to the best location to attract diverse crowds of people.

"A big part of it is just loving downtown," he said when asked about inspiration for starting the Front Porch. "We wanted to be part of all that vibrancy, all the life that's down here."

Girls Gone Wild Go Home!

Yesterday when I showed up at the Front Porch there was a reporter lady and a camera man standing out in front, interviewing Matt, one of our volunteers. I naturally assumed it was about the FroPo. But no, it was about... "the boot".

With all due respect to our local crop of intrepid journalists, that is the nature of news in this town. Granted, last night there was a body found near Evangel's campus, and a car chase and firearms showdown that ended in a suicide, but yesterday afternoon, the press was there to talk about the boot... you know, the device they put on vehicles whose owners have failed to pay their parking tickets. It's that ironic device that says, "Hey... you're not supposed to park here. So now you can't move at all! Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Cough... spit!"

So I was standing around for a moment watching Matt's interview when another guy walked up and said, "Hey, are you guys reporting about Girls Gone Wild?" and he pointed down the street. I looked up and noticed that, parked across the street and about three doors down, was a big tour bus completely wrapped up in a "Girls Gone Wild" graphic. My first reaction was to be surprised that it wasn't more, well... graphic. Except for the other-worldly-platinum blonde hair, too much makeup and bad-girl smiles it was actually completely modest.

But that's where the pleasantries ended. The bus was parked in front of the "Boogie" night club, downtown Springfield's premier meat market. It made me want to slash their tires, if that wouldn't have actually kept them there longer. The reporter said that, no, she wasn't doing a story about Girls Gone Wild, she was doing a story about the boot. That, to me, was comparable to doing a story on a pot hole in the street while the house behind you burns to the ground.

My wife stepped up to the front door to join our conversation, and the reporter told us about her angry confrontation with the guy running the GGW show. She had told him off for getting barely legal women liquored up and exploiting them for the cameras in a way that will haunt them forever. He said that quite a few women had gotten good jobs out of it. When she ask what jobs, outside of the porn industry, he said that one woman became a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. Whoop-de-do. I guess that counts. I wonder what she'll do when they spit her out at age 31.

When I hear about the 60s and 70s, it makes me wonder where I would have fit into that scene. It's impossible to know for sure. I do know that I'm against smoking weed, casual sex, and going without a shower for weeks on end. That would probably set me apart from the hippie crowd. But I have to admit they discovered some things about women that our modern society is remiss to neglect.

Yes, I think they went too far with the whole feminazi thing. But something had to be done about the exploitation of women... the reduction of the feminine gender to a possession, a baby factory, and/or a sexual plaything. And they made actual progress. But it seems that, for some reason, there has been a sort of splashback. In one way, the movement continues unabated, in another way it has back-fired. We are simultaneously faced with the strongest female presidential hopeful in history, and the most pervasive sexual objectification ever of her gender.

The saddest thing to me is that, as our culture learned to be more respectful of women, it was not Christians leading the way. And as our culture has slid back down that hill into the gutter and beyond, that Christians still seem to be absent from the conversation. Yes, we preach against adultery and fornication and immodest attire and looking at porn. But are we really opposing evil, and more importantly, are we setting the example for society by treating older women as mothers and younger women as sisters? This is a commandment, for God's sake! When are we going to start paying attention?

Because you know what Mr. Bus Driver across the street would do, when he launches his routine at the Boogie, if his little sister walked in. The fact is, they're all his sisters. And they're your sisters, being reduced to packages of flesh.

Lord have mercy.

Front Porch on KSPR

Here's a story that ran last Friday on Springfield's ABC News affiliate, KSPR 33. Not too bad for a short spot, I'd say. My only (minor) complaints are that we're called "Core" instead of "The Core" and I am listed as "Youth Pastor" instead of "Pastor" (I guess the subtitle people assumed the word "pastor" was a mistake, judging by my... a-youthful a-ppearance.) Also the fact that it took them a week and a half to get it up on the web. I'll try to get the video onto the "media" page of our website soon, too. Enjoy!

The Nooma Sessions: 001 - Rain

Our small group, called "Re:Group" has begun watching the Nooma video series in our Sunday evening gatherings. I plan to post here each week with a description of each video, from Nooma's website, plus a review of the video, and an overview of the discussion that followed our viewing. I hope you enjoy it.

