In the beginning of the bible we are told about God dwelling among us within the garden with the tree of life and the impending curse that is set down upon us because of the mistake of Adam and Eve. But in Revelations 22 we are told about a time when God will dwell among us again and we will be face to face with him and a tree of life that will heal the nations and there will no longer be a curse. If we go right into the middle, we find Jesus as God dwelling among us and dying for us on the cross (the tree of life) that will forgive us our sins (lift the curse). Just something that ran through my mind as I was thinking during one of my classes.
Is it me, or does this look like one of those emails that you have to forward to ten of your friends if you believe in Jesus otherwise you don't?
ron
CD-Listening to the White Stripes in concert on NPR
Reading-a narrative of surprising conversions by John Edwards. zzzzzz...what? oh I'm sorry I fell asleep.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Pain In The Neck
I threw my neck out. It hurts so bad that I am using an old prescription of Vicadin to help ease the pain. I led music at our monthly worship service last night at church. I was high on Vics. Is this a sin?
One thing that I'd like to pass on to you is this thought: THe importance of space. When I was leading worship last night, there were these moments where you could feel the presence of GOd in the room. You could feel that he was doing something incredible, but suddenly out of the blue there would come this extremely violating moment where an electric guitar would make a big "ka-chunk" sound, and this was not an accident. The guitar player was either checking his guitar or "adding" sound. Something that we guitar players are cursed with is that we love to play, and if we are not playing we think that we should be. Here is where the concept of space comes through.
When worshipping in any shape or form, we need to be considerate toward the Holy Spirit and be ready to move with it where ever it may lead. The thing is, if we are continually running our mouths/instruments/whatever it is that you worship with, how will you ever be able to be sensitive to what the Spirit is trying to say?
A friend of mine once showed me an illustration of this by balancing a broomstick on the end of my hand. THe point of this illustration was the fact that we cannot balance the broom without looking up to the heavy part of teh broom. This is what is true in worship: we cannot worship without keeping our eyes on the Holy Spirit, otherwise you are going to try to manipulate it to no avail.
ron
CD-THe Gorillaz*demon days. Beautiful cd.
Excited for-The movie Walk the Line. the Johnny Cash story. It will be amazing.
One thing that I'd like to pass on to you is this thought: THe importance of space. When I was leading worship last night, there were these moments where you could feel the presence of GOd in the room. You could feel that he was doing something incredible, but suddenly out of the blue there would come this extremely violating moment where an electric guitar would make a big "ka-chunk" sound, and this was not an accident. The guitar player was either checking his guitar or "adding" sound. Something that we guitar players are cursed with is that we love to play, and if we are not playing we think that we should be. Here is where the concept of space comes through.
When worshipping in any shape or form, we need to be considerate toward the Holy Spirit and be ready to move with it where ever it may lead. The thing is, if we are continually running our mouths/instruments/whatever it is that you worship with, how will you ever be able to be sensitive to what the Spirit is trying to say?
A friend of mine once showed me an illustration of this by balancing a broomstick on the end of my hand. THe point of this illustration was the fact that we cannot balance the broom without looking up to the heavy part of teh broom. This is what is true in worship: we cannot worship without keeping our eyes on the Holy Spirit, otherwise you are going to try to manipulate it to no avail.
ron
CD-THe Gorillaz*demon days. Beautiful cd.
Excited for-The movie Walk the Line. the Johnny Cash story. It will be amazing.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Words Cannot Explain...
I recieved the strangest phone call last night. I have a friend in california who I've known for some time now and he called me to tell me, "as a friend and as a pastor", that he has cancer. He finds out tomorrow if it is aggressive or not and an estimate on his life. He called me to tell me that he wants me to play at his funeral. It's a beautifully morbid honor that he is giving me, but it's these times that God just doesn't make sense. He's not old, and he's not young, he doesn't smoke, he's fairly healthy...he just has a sunspot that is growing on his head. This is where teh reality of "pastor" kicks in (and by pastor I don't mean that I have the title in front of my name). It's not jsut playing songs anymore, it's peoples lives in my hands and assuring that God is remembered in all of this shit. It is really numbing right now. Surreal...is that the word I'm looking for?
ron
cd-A mix of Hawaiian/island music to help soothe me: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Bob Marley, 311, ub40, Jack Johnson, Ho'aikane, and others that you may or may not have heard of. I sent a copy down to my friend to help soothe him also.
ron
cd-A mix of Hawaiian/island music to help soothe me: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Bob Marley, 311, ub40, Jack Johnson, Ho'aikane, and others that you may or may not have heard of. I sent a copy down to my friend to help soothe him also.
