(2930,48,'2011-12-04 12:42:02','2011-12-04 20:42:02','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself title promotions), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of a particular organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work for, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out of place.\n\nThe physical appearance of his employess was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business attire dress code you find in offics, he was very particular that the ladies all wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it had to be lipstick. I often wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, but I never asked as I knew I wouldn\'t be able to do so and still keep a straight face.\n\nI have no problem with make-up. I tend to wear it most days, and don\'t usually leave the house without some on. However, I am not fond of lipstick. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. Those \"last all day\" kinds? Crapola. They don\'t work. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\n\nSo, while most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually didn\'t take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything insight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office. Looking at me, he said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and time again to keep your lipstick on. This is your last warning. If I have to tell you again, you will be done here.\"\n\nThis, I should tell you, was the only issue about my performance at work for at least 6 months. In fact, he had many times complemented me on my stellar work and how I was \"indespensible\" to him. Apparently that was only true if I was wearing lipstick.\n\nThis story is one of my personal favorites to tell from my time working for that particular organization. Even at the time that it happened, I ended up laughing to myself because of the sheer absurdity of it. I should also mention that a couple weeks later I showed up to the office without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\n\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there, either. We held weekly meetings at our organization for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious renovation to use it. Not having the funds to do a complete remodel, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\n\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am very happy to no longer work for the man and disagree with him on some fundamental issues, I honestly believe he is a good man who honestly tries to help people. Rahter, I think this story highlights an issue that used to be an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: an obsession with image.\n\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a frontline tool for ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores or Etsy shops than churches. Woship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been \"coolified\", with many new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than a church.\n\nPlease don\'t mistake me; I do not think that all of this is inheritantly bad. I think there can be a place for it, even in the context of churches an. However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church building, or worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supercede being bearers of the image of Christ. The Church should not need to tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. It is a cheap veneer, masking The Churches true beauty, current flaws and all.\n\n  \n\n\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\n\n&nbsp;','Slap a Little Lipstick On, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-16','','','2011-12-04 12:42:02','2011-12-04 20:42:02','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(2931,48,'2011-12-04 13:03:38','2011-12-04 21:03:38','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself title promotions), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of a particular organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it had to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\n\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I really not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with bad lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\n\nSo, while most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually didn\'t take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything insight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office. Looking at me, he said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and time again to keep your lipstick on. This is your last warning. If I have to tell you again, you will be done here.\"\n\nThis, I should tell you, was the only issue about my performance at work for at least 6 months. In fact, he had many times complemented me on my stellar work and how I was \"indespensible\" to him. Apparently that was only true if I was wearing lipstick.\n\nThis story is one of my personal favorites to tell from my time working for that particular organization. Even at the time that it happened, I ended up laughing to myself because of the sheer absurdity of it. I should also mention that a couple weeks later I showed up to the office without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\n\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there, either. We held weekly meetings at our organization for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious renovation to use it. Not having the funds to do a complete remodel, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\n\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am very happy to no longer work for the man and disagree with him on some fundamental issues, I honestly believe he is a good man who honestly tries to help people. Rahter, I think this story highlights an issue that used to be an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: an obsession with image.\n\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a frontline tool for ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores or Etsy shops than churches. Woship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been \"coolified\", with many new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than a church.\n\nPlease don\'t mistake me; I do not think that all of this is inheritantly bad. I think there can be a place for it, even in the context of churches and ministries. However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church building, or worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supercede being bearers of the image of Christ. The Church should not need to tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. It is a cheap veneer, masking The Churches true beauty, current flaws and all.\n\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\n\n&nbsp;','Slap a Little Lipstick On, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-17','','','2011-12-04 13:03:38','2011-12-04 21:03:38','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(2932,48,'2011-12-04 13:08:58','2011-12-04 21:08:58','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself title promotions), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of a particular organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it had to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\n\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with bad lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\n\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office. Glaring at me, he said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be <em>done he</em>.\"\n\nThis, I should tell you, was the only issue about my performance at work for at least 6 months. In fact, he had many times complemented me on my stellar work and how I was \"indispensible\" to him. Apparently that was only true if I was wearing lipstick.\n\nThis story is one of my personal favorites to tell from my time working for that particular organization. Even at the time that it happened, I ended up laughing to myself because of the sheer absurdity of it. I should also mention that a couple weeks later I showed up to the office without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\n\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there, either. We held weekly meetings at our organization for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious renovation to use it. Not having the funds to do a complete remodel, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\n\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am very happy to no longer work for the man and disagree with him on some fundamental issues, I honestly believe he is a good man who honestly tries to help people. Rahter, I think this story highlights an issue that used to be an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: an obsession with image.\n\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a frontline tool for ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores or Etsy shops than churches. Woship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been \"coolified\", with many new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than a church.\n\nPlease don\'t mistake me; I do not think that all of this is inheritantly bad. I think there can be a place for it, even in the context of churches and ministries. However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church building, or worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supercede being bearers of the image of Christ. The Church should not need to tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. It is a cheap veneer, masking The Churches true beauty, current flaws and all.\n\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\n\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-18','','','2011-12-04 13:08:58','2011-12-04 21:08:58','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(2934,48,'2011-12-04 13:35:01','2011-12-04 21:35:01','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself title promotions), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of a particular organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\n\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\n\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office. Glaring at me, he said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\n\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\n\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\n\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\n\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\n\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church building, or worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ. The Church should not need to tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. It is merely a cheap veneer, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\n\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-20','','','2011-12-04 13:35:01','2011-12-04 21:35:01','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(2935,48,'2011-12-04 13:48:04','2011-12-04 21:48:04','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself title promotions), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of a particular organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\n\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\n\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office. Glaring at me, he said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\n\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\n\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\n\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\n\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\n\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization. Are we marketing a product, or bringing the Good News? And really, The Church should not need to tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap facade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\n\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-21','','','2011-12-04 13:48:04','2011-12-04 21:48:04','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(2936,48,'2011-12-04 13:48:51','2011-12-04 21:48:51','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself title promotions), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of a particular organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\r\n\r\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\r\n\r\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office. Glaring at me, he said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\r\n\r\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\r\n\r\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\r\n\r\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\r\n\r\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\r\n\r\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.  And really, The Church should not need to tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap facade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-22','','','2011-12-04 13:48:51','2011-12-04 21:48:51','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(2937,48,'2011-12-04 13:49:45','2011-12-04 21:49:45','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself promotions in title only), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of a particular organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\r\n\r\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\r\n\r\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office. Glaring at me, he said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\r\n\r\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\r\n\r\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\r\n\r\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\r\n\r\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\r\n\r\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.  And really, The Church should not need to tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap facade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-23','','','2011-12-04 13:49:45','2011-12-04 21:49:45','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(2938,48,'2011-12-04 13:53:08','2011-12-04 21:53:08','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself promotions in title only), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of a organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\n\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\n\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office. Glaring at me, he said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\n\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\n\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\n\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\n\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\n\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.  As I said before, I have no problem using make-up to enhance personal beauty. But there\'s enhancing personal beauty and.... trying mask your entire face to hide real or perceived flaws. And really, The Church should not need to tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap facade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\n\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-24','','','2011-12-04 13:53:08','2011-12-04 21:53:08','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(2939,48,'2011-12-04 13:56:09','2011-12-04 21:56:09','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself promotions in title only), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of a organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\n\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\n\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office and said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\n\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\n\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\n\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\n\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\n\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.\n\nAs I stated earlier, I have no problem using make-up to enhance personal beauty. But there\'s enhancing personal beauty and.... trying mask your entire face to hide real or perceived flaws. Are we, the Church, using these tools to enhance the good or hide the ugly? At the very , The Church should not need to tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap facade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\n\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-25','','','2011-12-04 13:56:09','2011-12-04 21:56:09','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(2941,48,'2011-12-04 13:57:25','2011-12-04 21:57:25','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself promotions in title only), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of an organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\r\n\r\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\r\n\r\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office and said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\r\n\r\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\r\n\r\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\r\n\r\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\r\n\r\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\r\n\r\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.\r\n\r\nAs I stated earlier, I have no problem using make-up to enhance personal beauty. But there\'s enhancing personal beauty and.... trying mask your entire face to hide real or perceived flaws. Are we, the Church, using these tools to enhance the good or hide the ugly? At the very least, The Church should not tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap façade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\r\n\r\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-27','','','2011-12-04 13:57:25','2011-12-04 21:57:25','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(2940,48,'2011-12-04 13:56:29','2011-12-04 21:56:29','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself promotions in title only), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of a organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\r\n\r\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\r\n\r\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office and said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\r\n\r\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\r\n\r\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\r\n\r\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\r\n\r\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\r\n\r\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.\r\n\r\nAs I stated earlier, I have no problem using make-up to enhance personal beauty. But there\'s enhancing personal beauty and.... trying mask your entire face to hide real or perceived flaws. Are we, the Church, using these tools to enhance the good or hide the ugly? At the very least, The Church should not tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap facade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-26','','','2011-12-04 13:56:29','2011-12-04 21:56:29','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(2942,48,'2011-12-04 13:57:33','2011-12-04 21:57:33','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself promotions in title only), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of an organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\r\n\r\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\r\n\r\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office and said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\r\n\r\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\r\n\r\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\r\n\r\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\r\n\r\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\r\n\r\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.\r\n\r\nAs I stated earlier, I have no problem using make-up to enhance personal beauty. But there\'s enhancing personal beauty and.... trying mask your entire face to hide real or perceived flaws. Are we, the Church, using these tools to enhance the good or hide the ugly? At the very least, The Church should not tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap façade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\r\n\r\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-28','','','2011-12-04 13:57:33','2011-12-04 21:57:33','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(2943,48,'2011-12-04 14:00:05','2011-12-04 22:00:05','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself promotions in title only), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of an organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\n\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\n\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office and said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\n\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\n\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\n\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\n\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\n\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.\n\nAs I stated earlier, I have no problem using make-up to enhance personal beauty. But there\'s enhancing personal beauty and.... trying mask your entire face to hide real or perceived flaws. Are we, the Church, using these tools to enhance the good or hide the ugly? At the very least, The Church should not tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap façade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\n\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\n\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-29','','','2011-12-04 14:00:05','2011-12-04 22:00:05','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(2944,48,'2011-12-04 14:00:48','2011-12-04 22:00:48','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself promotions in title only), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of an organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\r\n\r\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\r\n\r\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office and said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\r\n\r\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\r\n\r\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\r\n\r\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\r\n\r\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\r\n\r\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.\r\n\r\nAs I stated earlier, I have no problem using make-up to enhance personal beauty. But there\'s enhancing personal beauty and.... trying mask your entire face to hide real or perceived flaws. Are we, the Church, using these tools to enhance the good or hide the ugly? At the very least, The Church should not tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap façade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\r\n\r\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-30','','','2011-12-04 14:00:48','2011-12-04 22:00:48','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-30/',0,'revision','',0),(2945,43,'2011-12-07 09:35:34','2011-12-07 17:35:34','I had the privilege of growing up in an interfaith family.  My mother was raised in an evangelical church and my father is Jewish.  Our family attended a Unitarian church for the first thirteen years of my life.  Although we didn\'t practice much of either of my parents\' religions, we did celebrate the holidays.  One of my fondest childhood memories is of lighting the menorah with my father\'s parents.\r\n\r\nWhen I was in high school, I began attending a Messianic Jewish congregation.  I had already put my faith in Jesus through an evangelical Presbyterian church, but I knew very little about my Jewish heritage.  The first winter that I was there, I celebrated the full eight days of Hanukkah with my Messianic friends.\r\n\r\nHanukkah is a wonderful holiday.  If you\'re unfamiliar with the story, it goes like this:  During what we Christians call the intertestamental period (between Malachi and Matthew), Antiochus IV captured Jerusalem around 170 BCE.  The temple was looted, and the practice of Judaism was criminalized.  In 165 BCE, the Jews revolted and the temple was reclaimed.  When the temple was cleansed and rededicated, the lamp (menorah) was re-lit.  There was only enough for one night, but it lasted for eight.\r\n\r\nThe first time I celebrated Hanukkah as a Christian, I learned that Jesus celebrated, too.  It\'s only mentioned briefly, but John 10:22-23 says,\r\n<blockquote>Then came the Festival of Dedicationat Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.</blockquote>\r\nWhen we lit the menorah together, the youth leaders and parents talked with us about what it means to followers of Christ that we celebrate the holiday.  The menorah has not eight but nine candles.  The ninth, which is either raised or set apart from the others, is called the <em>shamash</em>.  The word means \"attendant\" or \"servant.\"    The <em>shamash </em>is used to light the other candles, for the purpose of publicly displaying the story of Hanukkah.  For those of us who also follow Christ, this has beautiful symbolism.  Jesus, the servant, gives light to us.  As Jesus said,\r\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.\" </span></span><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;\">(John 8:12, NIV)</span></blockquote>\r\nWhen the menorah is lit, many people display it in the window.  The purpose of the candles is to visually represent the story.  In the same way, Christians are to love others and through our actions be the light of Christ.\r\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.\"</span> (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)</blockquote>\r\nEvery year, our family celebrates the traditions of our heritage.  We light an advent wreath, and every day during December we tell the story of Jesus\' humble birth in the stable.  We also tell the story of Hanukkah and light the menorah.  We teach our children that they have a rich, wonderful heritage and that we should not forget the miracles which the Lord performed for our ancestors (which is, in fact, one of the traditional Hanukkah blessings).  Our candles burn in the window to tell the world that we love and honor our God and that we cherish our faith history.\r\n\r\nMay you experience many blessings during this holiday season.','Hanukkah, O Hanukkah','','publish','open','open','','hanukkah-o-hanukkah','','','2011-12-05 09:36:27','2011-12-05 17:36:27','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2945',0,'post','',0),(2946,12,'2011-12-09 08:00:00','2011-12-09 16:00:00','This is my final post in this series on the humanity of Christ. It\'s an odd topic to discuss because depending on your theological background, it may not be an issue for you. Then again, depending on your stance, some may consider you a heretic.\n\nWhen I was growing up, a strong emphasis was placed on the divinity of Christ. So much that His humanity was seen as an \"added bonus.\" It was hard for me when I got to seminary to wrap my mind around his humanity. But, as I\'ve discussed in the previous two posts, I struggled through my understanding.\n\nThose in this society who aren\'t necessarily conservative and tend to place emphasis on Christ\'s humanity, a strange thing often happens. Some of the more conservative bloggers seem to paint them as liberal or even heretical. There has to be a happy medium that is soundly biblical.