Things don’t always work out the way we want them to, or the way we think they will. Sometimes we don’t even see it coming. We get hit with some form of pain out of nowhere leaving us feeling desperate and helpless. That’s the way life is. Still, it makes us wonder how God can let these things happen to us. How God can just stand by and watch us suffer? Where is God when it really hurts? Maybe God is actually closer to us than we think. Maybe it’s when we’re in these situations, where everything seems to be falling apart, that God gets an opportunity to remind us of how much he really loves us.

Intended Audience: Anyone and everyone, but particularly helpful for those struggling with doubts about God's goodness.

Review: As you can see, this is the first Nooma video, and it gets the series off to an excellent start. It is emotional and touching without being cheesy or cloying. The music and videography are fantastic. But it is still clear that they have yet to hit their stride. Rob Bell, while poignant and passionate, is still fairly uncomfortable in his delivery. He stumbles a bit in his memorization, and uses a few words in distracting ways, such as a constant use of, "It's intrstng..." spoken really fast. And he uses the unmodified word "scriptures" instead of "Bible" for some reason, as if there were no other scriptures besides the Bible. His mannerisms also suggest that he is still getting used to talking to the camera. From a presentation point, we can see that Nooma started off pretty literal with their segment titles and imagery. It's called "Rain" because the video is mostly about rain, and there's a picture of an umbrella on the cover. In subsequent segments, the titles and imagery are much more intriguing and implied, which I like. But all these things are very minor. "Rain" is truly a wonderful experience.

Re:Group Discussion: We had a very intimate dialogue following this video. We gave some testimony, and talked about how God is interested far more in our character than our happiness, and how it is trial and suffering that brings about character in our lives. On the other hand, it is often when we have hit rock bottom that God uses an unexpected blessing to turn us around, because "it is his kindness that leads us to repentance." We discussed the redemptive nature of suffering, as we commit to live our lives for others, and not for ourselves. Thus we can become co-laborers with our brothers and sisters as they suffer, because we have been there. And we can encourage others to look for the redemptive purpose of their own suffering, although we should recognize the difference between a time to counsel, and a time to comfort.

We read Psalm 124 to understand God's desire to rescue us from trouble, and Job 1:20-21 to understand how to worship God even when he did not rescue us. We also considered the declaration of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who said, and I paraphrase, "Even if our God does not save us, we will still not bow down to a man."

We recognized that, as we go through trials, it is so important to understand that God treasures the moments that he can love us through them, and that, if we are mature in our faith, we can look back at them later, and treasure them as well.

Next Week, June 24: Merge - a community worship gathering, at the Bellwether gallery

July 1 Re:Group gathering: Nooma 002 - Flame

KY3 Story - Urban Spiritual Seekers and Anatomically Incorrect Chickens

Last night, The Core, and the Front Porch, were featured on KY3 News at Ten.

Overall, pretty good story. Fair, but friendly, too.

The only thing... and I can imagine the reporter snickering with the video editors about this... is how they caught me talking about "oversized breasts". Not only that, so oversized that they make it difficult to stand upright.

The breasts in question were, in fact, chicken breasts, and I mentioned them in my 10-minute talk about the Organic Movement during April's Open Mic Night. 10 minutes of words, and that's what they picked?!? Oh well.

In case you're interested, I was trying to point out the danger of taking what's natural, and engineering it into a farce. I started out on the topic of organic food vs. frankenfood, and moved on to the conviction that we were designed to live in community... relating to one another face-to-face, and not face-to-interface. At least not so often.

Also, the final comment on the story, "the Front Porch building is owned by a nightclub" needs a bit of clarification. The fact is that our landlord, who is leasing the building to us, owns several businesses, one of which is a downtown nightclub. Although we get along great with him, and he is positive about what we're doing, it is strictly a business relationship. And it seems to me that nightclubs don't own buildings, people do.

So if you've started typing out an angry e-mail, send it to your congressperson instead. And title it, "Won't someone pleeeease think of the chickens???"

GO Magazine - "God's Place on South Avenue"

Well, here it is... The Core's first journalistic expose' (not counting Joy Robertson's piece, since that was pretty much just about Open Mic Church.) All in all I'd say it was a fair and well-written article. But since there are a few hiccups in it, I thought it best to give it the interlinear rundown (my comments in red.)

God's place on South Avenue

The Front Porch hopes to fill a void--not just empty space--downtown

By Matt Lemmon

Pastor Ryan Wiksell in the South Avenue space soon to be occupied by The Front Porch. (Photo Melissa Pedersen)

The Front Porch. It sounds like a hokey, down-home sandwich shop better suited for downtown Marshfield than Springfield.

You "hokey" Marshfield residents can call Matt Lemmon at 417-883-7417, or e-mail him if you like.