Friday, September 23, 2005
I hate smart people
I have this wierd torture device called New Testament Theology. I go every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:00-10:50. I am so lost most of the time, because it is so above my head. I don't want to look like an idiot, but I think I might bring a dictionary with me to class. People are throwing around words like dichotemy, dispensationalism. or Kerygma. I know what these words mean now, sort of, but it just seems like these people are learning new words and trying to impress the teacher with their little nuggets of jizz. I just want to look at them and say, "Your mental masturbation impresses nobody but the people in your head, and what you are doing is just pointless and annoying-please stop". I guess it's not the smart people I hate, but instead the chronic masturbators as mentioned above. I think that once people gain a little academic understanding there is this need to show it off. This is why I choose to not make sarcastic remarks towards the church anymore. I think some of it may come from my newly attained knowledge.
I hate academics.
ron
CD listening to: Still listening to Talib Kweli, son! Also listening to Dave Matthews "Everyday" CD. Never listened to it before. It sounds a lot like other Dave Matthews CD's. Don't you hate when people call him "Dave"? Hippies.
I hate academics.
ron
CD listening to: Still listening to Talib Kweli, son! Also listening to Dave Matthews "Everyday" CD. Never listened to it before. It sounds a lot like other Dave Matthews CD's. Don't you hate when people call him "Dave"? Hippies.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
movie time
saw the "rockumentary" Rock School last night. It was very impressive, but also very upsetting. This guy is teaching kids to be rock stars, and also giving them really complicated pieces to play in hopes that they will "make it" and then the trail will lead back to them starting at Rock School in Philidelphia. Though it was really impressive to see these kids ranging from 9-17 playing Frank Zappa tunes, it was equally annoying how this guy was yelling at these kids and embarassing them. But the kids loved him. they said that it made them practice harder. What?!? I would have kicked him in the junk and told him, "suck it trabek, I'm out". Oh well, that's why they are really talented at the ages of 9-17 and I'm not quite there yet...and I'm going to be 29.
crap
crap
turning over a new leaf...
isn't that the wierdest saying? If you turned over the old one, wouldn't it be just as effective? Anyways, that's what I am doing-I am turning over an old leaf. I was driving home from school and I realized how negative I have been toward the church as of late. Really I feel that it may stem from my eyes being opened to what used to exist, but now I see what the church has been turned into. I don't want to think like that anymore, so what I am going to do is start being positive. I won't let my sarcasm come out as thick as it used to. Though I am naturally sarcastic, I think that it would be best for everybody if I thought before I spoke. THis is out loud though, not to you who read this blog. I will still let it out here once in a while, but I will watch my mouth in the out loud world.
today it starts.
ron
Currently reading: The European impact on Indian Culture. An article that I can't give my immediate thoughts on, because the leaf has been officially turned.
CD: Common's album "Be". It was produced by the latest media whore Kanye West. It is very good. Also listening to an album by Talib Kweli. I'm going straight street suckas.
today it starts.
ron
Currently reading: The European impact on Indian Culture. An article that I can't give my immediate thoughts on, because the leaf has been officially turned.
CD: Common's album "Be". It was produced by the latest media whore Kanye West. It is very good. Also listening to an album by Talib Kweli. I'm going straight street suckas.
Friday, September 16, 2005
I Don't Know What To Think...
I had an idea as I drove into school today...
I want to start a church inside of a bar. Not one central place, but more of a travelling church: different locations, different times. What I will do is not preach to the people about how bad they are or give them 3-5 points to a better life, but I just want to let them know that this is where Jesus would be. Though he wouldn't be throwing down totally with them, he would be getting to know them and at times sharing the promises that God has for them.
I've told 4-5 people about this idea and they all say the same thing, "There are already Christians playing in bars". THe thing to remember is, how many of them are closing the place down? Most of them leave as soon as their set is over. My point is to have a merch booth that will sell random ron pai paraphenelia, but also give out information on places they can go for help or causes that they can help me support or even web sites that they can visit after they visit mine that can help them with addictions of anysorts (ie: xxxchurch.com).
I was also thinking that this could be a community of musicians and so that they can go to random bars and play (different styles of music playing for the same cause).
Here's a thought for you: What if we found 4-6 bars that would open up their bar on Sunday nights and allowed us to do an actual service there. Sundays are usually the dead night anyways. People show up for church who know about it, but people who don't know about it will just be there. The thing is, we would only know where the church service would be if you looked on the website. So again, it's a traveling service. All we would have to do is show up, plug in, and go. This is a very different thought, not quite radical, but different.
