Normal Rockstar

Praying in Public: To Do or Not to Do?

I had a couple of interesting experiences last week that have made me want to find out what your collective opinion on this is. Let me paint two different scenarios for you:

Scenario #1

Out for dinner with my wife and another couple. Before our food arrives we collectively bow our heads and my friend says grace. After the meal is finished, we get up to leave and my friend goes over to the table beside us (a party of 10+ older folks) and compliments them for praying publicly before their meal.

Scenario #2

Out for lunch with my wife and seven other friends. The drinks arrive, the appetizers arrive, and no one's said grace yet. I catch the eye of one of the leaders of our group and discreetly ask him if he wants to say grace for us. He then proceeds to announce to the table in a somewhat apologetic, almost embarrassed manner, "Jeremy wants me to say grace before we eat, so let me pray."

I have a lot of respect for both of these men and for the way that they live out their faith. The way Scenario #2 played out kind of bothered me for some reason, though. I have grown up praying in public in restaurants. To this day whenever my family goes out to eat we hold hands around the table and dad will say grace for us all. So I guess what I'm wrestling with is this question: am I being the "weaker brother" by asking to pray before our meal? Is that too old-school/conservative/traditional? I don't do it EVERY time I'm out to eat, but more often than not. If I was really in tune with my faith and in prayer continually anyway, would God automatically know that I was thankful for my food and not need that public admission?

Here's my conclusion: I still believe it is an encouragement both to others in the restaurant and to the server to see a couple/family/group of friends praying before a meal. It also serves as a good reminder to me that since everyone in the restaurant now knows I am a person of faith, I'd better conduct myself in a way that represents the Lord well. And let's be honest... does it really hurt to take an extra few seconds and pray together with friends/family? If I end up looking a little less cool as a result, so be it.

praying in public, prayer

Fat Pastors: Do As I Say, Not As I Do

I randomly came across this stat the other day and it forced to the surface some thoughts and feelings I've had for a number of years. Here's the stat:

- 73% of pastors are overweight with 50% more than 30 lbs overweight

This is a classic example of "do as I say, not as I do". From pulpits all across North America every Sunday congregates are warned of the dangers of alcohol, smoking, promiscuous sex, money, and - depending on the convictions or biblical interpretations of the one doing the majority of the talking - other sinful behavior (gossip, maybe?).

I will never forget my experience with one charismatic teacher who, being a good 80-100lbs overweight, justified his girth by saying, "Being from the south, I love food" while patting his round belly. The congregation gave him what he wanted - a loving, "he's a good ol' boy" chuckle - and he carried right along. The ironic thing was that in the following weeks he was absent from the pulpit because of various health issues, including a knee surgery that undoubtedly was required due to the excess amount of weight he was asking his knees to support.

I'll be honest: I have a hard time respecting a pastor who  vehemently speaks out against sin and ignores his sin of gluttony and overindulgence. It seems to me that the same biblical text quoted in support of not smoking or drinking - 1 Cor. 6:19, 20: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." - while dealing contextually with sexual sin, would apply here. I mean, if our bodies truly are a temple of the Holy Spirit, wouldn't it be appropriate that we take care of them and do everything we can to "honor God" with our bodies?!?

"But he doesn't have time to exercise or work out - he's too busy preparing for the sermon, visiting the sick, praying for the lost, going on missions trips..." Give me a break and stop making excuses for your fat pastor. If he's practicing what he's preaching, he'll MAKE the time, because he reads his Bible and understands that the way he treats his body - how he fuels it (food) and how he maintains it (exercise and rest) are acts of worship.

Do yourself and your church a favor and start holding your pastors accountable in the area of food and gluttony. It will pay off in the long run and add literal years to their lives.

Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic: Speaking Out Against Christian Music Industry?

[Editor's note: I wrote this entry yesterday and lost it before I was able to post it. So this is my second attempt...]

I came across an interview the other day that peaked my interest [HT: Supersimbo]. Ryan Tedder, lead singer for the band OneRepublic, was interviewed by the Houston Chronicle and was quoted as saying the following (click here for the full article):

"Q: You were raised by an extended family of missionaries and pastors. Has that played into your music?

A: I got offered a Christian record deal. I'm Christian, I grew up in the church. But I'm not going to tour churches. I was raised in Oklahoma. Tulsa's like the buckle of the Bible Belt. I grew up in that environment. I was in Nashville for two years, (and) I quickly became friends with probably half a dozen of some of the biggest Christian recording artists. Every single one of them was absolutely miserable with the fact that they were "Christian" recording artists. I saw some stuff in Nashville that turned my stomach. Some of the most pretentious, insecure people I ever met were Christian recording artists."

I'm a Christian... I have a Christian record deal... I play in a lot of churches... I live in Nashville... Does that mean I'm miserable, pretentious, and insecure?

On the first read, it would appear that Tedder has a bone to pick with the CCM industry. But I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. Why? Because, with very few exceptions, I agree with everything he said. I see stuff in Nashville that turns my stomach too. And I have met very pretentious, insecure people who call themselves Christian artists. I think he exaggerates his point a little bit by stating that every single one of his "big Christian recording artist friends" was "absolutely miserable" with what they did, but I know there are some who look on the other side of the fence and see greener pastures.

Here's my deal: Tedder claims he's a Christian - I believe him. Therefore, both he and I belong to the same family, the same Body. And as different members of one body, we serve different functions. Tedder feels called to "the world"; my primary focus is to the Church. One is not better than the other - both are vitally important to the furthering of the Kingdom. Yes, there is a lot that is un-Christ-like about the Christian music industry - I will be the first to point that out. But can't the same be said about the Church?