\n\nHonestly, the first few times I heard my extremely conservative professors discuss the humanity of Christ, I thought it sounded heretical. But that was because of my preconceived notions and held beliefs. What I needed to do was understand the bible better.\n\nIt all came into view for me in my Theology II class when my professor was discussing Christ coming as the second Adam. Christ had to be fully human to be the sacrifice for our sins. He had to live completely as we did, without benefit of what he called \"the divine trump card.\" Was Christ still fully divine? Yes, but He was fully human and lived out this life in His full humanity. He used a great illustration.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/swim.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2952\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/swim-300x132.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"132\" /></a>Imagine a swimmer who desires to swim the English Channel. He has trained for this moment for years. He sets out to do it, but behind him is a rescue boat. If the swimmer cramps up or needs help, the boat is there. Our swimmer makes the swim successfully. But was it successful? I mean, the guy had a rescue boat behind him. Wasn\'t that cheating? Of course not. He didn\'t use it.\n\nChrist came in His humanity to love, teach, and die for us. He could have, at any moment, used his \"divine trump card,\" His \"rescue boat.\" But He didn\'t. Imagine His great human suffering at Gethsemane, praying for the cup to pass from Him - \"but not my will, but Thine.\"\n\nThankfully, we have a Savior who was fully human. The one who Paul describes as leaving His glorious riches to become poor as we are. The King came to live amongst the poor - so that we might be made rich in Him.\n\nHe desires us to live as He did. Compassionately, giving all we have to others, full of love, sacrificially, building the Kingdom. Now that I understand the humanity of Christ, I can understand my own humanity even better.','The Humanity Of Christ Is Not To Be Feared &#8211; Part 3','','publish','open','open','','the-humanity-of-christ-is-not-to-be-feared-part-3','','','2011-12-05 09:17:37','2011-12-05 17:17:37','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2946',0,'post','',0),(2947,43,'2011-12-04 18:44:56','2011-12-05 02:44:56','','CarlyRoseHanukkah1','','inherit','open','open','','carlyrosehanukkah1','','','2011-12-04 18:44:56','2011-12-05 02:44:56','',2945,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/CarlyRoseHanukkah1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2948,43,'2011-12-04 18:40:47','2011-12-05 02:40:47','I had the privilege of growing up in an interfaith family.  My mother was raised in an evangelical church and my father is Jewish.  Our family attended a Unitarian church for the first thirteen years of my life.  Although we didn\'t practice much of either of my parents\' religions, we did celebrate the holidays.  One of my fondest childhood memories is of lighting the menorah with my father\'s parents.\n\nWhen I was in high school, I began attending a Messianic Jewish congregation.  I had already put my faith in Jesus through an evangelical Presbyterian church, but I knew very little about my Jewish heritage.  The first winter that I was there, I celebrated the full eight days of Hanukkah with my Messianic friends.\n\nHanukkah is a wonderful holiday.  If you\'re unfamiliar with the story, it goes like this:  During what we Christians call the intertestamental period (between Malachi and Matthew), Antiochus IV captured Jerusalem around 170 BCE.  The temple was looted, and the practice of Judaism was criminalized.  In 165 BCE, the Jews revolted and the temple was reclaimed.  When the temple was cleansed and rededicated, the lamp (menorah) was re-lit.  There was only enough for one night, but it lasted for eight.\n\nThe first time I celebrated Hanukkah as a Christian, I learned that Jesus celebrated, too.  It\'s only mentioned briefly, but John 10:22-23 says,\n<blockquote>Then came the Festival of Dedicationat Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.</blockquote>\nWhen we lit the menorah together, the youth leaders and parents talked with us about what it means to followers of Christ that we celebrate the holiday.  The menorah has not eight but nine candles.  The ninth, which is either raised or set apart from the others, is called the <em>shamash</em>.  The word means \"attendant\" or \"servant.\"    The <em>shamash </em>is used to light the other candles, for the purpose of publicly displaying the story of Hanukkah.  For those of us who also follow Christ, this has beautiful symbolism.  Jesus, the servant, gives light to us.  As Jesus said,\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #000000;font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.\" </span></span><span style=\"color: #000000;font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">(John 8:12, NIV)</span></blockquote>\nWhen the menorah is lit, many people display it in the window.  The purpose of the candles is to visually represent the story.  In the same way, Christians are to love others and through our actions be the light of Christ.\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.\"</span> (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)</blockquote>\nEvery year, our family celebrates the traditions of our heritage.  We light an advent wreath, and every day during December we tell the story of Jesus\' humble birth in the stable.  We also tell the story of Hanukkah and light the menorah.  We teach our children that they have a rich, wonderful heritage and that we should not forget the miracles which the Lord performed for our ancestors (which is, in fact, one of the traditional Hanukkah blessings).  Our candles burn in the window to tell the world that we love and honor our God and that we cherish our faith history.\n\nMay you experience many blessings during this holiday season.','Hanukkah, O Hanukkah','','inherit','open','open','','2945-revision','','','2011-12-04 18:40:47','2011-12-05 02:40:47','',2945,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2945-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2949,43,'2011-12-04 18:45:24','2011-12-05 02:45:24','I had the privilege of growing up in an interfaith family.  My mother was raised in an evangelical church and my father is Jewish.  Our family attended a Unitarian church for the first thirteen years of my life.  Although we didn\'t practice much of either of my parents\' religions, we did celebrate the holidays.  One of my fondest childhood memories is of lighting the menorah with my father\'s parents.\r\n\r\nWhen I was in high school, I began attending a Messianic Jewish congregation.  I had already put my faith in Jesus through an evangelical Presbyterian church, but I knew very little about my Jewish heritage.  The first winter that I was there, I celebrated the full eight days of Hanukkah with my Messianic friends.\r\n\r\nHanukkah is a wonderful holiday.  If you\'re unfamiliar with the story, it goes like this:  During what we Christians call the intertestamental period (between Malachi and Matthew), Antiochus IV captured Jerusalem around 170 BCE.  The temple was looted, and the practice of Judaism was criminalized.  In 165 BCE, the Jews revolted and the temple was reclaimed.  When the temple was cleansed and rededicated, the lamp (menorah) was re-lit.  There was only enough for one night, but it lasted for eight.\r\n\r\nThe first time I celebrated Hanukkah as a Christian, I learned that Jesus celebrated, too.  It\'s only mentioned briefly, but John 10:22-23 says,\r\n<blockquote>Then came the Festival of Dedicationat Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.</blockquote>\r\nWhen we lit the menorah together, the youth leaders and parents talked with us about what it means to followers of Christ that we celebrate the holiday.  The menorah has not eight but nine candles.  The ninth, which is either raised or set apart from the others, is called the <em>shamash</em>.  The word means \"attendant\" or \"servant.\"    The <em>shamash </em>is used to light the other candles, for the purpose of publicly displaying the story of Hanukkah.  For those of us who also follow Christ, this has beautiful symbolism.  Jesus, the servant, gives light to us.  As Jesus said,\r\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #000000;font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.\" </span></span><span style=\"color: #000000;font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">(John 8:12, NIV)</span></blockquote>\r\nWhen the menorah is lit, many people display it in the window.  The purpose of the candles is to visually represent the story.  In the same way, Christians are to love others and through our actions be the light of Christ.\r\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.\"</span> (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)</blockquote>\r\nEvery year, our family celebrates the traditions of our heritage.  We light an advent wreath, and every day during December we tell the story of Jesus\' humble birth in the stable.  We also tell the story of Hanukkah and light the menorah.  We teach our children that they have a rich, wonderful heritage and that we should not forget the miracles which the Lord performed for our ancestors (which is, in fact, one of the traditional Hanukkah blessings).  Our candles burn in the window to tell the world that we love and honor our God and that we cherish our faith history.\r\n\r\nMay you experience many blessings during this holiday season.','Hanukkah, O Hanukkah','','inherit','open','open','','2945-revision-2','','','2011-12-04 18:45:24','2011-12-05 02:45:24','',2945,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2945-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2950,43,'2011-12-04 18:47:11','2011-12-05 02:47:11','I had the privilege of growing up in an interfaith family.  My mother was raised in an evangelical church and my father is Jewish.  Our family attended a Unitarian church for the first thirteen years of my life.  Although we didn\'t practice much of either of my parents\' religions, we did celebrate the holidays.  One of my fondest childhood memories is of lighting the menorah with my father\'s parents.\r\n\r\nWhen I was in high school, I began attending a Messianic Jewish congregation.  I had already put my faith in Jesus through an evangelical Presbyterian church, but I knew very little about my Jewish heritage.  The first winter that I was there, I celebrated the full eight days of Hanukkah with my Messianic friends.\r\n\r\nHanukkah is a wonderful holiday.  If you\'re unfamiliar with the story, it goes like this:  During what we Christians call the intertestamental period (between Malachi and Matthew), Antiochus IV captured Jerusalem around 170 BCE.  The temple was looted, and the practice of Judaism was criminalized.  In 165 BCE, the Jews revolted and the temple was reclaimed.  When the temple was cleansed and rededicated, the lamp (menorah) was re-lit.  There was only enough for one night, but it lasted for eight.\r\n\r\nThe first time I celebrated Hanukkah as a Christian, I learned that Jesus celebrated, too.  It\'s only mentioned briefly, but John 10:22-23 says,\r\n<blockquote>Then came the Festival of Dedicationat Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.</blockquote>\r\nWhen we lit the menorah together, the youth leaders and parents talked with us about what it means to followers of Christ that we celebrate the holiday.  The menorah has not eight but nine candles.  The ninth, which is either raised or set apart from the others, is called the <em>shamash</em>.  The word means \"attendant\" or \"servant.\"    The <em>shamash </em>is used to light the other candles, for the purpose of publicly displaying the story of Hanukkah.  For those of us who also follow Christ, this has beautiful symbolism.  Jesus, the servant, gives light to us.  As Jesus said,\r\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #000000;font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.\" </span></span><span style=\"color: #000000;font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">(John 8:12, NIV)</span></blockquote>\r\nWhen the menorah is lit, many people display it in the window.  The purpose of the candles is to visually represent the story.  In the same way, Christians are to love others and through our actions be the light of Christ.\r\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.\"</span> (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)</blockquote>\r\nEvery year, our family celebrates the traditions of our heritage.  We light an advent wreath, and every day during December we tell the story of Jesus\' humble birth in the stable.  We also tell the story of Hanukkah and light the menorah.  We teach our children that they have a rich, wonderful heritage and that we should not forget the miracles which the Lord performed for our ancestors (which is, in fact, one of the traditional Hanukkah blessings).  Our candles burn in the window to tell the world that we love and honor our God and that we cherish our faith history.\r\n\r\nMay you experience many blessings during this holiday season.','Hanukkah, O Hanukkah','','inherit','open','open','','2945-revision-3','','','2011-12-04 18:47:11','2011-12-05 02:47:11','',2945,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2945-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2951,12,'2011-12-04 18:50:44','2011-12-05 02:50:44','','christ001','','inherit','open','open','','christ001-3','','','2011-12-04 18:50:44','2011-12-05 02:50:44','',2946,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/christ0011.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2952,12,'2011-12-04 18:52:12','2011-12-05 02:52:12','','swim','','inherit','open','open','','swim','','','2011-12-04 18:52:12','2011-12-05 02:52:12','',2946,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/swim.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2953,12,'2011-12-04 18:51:53','2011-12-05 02:51:53','This is my final post in this series on the humanity of Christ. It\'s an odd topic to discuss because depending on your theological background, it may not be an issue for you. Then again, depending on your stance, some may consider you a heretic.\n\nWhen I was growing up, a strong emphasis was placed on the divinity of Christ. So much that His humanity was seen as an \"added bonus.\" It was hard for me when I got to seminary to wrap my mind around his humanity. But, as I\'ve discussed in the previous two posts, I struggled through my understanding.\n\nThose in this society who aren\'t necessarily conservative and tend to place emphasis on Christ\'s humanity, a strange thing often happens. Some of the more conservative bloggers seem to paint them as liberal or even heretical. There has to be a happy medium that is soundly biblical.\n\nHonestly, the first few times I heard my extremely conservative professors discuss the humanity of Christ, I thought it sounded heretical. But that was because of my preconceived notions and held beliefs. What I needed to do was understand the bible better.\n\nIt all came into view for me in my Theology II class when my professor was discussing Christ coming as the second Adam. Christ had to be fully human to be the sacrifice for our sins. He had to live completely as we did, without benefit of what he called \"the divine trump card.\" Was Christ still fully divine? Yes, but He was fully human and lived out this life in His full humanity. He used a great illustration.\n\nImagine a swimmer who desires to swim the English Channel. He has trained for this moment for years. He sets out to do it, but behind him is a rescue boat. If the swimmer cramps up or needs help, the boat is there. Our swimmer makes the swim successfully. But was it successful? I mean, the guy had a rescue boat behind him. Wasn\'t that cheating? Of course not. He didn\'t use it.\n\nChrist came in His humanity to love, teach, and die for us. He could have, at any moment, used his \"divine trump card,\" His \"rescue boat.\" But He didn\'t. Imagine His great human suffering at Gethsemane, praying for the cup to pass from Him - \"but not my will, but Thine.\"\n\nThankfully, we have a Savior who was fully human. The one who Paul describes as leaving His glorious riches to become poor as we are. The King came to live amongst the poor - so that we might be made rich in Him.\n\nHe desires us to live as He did. Compassionately, giving all we have to others, full of love, sacrificially, building the Kingdom. Now that I understand the humanity of Christ, I can understand my own humanity even better.','The Humanity Of Christ Is Not To Be Feared, Part 3','','inherit','open','open','','2946-revision','','','2011-12-04 18:51:53','2011-12-05 02:51:53','',2946,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2946-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2956,1,'2011-11-30 08:29:52','2011-11-30 16:29:52','<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Prepare to hear a blasphemous, un-American confession:  I don’t care about Christmas anymore.  God knows I used to, and I have the ornaments, lights, and Christmas cookie recipes to prove it.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">So what happened to me?  Did someone I love die, and I’m still in grief?  Yeah, something died, alright.  The celebration in Christmas.  All the rah-rah, happy-happy, be of good cheer.  I’m not jaded because of  commercialism these days, though I hate it.  I <em>am</em> seriously pissed that stores are putting up Christmas things <em>two weeks before Halloween</em>.  What’s next?  Santa on the shelf before Labor Day?</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\nOver the last few years, I’ve tried to be a “good” Christian, and focus on the “Christ” in Christmas.  See the baby Jesus in the manger as significant.  I mean, really – I wouldn’t be a Christian today if Jesus hadn’t come to earth, right?  So what the hell is wrong with me?  What is wrong <em>for</em> me?\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri\"><span style=\"font-size: small\">Do I have to have a reason except that Christmas depresses me now?   I’m not going to lie to you and make one up.  Didn’t it always piss you off when you were a child and you asked your parents why you had to do such-and-such and they said, “Because I said so”?</span></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri\"><span style=\"font-size: small\">Why don’t I care about Christmas anymore?  Because I don’t.  I’m not trying to be a kill-joy, but Christmas <em>is</em> a kill-Joy.  It kills me to pretend that everything is lovely, while Christmas only depresses me.  I know so many people who tell me they just LOVE Christmas and it’s their favorite time of year.  Do you know when that was true for me?  When I was a kid and when my kids were little.  If I had really looked closely when my children were pre-schoolers and in elementary school, I might have noticed that I cared about Christmas for them, not because it was important for me.</span></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri\"><span style=\"font-size: small\">So what do I do at this time of year?  Pretend.  Tell people what they expect to hear.  But here’s what <em>is</em> real, what <em>does</em> matter:  that my adult children get what they want, and I’m NOT talking about their list for Santa.  I can’t afford that any more.  So what do they want from me?  What do I really want for Christmas?  Read on.</span></span>\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4>Giving What I Need</h4>\r\nI don’t care about Christmas anymore.\r\n\r\nIt seems so sad and empty,\r\n\r\nsomething to do and be done with.\r\n\r\nI refuse to just “buy something” for the people I love.\r\n\r\nThere is a special satisfaction in finding a gift\r\n\r\nperfect for a precious someone,\r\n\r\nand I would be lynched if I didn’t fill\r\n\r\nmy tall kids’ stockings with silly dollar store toys and kiddy candy\r\n\r\nappropriate only for six-year-olds.\r\n\r\nI really like that part,\r\n\r\nbut the carols, trees and seasonal scenes\r\n\r\nhave lost me, left me out to lunch.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTo all the people glowing with delight,\r\n\r\nasking if my shopping is complete\r\n\r\nthen interrupting with their answer\r\n\r\nbefore hearing mine,\r\n\r\nI just smile and give the expected response:\r\n\r\n“Yes.  Merry Christmas.”\r\n\r\nWhat else is there to say that’s socially acceptable?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI just buried my dog with stomach cancer,\r\n\r\nwhich doesn’t help, but that’s not what’s wrong.\r\n\r\nThe lights at night are pretty but pointless,\r\n\r\npoinsettias, packages,\r\n\r\npain my hurting heart can’t celebrate,\r\n\r\nand I don’t even miss it,\r\n\r\nbut I don’t have to explain this to you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhen you rode into Jerusalem\r\n\r\nand the crowds welcomed you with joy,\r\n\r\nI doubt that happiness filled your heart.\r\n\r\nGrief and dread were primary\r\n\r\nbecause you knew what was coming,\r\n\r\nbut I bet you smiled and waved anyway\r\n\r\nbecause you loved them.\r\n\r\nIt was more important\r\n\r\nto give them what they wanted\r\n\r\ninstead of what you did.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIs that the perfect gift I can give this year\r\n\r\nto the people I care about?\r\n\r\nWhat they want from me isn’t my depression.\r\n\r\nHelp me give the gift you gave,\r\n\r\npocketing your needs to feed the hearts of others,\r\n\r\ncelebrating their joy.\r\n\r\nSo my candle isn’t lit;\r\n\r\nI can still light up their faces\r\n\r\nwith traditions that matter to them.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut I’m sick of faking it;\r\n\r\ncontinuing will only make things worse.\r\n\r\nI can’t do this by myself.\r\n\r\nGrant me the gumption\r\n\r\nto feel for real what they need\r\n\r\nand act on it with faith\r\n\r\nthat you will meet my needs, too.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>','Giving What I Need','','inherit','open','open','','2804-revision-3','','','2011-11-30 08:29:52','2011-11-30 16:29:52','',2804,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/30/2804-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2958,1,'2011-11-30 14:04:07','2011-11-30 22:04:07','When we talk about sin, we often speak of it in terms of doing battle with our earthly desires.  We must do our best to keep ourselves pure, holding our will and our wants at bay.  We place great emphasis on personal purity, on keeping ourselves from the traps and temptations of this world.  In fact, some see a tension between social justice and holiness.  But what if we’re looking at it upside down and backwards?\r\n\r\nWe’ve put a lot of stock in trying to will away our feelings when confronted with the choice of acting on sin.  Don’t look, don’t touch, don’t even think.  Stay away from things which remind us of what we shouldn’t do.  Or, conversely, act on those things, but only to a point.  After all, we are only humans, with a need for sensation and experience.  Go ahead and enjoy a milder form, as long as you’re not crossing some invisible line.\r\n\r\nThat’s the kind of thinking that Jesus rejected in the Pharisees.  He said to them, \"You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel\" (Matthew 23:24).  But Jesus didn’t mean <em>go ahead, do what you like, because there’s no way to completely obey the law anyway.</em>  The whole point of the message is that when a literal breach of law has occurred, it must be in the spirit of obeying the highest law: To love God above all, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.\r\n\r\nWhat if the way to deal with sin in our lives isn’t to try to stop ourselves from wanting it, but to concentrate our efforts on living out the Greatest Commandment?\r\n\r\nWhat if the way to battle an unhealthy craving for wealth and possessions would be best dealt with by giving to others, rather than repeating the mantra, “I shall not covet”?  What if we could overcome our sexual lust with genuine love, care, and respect for the other people in our lives?  What if we could stop anger, resentment, and vengeance by reaching out to our neighbors, even when we’ve been wronged?\r\n\r\nI have some friends who are doing just that.  With permission from our youth pastor, Cory Hunneyman, I\'m sharing a recent interaction between his family and their neighbor.  To get the full effect, please read the original <a href=\"http://toomuchpizza.com/2011/11/28/when-your-relationship-with-your-neighbors-is-less-than-great/\">blog post</a>—Pastor Cory has said it much better than I could (not to mention the fact that he was actually there).  In short, he and his wife received a rather rude note about the state of their unraked lawn.  Rather than responding in kind, they chose to rake the leaves and bake cookies.\r\n\r\nWill their neighbor be changed by their actions?  Possibly.  That person may be moved by their actions and want to know more.  He may soften and begin treating them with returned respect.  Next year, he may even help rake the leaves.\r\n\r\nOr he may not.  He may not be changed at all.\r\n\r\nBut by their actions, my friends almost certainly were.  They answered God’s call to love their neighbors, quite literally.  They didn’t ask, “Who is my neighbor?” but “To whom can I be a neighbor?”  They have conformed to the heart of God, and moved deeper in their love for God and others.  It is that kind of faith which leads us from sin and into grace, by God\'s infinite love.\r\n\r\nWhat can we each do today to act on that love?','Valuing Others Above Ourselves','','inherit','open','open','','2828-revision-6','','','2011-11-30 14:04:07','2011-11-30 22:04:07','',2828,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/30/2828-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(2959,1,'2011-11-30 18:37:09','2011-12-01 02:37:09','When you\'re raised Southern Baptist, there\'s just some things you don\'t mess around with. You don\'t question them. They are ideas that are stuck into your mind and they are never discussed.\r\n\r\nFor instance, \"once saved, always saved\". End of discussion. That is, until later when your seminary professor tells you that those words don\'t appear in Scripture and you need to find a Scriptural way to defend your own position.\r\n\r\nSeminary was a weird time for me. I had been raised Southern Baptist and was proud of it. I thought I\'d do well at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, surrounded by theological giants like Albert Mohler, Bruce Ware and Thomas Schreiner. But, when I got there, I found my beliefs were shaken to the core. This is a pretty common reaction, actually. Our safe, Sunday School beliefs are challenged by studying the higher critics and those in liberalism and our own minds are challenged. A lot of people don\'t make it to graduation.\r\n\r\nOne of the most fascinating topics for me was the humanity of Christ. I honestly didn\'t think I\'d struggle with it. It\'s a great time to discuss it too, since we find ourselves in the Christmas season. Christ became God in the flesh, Immanuel - God with us.\r\n\r\nI had the belief that Christ was some sort of amazing Superman. He had these amazing superpowers and was fully human and fully God - which He was - but that He combined them to become something more than human. For some reason, I believed that Christ knew He was Christ from day one of His birth and was on a mission.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/002.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2839\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/002-300x263.