I don't know what to think
ron
CD listening to: I got the Killers cd "Hot Fuss". I love it. It reminds me of the Cure. I love the cure and so should you.
I want to start a church inside of a bar. Not one central place, but more of a travelling church: different locations, different times. What I will do is not preach to the people about how bad they are or give them 3-5 points to a better life, but I just want to let them know that this is where Jesus would be. Though he wouldn't be throwing down totally with them, he would be getting to know them and at times sharing the promises that God has for them.
I've told 4-5 people about this idea and they all say the same thing, "There are already Christians playing in bars". THe thing to remember is, how many of them are closing the place down? Most of them leave as soon as their set is over. My point is to have a merch booth that will sell random ron pai paraphenelia, but also give out information on places they can go for help or causes that they can help me support or even web sites that they can visit after they visit mine that can help them with addictions of anysorts (ie: xxxchurch.com).
I was also thinking that this could be a community of musicians and so that they can go to random bars and play (different styles of music playing for the same cause).
Here's a thought for you: What if we found 4-6 bars that would open up their bar on Sunday nights and allowed us to do an actual service there. Sundays are usually the dead night anyways. People show up for church who know about it, but people who don't know about it will just be there. The thing is, we would only know where the church service would be if you looked on the website. So again, it's a traveling service. All we would have to do is show up, plug in, and go. This is a very different thought, not quite radical, but different.
I don't know what to think
ron
CD listening to: I got the Killers cd "Hot Fuss". I love it. It reminds me of the Cure. I love the cure and so should you.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
What I am lerning
Yes I realize that i misspelled learning. It's a joke because I have started up at TWU again. I'm reading "Retrieving the Tradition and Renewing Evangelicalism" right now. I just started the book, but something that he said that kind of rang true was that the church of today is beginning to forget about it's history and replacing it with life applications. In other words, we are replacing Theology with Ideology.
Last night I watched a broadcast of Hillsong Church in Australia and I heard the pastor say phrases like, "God says..." a lot, but there was no scriptural backing for those statements. It was odd, but I guess that's the point of a seeker church.
The thing that really kind of makes me question the church and it's motives today is if they want us to know how Jesus is, what about people who don't know where the whole thing started from. I guess what I am saying is that we hear on any given sunday scriptures quoted from various books in the bible, but the average joe who just came off the streets may not know what the significance is, because there is no teaching of what's what in the bible. Maybe some kind of Bible 101 would be a nice addition to the church. People like me who didn't go to church all their lives may not know a lot about the bible, or may have questions about the bible.
Some churches may say that it's not their job and that the person has to own their faith and discover for themselves through personal study and enrichment (i.e. small/cell/home groups)....what?!? Though we have to come off of the teet of the church, they should give us some direction...right?
ron
ps-learnign about Christopher Columbus right now. It's funny that the banks shut their doors for such an ugly cause.
Last night I watched a broadcast of Hillsong Church in Australia and I heard the pastor say phrases like, "God says..." a lot, but there was no scriptural backing for those statements. It was odd, but I guess that's the point of a seeker church.
The thing that really kind of makes me question the church and it's motives today is if they want us to know how Jesus is, what about people who don't know where the whole thing started from. I guess what I am saying is that we hear on any given sunday scriptures quoted from various books in the bible, but the average joe who just came off the streets may not know what the significance is, because there is no teaching of what's what in the bible. Maybe some kind of Bible 101 would be a nice addition to the church. People like me who didn't go to church all their lives may not know a lot about the bible, or may have questions about the bible.
Some churches may say that it's not their job and that the person has to own their faith and discover for themselves through personal study and enrichment (i.e. small/cell/home groups)....what?!? Though we have to come off of the teet of the church, they should give us some direction...right?
ron
ps-learnign about Christopher Columbus right now. It's funny that the banks shut their doors for such an ugly cause.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Sick today
i'm at home right now being sick. I am watching TV, because we just got cable. Everything is Hurricane. I almost think that I liked life better not knowing anything. No joke, my wife and I didn't know about the Tsunami until two weeks after it happened. I watch TV and I wonder, "is there anything that isn't sex?", but then I found sportscenter. ah, sweet relief.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
It Just Hit Me...