In actuality, it’s a not-for-profit, Christian outreach and social spot run by local home-church network The Core, slated to open in May or June on South Avenue next door to Ernie Biggs’ Dueling Piano Bar. Downtown is a district The Core’s co-founder and pastor, Ryan Wiksell, says intrigues him greatly, both for its lack of invested Christian presence and its similarity with the church.

“There’s a gap in both worlds, the church and the urban downtown,” says Wiksell, 27, who is also an arts assistant at Bellwether Gallery of the Arts (at the Monarch Art Factory), which is owned by Springfield’s Second Baptist Church. “People are drawn downtown because of a sense of place and community and history. Yet it’s still disconnected and individualistic.”

I want to clarify that the "gap" in the church is similar to the gap in downtown because both seem lack a cohesive sense of community, where people experience loyal friendships and look out for one another.

He hopes The Front Porch will help downtown connect. For months, volunteer members of The Core have been working to renovate a long-abandoned storefront just north of Ernie Biggs. Wiksell says The Front Porch will open at least five evenings a week (lunch and weekday plans will depend on staffing), offering “free-to-cheap” coffee and a laid-back environment for anyone interested in a conversation…or Christianity, but only if that’s what the individual is looking for. “We’re not salesmen,” Wiksell says. “A lot of people, including us, resent the used car-salesman approach to Christianity. God can speak for himself.”

If this last quote concerns you, I understand. The point is that the culmination of any sales pitch is the closer. If you can't close the deal (at some point,) don't waste your time. But every Christian should know that the Holy Spirit is the only one who transforms hearts. He is the deal-closer... period. In that sense, we should always allow God to speak for himself, and not try to do his job for him. It is a failure to trust him in this way that has brought about many high-pressure strategies, with "closers" like, "Is there any reason why you wouldn't want to give your life to Christ right now?" This is a question many Christians are actually taught to ask. (Incidentally, when I was in musical instrument sales, one of my training tips was to ask, "Is there any reason why you wouldn't want to buy this instrument right now?") When you take a step back from sales, you get marketing. Marketing convinces you that you have a specific need, Sales convinces you to meet that need by buying the product. Christianity really has nothing to do with either of these things. We "love our neighbors" when we are there for them, and when we sensitively but confidently share with them the truth that they need to hear. In this way, we do speak for God. But this should not have to involve convincing them that there's a void (most people recognize it anyway, and those who don't will resent the implication) or pressuring them to fill it with our "product."

Wiksell says not to expect the typical, going-through-the-motions Sunday morning service at The Front Porch—there may not be Sunday activities at all [at the Front Porch, anyway. But there is actually a good chance that we'll have something going on there on Sundays.] Instead, organizers are planning a slew of open-mic events, concerts and movie nights (think edgier, existential stuff like The Matrix, not cheesy flicks like The Ten Commandments). [For the record, I didn't say that "The Ten Commandments" is cheesy. I would say it's more... hokey. Which is great if you live in Marshfield.] Inside, The Front Porch will be set up like a coffee bar— but with a very limited selection. “I don’t want people to think we’re doing anything like the MudHouse,” [This is just my attempt to prevent the MudHouse from viewing us as not-for-profit competition serving free coffee.] Wiksell says—with tables, couches and a stage for musicians. There’s even a small children’s play room. Sustaining funds are expected to come from The Core, as well as donations from patrons (“like a city art museum,” Wiksell says) and the minimal coffee bar income.

The Core’s (and the The Back Porch’s) [ahem... Back Porch?] start-up capital has primarily come from its leaders’ pockets—though it has gained some financial and logistical support from traditional local congregations; Wiksell refused to divulge which ones. [I prefer the word "declined".] He would say only that a number of local pastors are noticing a “disconnectedness” downtown and felt compelled to help.

It’s an ambitious plan, putting a religiously focused, family-friendly nonprofit next door to Ernie Biggs, which is quite possibly downtown’s bawdiest bar. Ernie Biggs owner Jay Hickman says he has had limited conversations with Wiksell and his wife, Christina, and says he doesn’t know enough about his neighbor-to-be to comment. “I don’t really have an opinion on it,” Hickman says. “It’s not a vacant building anymore, so that’s good.” [Come to the Front Porch... it's better than nothing!]

Rusty Worley, executive director of the Urban Districts Alliance, points to other Christian-related, nonprofit businesses like Bellwether and The Belmonte [as a matter of fact, neither the Bellwether nor the Belmonte are businesses... the former is an off-campus arts venue of a local church, and the other is an empty space that is periodically rented by a local church for bands to play] as signs that The Front Porch, at least in an arts and entertainment capacity, can succeed. While Worley also admits he doesn’t know a lot about The Core or its plans, he welcomes anything that will offer additional all-ages, alcohol-free space and further downtown’s reputation as a live music destination.