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"263\" /></a>Then I had theology class with two really outstanding professors. These men are some of the most conservative men in the Baptist faith. What they said shook me to the core. We were taught about heresy. Heresy is a strange thing. Over the centuries, heresy tends to swing a dangerous balance. For instance, people will emphasize the deity of Christ too much for a long time and forget His humanity to such a degree that heresies will arise to deny His humanity. Then, groups will complain and begin to emphasize His humanity too much, swinging the balance in the other direction, not emphasizing His deity, creating another heresy. The answers, my professors said, typically lay in the middle.\r\n\r\nThe first time my mind was blown was when one of my professors was talking about Christ and His early days. He was talking about His humanity and Him growing up, being a carpenter before His baptism by John. He was discussing Christ\'s studying the Scriptures, knowing that something must be special about His life.\r\n\r\nI raised my hand. The professor, author of several books that praise the sovereignty of God called on me.\r\n\r\nI said, \"Hold on, professor. I was raised thinking that Jesus just always knew He was the Messiah. But you\'re blowing my mind here. You\'re saying He didn\'t?\"\r\n\r\nThe professor leaned over the overhead projector. \"There\'s no biblical evidence. Here\'s the issue. Christ came to us as fully human, didn\'t He? He had to struggle, live and suffer as one of us if His atonement were to mean anything, right?\"\r\n\r\nI thought about that for a moment. \"I suppose. So when did Jesus know He was the Messiah?\"\r\n\r\nThe professor looked down and closed his eyes. \"I don\'t know. But I like to imagine that one day, He was reading the suffering servant passages in Isaiah and He thought, \'This is me.\'\"\r\n\r\nAgain, mind blown. I had never considered that Jesus was so . . . so . . . human. That He actually was like me when He was here. I thought about that for a long time. At first, it made me struggle. I wanted Him to be a superhero who could zap away His enemies with a word. But the more I dwelled on it, I was given peace knowing that Christ lived His life, as the bible says, as fully human. As I do. Fully tempted. Hungry, sweaty, thirsty, and dirty.\r\n\r\nHe was Immanuel. My theology had previously gone too far into the divine category. He is divine. He is fully God. But I had forgotten His humanity. His compassion. His capacity to love and be human.','The Humanity Of Christ Is Not To Be Feared, Part 1','','inherit','open','open','','2837-revision-2','','','2011-11-30 18:37:09','2011-12-01 02:37:09','',2837,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/30/2837-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2960,1,'2011-12-01 15:23:47','2011-12-01 23:23:47','Last time, I examined how the humanness of Christ was something I had never really thought about. During my years growing up in a Southern Baptist Church, the deity of Christ was strongly impressed upon me. Even to the point that His humanity was a sidenote.\r\n\r\nYou may know what I\'m talking about.\r\n\r\nIf you\'ve ever sat in a class where Christology (the study of Christ) is discussed, the topic of His full humanity will arise. It did in my seminary education as well as in my Southern Baptist undergraduate studies. When it was brought up, it was pretty quick and droll. It went something like, \"We know Jesus was fully human. He got tired, he got hungry, he wept, etc.\" Then, we moved on to His deity.\r\n\r\nI think we miss something when we skip over the humanity of Christ. I\'m going to sum up the importance of Christ\'s humanity and deity in the last post, but I want to share with you one of the biggest shockers I ever heard at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.\r\n\r\nI struggled there. I was having doubts about my faith after reading the critics and liberals. It was, overall, a great experience. It forced me to tear down everything that wasn\'t essential to my faith and rebuild it from the ground up. For a while, I really wasn\'t sure where the ground was. I finally found it. It was in the person of Jesus Christ. Historical figure. A man who lived, breathed and ministered. A man who was witnessed to have risen from the dead.\r\n\r\nI still wasn\'t sure how the whole humanity/deity thing worked out. Sure, some said it was a paradox. Christ was 100% God and 100% man and it was impossible for us to reconcile it. But my mind had to make sense of it.\r\n\r\nBefore that time came, I had an excellent hermeneutics teacher. He was very conservative and taught me how to appreciate the different genres of literature within the bible. He had even written several books, one of them dealt with challenging passages in the New Testament.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/noman.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2865\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/noman-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>One day, we came to Matthew 24:36. Jesus, speaking of His return said, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.\"\r\n\r\nThat\'s been a troublesome verse for a lot of people. Our professor discussed the different ideas people have thrown out. He mainly discussed the one that most conservatives use - \"Jesus, in his humanity, pushed aside this knowledge while He was on earth.\" That\'s been a standard response. It gives the Christian the ability to move strongly to the deity of Christ while still acknowledging His humanity in some form.\r\n\r\nOur professor, one of my favorites, began walking back to the podium then spun around with his finger in the air. \"How about this? What if He just didn\'t know?\"\r\n\r\nFriends, you could have heard an audible gasp in the room. Immediately, some of the more bellicose pastors in training objected. \"Well, He had to know, He was fully divine! He had all knowledge.\"\r\n\r\nThe professor smiled, looked down at the floor and then back up. He said, \"I always enjoy it when we say we take the bible for face value, then attempt to twist it around. What does the passage say? <em>It says He doesn\'t know.</em>\"\r\n\r\nMore silence. We were waiting on him to bail us out. To give us some surprise trap door out that verified our orthodoxy. But he didn\'t. Because he wasn\'t denying orthodoxy.\r\n\r\nHe said, \"Christ was fully human for us. And the Son just didn\'t know. There shouldn\'t really be a problem with that. It doesn\'t make Him at that moment less divine. It makes us appreciate His humanity that much more.\"\r\n\r\nThe wheels were turning again for me, but would not find resolve until my Theology II class . . .','The Humanity Of Christ Is Not To Be Feared, Part 2','','inherit','open','open','','2863-revision-2','','','2011-12-01 15:23:47','2011-12-01 23:23:47','',2863,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/01/2863-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2961,1,'2011-12-05 09:15:25','2011-12-05 17:15:25','Last time, I examined how the humanness of Christ was something I had never really thought about. During my years growing up in a Southern Baptist Church, the deity of Christ was strongly impressed upon me. Even to the point that His humanity was a sidenote.\r\n\r\nYou may know what I\'m talking about.\r\n\r\nIf you\'ve ever sat in a class where Christology (the study of Christ) is discussed, the topic of His full humanity will arise. It did in my seminary education as well as in my Southern Baptist undergraduate studies. When it was brought up, it was pretty quick and droll. It went something like, \"We know Jesus was fully human. He got tired, he got hungry, he wept, etc.\" Then, we moved on to His deity.\r\n\r\nI think we miss something when we skip over the humanity of Christ. I\'m going to sum up the importance of Christ\'s humanity and deity in the last post, but I want to share with you one of the biggest shockers I ever heard at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.\r\n\r\nI struggled there. I was having doubts about my faith after reading the critics and liberals. It was, overall, a great experience. It forced me to tear down everything that wasn\'t essential to my faith and rebuild it from the ground up. For a while, I really wasn\'t sure where the ground was. I finally found it. It was in the person of Jesus Christ. Historical figure. A man who lived, breathed and ministered. A man who was witnessed to have risen from the dead.\r\n\r\nI still wasn\'t sure how the whole humanity/deity thing worked out. Sure, some said it was a paradox. Christ was 100% God and 100% man and it was impossible for us to reconcile it. But my mind had to make sense of it.\r\n\r\nBefore that time came, I had an excellent hermeneutics teacher. He was very conservative and taught me how to appreciate the different genres of literature within the bible. He had even written several books, one of them dealt with challenging passages in the New Testament.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/noman.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2865\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/noman-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>One day, we came to Matthew 24:36. Jesus, speaking of His return said, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.\"\r\n\r\nThat\'s been a troublesome verse for a lot of people. Our professor discussed the different ideas people have thrown out. He mainly discussed the one that most conservatives use - \"Jesus, in his humanity, pushed aside this knowledge while He was on earth.\" That\'s been a standard response. It gives the Christian the ability to move strongly to the deity of Christ while still acknowledging His humanity in some form.\r\n\r\nOur professor, one of my favorites, began walking back to the podium then spun around with his finger in the air. \"How about this? What if He just didn\'t know?\"\r\n\r\nFriends, you could have heard an audible gasp in the room. Immediately, some of the more bellicose pastors in training objected. \"Well, He had to know, He was fully divine! He had all knowledge.\"\r\n\r\nThe professor smiled, looked down at the floor and then back up. He said, \"I always enjoy it when we say we take the bible for face value, then attempt to twist it around. What does the passage say? <em>It says He doesn\'t know.</em>\"\r\n\r\nMore silence. We were waiting on him to bail us out. To give us some surprise trap door out that verified our orthodoxy. But he didn\'t. Because he wasn\'t denying orthodoxy.\r\n\r\nHe said, \"Christ was fully human for us. And the Son just didn\'t know. There shouldn\'t really be a problem with that. It doesn\'t make Him at that moment less divine. It makes us appreciate His humanity that much more.\"\r\n\r\nThe wheels were turning again for me, but would not find resolve until my Theology II class . . .','The Humanity Of Christ Is Not To Be Feared, Part 2','','inherit','open','open','','2863-revision-3','','','2011-12-05 09:15:25','2011-12-05 17:15:25','',2863,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2863-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2962,1,'2011-12-04 18:52:38','2011-12-05 02:52:38','This is my final post in this series on the humanity of Christ. It\'s an odd topic to discuss because depending on your theological background, it may not be an issue for you. Then again, depending on your stance, some may consider you a heretic.\r\n\r\nWhen I was growing up, a strong emphasis was placed on the divinity of Christ. So much that His humanity was seen as an \"added bonus.\" It was hard for me when I got to seminary to wrap my mind around his humanity. But, as I\'ve discussed in the previous two posts, I struggled through my understanding.\r\n\r\nThose in this society who aren\'t necessarily conservative and tend to place emphasis on Christ\'s humanity, a strange thing often happens. Some of the more conservative bloggers seem to paint them as liberal or even heretical. There has to be a happy medium that is soundly biblical.\r\n\r\nHonestly, the first few times I heard my extremely conservative professors discuss the humanity of Christ, I thought it sounded heretical. But that was because of my preconceived notions and held beliefs. What I needed to do was understand the bible better.\r\n\r\nIt all came into view for me in my Theology II class when my professor was discussing Christ coming as the second Adam. Christ had to be fully human to be the sacrifice for our sins. He had to live completely as we did, without benefit of what he called \"the divine trump card.\" Was Christ still fully divine? Yes, but He was fully human and lived out this life in His full humanity. He used a great illustration.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/swim.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2952\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/swim-300x132.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"132\" /></a>Imagine a swimmer who desires to swim the English Channel. He has trained for this moment for years. He sets out to do it, but behind him is a rescue boat. If the swimmer cramps up or needs help, the boat is there. Our swimmer makes the swim successfully. But was it successful? I mean, the guy had a rescue boat behind him. Wasn\'t that cheating? Of course not. He didn\'t use it.\r\n\r\nChrist came in His humanity to love, teach, and die for us. He could have, at any moment, used his \"divine trump card,\" His \"rescue boat.\" But He didn\'t. Imagine His great human suffering at Gethsemane, praying for the cup to pass from Him - \"but not my will, but Thine.\"\r\n\r\nThankfully, we have a Savior who was fully human. The one who Paul describes as leaving His glorious riches to become poor as we are. The King came to live amongst the poor - so that we might be made rich in Him.\r\n\r\nHe desires us to live as He did. Compassionately, giving all we have to others, full of love, sacrificially, building the Kingdom. Now that I understand the humanity of Christ, I can understand my own humanity even better.','The Humanity Of Christ Is Not To Be Feared, Part 3','','inherit','open','open','','2946-revision-2','','','2011-12-04 18:52:38','2011-12-05 02:52:38','',2946,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2946-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2963,1,'2011-12-05 09:17:11','2011-12-05 17:17:11','This is my final post in this series on the humanity of Christ. It\'s an odd topic to discuss because depending on your theological background, it may not be an issue for you. Then again, depending on your stance, some may consider you a heretic.\r\n\r\nWhen I was growing up, a strong emphasis was placed on the divinity of Christ. So much that His humanity was seen as an \"added bonus.\" It was hard for me when I got to seminary to wrap my mind around his humanity. But, as I\'ve discussed in the previous two posts, I struggled through my understanding.\r\n\r\nThose in this society who aren\'t necessarily conservative and tend to place emphasis on Christ\'s humanity, a strange thing often happens. Some of the more conservative bloggers seem to paint them as liberal or even heretical. There has to be a happy medium that is soundly biblical.\r\n\r\nHonestly, the first few times I heard my extremely conservative professors discuss the humanity of Christ, I thought it sounded heretical. But that was because of my preconceived notions and held beliefs. What I needed to do was understand the bible better.\r\n\r\nIt all came into view for me in my Theology II class when my professor was discussing Christ coming as the second Adam. Christ had to be fully human to be the sacrifice for our sins. He had to live completely as we did, without benefit of what he called \"the divine trump card.\" Was Christ still fully divine? Yes, but He was fully human and lived out this life in His full humanity. He used a great illustration.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/swim.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2952\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/swim-300x132.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"132\" /></a>Imagine a swimmer who desires to swim the English Channel. He has trained for this moment for years. He sets out to do it, but behind him is a rescue boat. If the swimmer cramps up or needs help, the boat is there. Our swimmer makes the swim successfully. But was it successful? I mean, the guy had a rescue boat behind him. Wasn\'t that cheating? Of course not. He didn\'t use it.\r\n\r\nChrist came in His humanity to love, teach, and die for us. He could have, at any moment, used his \"divine trump card,\" His \"rescue boat.\" But He didn\'t. Imagine His great human suffering at Gethsemane, praying for the cup to pass from Him - \"but not my will, but Thine.\"\r\n\r\nThankfully, we have a Savior who was fully human. The one who Paul describes as leaving His glorious riches to become poor as we are. The King came to live amongst the poor - so that we might be made rich in Him.\r\n\r\nHe desires us to live as He did. Compassionately, giving all we have to others, full of love, sacrificially, building the Kingdom. Now that I understand the humanity of Christ, I can understand my own humanity even better.','The Humanity Of Christ Is Not To Be Feared - Part 3','','inherit','open','open','','2946-revision-3','','','2011-12-05 09:17:11','2011-12-05 17:17:11','',2946,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2946-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2964,1,'2011-12-09 08:10:09','2011-12-09 16:10:09','At the end of November, one of our local schools suffered a tragic loss.  A student died by suicide.  Although the people investigating have not officially stated whether bullying was involved, that was the conclusion reached by many of the student’s peers.  How sad that aggression in schools has progressed to the point that when a student ends her life, that is the first thing to come to mind.\n\nIt doesn’t make any difference whether bullying was the underlying cause.  That it has become epidemic  is far more alarming.  Bullying, and what form it takes, has been big news.  In light of that, it\'s not at all surprising that this video has been making the rounds*:\n\n[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdkNn3Ei-Lg[/youtube]\n\nThere seems to be a collective feeling of being at a loss for answers—even by school staff.  One reason may be that the shape of bullying has changed.  We want to imagine that bullies are easy to spot.  He’s the biggest kid on the playground, the one who always picks on smaller kids.  No one except the ones he’s terrified into the role will befriend him.  Maybe we even want to feel sorry for him, that he comes from a dangerous or frightening family situation himself.\n\nBut that isn’t always the way it works.  Bullies may come from “good” families.  They may go to church on Sundays.  They may be well-liked by parents, teachers, and other students.  There is no way to distinguish someone who is victimizing someone else unless you witness it happening.  They’re not just stealing kids’ lunch money anymore.\n\nSo the rest of us are left to deal with the tragic aftermath of adolescent cruelty.  We wonder if our own children are safe at school, or even whether they are the ones hurting others.  Those of us who work with the youth at our churches must find ways to help the students left behind after the dust clears.\n\nI spoke with the youth pastor at our church, asking if those of us working with the kids were going to discuss this issue as a team.  I mentioned that it was going to be tough for awhile, as we have students who knew the girl who died.  He said, “Imagine being a youth leader at a church where it’s one of your students.\"\n\nI answered, “What if one day we are?”\n\nBecause this latest suicide wasn’t halfway across the country, or even in another state.  It wasn’t even in another city.  It wasn\'t a stranger on the Internet, a kid we only know because he put his emotions in full view of everyone.  It was here, just a few miles from us, and it was a girl a lot of people knew.\n\nShouldn\'t that wreck us, that a young girl died?  Shouldn\'t that video of Jonah Mowry make us cry, and scream, and demand that something be done for these kids?  Shouldn\'t it break our hearts that human beings, created in the image of God, are being reduced to dust by the very words spoken to them?  Christians have a responsibility here.  We could sit back and wait for the schools to handle things.  We could expect that teachers will not tolerate disrespectful attitudes and behaviors in class.  We could even pray that our own kids know how much they are loved, even if they are the victims of bullying.  But that won’t solve the problem.  To be honest, I’m not sure what the solution is.  I do know that my duty to love makes it my business to help search for one.\n\nWe social justice Christians often talk about human dignity and how everyone is worthy of love and respect.  Why not start by honoring the dignity of our children and youth?\n\n*Be sure to read the update from Jonah Mowry, the young man, in the text under the video.','When Bullying Leads to Tragedy','','inherit','open','open','','2881-autosave','','','2011-12-09 08:10:09','2011-12-09 16:10:09','',2881,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2881-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2965,1,'2011-12-05 09:23:37','2011-12-05 17:23:37','In the <a title=\"De-harmonizing Christmas – Part 1: Mark\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/29/de-harmonizing-christmas-part-1-mark/\">first post</a> of this Advent series, I introduced the idea that we have \'harmonized\' Christmas, combining the different voices and stories of the Gospel writers. I think this homogenized story loses some of its rawness and punch. By \'de-harmonizing\' we start to hear the voices more distinctly and recognize the melodies that each one is singing as special in their own right.\n\nWhile <a title=\"De-harmonizing Christmas – Part 1: Mark\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/29/de-harmonizing-christmas-part-1-mark/\">Mark</a> might be the least likely gospel to be chosen to read during Advent (though I\'ve discovered that it may be in your lectionary for the second Sunday in Advent, it\'s still a tough one to choose!), John is often read in the traditional \'Nine Lessons\' services of Christmas. Like Mark, John does not narrate the details of Jesus\' birth in the way we are accustomed to - donkey, stable, angels and so on. He chooses a much more philosophical approach, exploring who Jesus is at the beginning, the first 18 verses, then showing his working through the rest of the book.\n\nI love the phrase that John uses - \'the Word became flesh and dwelt among us\'. John is referring to both Jewish tradition and Greek philosophy - in a church context that increasingly has both people raised as Jews and others with a more Roman or Greek background. You can\'t help but notice the parallels with the beginning of Genesis 1 in the first few verses of John. The Word is the creative power of God, as He speaks, things are, or things become. Yet the Word is also an image of prophecy in the Old Testament: throughout the books of Samuel and Kings, on to Isaiah and especially Jeremiah, the phrase \'the word of the Lord\' means that God spoke through a prophet to communicate with His people; ignoring the prophet and the prophecy meant ignoring God .\n\nTo someone familiar with Greek philosophy, <em>logos</em> took a different meaning. It was the reason behind what happened - the suggestion that the cosmos was not accidental and random but structured and understandable. To some, it took on an almost spiritual meaning, the perfection of order in the universe.\n\nJohn at once combines the two ideas and confounds them - the Word became flesh, <em>sarx</em>. Quite literally a four-letter word, especially in the turbulent times of the turn of the second century. Many suggested that the spiritual could have nothing to do with the fleshly, that we humans, \'embodied souls\', sought to cast off the flesh to become a pure, spiritual being. John says that the perfect, immutable, only God, the animating force behind the universe became flesh to live with us.\n\nBut there\'s more: \'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.\' (<a title=\"John 1, English Standard Version on Biblegateway.com\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%201&amp;version=ESV\">John 1:14, ESV</a>) The words \'only Son\' (or \'only begotten\' as I learned it at Sunday School!) are distinctive to John - it\'s only applied to Jesus in John\'s gospel and in the letter of 1 John. In Greek it\'s one word - <em>monogenes</em>, one which obviously doesn\'t have a direct English translation. Looking at the word, <em>mono</em> means one or only, while <em>genes</em> comes from the same root word that gave us the word \'gene\' in English. I suppose you might say that Jesus is the only on with the exact same DNA as the Father - while being in the flesh! Not only that, but John says that they saw his glory while he was \'in the flesh\', not needing to be without flesh.\n\nFor John, the material matters - because of Jesus being a fleshy human like us. We can\'t just focus on the \'spiritual matters\' and ignore physical ones, the divide won\'t work. Humans, like Jesus are integral beings, both spirit and body in harmony. Neither can exist without the other and it is in the physical that glory is displayed. We can see the family likeness of the Father in Jesus because of his grace and truth. In a time when some are obsessed with truth, John says it\'s the two together that show the DNA of God in Jesus.\n\nWe saw Mark set up a big mystery about who Jesus is, but John takes the exact opposite tack. He goes into the philosophy, the detail of what it means for Jesus to be fully human as well as divine, while still ignoring the material details of how, where and when (don\'t worry, with two more weeks of Advent we\'ve still got Matthew and Luke to give us those!) John reminds us that Christmas is not just about a baby in a manger, it\'s bigger, with cosmic significance, it can\'t be glossed over with fairy lights. The glory of God, the Father, is seen in the glory of Jesus, the Word become flesh, living with us. May you experience both the truth and grace of Christmas this year!','De-harmonizing Christmas - Part 2: John','','inherit','open','open','','2790-autosave','','','2011-12-05 09:23:37','2011-12-05 17:23:37','',2790,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2790-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2966,1,'2011-12-04 03:59:22','2011-12-04 11:59:22','In the <a title=\"De-harmonizing Christmas – Part 1: Mark\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/29/de-harmonizing-christmas-part-1-mark/\">first post</a> of this Advent series, I introduced the idea that we have \'harmonized\' Christmas, combining the different voices and stories of the Gospel writers. I think this homogenized story loses some of its rawness and punch. By \'de-harmonizing\' we start to hear the voices more distinctly and recognize the melodies that each one is singing as special in their own right.\n\nWhile <a title=\"De-harmonizing Christmas – Part 1: Mark\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/29/de-harmonizing-christmas-part-1-mark/\">Mark</a> might be the least likely gospel to be chosen to read during Advent (though I\'ve discovered that it may be in your lectionary for the second Sunday in Advent, it\'s still a tough one to choose!), John is often read in the traditional \'Nine Lessons\' services of Christmas. Like Mark, John does not narrate the details of Jesus\' birth in the way we are accustomed to - donkey, stable, angels and so on. He chooses a much more philosophical approach, exploring who Jesus is at the beginning, the first 18 verses, then showing his working through the rest of the book.