Next month I am turning the ripe age of 29. I'd like a pipe to smoke for my birthday so I can look dignified and smart like the theologians do, but without the beard. I look back on my life and wonder, "how much money would I have if I didn't drink and smoke it all away in my youth?". Not that it matters at all, but it's always amazing and funny to look back and see where God has brought all of us. I heard a worship leader ask the congregation, "How many of you can remember where you were when you were saved by the blood of of the lamb?" and I laughed, because I can remember going to church with some of my friends as sombody who didn't believe in the whole God thing and then going to the bar to get drunk, smoke, play pool, and discuss what we'd heard. I still think that these conversations were some of the most real and intimate conversations that I've had about the gospel and what it means to me. Unfortunately, I am the only one who of those friends who stuck with the whole "Jesus" thing and is trying to live the semi righteous life, but I love to see these friends and talk to them about those times.
I always get sad or upset when I hear people who are Christians say that they can't hang out with, or don't like to hang out with non christians. What's the point of their faith then? Really, if Jesus came to earth right now, do you think that he would be chilling inside of the church looking good, or do you think he would be out and about amongst everybody? I know that this talk is so passe`, but it's really a sad occurance that still happens even today (cell/small/home groups anybody?). Where are you serving outside of your church ministry? What about outside of your church? How many of your friends are unchurched? I don't have as many as I'd like. I wish that I still got invited to the parties that I used to, but now I'm viewed as "stuffy" or just plain "christian". I like to tell them that I am not a christian, but I do follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. It breaks my heart that some of my old friends may never know Jesus, because I am viewed by them this way and so they don't think to invite me.
Hey here's a new site I got from Sojourners for you to enjoy.
www.Turn-Left.com
hello,
ron
What I am listening to right now: UB40 Labour of Love. What a great album. If you don't think that, them you should go here and download the movie to see what will happen to you.
I always get sad or upset when I hear people who are Christians say that they can't hang out with, or don't like to hang out with non christians. What's the point of their faith then? Really, if Jesus came to earth right now, do you think that he would be chilling inside of the church looking good, or do you think he would be out and about amongst everybody? I know that this talk is so passe`, but it's really a sad occurance that still happens even today (cell/small/home groups anybody?). Where are you serving outside of your church ministry? What about outside of your church? How many of your friends are unchurched? I don't have as many as I'd like. I wish that I still got invited to the parties that I used to, but now I'm viewed as "stuffy" or just plain "christian". I like to tell them that I am not a christian, but I do follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. It breaks my heart that some of my old friends may never know Jesus, because I am viewed by them this way and so they don't think to invite me.
Hey here's a new site I got from Sojourners for you to enjoy.
www.Turn-Left.com
hello,
ron
What I am listening to right now: UB40 Labour of Love. What a great album. If you don't think that, them you should go here and download the movie to see what will happen to you.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
What a Wierd Day
I hung out with some people from a church acrossed town called hillcrest, and we talked for a while. I went to their house to get a 2pac CD and ended up walking away with that and a Public Enemy CD. ONe of them was cleaning out his wallet and he found a card on how to convert people to christian thought through 5 easy steps. It was actually quite funny, because it gives the normal questions of "are you going to heaven?", "who is jesus to you?", "if you were wrong would you want to know why?"
I also went to Circuit City and picked bought two new CD's Israel Houghton's newer CD that my ministry will pay for and also the new Kanye West CD. It was kind of strange to go from 2pac rapping about the streets to Israel Houghton worship music.
Finally I came to church and sat in a couple of meetings with people about our next communion service. We have this idea to serve communion simply with slides and no sound. We will give the scripture and then the schpeal about "if you are not a christian blahbity blah". I think it will be cool and a little different from what they are used to at our church.
I think that beavis and butthead may reappear on Mtv. This would be cool, because my wife and I just ordered cable after four years of battling it out...and just in time for Husky football. Yes!
What a wierd day indeed,
ron-holio
I also went to Circuit City and picked bought two new CD's Israel Houghton's newer CD that my ministry will pay for and also the new Kanye West CD. It was kind of strange to go from 2pac rapping about the streets to Israel Houghton worship music.
Finally I came to church and sat in a couple of meetings with people about our next communion service. We have this idea to serve communion simply with slides and no sound. We will give the scripture and then the schpeal about "if you are not a christian blahbity blah". I think it will be cool and a little different from what they are used to at our church.
I think that beavis and butthead may reappear on Mtv. This would be cool, because my wife and I just ordered cable after four years of battling it out...and just in time for Husky football. Yes!
What a wierd day indeed,
ron-holio
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