[We are really trying to play up the Front Porch's position in downtown as an all-ages, alcohol-free music venue. If you want to help us make sure it succeeds, or if you know any bands looking for a place to play downtown, e-mail me and let me know. ]

The Core’s musical mission is already taking root, though not at The Front Porch. April 7 is the next date in the group’s Open-Mic Church series, currently being held at Bellwether Art Gallery.

[For the record, Open Mic Church is not a primarily musical event. We also welcome anyone who wants to read poetry, tell their story or just share an opinion. And it is from 7-10 pm the day after First Friday Artwalk each month.]

Wiksell himself is a 2002 Evangel University music major (theology minor) and has spent the last three years as music director at South Haven Baptist Church. [Actually, I left that position over 15 months ago.] “In a lot of ways I’m totally unqualified for this,” he says with a laugh. But he’s not unprepared: Wiksell knows The Front Porch will have a very different Friday-night focus than most of its neighbors. “This was exactly what we were looking for,” he says, speaking of The Core’s among-the-people mission. “People can be drunk, poor or homeless and they don’t always know how to handle it in the best way possible.”

[That final quote bothers me, because I can't imagine I would have phrased it like that. It doesn't even make sense to ME. Chances are I was in the middle of saying that we are happy to be in a place where all types of people might come in--including the drunk, poor, or homeless--who normally would be considered "undesirables" in a traditional church. Many Christians are not prepared to handle this type of situation, but we have actually gone out looking for it. Granted, it's impossible to really be truly "prepared" for this stuff.]

Are Wiksell and The Core trying to “save” downtown? “I don’t like that word, ‘saving’. It’s a cliché,” he says. “We’re not going at it with the formulaic approach. Jesus got to know people where they were. If it’s your life, you know if something’s missing.”
“We don’t expect everyone to be spiritual in nature. We’re just trying to set the tone for people to listen.” [to each other]

[He asked me if I was out to "save downtown". To me, that concept is so broad that it doesn't properly reflect our personalized, relational approach. And if you're confused about the, "If it's your life, you know if something's missing" part, I think it goes better with the "used-car salesman" part of the conversation. I was making a point about not using a "marketing" approach.]

[Info Box] What is The Core?

A network of “home churches” that’s bucking the traditional trend

Led by co-founder and pastor Ryan Wiksell, The Core has a downtown-specific mission “to help people connect with God and with one another through whole-life relationships, and to engage them in the mission of God in the world,” according to its website. They hope to achieve this with projects like The Front Porch. The Core’s “member” churches [this makes us sound like a denomination, which we're not... but I don't really blame him for not fully understanding... sometimes I don't even understand it] are led primarily by worshippers—many in their 20s and 30s—who have grown weary of the day-to-day politics of traditional congregations. Wiksell says “family members” include anyone with whom The Core has contact. “Team members” have agreed to be active in furthering The Core’s mission.

Phillip and Amy Scoggins are two such team members. Last year, disillusioned with the politics at a local Southern Baptist church, the couple started inviting friends to join them every Sunday in the living room of their east Springfield home. “We felt called to smaller groups, to go back to basics,” says Phillip.

Friends with Wiksell, Phillip, 29, and Amy, 26, have also become active in The Core’s small leadership group (Phillip is outreach director, Amy is the arts coordinator), even though their congregation is not yet part of the downtown-focused network.

Phillip says he and Amy have embraced The Core. “It piqued our interest because we wanted to be involved in a community and have relationships with others outside our church.” But for some, The Core could present an Animal Farm-esque conundrum: [Is this Matt's subtle way of calling me a totalitarian pig? ;-)] Does a group of people seeking to escape highly organized religion want to join another organization, no matter how non-intrusive it may be? “The question is ‘Do we feel called to Center City Springfield?,” Phillip says, adding that he and Amy are happy to continue working with The Core and that a decision will not be rushed. “We don’t need to pressure them.” [Matt's point seems to be that Phillip & Amy's group is not a structured organization... it is mostly people who are fed up with "the man" and are therefore unlikely to jump back into something structured. Phillip is saying that structure is not the issue. The issue is whether their group feels called specifically to reach Center City. The implication is that if they decide that they share that call with The Core, they are likely to join.]