\n\nI love the phrase that John uses - \'the Word became flesh and dwelt among us\'. John is referring to both Jewish tradition and Greek philosophy - in a church context that increasingly has both people raised as Jews and others with a more Roman or Greek background. You can\'t help but notice the parallels with the beginning of Genesis 1 in the first few verses of John. The Word is the creative power of God, as He speaks, things are, or things become. Yet the Word is also an image of prophecy in the Old Testament: throughout the books of Samuel and Kings, on to Isaiah and especially Jeremiah, the phrase \'the word of the Lord\' means that God spoke through a prophet to communicate with His people; ignoring the prophet and the prophecy meant ignoring God .\n\nTo someone familiar with Greek philosophy, <em>logos</em> took a different meaning. It was the reason behind what happened - the suggestion that the cosmos was not accidental and random but structured and understandable. To some, it took on an almost spiritual meaning, the perfection of order in the universe.\n\nJohn at once combines the two ideas and confounds them - the Word became flesh, <em>sarx</em>. Quite literally a four-letter word, especially in the turbulent times of the turn of the second century. Many suggested that the spiritual could have nothing to do with the fleshly, that we humans, \'embodied souls\', sought to cast off the flesh to become a pure, spiritual being. John says that the perfect, immutable, only God, the animating force behind the universe became flesh to live with us.\n\nBut there\'s more: \'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.\' (<a title=\"John 1, English Standard Version on Biblegateway.com\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%201&amp;version=ESV\">John 1:14, ESV</a>) The words \'only Son\' (or \'only begotten\' as I learned it at Sunday School!) are distinctive to John - it\'s only applied to Jesus in John\'s gospel and in the letter of 1 John. In Greek it\'s one word - <em>monogenes</em>, one which obviously doesn\'t have a direct English translation. Looking at the word, <em>mono</em> means one or only, while <em>genes</em> comes from the same root word that gave us the word \'gene\' in English. I suppose you might say that Jesus is the only on with the exact same DNA as the Father - while being in the flesh! Not only that, but John says that they saw his glory while he was \'in the flesh\', not needing to be without flesh.\n\nFor John, the material matters - because of Jesus being a fleshy human like us. We can\'t just focus on the \'spiritual matters\' and ignore physical ones, the divide won\'t work. Humans, like Jesus are integral beings, both spirit and body in harmony. Neither can exist without the other and it is in the physical that glory is displayed. We can see the family likeness of the Father in Jesus because of his grace and truth. In a time when some are obsessed with truth, John says it\'s the two together that show the DNA of God in Jesus.\n\nWe saw Mark set up a big mystery about who Jesus is, but John takes the exact opposite tack. He goes into the philosophy, the detail of what it means for Jesus to be fully human as well as divine, while still ignoring the material details of how, where and when (don\'t worry, with two more weeks of Advent we\'ve still got Matthew and Luke to give us those!) John reminds us that Christmas is not just about a baby in a manger, it\'s bigger, with cosmic significance, it can\'t be glossed over with fairy lights. The glory of God, the Father, is seen in the glory of Jesus, the Word become flesh, living with us. May you experience both the truth and grace of Christmas this year!','De-harmonizing Christmas - Part 2: John','','inherit','open','open','','2790-revision-9','','','2011-12-04 03:59:22','2011-12-04 11:59:22','',2790,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2790-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(2967,1,'2011-12-05 09:24:16','2011-12-05 17:24:16','In the <a title=\"De-harmonizing Christmas – Part 1: Mark\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/29/de-harmonizing-christmas-part-1-mark/\">first post</a> of this Advent series, I introduced the idea that we have \'harmonized\' Christmas, combining the different voices and stories of the Gospel writers. I think this homogenized story loses some of its rawness and punch. By \'de-harmonizing\' we start to hear the voices more distinctly and recognize the melodies that each one is singing as special in their own right.\r\n\r\nWhile <a title=\"De-harmonizing Christmas – Part 1: Mark\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/29/de-harmonizing-christmas-part-1-mark/\">Mark</a> might be the least likely gospel to be chosen to read during Advent (though I\'ve discovered that it may be in your lectionary for the second Sunday in Advent, it\'s still a tough one to choose!), John is often read in the traditional \'Nine Lessons\' services of Christmas. Like Mark, John does not narrate the details of Jesus\' birth in the way we are accustomed to - donkey, stable, angels and so on. He chooses a much more philosophical approach, exploring who Jesus is at the beginning, the first 18 verses, then showing his working through the rest of the book.\r\n\r\nI love the phrase that John uses - \'the Word became flesh and dwelt among us\'. John is referring to both Jewish tradition and Greek philosophy - in a church context that increasingly has both people raised as Jews and others with a more Roman or Greek background. You can\'t help but notice the parallels with the beginning of Genesis 1 in the first few verses of John. The Word is the creative power of God, as He speaks, things are, or things become. Yet the Word is also an image of prophecy in the Old Testament: throughout the books of Samuel and Kings, on to Isaiah and especially Jeremiah, the phrase \'the word of the Lord\' means that God spoke through a prophet to communicate with His people; ignoring the prophet and the prophecy meant ignoring God .\r\n\r\nTo someone familiar with Greek philosophy, <em>logos</em> took a different meaning. It was the reason behind what happened - the suggestion that the cosmos was not accidental and random but structured and understandable. To some, it took on an almost spiritual meaning, the perfection of order in the universe.\r\n\r\nJohn at once combines the two ideas and confounds them - the Word became flesh, <em>sarx</em>. Quite literally a four-letter word, especially in the turbulent times of the turn of the second century. Many suggested that the spiritual could have nothing to do with the fleshly, that we humans, \'embodied souls\', sought to cast off the flesh to become a pure, spiritual being. John says that the perfect, immutable, only God, the animating force behind the universe became flesh to live with us.\r\n\r\nBut there\'s more: \'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.\' (<a title=\"John 1, English Standard Version on Biblegateway.com\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%201&amp;version=ESV\">John 1:14, ESV</a>) The words \'only Son\' (or \'only begotten\' as I learned it at Sunday School!) are distinctive to John - it\'s only applied to Jesus in John\'s gospel and in the letter of 1 John. In Greek it\'s one word - <em>monogenes</em>, one which obviously doesn\'t have a direct English translation. Looking at the word, <em>mono</em> means one or only, while <em>genes</em> comes from the same root word that gave us the word \'gene\' in English. I suppose you might say that Jesus is the only on with the exact same DNA as the Father - while being in the flesh! Not only that, but John says that they saw his glory while he was \'in the flesh\', not needing to be without flesh.\r\n\r\nFor John, the material matters - because of Jesus being a fleshy human like us. We can\'t just focus on the \'spiritual matters\' and ignore physical ones, the divide won\'t work. Humans, like Jesus are integral beings, both spirit and body in harmony. Neither can exist without the other and it is in the physical that glory is displayed. We can see the family likeness of the Father in Jesus because of his grace and truth. In a time when some are obsessed with truth, John says it\'s the two together that show the DNA of God in Jesus.\r\n\r\nWe saw Mark set up a big mystery about who Jesus is, but John takes the exact opposite tack. He goes into the philosophy, the detail of what it means for Jesus to be fully human as well as divine, while still ignoring the material details of how, where and when (don\'t worry, with two more weeks of Advent we\'ve still got Matthew and Luke to give us those!) John reminds us that Christmas is not just about a baby in a manger, it\'s bigger, with cosmic significance, it can\'t be glossed over with fairy lights. The glory of God, the Father, is seen in the glory of Jesus, the Word become flesh, living with us. May you experience both the truth and grace of Christmas this year!','De-harmonizing Christmas - Part 2: John','','inherit','open','open','','2790-revision-10','','','2011-12-05 09:24:16','2011-12-05 17:24:16','',2790,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2790-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(2968,1,'2011-12-05 09:24:27','2011-12-05 17:24:27','In the <a title=\"De-harmonizing Christmas – Part 1: Mark\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/29/de-harmonizing-christmas-part-1-mark/\">first post</a> of this Advent series, I introduced the idea that we have \'harmonized\' Christmas, combining the different voices and stories of the Gospel writers. I think this homogenized story loses some of its rawness and punch. By \'de-harmonizing\' we start to hear the voices more distinctly and recognize the melodies that each one is singing as special in their own right.\r\n\r\nWhile <a title=\"De-harmonizing Christmas – Part 1: Mark\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/29/de-harmonizing-christmas-part-1-mark/\">Mark</a> might be the least likely gospel to be chosen to read during Advent (though I\'ve discovered that it may be in your lectionary for the second Sunday in Advent, it\'s still a tough one to choose!), John is often read in the traditional \'Nine Lessons\' services of Christmas. Like Mark, John does not narrate the details of Jesus\' birth in the way we are accustomed to - donkey, stable, angels and so on. He chooses a much more philosophical approach, exploring who Jesus is at the beginning, the first 18 verses, then showing his working through the rest of the book.\r\n\r\nI love the phrase that John uses - \'the Word became flesh and dwelt among us\'. John is referring to both Jewish tradition and Greek philosophy - in a church context that increasingly has both people raised as Jews and others with a more Roman or Greek background. You can\'t help but notice the parallels with the beginning of Genesis 1 in the first few verses of John. The Word is the creative power of God, as He speaks, things are, or things become. Yet the Word is also an image of prophecy in the Old Testament: throughout the books of Samuel and Kings, on to Isaiah and especially Jeremiah, the phrase \'the word of the Lord\' means that God spoke through a prophet to communicate with His people; ignoring the prophet and the prophecy meant ignoring God .\r\n\r\nTo someone familiar with Greek philosophy, <em>logos</em> took a different meaning. It was the reason behind what happened - the suggestion that the cosmos was not accidental and random but structured and understandable. To some, it took on an almost spiritual meaning, the perfection of order in the universe.\r\n\r\nJohn at once combines the two ideas and confounds them - the Word became flesh, <em>sarx</em>. Quite literally a four-letter word, especially in the turbulent times of the turn of the second century. Many suggested that the spiritual could have nothing to do with the fleshly, that we humans, \'embodied souls\', sought to cast off the flesh to become a pure, spiritual being. John says that the perfect, immutable, only God, the animating force behind the universe became flesh to live with us.\r\n\r\nBut there\'s more: \'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.\' (<a title=\"John 1, English Standard Version on Biblegateway.com\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%201&amp;version=ESV\">John 1:14, ESV</a>) The words \'only Son\' (or \'only begotten\' as I learned it at Sunday School!) are distinctive to John - it\'s only applied to Jesus in John\'s gospel and in the letter of 1 John. In Greek it\'s one word - <em>monogenes</em>, one which obviously doesn\'t have a direct English translation. Looking at the word, <em>mono</em> means one or only, while <em>genes</em> comes from the same root word that gave us the word \'gene\' in English. I suppose you might say that Jesus is the only on with the exact same DNA as the Father - while being in the flesh! Not only that, but John says that they saw his glory while he was \'in the flesh\', not needing to be without flesh.\r\n\r\nFor John, the material matters - because of Jesus being a fleshy human like us. We can\'t just focus on the \'spiritual matters\' and ignore physical ones, the divide won\'t work. Humans, like Jesus are integral beings, both spirit and body in harmony. Neither can exist without the other and it is in the physical that glory is displayed. We can see the family likeness of the Father in Jesus because of his grace and truth. In a time when some are obsessed with truth, John says it\'s the two together that show the DNA of God in Jesus.\r\n\r\nWe saw Mark set up a big mystery about who Jesus is, but John takes the exact opposite tack. He goes into the philosophy, the detail of what it means for Jesus to be fully human as well as divine, while still ignoring the material details of how, where and when (don\'t worry, with two more weeks of Advent we\'ve still got Matthew and Luke to give us those!) John reminds us that Christmas is not just about a baby in a manger, it\'s bigger, with cosmic significance, it can\'t be glossed over with fairy lights. The glory of God, the Father, is seen in the glory of Jesus, the Word become flesh, living with us. May you experience both the truth and grace of Christmas this year!','De-harmonizing Christmas - Part 2: John','','inherit','open','open','','2790-revision-11','','','2011-12-05 09:24:27','2011-12-05 17:24:27','',2790,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2790-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(2969,1,'2011-12-04 09:34:49','2011-12-04 17:34:49','[caption id=\"attachment_2903\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Joshua Becker\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/joshua-becker.jpg\"><img src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/joshua-becker-300x253.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"253\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2903\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nJust in time for the holiday gift giving season, the something beautiful crew talks with blogger and author Joshua Becker.\r\n\r\nBecker is an associate minister for a church outside Phoenix, Arizona and he writes about his journey towards becoming a minimalist in his spare time.\r\n\r\nHe shares how he stumbled into the idea of minimalism, what a rational minimalist entails and how it plays out with his faith.\r\n\r\n[audio=\"http://somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/120311.mp3\"]\r\n\r\nSome questions to ask yourself while you listen:\r\n\r\n<ul>	<li>What would rational minimalism look like in my life?</li>\r\n\r\n	<li>What \"things\" do I have that are simply cluttering my life?</li>\r\n\r\n	<li>How does my \"stuff\" relate to the call of Jesus in my life?</li></ul>\r\n','Something Beautiful - Joshua Becker','','inherit','open','open','','2901-revision-3','','','2011-12-04 09:34:49','2011-12-04 17:34:49','',2901,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2901-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2970,1,'2011-12-04 09:38:12','2011-12-04 17:38:12','<em>Anticipate: to realize beforehand; foretaste or foresee: to anticipate pleasure.\r\nAnticipate: to expect; look forward to; be sure of; to anticipate a favorable decision</em>\r\n\r\nThe advent season is one of anticipation. Of waiting… Of preparation… Of looking forward to the special Christmas day… When the concepts of anticipation and Christmas come together, I picture the look on a child’s face when December 1st rolls around. Waiting for Christmas becomes a month-long celebration. Some wake up each morning, ready to open the next door of the advent calendar. People scurry around making gifts and tucking them at the back of the closet or in that hidden spot in the crawl space, waiting for their Christmas morning unveiling. As children, the month of December can seem like an eternity, 24 whole doors on the advent calendar to open before one can wake up to the delight of Christmas morning. \r\n\r\n\r\nParents in the month of December are called to work with their children on discipline. “Nope, you can’t open doors for December 17th and 22nd today—today is December 3rd.” “You can shake and poke the presents from Grandma under the tree, but don’t think about peeling the tape back on the corner of the box”.  There’s something charged and magical in the waiting along with the frustration and restraint.\r\n\r\nWhat of our discipline in advent?  What do we anticipate as we approach the celebration of Christ’s birth, Divinity Incarnate on earth? I’ll admit that I’m not so far from the ways of childhood, when it comes to Christmas. I get excited when the lights start going up on the trees and I’ve been madly knitting gifts for weeks now. I anticipate Christmas concerts and meals with friends and family and await the gentle glow of candlelight traditions. \r\n\r\n<em>Anticipate: to realize beforehand; foretaste or foresee: to anticipate pleasure.\r\nAnticipate: to expect; look forward to; be sure of; to anticipate a favorable decision</em>\r\n\r\nThere is something in the waiting that feels sacred to me. There’s a care in the preparations that speaks to the precious nature of the holiday we’re approaching. I am seeing God in this tension, in the waiting, the anticipation. Maybe anticipation is God’s gift to us, the foretaste of God’s goodness, the spark of light in a darkened world. We anticipate, prepare, and stay in the tension because we look forward to a dream being realized; we feel God’s vision of the future we are working towards.\r\n\r\nWhen we live in the anticipation as a Divine gift, we can find the sacred, the joy of knowing that something beautiful is coming, the energy and excitement to persevere, the trust and patience to wait. We anticipate the end of a season. We anticipate a shift in our attitudes. We anticipate a change in a relationship, a new home, conquering an inner battle, mastering a skill, or the passing of time. \r\n\r\nWe can live into the anticipation as a gift, or we can see it as a burden. We can wake up each day and curse the fact that it is not yet Christmas morning, be bitter and twisted about the greener grass across the way and threaten to rip open all the gifts under the tree. We can live our lives in a way that would cause us to walk into a darkened room, throw on every bank of lights, and flood the room with a harsh fluorescent glare to see what’s there—RIGHT NOW.\r\n\r\nOr… <em>The people who walked in darkness, saw a great light. Those who dwelt in the shadow of death, upon them a light has shone</em>. The light is out there—flickering in the darkness. The Christ light shines, beckoning us to draw near, to follow, to anticipate. In this advent season, we are reminded to walk in spiritual disciplines, to breathe in the tension between what we look towards and what is. To engage in the sacred dance of anticipation. To be present in each moment, each breath. To look for the Christ light shining in our midst.\r\n','Divine Tension of Anticipation ','','inherit','open','open','','2885-revision-5','','','2011-12-04 09:38:12','2011-12-04 17:38:12','',2885,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2885-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(2971,1,'2011-12-05 09:27:55','2011-12-05 17:27:55','<em>Anticipate: to realize beforehand; foretaste or foresee: to anticipate pleasure.\nAnticipate: to expect; look forward to; be sure of; to anticipate a favorable decision</em>\n\nThe advent season is one of anticipation. Of waiting… Of preparation… Of looking forward to the special Christmas day… When the concepts of anticipation and Christmas come together, I picture the look on a child’s face when December 1st rolls around. Waiting for Christmas becomes a month-long celebration. Some wake up each morning, ready to open the next door of the advent calendar. People scurry around making gifts and tucking them at the back of the closet or in that hidden spot in the crawl space, waiting for their Christmas morning unveiling. As children, the month of December can seem like an eternity, 24 whole doors on the advent calendar to open before one can wake up to the delight of Christmas morning.\n\nParents in the month of December are called to work with their children on discipline. “Nope, you can’t open doors for December 17th and 22nd today—today is December 3rd.” “You can shake and poke the presents from Grandma under the tree, but don’t think about peeling the tape back on the corner of the box”. There’s something charged and magical in the waiting along with the frustration and restraint.\n\nWhat of our discipline in advent? What do we anticipate as we approach the celebration of Christ’s birth, Divinity Incarnate on earth? I’ll admit that I’m not so far from the ways of childhood, when it comes to Christmas. I get excited when the lights start going up on the trees and I’ve been madly knitting gifts for weeks now. I anticipate Christmas concerts and meals with friends and family and await the gentle glow of candlelight traditions.\n\n<em>Anticipate: to realize beforehand; foretaste or foresee: to anticipate pleasure.\nAnticipate: to expect; look forward to; be sure of; to anticipate a favorable decision</em>\n\nThere is something in the waiting that feels sacred to me. There’s a care in the preparations that speaks to the precious nature of the holiday we’re approaching. I am seeing God in this tension, in the waiting, the anticipation. Maybe anticipation is God’s gift to us, the foretaste of God’s goodness, the spark of light in a darkened world. We anticipate, prepare, and stay in the tension because we look forward to a dream being realized; we feel God’s vision of the future we are working towards.\n\nWhen we live in the anticipation as a Divine gift, we can find the sacred, the joy of knowing that something beautiful is coming, the energy and excitement to persevere, the trust and patience to wait. We anticipate the end of a season. We anticipate a shift in our attitudes. We anticipate a change in a relationship, a new home, conquering an inner battle, mastering a skill, or the passing of time.\n\nWe can live into the anticipation as a gift, or we can see it as a burden. We can wake up each day and curse the fact that it is not yet Christmas morning, be bitter and twisted about the greener grass across the way and threaten to rip open all the gifts under the tree. We can live our lives in a way that would cause us to walk into a darkened room, throw on every bank of lights, and flood the room with a harsh fluorescent glare to see what’s there—RIGHT NOW.\n\nOr… <em>The people who walked in darkness, saw a great light. Those who dwelt in the shadow of death, upon them a light has shone</em>. The light is out there—flickering in the darkness. The Christ light shines, beckoning us to draw near, to follow, to anticipate. In this advent season, we are reminded to walk in spiritual disciplines, to breathe in the tension between what we look towards and what is. To engage in the sacred dance of anticipation. To be present in each moment, each breath. To look for the Christ light shining in our midst.','Divine Tension of Anticipation ','','inherit','open','open','','2885-autosave','','','2011-12-05 09:27:55','2011-12-05 17:27:55','',2885,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2885-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2972,1,'2011-12-05 09:31:17','2011-12-05 17:31:17','','woman_waiting','','inherit','open','open','','woman_waiting','','','2011-12-05 09:31:17','2011-12-05 17:31:17','',2885,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/woman_waiting.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2973,1,'2011-12-05 09:26:51','2011-12-05 17:26:51','<em>Anticipate: to realize beforehand; foretaste or foresee: to anticipate pleasure.\r\nAnticipate: to expect; look forward to; be sure of; to anticipate a favorable decision</em>\r\n\r\nThe advent season is one of anticipation. Of waiting… Of preparation… Of looking forward to the special Christmas day… When the concepts of anticipation and Christmas come together, I picture the look on a child’s face when December 1st rolls around. Waiting for Christmas becomes a month-long celebration. Some wake up each morning, ready to open the next door of the advent calendar. People scurry around making gifts and tucking them at the back of the closet or in that hidden spot in the crawl space, waiting for their Christmas morning unveiling. As children, the month of December can seem like an eternity, 24 whole doors on the advent calendar to open before one can wake up to the delight of Christmas morning.\r\n\r\nParents in the month of December are called to work with their children on discipline. “Nope, you can’t open doors for December 17th and 22nd today—today is December 3rd.” “You can shake and poke the presents from Grandma under the tree, but don’t think about peeling the tape back on the corner of the box”. There’s something charged and magical in the waiting along with the frustration and restraint.\r\n\r\nWhat of our discipline in advent? What do we anticipate as we approach the celebration of Christ’s birth, Divinity Incarnate on earth? I’ll admit that I’m not so far from the ways of childhood, when it comes to Christmas. I get excited when the lights start going up on the trees and I’ve been madly knitting gifts for weeks now. I anticipate Christmas concerts and meals with friends and family and await the gentle glow of candlelight traditions.\r\n\r\n<em>Anticipate: to realize beforehand; foretaste or foresee: to anticipate pleasure.\r\nAnticipate: to expect; look forward to; be sure of; to anticipate a favorable decision</em>\r\n\r\nThere is something in the waiting that feels sacred to me. There’s a care in the preparations that speaks to the precious nature of the holiday we’re approaching. I am seeing God in this tension, in the waiting, the anticipation. Maybe anticipation is God’s gift to us, the foretaste of God’s goodness, the spark of light in a darkened world. We anticipate, prepare, and stay in the tension because we look forward to a dream being realized; we feel God’s vision of the future we are working towards.\r\n\r\nWhen we live in the anticipation as a Divine gift, we can find the sacred, the joy of knowing that something beautiful is coming, the energy and excitement to persevere, the trust and patience to wait. We anticipate the end of a season. We anticipate a shift in our attitudes. We anticipate a change in a relationship, a new home, conquering an inner battle, mastering a skill, or the passing of time.