Ben Stein is Expelled

I came across this movie the other day [HT: Brock] and have been quite taken by it. I've seen banners for it on other blogs but  haven't taken the time to really check it out. Watch the trailer and let me know what you think.

Ben and his team have done a fantastic job of providing some great resources for people like us to help get the word out on this movie. It's releasing in April, not February like some of the trailers say. One of the quotes in the super trailer that stuck out to me is this:

"In my experience, people who are confident in their ideas are not afraid of criticism..."

Check out these links for more info:

Resource Site
Official Website
YouTube
MySpace

(This is post 301, by the way... pretty cool!)

Jesus Was a Rockstar... Wasn't He?

"I firmly believe Christians are not supposed to be famous."

A friend of mine made this statement a couple of weeks ago while teaching at a conference I was sitting in on. I haven't been able to get it out of my head. I really respect this guy and his wisdom and insight into issues of faith. But I almost felt like he was talking directly to me and in the process invalidating what I've spent the last nine years of my life doing.

I am a professional musician and in certain circles would be considered famous. Being famous was not what I or my bandmates started out to achieve; that aspect of who we are hasn't changed. I'm not saying we would cringe at the thought of winning a Grammy, selling a million CDs, or selling out arenas - from a business perspective, these things would be very good. But all of this - being "famous" - is not our ultimate goal; rather, our ultimate goal is to be faithful with the gifts and songs we've been given, sharing them with as many people as possible.

Is there something wrong with that? Am I missing something?

I mean, look at Jesus, the man who, as Christians, we aspire to imitate. He did not go out and seek fame - He taught people, loved people, and shared His life with everyone He came into contact with. But in the process word got out about this man who claimed to be the Messiah, who was an incredible teacher, and who could perform miracles. It is documented in the Bible that He spoke to crowds of over 4,000 on multiple occasions; people followed Him around from city to city hanging on His every word. Jesus didn't go out looking for fame... but He was definitely famous (and still is!) - Jesus was a rockstar.

Jeanne Assam: Colorado Shooting Heroine

"I just felt like it was me, the gunman, and God."

You are probably aware by now of the "religious shooting" incident in Colorado (if not, click here for an updated story). A gunman shot two people at a YWAM training center in Denver and then 12 hours later opened fire at a church on a Sunday morning. A lot has been made of the story and why he did it. I'm not going to spend any time talking about him or his story - I'm sure you can find it all over the internet. I want you instead to watch this video of a press conference with Jeanne Assam, the volunteer security guard who is credited with taking down the gunman (police are now saying that he may have actually died by a self-afflicted gun wound). Thanks to her quick thinking, she saved the lives of potentially hundreds of church goers (the gunman had 1000 rounds with him).

Please remember the families of those who were killed today. My sister is currently on a YWAM base overseas and sat under the teaching of Peter Warren, the base leader in Denver. Please keep he, his staff, and the students there in your prayers as well. For most of us, life will continue to roll on as usual this time of year. But for some families in Denver and Colorado Springs, their worlds have been rocked severely and they are in need of our prayers.

Things I Am Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving, America!

My wife and I had our Thanksgiving dinner last night at our place and invited some friends over. Erin did a fantastic job preparing the meal along with a friend and we enjoyed a wonderful evening full of food and games. It was a great day, even if it was a day early. Here is a quick list of SOME of the things I am thankful for in no particular order:

• a beautiful wife who loves and accepts me despite my weaknesses, flaws, and general hairiness
• a safe country to live and work in
• a church and community where I can practice my faith without fear of persecution
• good health
• a great job and great people to work with
• a family (both immediate and extended, including inlaws) that loves each other and enjoys spending time with each other
• ice cream

What are some things you're thankful for?

Lee Strobel Makes a Case for The Real Jesus

I have been reading Lee Strobel's new book, "The Case for the Real Jesus" this week and am REALLY enjoying it. I hate to admit it, but this is the first of Lee's books that I've actually read. I have heard his story - he's a a former atheist turned Christian after he started investigating Christianity in an effort to disprove it for an article he was writing for the Chicago Tribune - and have been able to spend some time with him (he's really a great guy!), but it wasn't until now that I've actually read one of his books.

What I'm enjoying about this particular book is that it's an easy read. He writes it in a very engaging way. The basic premise is that he goes around the country interviewing various scholars who have been wrestling with this question for years - who IS the real Jesus? - and he writes in such a way as though we feel we're sitting in on the interview, talking with old friends.

One cool sidenote: Lee actually quotes a line from a downhere song in the introduction of the book, and we will be going out to California the end of this month to play at the official TV broadcast launch of the book - click here for more information on the event. You can see a video of us performing the song he quotes here.

Kathy Griffin and the Emmy Awards

Here's an interesting one [HT: Brock]. It obviously did the trick for her - now everyone's talking about a D-list comedian/actor. Thoughts?

A Great New Book

I have made a new friend as of late, and have been enjoying his book. Charles Robinson, author and founder of The Red Road, is a man of quiet strength. We had coffee together the other week (neither of us drank coffee) and I thoroughly enjoyed our time together. I am preparing to build a blog for Charles, so we'll be seeing more of each other, and I'm quite looking forward to it. He's one of those people whose passion for what they do is contagious. Do you know anyone like that?