______________________

Like I said, it was overall a pretty good article... and it characterizes us fairly well. So if you're reading this, Mr. Lemmon, thanks for the attention. We'll try not to let it go to our heads. ;-)

Socrates Cafe

Today I submitted a "press release" of sorts to the Springfield (Missouri) News-Leader regarding our bi-weekly Socrates Cafe discussion group. It remains to be seen what they will actually do with it, but here it is anyway:

Springfield residents Ryan & Christina Wiksell began in September 2005 to gather those interested in discussing a wide range of topics over refreshments. They call it the "Socrates Cafe" and it meets twice a month on Saturday evenings at the Radish Infoshop at 417 N. Boonville. The reference to the Greek philosopher Socrates is due to the nature of the discussions; the moderator (usually Ryan) brings a list of questions, along with the occasional video, artwork, or book excerpt, to ask of the participants in order to plumb the depths of comprehension. Although arguments are against the rules, vigorous debate and disagreement are par for the course. In the end, the goal is to gain a richer understanding of ourselves through relevant, provocative, and respectful discourse. Upcoming topics for the summer include, "Are the terrorists winning?", "Will the real Jesus please stand up?" and "Is China the next superpower?" Everyone is welcome, and no expertise or advanced knowledge of topics is expected. Refreshments typically include cold sodas and bottled water, fruits and/or veggies, snack foods and a few desserts. If you are interested in participating, please e-mail Ryan at ryan@thecoredowntown.com or call the Radish at 866-7903.

And now, exclusively for the blog reader... a list of the dates and topics of all upcoming Socrates Cafe sessions for the summer of 2006:

June 10 - Is there a crisis of character in American leadership?
June 24 - Are the terrorists winning?

July 8 - Who are the true Muslims?
July 22 - Will the real Jesus please stand up?

August 5 - Is China the next superpower?
August 19 - Is the mainstream media feeding us propaganda?

And just so you know, we really prize the opportunities this activity has afforded us to gain a wide variety of perspectives on real issues, so I would discourage you from coming, and bringing a bunch of friends who think just like you. In fact, I would discourage you from bringing a bunch of anybody without at least buying us some extra snacks. :-)~

Hope to you see you there.

God Hates Fred Phelps (?)

“God Hates America”
“Too Late To Pray”
“God Is Your Enemy”
“America Is Doomed”
“Thank God for [Dead Soldiers, 9/11, IEDs]

Free speech run amok.

It’s hard to get angry at the news anymore. So much murder, death, corruption, spin, extortion, starvation, hopelessness… you can’t care about all of it and keep your nerves intact. Desensitization is the consequence of an information-soaked society.

But I’m sure my blood was not alone in boiling at the latest news from Crackpot Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. “Pastor” Fred Phelps, infamous for his leadership in the “God Hates Fags” demonstrations, is protesting not just the war in Iraq, not just the Bush Administration, but the soldiers and even the widows, declaring to the spouse of a departed, “You’re partly responsible for him being dead, woman.”

So, without bothering to ask any funeral attendees their opinion of the war, or of homosexuality, Fred and his crew are crashing the party, holding aloft their signs of contempt and derision. And I mention homosexuality because, for this crowd, that’s what it all boils down to. Fred isn’t really against the war, or the military, or their widows. He’s against “fags” and all those who tolerate them.

Not only is his rhetoric disgusting, it’s illogical. He has a knack for contradicting himself. His website claims that Jesus did not die for the unregenerate, including homosexuals, and that they have no chance for redemption. Yet he persists in picketing against them, demanding that they turn and repent. He thanks God for dead soldiers, and yet, as quoted above, blames widows for bringing dead soldiers about.

I answered a poll at Good Morning America’s website that told me I am among the unanimity of responders so far in believing that funerals should be off-limits to protesters. I can say with confidence that America is against people like Fred Phelps, and for legislation (being introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Michael Rogers of Michigan) to keep him and his ilk away from grieving friends and family.

We despise his message. We abhor his method. Do we hate Fred Phelps? Does God?

“For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have?” Jesus asks in Matthew 5:46. If we cannot love our kids when they’re insubordinate, our friends when they’re negligent, and our fellow citizens when they’re out of their minds, we have not loved at all.

And ultimately, if we find our love to be no better than Fred’s, I have only one thing to say:

“America is doomed.”

Part 4 Continued: TIME article

As a continuation of the current thread on House Church, I want to direct everybody to an article from the February 27 issue of TIME magazine called "There's No Pulpit Like Home." It explores the House Church Movement in this country in a very favorable light, so I think it adds a lot to the discussion.