\r\n\r\nWe can live into the anticipation as a gift, or we can see it as a burden. We can wake up each day and curse the fact that it is not yet Christmas morning, be bitter and twisted about the greener grass across the way and threaten to rip open all the gifts under the tree. We can live our lives in a way that would cause us to walk into a darkened room, throw on every bank of lights, and flood the room with a harsh fluorescent glare to see what’s there—RIGHT NOW.\r\n\r\nOr… <em>The people who walked in darkness, saw a great light. Those who dwelt in the shadow of death, upon them a light has shone</em>. The light is out there—flickering in the darkness. The Christ light shines, beckoning us to draw near, to follow, to anticipate. In this advent season, we are reminded to walk in spiritual disciplines, to breathe in the tension between what we look towards and what is. To engage in the sacred dance of anticipation. To be present in each moment, each breath. To look for the Christ light shining in our midst.','Divine Tension of Anticipation ','','inherit','open','open','','2885-revision-6','','','2011-12-05 09:26:51','2011-12-05 17:26:51','',2885,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2885-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(2974,1,'2011-12-05 09:37:54','2011-12-05 17:37:54','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself promotions in title only), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of an organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.\n\nI mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\n\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\n\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office and said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\n\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\n\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\n\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\n\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\n\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.\n\nAs I stated earlier, I have no problem using make-up to enhance personal beauty. But there\'s enhancing personal beauty and.... trying mask your entire face to hide real or perceived flaws. Are we, the Church, using these tools to enhance the good or hide the ugly? At the very least, The Church should not tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap façade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\n\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\n\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-autosave','','','2011-12-05 09:37:54','2011-12-05 17:37:54','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2911-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2975,1,'2011-12-04 14:01:06','2011-12-04 22:01:06','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself promotions in title only), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of an organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.  I mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\r\n\r\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\r\n\r\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office and said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\r\n\r\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\r\n\r\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\r\n\r\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\r\n\r\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\r\n\r\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.\r\n\r\nAs I stated earlier, I have no problem using make-up to enhance personal beauty. But there\'s enhancing personal beauty and.... trying mask your entire face to hide real or perceived flaws. Are we, the Church, using these tools to enhance the good or hide the ugly? At the very least, The Church should not tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap façade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\r\n\r\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-31','','','2011-12-04 14:01:06','2011-12-04 22:01:06','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2911-revision-31/',0,'revision','',0),(2977,1,'2011-12-04 18:47:20','2011-12-05 02:47:20','I had the privilege of growing up in an interfaith family.  My mother was raised in an evangelical church and my father is Jewish.  Our family attended a Unitarian church for the first thirteen years of my life.  Although we didn\'t practice much of either of my parents\' religions, we did celebrate the holidays.  One of my fondest childhood memories is of lighting the menorah with my father\'s parents.\r\n\r\nWhen I was in high school, I began attending a Messianic Jewish congregation.  I had already put my faith in Jesus through an evangelical Presbyterian church, but I knew very little about my Jewish heritage.  The first winter that I was there, I celebrated the full eight days of Hanukkah with my Messianic friends.\r\n\r\nHanukkah is a wonderful holiday.  If you\'re unfamiliar with the story, it goes like this:  During what we Christians call the intertestamental period (between Malachi and Matthew), Antiochus IV captured Jerusalem around 170 BCE.  The temple was looted, and the practice of Judaism was criminalized.  In 165 BCE, the Jews revolted and the temple was reclaimed.  When the temple was cleansed and rededicated, the lamp (menorah) was re-lit.  There was only enough for one night, but it lasted for eight.\r\n\r\nThe first time I celebrated Hanukkah as a Christian, I learned that Jesus celebrated, too.  It\'s only mentioned briefly, but John 10:22-23 says,\r\n<blockquote>Then came the Festival of Dedicationat Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.</blockquote>\r\nWhen we lit the menorah together, the youth leaders and parents talked with us about what it means to followers of Christ that we celebrate the holiday.  The menorah has not eight but nine candles.  The ninth, which is either raised or set apart from the others, is called the <em>shamash</em>.  The word means \"attendant\" or \"servant.\"    The <em>shamash </em>is used to light the other candles, for the purpose of publicly displaying the story of Hanukkah.  For those of us who also follow Christ, this has beautiful symbolism.  Jesus, the servant, gives light to us.  As Jesus said,\r\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #000000;font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.\" </span></span><span style=\"color: #000000;font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif\">(John 8:12, NIV)</span></blockquote>\r\nWhen the menorah is lit, many people display it in the window.  The purpose of the candles is to visually represent the story.  In the same way, Christians are to love others and through our actions be the light of Christ.\r\n<blockquote><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">\"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.\"</span> (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)</blockquote>\r\nEvery year, our family celebrates the traditions of our heritage.  We light an advent wreath, and every day during December we tell the story of Jesus\' humble birth in the stable.  We also tell the story of Hanukkah and light the menorah.  We teach our children that they have a rich, wonderful heritage and that we should not forget the miracles which the Lord performed for our ancestors (which is, in fact, one of the traditional Hanukkah blessings).  Our candles burn in the window to tell the world that we love and honor our God and that we cherish our faith history.\r\n\r\nMay you experience many blessings during this holiday season.','Hanukkah, O Hanukkah','','inherit','open','open','','2945-revision-4','','','2011-12-04 18:47:20','2011-12-05 02:47:20','',2945,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/04/2945-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(2978,1,'2011-12-05 09:44:46','2011-12-05 17:44:46','','lipstick_woman','','inherit','open','open','','lipstick_woman','','','2011-12-05 09:44:46','2011-12-05 17:44:46','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/lipstick_woman.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2979,1,'2011-12-05 09:33:24','2011-12-05 17:33:24','Before I came into my current position as The Queen of Awesomeness (also known as Stay at Home Mom; hey, if I don\'t get paid, at least I can give myself promotions in title only), I was the personal assistant to the head and founder of an organization that shall remain nameless. My boss was a bit bi-polar in his office demeanor, one day perfectly amiable and fun to work under, the next day spitting nails over a single hair being out-of-place.\r\n\r\nI mention this, because the physical appearance of his employees was of particular importance to him; in addition to the normal business-attire dress code found in many office policies, he was very particular that all female employees wore makeup-- especially lipstick. Lip gloss was not acceptable; it <em>had</em> to be lipstick. I often jokingly wondered if there were specific office-approved lipstick colors, and I would have asked if I\'d believed I could keep a straight face.\r\n\r\nI have no problem with make-up. I am a firm believer in enhancing one\'s natural beauty, and I tend to wear make-up nearly every day, rarely venturing outside the house without some on. However, I am not convinced of lipstick\'s benefits. It\'s always smearing, getting on my coffee cups, fading, and needing to be reapplied. And, don\'t get me started on those supposed \"12 hour wear\" kinds. They just crack and make it look like you have the lips of an 80-year-old with horrible lipstick applying skills. It really isn\'t an attractive look.\r\n\r\nWhile most days I applied lipstick before leaving for work, I usually did not take the trouble to reapply it every 10 minutes. That is, unless my boss was having one of his \"shoot anything in sight\" kind of days. On one of those particular days, I was feverishly working to finish up some time-sensitive projects and did not check my make-up before he came in to the office. Shortly after he arrived, he called me into his office and said, very sternly, \"I have told you time and again to keep your lipstick on. This is your final warning. If I have to tell you once more to put on your lipstick, you will be done here.\"\r\n\r\nThis was the only issue regarding my appearance or my performance that my boss had mentioned for at least 6 months. In fact, he had on numerous occasions complimented me on my stellar work and repeatedly told me that I was \"indispensable\" to him. Apparently that was only applied if I was wearing lipstick. I should mention that a couple of weeks later I arrived to work without a stitch of lipstick on, with nary a comment or pink slip. Bluff called.\r\n\r\nMy bosses\' obsession with lipstick didn\'t end there. His organization held frequent meetings for leaders and the general community, however the building we occupied was a large warehouse in need of some serious remodeling. Not having the funds to do a complete renovation, he told us to \"slap a little lipstick on it\". That is, he wanted us to distract from the flaws with a cheap veneer.\r\n\r\nI don\'t tell you this anecdote to rail on my former boss. While I am quite happy to no longer work for the man, I do sincerely wish him well. Rather, I tell this story to illustrate an issue that was once an issue mainly in the culture at large, but is now pervasive in churches and ministries today: obsession with image.\r\n\r\nBranding and marketing, formerly reserved for businesses and products, has now become a widespread tool among ministries and churches seeking to be culturally relevant, better able to \"market\" the church to their communities, or maybe just plain cool. Church names now border on the bizarre, often sounding more like clothing stores names than church names. Worship teams, or house bands if you are in a more \"relevant\" church, may even use smoke machines or crazy light shows during the worship service. Even church buildings have been given a makeover, with new churches popping up in refurbished storefronts, warehouses, or even movie theaters, often looking more like a club or concert arena than the traditional church building.\r\n\r\nPlease do not mistake me; I do not think any of this is inherently bad. These can all be wonderful expressions of the church body and worship.  However, the danger is giving it too much focus. The image of the church leadership, building, worship style, or witness method (if you want to consider marketing a witnessing method), should not supersede being bearers of the image of Christ.  When it appears that churches or ministries spend most of their resources and time branding and marketing their image, I often suspect all the shining packaging is hiding some cracks beneath the surface, much like the warehouse that housed my former bosses\' organization.\r\n\r\nAs I stated earlier, I have no problem using make-up to enhance personal beauty. But there\'s enhancing personal beauty and.... trying mask your entire face to hide real or perceived flaws. Are we, the Church, using these tools to enhance the good or hide the ugly? At the very least, The Church should not tart itself up with gaudy lipstick to woo suitors. That is merely a cheap façade, masking The Church\'s true beauty, current flaws and all.\r\n\r\n<em>Photo Credit: Sabbath Photography</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Slap On a Little Lipstick, You\'ll Be Fine','','inherit','open','open','','2911-revision-32','','','2011-12-05 09:33:24','2011-12-05 17:33:24','',2911,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2911-revision-32/',0,'revision','',0),(2981,1,'2011-12-05 10:18:27','2011-12-05 18:18:27','[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mII6-IyaT3o[/youtube]\n\nI love satire for its capacity to speak some remarkable truths in really funny ways.  Mr Diety is definitely satire and it often takes on the philosophical and apparent humorous tensions within Christianity.  It\'s not always fair, and often it borders on mean, but sometimes it really calls out the issues.\n\nIn this absurd take on the relationship of the Trinity, Mr. Diety explores the relationship of Jesus to God. You can hear the influence of Abbot and Costello\'s <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOXdpO36Ojw\" target=\"_blank\">Who\'s On First</a>, and they even reference it during the skit.\n\nAt 2:50 the skit turns as\n\nJesus: What\'s the point of this?\n\nMr. Diety: The point is to save the human\'s from the original sin and to show, you know, my love.\n\nJesus: To show <em>your</em> love?\n\nMr. Diety: Yeah, by sacrificing myself, in the person of you, to myself.  That\'s loving.\n\nJesus: Wait, don\'t you mean sacrificing me to you?\n\nMr. Diety: Look this is a beautiful thing I\'m doing to satisfy my own sense of unyielding justice.\n\nThis skit strays at this point from the traditional evangelical story, suggesting Adam didn\'t really exist, but at this point it doesn\'t matter.  The skit has shown the tension.  Is God deman\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','The Tension Of Our Gospel','','inherit','open','open','','2980-revision','','','2011-12-05 10:18:27','2011-12-05 18:18:27','',2980,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2980-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2982,1,'2011-12-05 10:19:27','2011-12-05 18:19:27','[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mII6-IyaT3o[/youtube]\n\nI love satire for its capacity to speak some remarkable truths in really funny ways.  Mr Diety is definitely satire and it often takes on the philosophical and apparent humorous tensions within Christianity.  It\'s not always fair, and often it borders on mean, but sometimes it really calls out the issues.\n\nIn this absurd take on the relationship of the Trinity, Mr. Diety explores the relationship of Jesus to God. You can hear the influence of Abbot and Costello\'s <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOXdpO36Ojw\" target=\"_blank\">Who\'s On First</a>, and they even reference it during the skit.\n\nAt 2:50 the skit turns to the meaning of the set up.\n<blockquote>Jesus: What\'s the point of this?\n\nMr. Diety: The point is to save the human\'s from the original sin and to show, you know, my love.\n\nJesus: To show <em>your</em> love?\n\nMr. Diety: Yeah, by sacrificing myself, in the person of you, to myself.  That\'s loving.\n\nJesus: Wait, don\'t you mean sacrificing me to you?\n\nMr. Diety: Look this is a beautiful thing I\'m doing to satisfy my own sense of unyielding justice.</blockquote>\nThis skit strays at this point from the traditional evangelical story, suggesting Adam didn\'t really exist, but at this point it doesn\'t matter.  The skit has shown the tension.  Is God demanding the death of his own son to appease his own sense of divine justice.\n\nThe issue creates all kinds of\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','The Tension Of Our Gospel','','inherit','open','open','','2980-revision-2','','','2011-12-05 10:19:27','2011-12-05 18:19:27','',2980,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2980-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2983,1,'2011-12-05 10:24:38','2011-12-05 18:24:38','[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mII6-IyaT3o[/youtube]\n\nI love satire for its capacity to speak some remarkable truths in really funny ways.  Mr Diety is definitely satire and it often takes on the philosophical and apparent humorous tensions within Christianity.  It\'s not always fair, and often it borders on mean, but sometimes it really calls out the issues.\n\nIn this absurd take on the relationship of the Trinity, Mr. Diety explores the relationship of Jesus to God. You can hear the influence of Abbot and Costello\'s <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOXdpO36Ojw\" target=\"_blank\">Who\'s On First</a>, and they even reference it during the skit.\n\nAt 2:50 the skit turns to the meaning of the set up.\n<blockquote>Jesus: What\'s the point of this?\n\nMr. Diety: The point is to save the human\'s from the original sin and to show, you know, my love.\n\nJesus: To show <em>your</em> love?\n\nMr. Diety: Yeah, by sacrificing myself, in the person of you, to myself.  That\'s loving.\n\nJesus: Wait, don\'t you mean sacrificing me to you?\n\nMr. Diety: Look this is a beautiful thing I\'m doing to satisfy my own sense of unyielding justice.</blockquote>\nThis skit strays at this point from the traditional evangelical story, suggesting Adam didn\'t really exist, but at this point it doesn\'t matter.  The skit has shown the tension.  Is God demanding the death of his own son to appease his own sense of divine justice.\n\nAs strange as it may sound, this is the tension of our Western understanding of the Gospel.  The meaning of the Gospel is found in our understanding of the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atonement_in_Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">atonement</a>, or why did Jesus die on the cross? It describeThis theory underlines the historical basis for much of our Western theology, especially within the Evangelical community.  It\'s the story of the Gospel and provides a basis for our belief systems.  And in a postmodern age, people are calling BS. All Mr. Diety is doing is giving voice to that tension.\n\nWhat if there\n\n&nbsp;','The Tension Of The Gospel','','inherit','open','open','','2980-revision-3','','','2011-12-05 10:24:38','2011-12-05 18:24:38','',2980,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2980-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2984,1,'2011-12-05 10:27:55','2011-12-05 18:27:55','[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mII6-IyaT3o[/youtube]\n\nI love satire for its capacity to speak some remarkable truths in really funny ways.  Mr Diety is definitely satire and it often takes on the philosophical and apparent humorous tensions within Christianity.  It\'s not always fair, and often it borders on mean, but sometimes it really calls out the issues.\n\nIn this absurd take on the relationship of the Trinity, Mr. Diety explores the relationship of Jesus to God. You can hear the influence of Abbot and Costello\'s <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOXdpO36Ojw\" target=\"_blank\">Who\'s On First</a>, and they even reference it during the skit.\n\nAt 2:50 the skit turns to the meaning of the set up.\n<blockquote>Jesus: What\'s the point of this?\n\nMr. Diety: The point is to save the human\'s from the original sin and to show, you know, my love.\n\nJesus: To show <em>your</em> love?\n\nMr. Diety: Yeah, by sacrificing myself, in the person of you, to myself.  That\'s loving.\n\nJesus: Wait, don\'t you mean sacrificing me to you?\n\nMr. Diety: Look this is a beautiful thing I\'m doing to satisfy my own sense of unyielding justice.</blockquote>\nThis skit strays at this point from the traditional evangelical story, suggesting Adam didn\'t really exist, but at this point it doesn\'t matter.  The skit has shown the tension.  Is God demanding the death of his own son to appease his own sense of divine justice.\n\nAs strange as it may sound, this is the tension of our Western understanding of the Gospel.  The meaning of the Gospel is found in our understanding of the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atonement_in_Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">atonement</a>, or why did Jesus die on the cross? It describes how humanity is reconciled with God.  Although there are many theories of atone theory underlines the historical basis for much of our Western theology, especially within the Evangelical community.  It\'s the story of the Gospel and provides a basis for our belief systems.  And in a postmodern age, people are calling BS. All Mr. Diety is doing is giving voice to that tension.\n\nWhat if there\n\n&nbsp;','The Tension Of The Gospel','','inherit','open','open','','2980-revision-4','','','2011-12-05 10:27:55','2011-12-05 18:27:55','',2980,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2980-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(3138,12,'2011-12-17 08:00:58','2011-12-17 16:00:58','Every year, the Christmas season brings a time of turmoil and anger, typically centered around the public display of Nativity scenes on public property. Let me say up front that I\'m not a huge fan of the \"season\" only because it\'s been supplanted by all the things it\'s not about. I am a huge fan of the Savior, coming into this world to save us, love us and show us compassion.\r\n\r\nI\'m a card carrying Southern Baptist, by the way. If it matters. I think our celebration of Christ should be bible based and closest to what He would have wanted.\r\n\r\nI am not a fan of the Nativity scene. At all. So, for a mish-mash of particulars that might resemble a fruitcake, I\'d like to give you three reasons for tearing down the Nativity scene. Everywhere. Especially in the public square. Please bear with me.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/statechurch.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3140\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/statechurch-300x239.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"258\" height=\"205\" /></a>1. Christians should be fans of the \"accomodation\" idea of religious expression. Here\'s the idea behind it, according to The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commision, an arm of the Southern Baptist Convention - \"Seeks government \'accommodation\' of individuals’ rights to express religious beliefs in government locales.\" (<a href=\"http://erlc.com/documents/pdf/restoring_religious_freedom.pdf\">Here\'s the handy, dandy PDF file explaining all the views</a>.) Most Christians don\'t have a problem with that statement. However, the meat of the issue comes in this explanation - all religions have a right to the public square, as long as they are privately funded. In other words, if the Christians can put up a display, so can Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists. Know why? Because religious freedom for one is religious freedom for all. And denial of that freedom for one is denial of freedom for all.\r\n\r\nFor some reason, some Christians get angry about that. We see people getting angry when a school won\'t let a Christian say a prayer before a ball game or a graduation ceremony. Do you know why the school just bans it? Because they know the law. The law says that if you let the Christian do it, they have to let the Buddhist do it. Frankly, they don\'t want the headache or the culture war. So, they just say, \"no prayer.\" I think it\'s a fine thing to do. The only other alternative is to ask the Christians, \"Fine, have your prayer, but we have to allow the Muslim family to have their leader pray as well.\" How do you think that would go over?\r\n\r\nI\'m all for freedom of religious expression. I say, open the floodgates. Unfortunately, the culture at large isn\'t ready for it. In turn, culture gets mad at the government for \"restricting\" freedom of religious expression when the government just doesn\'t want the darn headache. They get tired of fighting the battle every year and just say \"no\" to the hot-headed Christian majority.\r\n\r\nWorst part? How do you think the vocal Christian majority looks to those who don\'t believe as they do? Not very good. It\'s not the way to win the battle of hearts and minds.\r\n\r\n2. It\'s biblically incorrect for the most part. Yeah. Fact checking time. Evangelical Christians pride themselves for being strong in the bible. So, let\'s review the Christmas story for a moment. It\'s found in two sections of Scripture. In <a href=\"http://www.esvbible.org/search/luke+2%3A1-20/\">Luke 2:1-20</a>, we have Mary and Joseph arriving at Bethlehem, giving birth, and shepherds arriving after seeing angels who appear to them on the ground. In <a href=\"http://www.esvbible.org/search/matthew+2/\">Matthew 2</a>, we have the arrival of the magi, who came to Mary and Joseph while they were living in Jerusalem while Jesus was a young boy. Many scholars think this happened up to two years later. Yeah.\r\n\r\nLet me use a local \"live nativity\" near my house as an example. They\'ve prided themselves with their biblical accuracy. I did a drive by the other night. They\'ve even rebuilt Bethlehem. How did they do?\r\n\r\nStar over the manger - nope. The star appeared almost two years later over Jerusalem. Wise men - nope. Weren\'t at Jesus\' birth - two years later. <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/jesusmary.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-3141\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/jesusmary-300x192.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"192\" /></a>The bible actually never says there were three. Angels - nope. The angels appeared, on the ground to the shepherds, not at Jesus\' feeding trough. <a href=\"http://www.ancientsandals.com/articles/01_jesus_birth.htm\">Innkeeper</a>? Nope. Where is an innkeeper mentioned? Yeah, no room at the inn. But the inn mentioned was more like a house crammed with people during the census. It was probably more comfortable for them with the animals.\r\n\r\nWhy do we feel the need to romanticize the scene? It was a girl around <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_%28mother_of_Jesus%29\">15 years old</a> giving birth in a tough environment. The only people who showed up were nasty, stinky shepherds with their smelly sheep. But they were praising God. A humble birth for an amazing Savior among low people.\r\n\r\n3. I think there\'s a better way to concentrate our passions. Let\'s think back to the early church for a moment. Here were a bunch of men and women who had seen the risen Savior. Their lives were lived every day with the zeal and passion for Him. They showed love for one another and for others based on what Christ had done.\r\n\r\nI don\'t have any evidence for it, but I\'m pretty sure one of the other disciples didn\'t come up to Peter one day and say, \"Hey Peter, let\'s remember the birth of Jesus and put up a little play about it. Even better, let\'s put up a living crucifixion to remember <em>that</em> day.\" Why would they want to do that? They spent every day in the love and enjoyment of the presence of Jesus Christ. Their hearts overflowed with His presence in their community, their families and their relationships.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/lvingnat.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3142\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/lvingnat-300x206.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"206\" /></a>Do we really need to set up these ridiculous little tableaus twice a year that are mocked with error? What glorifies Christ more? A little set up that tells nothing to the world, or lives that reflect out His love to others? What if our communities of faith put the same amount of effort into the poor, the disenfranchised, the mocked, the persecuted, the homeless, the forsaken, the abandoned, the beaten, the abused, the hated of this world? What if we went to the places in our communities where Christ went first?\r\n\r\nI\'m definitely not calling for people to tear down Nativity scenes in their community ala the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther#Peasants.27_War\">Peasant\'s War</a> that followed Martin Luther\'s stand against Rome. I am calling for rational thought when it comes to the Christian mission.\r\n\r\nI often wonder what Christ would think if He came into our communities and saw our Nativity scenes and the wars we wage over them. The time we spend keeping them on the public square. Would He be proud? Or would He simply move on to the impoverished neighborhoods to share, love and heal?','Three Reasons To Tear Down The Nativity Scene','','publish','open','open','','three-reasons-to-tear-down-the-nativity-scene','','','2011-12-16 08:21:49','2011-12-16 16:21:49','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=3138',0,'post','',0),(2986,1,'2011-12-05 10:40:37','2011-12-05 18:40:37','[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mII6-IyaT3o[/youtube]\n\nI love satire for its capacity to speak some remarkable truths in really funny ways.  Mr Diety is definitely satire and it often takes on the philosophical and apparent humorous tensions within Christianity.  It\'s not always fair, and often it borders on mean, but sometimes it really calls out the issues.\n\nIn this absurd take on the relationship of the Trinity, Mr. Diety explores the relationship of Jesus to God. You can hear the influence of Abbot and Costello\'s <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOXdpO36Ojw\" target=\"_blank\">Who\'s On First</a>, and they even reference it during the skit.\n\nAt 2:50 the skit turns to the meaning of the set up.\n<blockquote>Jesus: What\'s the point of this?\n\nMr. Diety: The point is to save the human\'s from the original sin and to show, you know, my love.\n\nJesus: To show <em>your</em> love?\n\nMr. Diety: Yeah, by sacrificing myself, in the person of you, to myself.  That\'s loving.\n\nJesus: Wait, don\'t you mean sacrificing me to you?\n\nMr. Diety: Look this is a beautiful thing I\'m doing to satisfy my own sense of unyielding justice.</blockquote>\nThis skit strays at this point from the traditional evangelical story, suggesting Adam didn\'t really exist, but at this point it doesn\'t matter.  The skit has shown the tension.  Is God demanding the death of his own son to appease his own sense of divine justice.\n\nAs strange as it may sound, this is the tension of our Western understanding of the Gospel.  The meaning of the Gospel is found in our understanding of the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atonement_in_Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">atonement</a>, or why did Jesus die on the cross? It describes how humanity is reconciled with God.  Although there are many theories of atonement in history, this theory (also called subsitutionary and later penal substitutionary atonement) underlines the historical basis for much of our Western theology, especially within the Evangelical community.  It\'s the story of the Gospel and provides a basis for our belief systems.\n\nAnd in a postmodern age, people are calling out a big \"Fail\" to the idea. The theory of justice doesn\'t seem all that loving.  Some would even suggest that it makes God a child killer.  And if so, what kind of God would do that. All Mr. Diety is doing is giving voice to that tension.  As when we don\'t like reflecting on our own understanding of the Gospel, one that holds profound implications for our understanding of God\'s character and the framework for justice, someone else will.  If we want to be honest about our own faith, it requires wrestling with these tensions.\n\nWhat if there was a different way of understanding the cross, one that reconciles with our understanding of love and justice and the event that unfold?  What if God is not satisfying a divine sense of cosmic justice (or even paying a <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ransom_theory_of_atonement\" target=\"_blank\">Ransom to Satan</a>), but instead God is meeting our warped demands for proof that we are worth it.\n\n&nbsp;','The Tension Of The Gospel','','inherit','open','open','','2980-revision-5','','','2011-12-05 10:40:37','2011-12-05 18:40:37','',2980,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2980-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(2988,1,'2011-12-05 11:01:57','2011-12-05 19:01:57','','Catalogue_Discovering','','inherit','open','open','','catalogue_discovering','','','2011-12-05 11:01:57','2011-12-05 19:01:57','',2980,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Catalogue_Discovering.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2989,1,'2011-11-30 10:10:08','2011-11-30 18:10:08','In this third of a three part interview, I got to ask Jim about his desire to fade into the woodwork and what it mean to self-publish his book <em><a href=\"With%20the%20upcoming%20release%20of%20Jim%27s%20newest%20book,%20Being%20Jesus%20In%20Nashville\" target=\"_blank\">Being Jesus In Nashville</a></em>.\r\n\r\n[question]You’ve stated that you’ve “flirted with fading into the woodwork, never to be heard from again.”  What do you mean by that? [/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Being_Jesus_Kindle.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2824\" title=\"Being_Jesus_Kindle\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Being_Jesus_Kindle.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a>I’m not fond of controversy or conflict and I’ve had a whole lot of both around this book. There are some days when it wears on me and I ponder resurrecting my original dream, which was to be a starting guard for the Chicago Bulls. It wouldn’t work now anyway, I had my chance when MJ retired and didn’t take it.\r\n\r\nI get discouraged. Some days it feels like I’m just banging my head against a wall. I’m not selling crack or peddling porn; I’m standing for the inherent, equal and divine worth of every human being, and wanting to enroll people in the idea of building a world that works for everyone. But for this, people want me crucified. What keeps me going are those divine nobodies who contact me to share their story and the ways I’ve contributed to their journey.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]You\'ve recently started the Occupy Religion effort.  What is that?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nI didn’t expect the Occupy Religion effort to evolve from my new book. Government and religion share the similar dynamic of 1% having inordinate influence over how things work for everyone else. In religion’s case, the 1% are religious clerics and the 99% are the rest of us, many of whom practice a particular faith but still have very little say on how that faith is expressed in the world.\r\n\r\nThe Occupy Religion effort is about confronting religion in those places where it divides and separates people from God and each other. <em>Being Jesus in Nashville</em> is taking a stand with my tribe who has shared this journey with me the last several years. They are ordinary people who have been shedding religion and no longer support the view of Jesus promoted by the institutional church—one that leads to condemning people of other faiths, forces Christians to adopt beliefs and practices they often cannot live up to or support in good conscience, and requires people to promote a message that divides human beings in the name of Jesus… in the name of God.\r\n\r\nIn a nutshell, I keep going because I know I’m not alone. I’m not just speaking for myself but representing a lot of people who want their voice to be heard.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]You chose to self-publish <em>Being Jesus</em>. What does this new book mean to you and why did you decide to publish it on your own?[/question]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nI’m self-publishing this book because I realized I had to disentangle myself from the Christian publishing machine in order for my voice and message to be heard. Membership in an institutional church is not a prerequisite for being a fully expressed and devoted follower of Christ. A book contract with a major Christian publisher is not necessary to share my story and message with my tribe and beyond.\r\n\r\nSelf-publishing hasn’t been a cake walk. I discovered that I didn’t know <strong>jack about self-publishing. </strong>How hard can this be??? (I said to myself). Well, IT IS! It’s been a steep learning curve and I’m still climbing it. <strong>I’m scared as hell of failing.</strong> What if my decision to self-publish bombs?! I HATE “marketing” myself or my books and the publisher mostly did this stuff before. So, it’s uncomfortable. Plus, I worry about letting people down. I don’t like disappointing people. <strong>I’m making mistakes.</strong> I thought the self-publishing route meant that I could get everything I wanted instantaneously when I wanted it just the way I wanted it. I think they call that delusional! <strong>The freedom isn’t so easy.</strong> With no filter or censorship, I am free to fully express myself. Just what I wanted! Right? It’s not so easy. It’s challenging that part of me that wants people to like me, losses sleep over a negative Amazon review, worries about offending people, and fears rejection.\r\n\r\nPeople can contribute to self-publishing effort of <a href=\"http://www.indiegogo.com/Being-Jesus?a=294635&amp;i=addr\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Being Jesus in Nashville</em></a> through the IndieGoGo Campaign.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]How are you holding up now?[/question]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nSome days it feels like I’m spitting in the wind. Sometimes I wonder if I’m making any difference at all. I get discouraged at times, questioning what, if any, impact I am having. I often feel I’m beating my head against a wall, speaking out about the way religion puts a barrier between people and God and each other. It’s an up-hill battle trying to convince people that following Jesus could mean standing for the inherent, equal and divine worth of every human being. So, just being straight here, some days I ponder if I should go back to being a carpet salesman, maybe coach the girls basketball team at Jessica’s school.\r\n\r\nAnyway… sometimes it feels this way and then I received this email a few minutes ago:\r\n\r\n<em>Hi Jim.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I just wanted to say that I’m grateful for the “What do you need to give yourself permission to do or be?” question you raised on the Divine Nobody Call. It was such a heartfelt, deeply honest question, and I think that is one of the things I appreciate about you, that you don’t give up on asking the questions, even when it’s scary, and messy, and confusing and you keep trying to be open about what you’re feeling and where you’re at in your journey even when it’s uncomfortable. </em>\r\n\r\n<em>A few things occurred to me as I started to write this, one is that we can find God in the questions and when you feel them being formed in you, it’s God stirring you into being who you are. Two, your question about permission makes me a little sad because, I think some people are so lost in the self they’ve created to relate and survive the world, that they don’t even know they aren’t giving themselves permission. These are the kinds of questions that people need space to hear and express and I’m thankful that you help to create that space. </em>\r\n\r\n<em>For me, I’m starting to feel lately like it’s less about shedding religion, and more about shedding a fake me who in turn relates in a fake way and can’t take up space, felt like she had to live by a different set of rules than the rest of my family, and who had to be the calming force trying to smooth the waters and bandage the wounds. I’m starting to feel like religion is just yet another symptom of the problem of not being fully yourself and thinking that by being fake you could create something better than God has already made. Religion, is one of the many ways that we as humans choose to keep ourselves small, and cowering in a dark corner of ourselves and the world, and to keep ourselves what we think is “safe and comfortable”, but there is no true safety or comfort being so tangled up in lies and the pain you won’t express, there is only safety and comfort in knowing and being the person that everytime God looks at you, the REAL you He says” Ah yes, you’re just who I made, I love you like crazy, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Thanks for being a part of this stage in my journey, and also for not giving up even on the days when you can’t seem to give yourself any permission at all.</em>\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to support Jim, consider contributing to his <em></em><em><a href=\"With%20the%20upcoming%20release%20of%20Jim%27s%20newest%20book,%20Being%20Jesus%20In%20Nashville\" target=\"_blank\">Being Jesus In Nashville</a></em> self-publishing campaign.','Author Jim Palmer Uncensored - Part 3','','inherit','open','open','','2693-revision-5','','','2011-11-30 10:10:08','2011-11-30 18:10:08','',2693,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/30/2693-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(2990,1,'2011-12-05 11:14:45','2011-12-05 19:14:45','In this third of a three part interview, I got to ask Jim about his desire to fade into the woodwork and what it mean to self-publish his book <em><a href=\"With%20the%20upcoming%20release%20of%20Jim%27s%20newest%20book,%20Being%20Jesus%20In%20Nashville\" target=\"_blank\">Being Jesus In Nashville</a></em>.\r\n\r\n[question]You’ve stated that you’ve “flirted with fading into the woodwork, never to be heard from again.”  What do you mean by that? [/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Being_Jesus_Kindle.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2824\" title=\"Being_Jesus_Kindle\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Being_Jesus_Kindle.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a>I’m not fond of controversy or conflict and I’ve had a whole lot of both around this book. There are some days when it wears on me and I ponder resurrecting my original dream, which was to be a starting guard for the Chicago Bulls. It wouldn’t work now anyway, I had my chance when MJ retired and didn’t take it.\r\n\r\nI get discouraged. Some days it feels like I’m just banging my head against a wall. I’m not selling crack or peddling porn; I’m standing for the inherent, equal and divine worth of every human being, and wanting to enroll people in the idea of building a world that works for everyone. But for this, people want me crucified. What keeps me going are those divine nobodies who contact me to share their story and the ways I’ve contributed to their journey.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]You\'ve recently started the Occupy Religion effort.  What is that?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nI didn’t expect the Occupy Religion effort to evolve from my new book. Government and religion share the similar dynamic of 1% having inordinate influence over how things work for everyone else. In religion’s case, the 1% are religious clerics and the 99% are the rest of us, many of whom practice a particular faith but still have very little say on how that faith is expressed in the world.\r\n\r\nThe Occupy Religion effort is about confronting religion in those places where it divides and separates people from God and each other. <em>Being Jesus in Nashville</em> is taking a stand with my tribe who has shared this journey with me the last several years. They are ordinary people who have been shedding religion and no longer support the view of Jesus promoted by the institutional church—one that leads to condemning people of other faiths, forces Christians to adopt beliefs and practices they often cannot live up to or support in good conscience, and requires people to promote a message that divides human beings in the name of Jesus… in the name of God.\r\n\r\nIn a nutshell, I keep going because I know I’m not alone. I’m not just speaking for myself but representing a lot of people who want their voice to be heard.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]You chose to self-publish <em>Being Jesus</em>. What does this new book mean to you and why did you decide to publish it on your own?[/question]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nI’m self-publishing this book because I realized I had to disentangle myself from the Christian publishing machine in order for my voice and message to be heard. Membership in an institutional church is not a prerequisite for being a fully expressed and devoted follower of Christ. A book contract with a major Christian publisher is not necessary to share my story and message with my tribe and beyond.\r\n\r\nSelf-publishing hasn’t been a cake walk. I discovered that I didn’t know <strong>jack about self-publishing. </strong>How hard can this be??? (I said to myself). Well, IT IS! It’s been a steep learning curve and I’m still climbing it. <strong>I’m scared as hell of failing.</strong> What if my decision to self-publish bombs?! I HATE “marketing” myself or my books and the publisher mostly did this stuff before. So, it’s uncomfortable. Plus, I worry about letting people down. I don’t like disappointing people. <strong>I’m making mistakes.</strong> I thought the self-publishing route meant that I could get everything I wanted instantaneously when I wanted it just the way I wanted it. I think they call that delusional! <strong>The freedom isn’t so easy.</strong> With no filter or censorship, I am free to fully express myself. Just what I wanted! Right? It’s not so easy. It’s challenging that part of me that wants people to like me, losses sleep over a negative Amazon review, worries about offending people, and fears rejection.\r\n\r\nPeople can contribute to self-publishing effort of <a href=\"http://www.indiegogo.com/Being-Jesus?a=294635&amp;i=addr\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Being Jesus in Nashville</em></a> through the IndieGoGo Campaign.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]How are you holding up now?[/question]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nSome days it feels like I’m spitting in the wind. Sometimes I wonder if I’m making any difference at all. I get discouraged at times, questioning what, if any, impact I am having. I often feel I’m beating my head against a wall, speaking out about the way religion puts a barrier between people and God and each other. It’s an up-hill battle trying to convince people that following Jesus could mean standing for the inherent, equal and divine worth of every human being. So, just being straight here, some days I ponder if I should go back to being a carpet salesman, maybe coach the girls basketball team at Jessica’s school.\r\n\r\nAnyway… sometimes it feels this way and then I received this email a few minutes ago:\r\n\r\n<em>Hi Jim.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I just wanted to say that I’m grateful for the “What do you need to give yourself permission to do or be?” question you raised on the Divine Nobody Call. It was such a heartfelt, deeply honest question, and I think that is one of the things I appreciate about you, that you don’t give up on asking the questions, even when it’s scary, and messy, and confusing and you keep trying to be open about what you’re feeling and where you’re at in your journey even when it’s uncomfortable. </em>\r\n\r\n<em>A few things occurred to me as I started to write this, one is that we can find God in the questions and when you feel them being formed in you, it’s God stirring you into being who you are. Two, your question about permission makes me a little sad because, I think some people are so lost in the self they’ve created to relate and survive the world, that they don’t even know they aren’t giving themselves permission. These are the kinds of questions that people need space to hear and express and I’m thankful that you help to create that space. </em>\r\n\r\n<em>For me, I’m starting to feel lately like it’s less about shedding religion, and more about shedding a fake me who in turn relates in a fake way and can’t take up space, felt like she had to live by a different set of rules than the rest of my family, and who had to be the calming force trying to smooth the waters and bandage the wounds. I’m starting to feel like religion is just yet another symptom of the problem of not being fully yourself and thinking that by being fake you could create something better than God has already made. Religion, is one of the many ways that we as humans choose to keep ourselves small, and cowering in a dark corner of ourselves and the world, and to keep ourselves what we think is “safe and comfortable”, but there is no true safety or comfort being so tangled up in lies and the pain you won’t express, there is only safety and comfort in knowing and being the person that everytime God looks at you, the REAL you He says” Ah yes, you’re just who I made, I love you like crazy, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Thanks for being a part of this stage in my journey, and also for not giving up even on the days when you can’t seem to give yourself any permission at all.</em>\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to support Jim, consider contributing to his <em></em><em><a href=\"With%20the%20upcoming%20release%20of%20Jim%27s%20newest%20book,%20Being%20Jesus%20In%20Nashville\" target=\"_blank\">Being Jesus In Nashville</a></em> self-publishing campaign.','Author Jim Palmer Uncensored - Part 3','','inherit','open','open','','2693-revision-6','','','2011-12-05 11:14:45','2011-12-05 19:14:45','',2693,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2693-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(2991,1,'2011-12-05 11:15:19','2011-12-05 19:15:19','In this third of a three part interview, I got to ask Jim about his desire to fade into the woodwork and what it mean to self-publish his book <em><a href=\"With%20the%20upcoming%20release%20of%20Jim%27s%20newest%20book,%20Being%20Jesus%20In%20Nashville\" target=\"_blank\">Being Jesus In Nashville</a></em>.\r\n\r\n[question]You’ve stated that you’ve “flirted with fading into the woodwork, never to be heard from again.”  What do you mean by that? [/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Being_Jesus_Kindle.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2824\" title=\"Being_Jesus_Kindle\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Being_Jesus_Kindle.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a>I’m not fond of controversy or conflict and I’ve had a whole lot of both around this book. There are some days when it wears on me and I ponder resurrecting my original dream, which was to be a starting guard for the Chicago Bulls. It wouldn’t work now anyway, I had my chance when MJ retired and didn’t take it.\r\n\r\nI get discouraged. Some days it feels like I’m just banging my head against a wall. I’m not selling crack or peddling porn; I’m standing for the inherent, equal and divine worth of every human being, and wanting to enroll people in the idea of building a world that works for everyone. But for this, people want me crucified. What keeps me going are those divine nobodies who contact me to share their story and the ways I’ve contributed to their journey.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]You\'ve recently started the Occupy Religion effort.  What is that?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nI didn’t expect the Occupy Religion effort to evolve from my new book. Government and religion share the similar dynamic of 1% having inordinate influence over how things work for everyone else. In religion’s case, the 1% are religious clerics and the 99% are the rest of us, many of whom practice a particular faith but still have very little say on how that faith is expressed in the world.\r\n\r\nThe Occupy Religion effort is about confronting religion in those places where it divides and separates people from God and each other. <em>Being Jesus in Nashville</em> is taking a stand with my tribe who has shared this journey with me the last several years. They are ordinary people who have been shedding religion and no longer support the view of Jesus promoted by the institutional church—one that leads to condemning people of other faiths, forces Christians to adopt beliefs and practices they often cannot live up to or support in good conscience, and requires people to promote a message that divides human beings in the name of Jesus… in the name of God.\r\n\r\nIn a nutshell, I keep going because I know I’m not alone. I’m not just speaking for myself but representing a lot of people who want their voice to be heard.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]You chose to self-publish <em>Being Jesus</em>. What does this new book mean to you and why did you decide to publish it on your own?[/question]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nI’m self-publishing this book because I realized I had to disentangle myself from the Christian publishing machine in order for my voice and message to be heard. Membership in an institutional church is not a prerequisite for being a fully expressed and devoted follower of Christ. A book contract with a major Christian publisher is not necessary to share my story and message with my tribe and beyond.\r\n\r\nSelf-publishing hasn’t been a cake walk. I discovered that I didn’t know <strong>jack about self-publishing. </strong>How hard can this be??? (I said to myself). Well, IT IS! It’s been a steep learning curve and I’m still climbing it. <strong>I’m scared as hell of failing.</strong> What if my decision to self-publish bombs?! I HATE “marketing” myself or my books and the publisher mostly did this stuff before. So, it’s uncomfortable. Plus, I worry about letting people down. I don’t like disappointing people. <strong>I’m making mistakes.</strong> I thought the self-publishing route meant that I could get everything I wanted instantaneously when I wanted it just the way I wanted it. I think they call that delusional! <strong>The freedom isn’t so easy.</strong> With no filter or censorship, I am free to fully express myself. Just what I wanted! Right? It’s not so easy. It’s challenging that part of me that wants people to like me, losses sleep over a negative Amazon review, worries about offending people, and fears rejection.\r\n\r\nPeople can contribute to self-publishing effort of <a href=\"http://www.indiegogo.com/Being-Jesus?a=294635&amp;i=addr\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Being Jesus in Nashville</em></a> through the IndieGoGo Campaign.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]How are you holding up now?[/question]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nSome days it feels like I’m spitting in the wind. Sometimes I wonder if I’m making any difference at all. I get discouraged at times, questioning what, if any, impact I am having. I often feel I’m beating my head against a wall, speaking out about the way religion puts a barrier between people and God and each other. It’s an up-hill battle trying to convince people that following Jesus could mean standing for the inherent, equal and divine worth of every human being. So, just being straight here, some days I ponder if I should go back to being a carpet salesman, maybe coach the girls basketball team at Jessica’s school.\r\n\r\nAnyway… sometimes it feels this way and then I received this email a few minutes ago:\r\n\r\n<em>Hi Jim.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I just wanted to say that I’m grateful for the “What do you need to give yourself permission to do or be?” question you raised on the Divine Nobody Call. It was such a heartfelt, deeply honest question, and I think that is one of the things I appreciate about you, that you don’t give up on asking the questions, even when it’s scary, and messy, and confusing and you keep trying to be open about what you’re feeling and where you’re at in your journey even when it’s uncomfortable. </em>\r\n\r\n<em>A few things occurred to me as I started to write this, one is that we can find God in the questions and when you feel them being formed in you, it’s God stirring you into being who you are. Two, your question about permission makes me a little sad because, I think some people are so lost in the self they’ve created to relate and survive the world, that they don’t even know they aren’t giving themselves permission. These are the kinds of questions that people need space to hear and express and I’m thankful that you help to create that space. </em>\r\n\r\n<em>For me, I’m starting to feel lately like it’s less about shedding religion, and more about shedding a fake me who in turn relates in a fake way and can’t take up space, felt like she had to live by a different set of rules than the rest of my family, and who had to be the calming force trying to smooth the waters and bandage the wounds. I’m starting to feel like religion is just yet another symptom of the problem of not being fully yourself and thinking that by being fake you could create something better than God has already made. Religion, is one of the many ways that we as humans choose to keep ourselves small, and cowering in a dark corner of ourselves and the world, and to keep ourselves what we think is “safe and comfortable”, but there is no true safety or comfort being so tangled up in lies and the pain you won’t express, there is only safety and comfort in knowing and being the person that everytime God looks at you, the REAL you He says” Ah yes, you’re just who I made, I love you like crazy, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Thanks for being a part of this stage in my journey, and also for not giving up even on the days when you can’t seem to give yourself any permission at all.</em>\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to support Jim, consider contributing to his <em></em><em><a href=\"With%20the%20upcoming%20release%20of%20Jim%27s%20newest%20book,%20Being%20Jesus%20In%20Nashville\" target=\"_blank\">Being Jesus In Nashville</a></em> self-publishing campaign.','Author Jim Palmer Uncensored - Part 3','','inherit','open','open','','2693-revision-7','','','2011-12-05 11:15:19','2011-12-05 19:15:19','',2693,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2693-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(2992,1,'2011-12-05 11:22:39','2011-12-05 19:22:39','','Jim_Palmer_Series','','inherit','open','open','','jim_palmer_series','','','2011-12-05 11:22:39','2011-12-05 19:22:39','',0,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Jim_Palmer_Series.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2993,1,'2011-12-05 11:28:34','2011-12-05 19:28:34','In this three-part interview, Jim shares the overwhelming experience of being a successful writer, and the toll it took on his life.  He\'ll also offer an honest look at what happens when the very thing you are writing about ends up changing what you are writing.  And finally Jim offers a first look into his latest project and what it means to publish outside the system.\r\n\r\nPart 1 - <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/01/author-jim-palmer-uncensored-part-1/\">The Highs And Lows Of Stardom</a>\r\n\r\nPart 2 - <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/02/author-jim-palmer-uncensored-part-2/\">The Deal With Zondervan</a>\r\n\r\nPart 3 - <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/author-jim-palmer-uncensored-part-3/\">Being Jesus In Nashville</a>','Author Jim Palmer Uncensored Series','','publish','open','open','','author-jim-palmer-uncensored-series','','','2011-12-05 11:28:52','2011-12-05 19:28:52','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2993',0,'post','',0),(2994,1,'2011-12-05 11:25:18','2011-12-05 19:25:18','','Jim_Palmer_Banner','','inherit','open','open','','jim_palmer_banner','','','2011-12-05 11:25:18','2011-12-05 19:25:18','',2993,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Jim_Palmer_Banner.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2995,1,'2011-12-05 11:27:35','2011-12-05 19:27:35','In this three part interview, Jim shares the overwhelming experience of being a successful writer, and the toll it took on his life.  He\'ll also offer an honest look at what happens when the very thing you are writing about ends up changing what you are writing.  And finally Jim offers a first look into his latest project and what it means to publish outside the system.\n\nPart 1 - <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/01/author-jim-palmer-uncensored-part-1/\">The Highs And Lows Of Stardom</a>\n\nPart 2 - The Deal With','Author Jim Palmer Uncensored Series','','inherit','open','open','','2993-revision','','','2011-12-05 11:27:35','2011-12-05 19:27:35','',2993,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2993-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2996,1,'2011-12-05 11:30:01','2011-12-05 19:30:01','In this three-part interview, Jim shares the overwhelming experience of being a successful writer, and the toll it took on his life.  He\'ll also offer an honest look at what happens when the very thing you are writing about ends up changing what you are writing.  And finally Jim offers a first look into his latest project and what it means to publish outside the system.\n\nPart 1 - <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/01/author-jim-palmer-uncensored-part-1/\">The Highs And Lows Of Stardom</a>\n\nPart 2 - <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/02/author-jim-palmer-uncensored-part-2/\">The Deal With Zondervan</a>\n\nPart 3 - <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/author-jim-palmer-uncensored-part-3/\">Being Jesus In Nashville</a>','Author Jim Palmer Uncensored Series','','inherit','open','open','','2993-autosave','','','2011-12-05 11:30:01','2011-12-05 19:30:01','',2993,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2993-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2997,1,'2011-12-05 11:28:34','2011-12-05 19:28:34','In this three part interview, Jim shares the overwhelming experience of being a successful writer, and the toll it took on his life.  He\'ll also offer an honest look at what happens when the very thing you are writing about ends up changing what you are writing.  And finally Jim offers a first look into his latest project and what it means to publish outside the system.\r\n\r\nPart 1 - <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/01/author-jim-palmer-uncensored-part-1/\">The Highs And Lows Of Stardom</a>\r\n\r\nPart 2 - <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/02/author-jim-palmer-uncensored-part-2/\">The Deal With Zondervan</a>\r\n\r\nPart 3 - <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/author-jim-palmer-uncensored-part-3/\">Being Jesus In Nashville</a>','Author Jim Palmer Uncensored Series','','inherit','open','open','','2993-revision-2','','','2011-12-05 11:28:34','2011-12-05 19:28:34','',2993,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2993-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2998,1,'2011-12-05 11:15:43','2011-12-05 19:15:43','In this third of a three part interview, I got to ask Jim about his desire to fade into the woodwork and what it mean to self-publish his book <em><a href=\"With%20the%20upcoming%20release%20of%20Jim%27s%20newest%20book,%20Being%20Jesus%20In%20Nashville\" target=\"_blank\">Being Jesus In Nashville</a></em>.\r\n\r\n[question]You’ve stated that you’ve “flirted with fading into the woodwork, never to be heard from again.”  What do you mean by that? [/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Being_Jesus_Kindle.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2824\" title=\"Being_Jesus_Kindle\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Being_Jesus_Kindle.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a>I’m not fond of controversy or conflict and I’ve had a whole lot of both around this book. There are some days when it wears on me and I ponder resurrecting my original dream, which was to be a starting guard for the Chicago Bulls. It wouldn’t work now anyway, I had my chance when MJ retired and didn’t take it.\r\n\r\nI get discouraged. Some days it feels like I’m just banging my head against a wall. I’m not selling crack or peddling porn; I’m standing for the inherent, equal and divine worth of every human being, and wanting to enroll people in the idea of building a world that works for everyone. But for this, people want me crucified. What keeps me going are those divine nobodies who contact me to share their story and the ways I’ve contributed to their journey.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]You\'ve recently started the Occupy Religion effort.  What is that?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nI didn’t expect the Occupy Religion effort to evolve from my new book. Government and religion share the similar dynamic of 1% having inordinate influence over how things work for everyone else. In religion’s case, the 1% are religious clerics and the 99% are the rest of us, many of whom practice a particular faith but still have very little say on how that faith is expressed in the world.\r\n\r\nThe Occupy Religion effort is about confronting religion in those places where it divides and separates people from God and each other. <em>Being Jesus in Nashville</em> is taking a stand with my tribe who has shared this journey with me the last several years. They are ordinary people who have been shedding religion and no longer support the view of Jesus promoted by the institutional church—one that leads to condemning people of other faiths, forces Christians to adopt beliefs and practices they often cannot live up to or support in good conscience, and requires people to promote a message that divides human beings in the name of Jesus… in the name of God.\r\n\r\nIn a nutshell, I keep going because I know I’m not alone. I’m not just speaking for myself but representing a lot of people who want their voice to be heard.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]You chose to self-publish <em>Being Jesus</em>. What does this new book mean to you and why did you decide to publish it on your own?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nI’m self-publishing this book because I realized I had to disentangle myself from the Christian publishing machine in order for my voice and message to be heard. Membership in an institutional church is not a prerequisite for being a fully expressed and devoted follower of Christ. A book contract with a major Christian publisher is not necessary to share my story and message with my tribe and beyond.\r\n\r\nSelf-publishing hasn’t been a cake walk. I discovered that I didn’t know <strong>jack about self-publishing. </strong>How hard can this be??? (I said to myself). Well, IT IS! It’s been a steep learning curve and I’m still climbing it. <strong>I’m scared as hell of failing.</strong> What if my decision to self-publish bombs?! I HATE “marketing” myself or my books and the publisher mostly did this stuff before. So, it’s uncomfortable. Plus, I worry about letting people down. I don’t like disappointing people. <strong>I’m making mistakes.</strong> I thought the self-publishing route meant that I could get everything I wanted instantaneously when I wanted it just the way I wanted it. I think they call that delusional! <strong>The freedom isn’t so easy.</strong> With no filter or censorship, I am free to fully express myself. Just what I wanted! Right? It’s not so easy. It’s challenging that part of me that wants people to like me, losses sleep over a negative Amazon review, worries about offending people, and fears rejection.\r\n\r\nPeople can contribute to self-publishing effort of <a href=\"http://www.indiegogo.com/Being-Jesus?a=294635&amp;i=addr\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Being Jesus in Nashville</em></a> through the IndieGoGo Campaign.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]How are you holding up now?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nSome days it feels like I’m spitting in the wind. Sometimes I wonder if I’m making any difference at all. I get discouraged at times, questioning what, if any, impact I am having. I often feel I’m beating my head against a wall, speaking out about the way religion puts a barrier between people and God and each other. It’s an up-hill battle trying to convince people that following Jesus could mean standing for the inherent, equal and divine worth of every human being. So, just being straight here, some days I ponder if I should go back to being a carpet salesman, maybe coach the girls basketball team at Jessica’s school.\r\n\r\nAnyway… sometimes it feels this way and then I received this email a few minutes ago:\r\n\r\n<em>Hi Jim.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I just wanted to say that I’m grateful for the “What do you need to give yourself permission to do or be?” question you raised on the Divine Nobody Call. It was such a heartfelt, deeply honest question, and I think that is one of the things I appreciate about you, that you don’t give up on asking the questions, even when it’s scary, and messy, and confusing and you keep trying to be open about what you’re feeling and where you’re at in your journey even when it’s uncomfortable. </em>\r\n\r\n<em>A few things occurred to me as I started to write this, one is that we can find God in the questions and when you feel them being formed in you, it’s God stirring you into being who you are. Two, your question about permission makes me a little sad because, I think some people are so lost in the self they’ve created to relate and survive the world, that they don’t even know they aren’t giving themselves permission. These are the kinds of questions that people need space to hear and express and I’m thankful that you help to create that space. </em>\r\n\r\n<em>For me, I’m starting to feel lately like it’s less about shedding religion, and more about shedding a fake me who in turn relates in a fake way and can’t take up space, felt like she had to live by a different set of rules than the rest of my family, and who had to be the calming force trying to smooth the waters and bandage the wounds. I’m starting to feel like religion is just yet another symptom of the problem of not being fully yourself and thinking that by being fake you could create something better than God has already made. Religion, is one of the many ways that we as humans choose to keep ourselves small, and cowering in a dark corner of ourselves and the world, and to keep ourselves what we think is “safe and comfortable”, but there is no true safety or comfort being so tangled up in lies and the pain you won’t express, there is only safety and comfort in knowing and being the person that everytime God looks at you, the REAL you He says” Ah yes, you’re just who I made, I love you like crazy, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Thanks for being a part of this stage in my journey, and also for not giving up even on the days when you can’t seem to give yourself any permission at all.</em>\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to support Jim, consider contributing to his <em></em><em><a href=\"With%20the%20upcoming%20release%20of%20Jim%27s%20newest%20book,%20Being%20Jesus%20In%20Nashville\" target=\"_blank\">Being Jesus In Nashville</a></em> self-publishing campaign.','Author Jim Palmer Uncensored - Part 3','','inherit','open','open','','2693-revision-8','','','2011-12-05 11:15:43','2011-12-05 19:15:43','',2693,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2693-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(2999,1,'2011-11-30 00:24:01','2011-11-30 08:24:01','<a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/Nobody.JimPalmer\" target=\"_blank\">Jim Palmer</a> has always been an <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iconoclast\" target=\"_blank\">iconoclast</a> of sorts. A wildly popular writer of the book <em><a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Divine-Nobodies-Shedding-Religion-unlikely/dp/0849913985\" target=\"_blank\">Divine Nobodies</a></em>, which asked what it meant to shed religion and follow Jesus, Jim emblazoned a new but very old trail and captured the imagination of a restless and growing audience. With his follow up work, <em><a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Wide-Open-Spaces-Paint-Number/dp/0849913993\" target=\"_blank\">Wide Open Spaces</a></em>, Jim continued the the journey he started by asking what it meant to discover and experience God beyond religion.  But little did he know that those two books would lead Jim into a wild journey into the highs of fame and the lows of bankruptcy, and eventually to his newest project, <em><a href=\"With the upcoming release of Jim\'s newest book, Being Jesus In Nashville\" target=\"_blank\">Being Jesus In Nashville.</a></em>\r\n\r\nIn this three part interview, Jim shares the overwhelming experience of being a successful writer, and the toll it took on his life.  He\'ll also offer an honest look at what happens when the very thing you are writing about ends up changing what you are writing.  And finally Jim offers a first look into his latest project and what it means to publish outside the system.\r\n\r\nThis is author Jim Palmer...Uncensored.\r\n\r\n[question]You’ve experienced some of the ultimate highs and lows as a writer and as a human being.  Can you share a little about these experiences and what did you learn through that experience?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nIt makes me nervous to be referred to as a “widely acclaimed author.” After writing <em>Divine Nobodies</em> in 2006 I was declared the “next Don Miller,” and following <em>Wide Open Spaces </em>I was dubbed the “next great spiritual writer.” That’s a lot of pressure for a guy who wrote his first two books in his one-car garage, using the hunt and peck method on his decrepit laptop!\r\n\r\nI didn’t plan to be an author and wasn’t seeking to be published when a guy at a publishing house began reading my blog and asked if I’d ever thought of writing a book.  One thing led to another and a major publisher took the risk of signing an unknown nobody author like me.  I was so stoked about my new career as a writer that my <em>Divine Nobodies</em> manuscript was 10,000 words over the prescribed word count. Word count, shmord count – I had something to say that humankind needed to hear, however long it was!! I was sure my publisher would agree. Well, not exactly. I remember the morning my editor informed me of all the chapters that would be nixed. Humankind survived somehow… barely.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]Was your next book easier?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nYou’d think with one book under my belt, the next one would be easier. It wasn’t. I didn’t want to be one of those “one-hit-wonders.” I had to live up to <em>Divine Nobodies</em>, which had unusual success as the first book of a largely unknown author… okay, COMPLETELY unknown author. Whereas my first book told my shedding religion story, the follow-up book, <em>Wide Open Spaces</em>, was the story of living into the alternative. Of all the chapters I expected to be problematic, it was the chapter about church that my publisher asked that I re-write.  There was also a lot of attention placed on how I was wording things because they feared it sounded too “universalistic.”\r\n\r\nIt was during the writing of <em>Wide Open Spaces</em> that I first began feeling hemmed in. I recognized that there might be a battle brewing between my spiritual evolution and what a conservative Christian publishing house would allow. Despite my Masters of Divinity degree, I’m a storyteller, not a theologian, but increasingly I was being asked to clarify my doctrine.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]Did this process affect you?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nBeing an author didn’t line up well with my neurosis, which included wanting everyone to like me, and taking everything personally. I don’t do constructive criticism so well either. I didn’t sleep for two nights after my first negative Amazon review. I wanted to contact him try to explain what he took issue with. I’ve never read another review since then. I don’t want to know.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]What makes you a great writer?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nI don’t think I’m such a great writer. My first drafts are normally a train wreck, and I do a ton of re-write. I think people probably like my books because they can relate to my kooky humanity. I seem to embolden people to press deeper and permission to be who they are, however messy that might seem to some.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]But your first book did really, really well?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nIt was strange after <em>Wide Open Spaces</em> to have multiple publishers bidding for my next book contract. They were particularly interested upon hearing about my 1-year experiment to be Jesus in Nashville – not Jesus <em>and</em> Jim but Jesus <em>as </em>Jim. I wanted to know how much of Jesus’ life could be pulled off as Jim Palmer. Where did Jesus stop and Jim begin? Or was that just an imaginary line that I created? And if it was an imaginary line, did that mean God and I could be one in the same way as Jesus? The idea had traction, especially if it meant I was going to attempt to heal people or try other Jesus-esque miracles or do something radial like live among the homeless in order to serve the “least of these.”\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]And you published with Zondervan.[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nUltimately I signed with Zondervan Publishing because they expressed strong interest in connecting with a reading audience beyond the typical mainstream Christian crowd. My tribe, who has shared this journey with me the last several years, are ordinary people, mostly from a Christian background, who have been shedding religion and no longer support the view of Jesus and Christian living promoted by the institutional church. Many in my tribe follow Jesus but do not subscribe to organized Christianity.\r\n\r\nI signed that contract with Zondervan in August of 2008. It was a 2-book deal; the first book, <em>Being Jesus in Nashville</em>. I could have never predicted what transpired in living and writing this book. The deaths of my mother and close friend were devastating. Shortly after, I had two near-death experiences of my own. To this day, I don’t know how I managed to have survived either one of them.\r\n\r\nDespite the heartache and turmoil of these and other experiences, I turned in my manuscript to Zondervan Publishing on February 21, 2011. Though they undergone considerable turnover, I had worked with 3 different managing editors, I had never received any indication that there was a problem with my manuscript. But on March 29<sup>th</sup> I received an email from Zondervan claiming that my book, similar to the firestorm of heresy charges leveled against Bell, did not “lie within the bounds of biblical, orthodox Christianity.” Zondervan rejected my manuscript and then informed me they were canceling my contract, to which I had no recourse because of a no-arbitration clause in the contract.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]That must have been devastating.[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nHaving only received an initial advance when I signed the contract in 2008, I was eager to be paid my next installment. As a self-employed author, it was customary for me to live on credit and pay off my balance each time I received my next book payment. I had done almost three years of writing without getting paid and I desperately needed that next check to straighten out my financial obligations. In addition to not being paid, Zondervan demanded I pay back the advance I received in 2008. The combination of all of that meant I lost $80,000 one flail swoop. It was too much to absorb. I either faced eviction and becoming homeless, or file bankruptcy.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]How did you respond?[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nHonestly, if it was just me I might have opted to become homeless or sleep on a friend’s couch for an extended period of time. But it wasn’t just me; I have a 12-year-old daughter. There are several things I just figured would never happen in my life. Filing bankruptcy was one of them. Once I dealt with my personal feelings of failure about it, I became more aware and compassionate for those in financial crisis. I discovered a side of humanity that I had not known before in bankruptcy court as I sat and heard the stories of those who went before us.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\n[question]In other words, you lived some of the same suffering as Jesus.[/question]\r\n\r\n[answer]\r\n\r\nThe whole ordeal of losing my book contract and filing bankruptcy forced me to confront a story about myself that I’ve been carrying since childhood that I’m a failure. I’m not out of the woods on that one yet; some stories die hard. Surviving my two near-death experiences was transformational, which I write about in the book. There was a Jim Palmer who died in that car, and someone different who was pulled out alive.\r\n\r\n[/answer]\r\n\r\nIn part 2, we\'ll allow Jim to unpack his writing experience with Zondervan a little more and why his book was rejected.  Stay tuned.','Author Jim Palmer Uncensored - Part 1','','inherit','open','open','','2679-revision-14','','','2011-11-30 00:24:01','2011-11-30 08:24:01','',2679,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/30/2679-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(3000,1,'2011-12-05 11:02:53','2011-12-05 19:02:53','[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mII6-IyaT3o[/youtube]\n\nI love satire for its capacity to speak some remarkable truths in really funny ways.  Mr Diety is definitely satire and it often takes on the philosophical and apparent humorous tensions within Christianity.  It\'s not always fair, and often it borders on mean, but sometimes it really calls out the issues.\n\nIn this absurd take on the relationship of the Trinity, Mr. Diety explores the relationship of Jesus to God. You can hear the influence of Abbot and Costello\'s <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOXdpO36Ojw\" target=\"_blank\">Who\'s On First</a>, and they even reference it during the skit.\n\nAt 2:50 the skit turns to the meaning of the set up.\n<blockquote>Jesus: What\'s the point of this?\n\nMr. Diety: The point is to save the human\'s from the original sin and to show, you know, my love.\n\nJesus: To show <em>your</em> love?\n\nMr. Diety: Yeah, by sacrificing myself, in the person of you, to myself.  That\'s loving.\n\nJesus: Wait, don\'t you mean sacrificing me to you?\n\nMr. Diety: Look this is a beautiful thing I\'m doing to satisfy my own sense of unyielding justice.</blockquote>\nThis skit strays at this point from the traditional evangelical story, suggesting Adam didn\'t really exist, but at this point it doesn\'t matter.  The skit has shown the tension.  Is God demanding the death of his own son to appease his own sense of divine justice.\n\nAs strange as it may sound, this is the tension of our Western understanding of the Gospel.  The meaning of the Gospel is found in our understanding of the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atonement_in_Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">atonement</a>, or why did Jesus die on the cross? It describes how humanity is reconciled with God.  Although there are many theories of atonement in history, this theory (also called subsitutionary and later penal substitutionary atonement) underlines the historical basis for much of our Western theology, especially within the Evangelical community.  It\'s the story of the Gospel and provides a basis for our belief systems.\n\nAnd in a postmodern age, people are calling out a big \"Fail\" to the idea. The theory of justice doesn\'t seem all that loving.  Some would even suggest that it makes God a child killer.  And if so, what kind of God would do that. All Mr. Diety is doing is giving voice to that tension.  As when we don\'t like reflecting on our own understanding of the Gospel, one that holds profound implications for our understanding of God\'s character and the framework for justice, someone else will.  If we want to be honest about our own faith, it requires wrestling with these tensions.\n\nWhat if there was a different way of understanding the cross, one that reconciles with our understanding of love and justice and the event that unfold?  What if God is not satisfying a divine sense of cosmic justice (or even paying a <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ransom_theory_of_atonement\" target=\"_blank\">Ransom to Satan</a>), but instead God is meeting our warped demands for proof that we are worth it, that <a href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201:31&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">we are still good</a>.  In other words, the cross is saying, \"This is how far I will go to show you that <a href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201:31&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">you are good</a>. I will meet your demands for sacrifice and give you my son.\" Because if we listen to the actual story, it is WE who are making the demands at the cross for justice.  It is WE who need someone to pay the price for us.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Catalogue_Discovering.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2988\" title=\"Catalogue_Discovering\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Catalogue_Discovering-208x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"108\" height=\"156\" /></a>When I tell people this idea, there first thought is to say, \"Let me think about that so I can understand it.\" It\'s so simple but it doesn\'t let humanity off the hook for sin.  Sin is actually the process of getting the original question in the Tree of Knowledge wrong, which asks, are you good or evil? Justice is then God revealing the extent of sin (our demand for death) and satisfying that demand through love (by offering life).  But it is us who are making the demands.\n\nFor a detailed walk through of this idea you can read, <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Discovering-God-Imagination-Jonathan-Brink/dp/0615513956\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Discovering The God Imagination: Reconstructing A Whole New Christianity</em></a> (Civitas Press, July 2011).','The Tension Of The Gospel','','inherit','open','open','','2980-revision-6','','','2011-12-05 11:02:53','2011-12-05 19:02:53','',2980,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/2980-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(3002,0,'2011-12-05 15:39:14','2011-12-05 23:39:14','Faith\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Jamie Wright\nAUTHOR EMAIL: theveryworstmissionary@gmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://www.theveryworstmissionary.com/\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 186.15.147.40\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Jamie Wright\n    [Email] =&gt; theveryworstmissionary@gmail.com\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; http://www.theveryworstmissionary.com/\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Faith\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; jamietheveryworstmissionary\n)\n','Jamie Wright - 2011-12-05 15:39:14','','publish','open','open','','c279cf16389a22253df35e637f4c0257','','','2011-12-05 15:39:14','2011-12-05 23:39:14','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=3002',0,'feedback','',0),(3225,121,'2011-12-26 08:00:06','2011-12-26 16:00:06','<em></em>Dear friend,\r\n\r\n<strong>You possess a rock-solid certainty </strong>of the truth and accuracy of your faith. <strong>This is a gift.</strong> Did you know that? Certainty is not a universal thing.\r\n\r\n<strong>I long for it.</strong> But, at least for now, I don\'t have it.\r\n\r\nSometimes I think you fail to understand that about those of us who are less certain.\r\n\r\n<strong>I often wonder if you think doubters <em>want </em>to doubt,</strong> that we like this uncertain world and make a conscious choice to stay there.\r\n\r\nIs this why you declare your answers to my questions as though pummeling them into me with a sledgehammer? <strong>It\'s as if you think that saying it hard enough or often enough will transform doubt into certainty.</strong>\r\n\r\nSometimes when you speak about doubt, <strong>it sounds like you think doubt is contagious.</strong> And not only contagious but deadly. Like you think it must be isolated at minimum and ideally, destroyed.\r\n\r\nI may not know <em>for certain </em>what God has said on certain issues, but<strong> I know this</strong>. <em><strong>You have never doubted. </strong></em>If you had, you would know better.\r\n\r\nYou would know that it doesn\'t work that way.\r\n\r\nIt isn\'t that easy.\r\n\r\n<em>If only it were that easy.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>For those of us who wrestle with doubt, </strong><strong>your confident faith is like a lush amusement park in the middle of the Nevada desert. </strong>Inside, everyone is smiling, riding, eating, splashing in refreshing water fountains, having fun.\r\n\r\nI am stuck on the outside. I want the carefree joy I see on your face. I\'m parched, starving, my skin is burned and cracking from the sun and the heat. <strong></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>But I can\'t find the way in. </strong>\r\n\r\nI stagger along the perimeter, searching for a way in. Hope rises as I spot something... I\'ve finally found it!... only to be shattered again ... it\'s a mirage dissolving into dust. Or a new question sends me on another detour.... waaaaay out into the desert.\r\n\r\nDo you get it?\r\n\r\n<strong>When you scold or rebuke or pound on me for doubting, it\'s like you\'re yelling \"Why aren\'t you in here, you stupid person? GET IN HERE.\" </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>But you don\'t tell me <em>how</em>.\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nThat doesn\'t work, does it?\r\n\r\n<strong>I  need directions,</strong> a map, the secret word, a key, the keypad code, <em>something</em> that will lead me to the gate and, at long last, gain me entry.\r\n\r\nI <em>want </em>to get in. I want that confidence and peace that you have.\r\n\r\nI just haven\'t found it yet.','I Want In','','publish','open','open','','i-want-in','','','2011-12-20 09:39:18','2011-12-20 17:39:18','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=3225',0,'post','',14),(3004,12,'2011-12-05 15:59:18','2011-12-05 23:59:18','','pulpit','','inherit','open','open','','pulpit','','','2011-12-05 15:59:18','2011-12-05 23:59:18','',3001,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/pulpit.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3005,12,'2011-12-05 15:59:55','2011-12-05 23:59:55','','fallen','','inherit','open','open','','fallen','','','2011-12-05 15:59:55','2011-12-05 23:59:55','',3001,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fallen.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3006,12,'2011-12-05 15:57:34','2011-12-05 23:57:34','In my upcoming book, \"<a href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/284\">Fallen Pastor: Finding Restoration in a Broken World</a>,\" I answer a lot of questions about ministry failure. But there\'s one question I stayed away from: \"<em>Should</em> a fallen pastor be put back into the pulpit and be allowed to preach again?\"\n\nIn the book, I interview eleven ministers who fell from the ministry due to moral failure. Several of them are pastoring again. The fact that they are can be attributed to several things. First, they went through an intense restoration process. Secondly, the church or denomination they serve decided they were at peace with having them pastor again. Third, these men were able to see the call of God in their life as a thing that did not go away once they fell.\n\nThis is a huge issue within the church. Those of a more conservative stripe say a minister who commits adultery should never be restored to the pastorate. The argument typically falls along biblical lines. The guidelines for an overseer in 1 Timothy 3 are that an overseer in the church should be \"above reproach.\" Once a minister has committed adultery, he has violated the trust of the church and is no longer deemed worthy of the office.\n\nThis passage also says the overseer must be able to manage his household well, not quarrelsome, well thought of by outsiders, respectable, the husband of one wife, hospitable and self-controlled. It is a serious thing to desire to be an overseer. It is not to be taken lightly and those who desire and are called should understand the weight of it.\n\nThen, there are those who believe that a fallen pastor can enter back into the ministry. Of course, they understand that those who desire to do so must be repentant and restored to Christ. The main argument is also a biblical one. It comes from Romans 11:29:  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. The argument is that God has granted gifts to people and even if they sin, they still have gifts.\n\nHonestly, I still don\'t know where I stand, but I\'d like to look at some objections, then tell you how things work out in life.\n\nThe first argument is that those who serve are held to a high standard. Those who argue that even after a fall a man is worthy of serving argue against it like this: <em>\"The qualifications for overseer are listed as patterns for life. Overseers should have those things be true about them as a rule of life. If those were a hard and fast rule, without grace, then Peter never should have been given the chance to be a leader in the early church because he committed the sin of denying Christ. All sin is worthy of separation. Yes, the bible holds leaders at a high standard, but it is to be measured against grace.\"</em>\n\nThen there\'s the argument against the second position. <em>\"Yes, the gift is still there, but that doesn\'t mean someone is still worthy of serving in certain capacity. God does forgive fallen leaders, but He has high standards of leadership. Moses is an example of that. After striking the rock, he wasn\'t allowed to enter the promised land. Fallen leaders are still precious to God and can still find other ways to minister other than leadership positions.\"</em>\n\nIt\'s tough, isn\'t it? I am resolved in this. God\'s grace is much more abounding than many are willing to grant. I\'ve had pastors look me in the eye and basically tell me that I shouldn\'t even pray in public ever again. I know people who believe that fallen pastors should sit in the back pew for the rest of their lives and never make eye contact with God-fearing people ever again. These people are far and few between, but they can feel like the majority.\n\nChrist\'s voice is clear in the Gospels. He restores sinners. In the face of the religious majority, he picks people up and stands them on their feet. Does this mean we should put fallen pastors back in the pulpit? No, but it does mean that as Christians, we should be the first to seek them out and love them, seeking to show them love.\n\nNow, for my pragmatic argument. I hate the word \"pragmatism\" because it has a <em>stigmatism</em>. The churches I have seen that have placed repentant, restored fallen pastors back into the pulpit have been blessed. They took a chance. It was up to each congregation to make a decision based on their own personal convictions, but they were blessed.\n\nI can tell you this as well. When I\'ve been able to preach at churches about my fall, my adultery, my sin, I\'ve been able to reach and minister to people like I never could before. My preaching was overcome with a new level of understanding about grace, empathy, compassion and forgiveness. When I preach now, I can almost guarantee that after I\'m done, I\'ll be approached by someone who wants to confess their own sin of adultery or moral failure.\n\nThe people who talk to me tell me, \"I could never have told my pastor. He wouldn\'t understand. I feel like you have a different kind of heart.\" Yes, I do. Not because of anything I\'ve done, but because Christ took my mess and made a message out of it. He took my crooked little heart and made it into a tool for him.\n\nWhere does the fallen pastor belong? That\'s a decision for each church to make after he goes through a restoration process. I do know this - he does not belong on the trash heap of society. He belongs among the rest of God\'s people, receiving compassion, participating in worship, and sharing in His grace.\n\n&nbsp;','Putting The Fallen Pastor In His Place','','inherit','open','open','','3001-revision','','','2011-12-05 15:57:34','2011-12-05 23:57:34','',3001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/3001-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(3007,12,'2011-12-05 16:00:14','2011-12-06 00:00:14','In my upcoming book, \"<a href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/284\">Fallen Pastor: Finding Restoration in a Broken World</a>,\" I answer a lot of questions about ministry failure. But there\'s one question I stayed away from: \"<em>Should</em> a fallen pastor be put back into the pulpit and be allowed to preach again?\"\r\n\r\nIn the book, I interview eleven ministers who fell from the ministry due to moral failure. Several of them are pastoring again. The fact that they are can be attributed to several things. First, they went through an intense restoration process. Secondly, the church or denomination they serve decided they were at peace with having them pastor again. Third, these men were able to see the call of God in their life as a thing that did not go away once they fell.\r\n\r\nThis is a huge issue within the church. Those of a more conservative stripe say a minister who commits adultery should never be restored to the pastorate. The argument typically falls along biblical lines. The guidelines for an overseer in 1 Timothy 3 are that an overseer in the church should be \"above reproach.\" Once a minister has committed adultery, he has violated the trust of the church and is no longer deemed worthy of the office.\r\n\r\nThis passage also says the overseer must be able to manage his household well, not quarrelsome, well thought of by outsiders, respectable, the husband of one wife, hospitable and self-controlled. It is a serious thing to desire to be an overseer. It is not to be taken lightly and those who desire and are called should understand the weight of it.\r\n\r\nThen, there are those who believe that a fallen pastor can enter back into the ministry. Of course, they understand that those who desire to do so must be repentant and restored to Christ. The main argument is also a biblical one. It comes from Romans 11:29:  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. The argument is that God has granted gifts to people and even if they sin, they still have gifts.\r\n\r\nHonestly, I still don\'t know where I stand, but I\'d like to look at some objections, then tell you how things work out in life.\r\n\r\nThe first argument is that those who serve are held to a high standard. Those who argue that even after a fall a man is worthy of serving argue against it like this: <em>\"The qualifications for overseer are listed as patterns for life. Overseers should have those things be true about them as a rule of life. If those were a hard and fast rule, without grace, then Peter never should have been given the chance to be a leader in the early church because he committed the sin of denying Christ. All sin is worthy of separation. Yes, the bible holds leaders at a high standard, but it is to be measured against grace.\"</em>\r\n\r\nThen there\'s the argument against the second position. <em>\"Yes, the gift is still there, but that doesn\'t mean someone is still worthy of serving in certain capacity. God does forgive fallen leaders, but He has high standards of leadership. Moses is an example of that. After striking the rock, he wasn\'t allowed to enter the promised land. Fallen leaders are still precious to God and can still find other ways to minister other than leadership positions.\"</em>\r\n\r\nIt\'s tough, isn\'t it? I am resolved in this. God\'s grace is much more abounding than many are willing to grant. I\'ve had pastors look me in the eye and basically tell me that I shouldn\'t even pray in public ever again. I know people who believe that fallen pastors should sit in the back pew for the rest of their lives and never make eye contact with God-fearing people ever again. These people are far and few between, but they can feel like the majority.\r\n\r\nChrist\'s voice is clear in the Gospels. He restores sinners. In the face of the religious majority, he picks people up and stands them on their feet. Does this mean we should put fallen pastors back in the pulpit? No, but it does mean that as Christians, we should be the first to seek them out and love them, seeking to show them love.\r\n\r\nNow, for my pragmatic argument. I hate the word \"pragmatism\" because it has a <em>stigmatism</em>. The churches I have seen that have placed repentant, restored fallen pastors back into the pulpit have been blessed. They took a chance. It was up to each congregation to make a decision based on their own personal convictions, but they were blessed.\r\n\r\nI can tell you this as well. When I\'ve been able to preach at churches about my fall, my adultery, my sin, I\'ve been able to reach and minister to people like I never could before. My preaching was overcome with a new level of understanding about grace, empathy, compassion and forgiveness. When I preach now, I can almost guarantee that after I\'m done, I\'ll be approached by someone who wants to confess their own sin of adultery or moral failure.\r\n\r\nThe people who talk to me tell me, \"I could never have told my pastor. He wouldn\'t understand. I feel like you have a different kind of heart.\" Yes, I do. Not because of anything I\'ve done, but because Christ took my mess and made a message out of it. He took my crooked little heart and made it into a tool for him.\r\n\r\nWhere does the fallen pastor belong? That\'s a decision for each church to make after he goes through a restoration process. I do know this - he does not belong on the trash heap of society. He belongs among the rest of God\'s people, receiving compassion, participating in worship, and sharing in His grace.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Putting The Fallen Pastor In His Place','','inherit','open','open','','3001-revision-2','','','2011-12-05 16:00:14','2011-12-06 00:00:14','',3001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/3001-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(3008,1,'2011-12-11 11:00:31','2011-12-11 19:00:31','In my upcoming book, \"<a href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/284\">Fallen Pastor: Finding Restoration in a Broken World</a>,\" I answer a lot of questions about ministry failure. But there\'s one question I stayed away from: \"<em>Should</em> a fallen pastor be put back into the pulpit and be allowed to preach again?\"\n\nIn the book, I interview eleven ministers who fell from the ministry due to moral failure. Several of them are pastoring again. The fact that they are can be attributed to several things. First, they went through an intense restoration process. Secondly, the church or denomination they serve decided they were at peace with having them pastor again. Third, these men were able to see the call of God in their life as a thing that did not go away once they fell.\n\nThis is a huge issue within the church. Those of a more conservative stripe say a minister who commits adultery should never be restored to the pastorate. The argument typically falls along biblical lines. The guidelines for an overseer in 1 Timothy 3 are that an overseer in the church should be \"above reproach.\" Once a minister has committed adultery, he has violated the trust of the church and is no longer deemed worthy of the office.\n\nThis passage also says the overseer must be able to manage his household well, not quarrelsome, well thought of by outsiders, respectable, the husband of one wife, hospitable and self-controlled. It is a serious thing to desire to be an overseer. It is not to be taken lightly and those who desire and are called should understand the weight of it.\n\nThen, there are those who believe that a fallen pastor can enter back into the ministry. Of course, they understand that those who desire to do so must be repentant and restored to Christ. The main argument is also a biblical one. It comes from Romans 11:29:  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. The argument is that God has granted gifts to people and even if they sin, they still have gifts.\n\nHonestly, I still don\'t know where I stand, but I\'d like to look at some objections, then tell you how things work out in life.\n\nThe first argument is that those who serve are held to a high standard. Those who argue that even after a fall a man is worthy of serving argue against it like this: <em>\"The qualifications for overseer are listed as patterns for life. Overseers <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fallen.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-3005\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fallen.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>should have those things be true about them as a rule of life. If those were a hard and fast rule, without grace, then Peter never should have been given the chance to be a leader in the early church because he committed the sin of denying Christ. All sin is worthy of separation. Yes, the bible holds leaders at a high standard, but it is to be measured against grace.\"</em>\n\nThen there\'s the argument against the second position. <em>\"Yes, the gift is still there, but that doesn\'t mean someone is still worthy of serving in certain capacity. God does forgive fallen leaders, but He has high standards of leadership. Moses is an example of that. After striking the rock, he wasn\'t allowed to enter the promised land. Fallen leaders are still precious to God and can still find other ways to minister other than leadership positions.\"</em>\n\nIt\'s tough, isn\'t it? I am resolved in this. God\'s grace is much more abounding than many are willing to grant. I\'ve had pastors look me in the eye and basically tell me that I shouldn\'t even pray in public ever again. I know people who believe that fallen pastors should sit in the back pew for the rest of their lives and never make eye contact with God-fearing people ever again. These people are far and few between, but they can feel like the majority.\n\nChrist\'s voice is clear in the Gospels. He restores sinners. In the face of the religious majority, he picks people up and stands them on their feet. Does this mean we should put fallen pastors back in the pulpit? No, but it does mean that as Christians, we should be the first to seek them out and love them, seeking to show them love.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/person-pew.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3010\" style=\"margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/person-pew-300x205.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"205\" /></a>Now, for my pragmatic argument. I hate the word \"pragmatism\" because it has a <em>stigmatism</em>. The churches I have seen that have placed repentant, restored fallen pastors back into the pulpit have been blessed. They took a chance. It was up to each congregation to make a decision based on their own personal convictions, but they were blessed.\n\nI can tell you this as well. When I\'ve been able to preach at churches about my fall, my adultery, my sin, I\'ve been able to reach and minister to people like I never could before. My preaching was overcome with a new level of understanding about grace, empathy, compassion and forgiveness. When I preach now, I can almost guarantee that after I\'m done, I\'ll be approached by someone who wants to confess their own sin of adultery or moral failure.\n\nThe people who talk to me tell me, \"I could never have told my pastor. He wouldn\'t understand. I feel like you have a different kind of heart.\" Yes, I do. Not because of anything I\'ve done, but because Christ took my mess and made a message out of it. He took my crooked little heart and made it into a tool for him.\n\nWhere does the fallen pastor belong? That\'s a decision for each church to make after he goes through a restoration process. I do know this - he does not belong on the trash heap of society. He belongs among the rest of God\'s people, receiving compassion, participating in worship, and sharing in His grace.\n\n&nbsp;','Putting The Fallen Pastor In His Place','','inherit','open','open','','3001-autosave','','','2011-12-11 11:00:31','2011-12-11 19:00:31','',3001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/3001-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(3009,90,'2011-12-01 10:25:16','2011-12-01 18:25:16','<em>The core of this piece was written late on a Saturday night in last June, at the Wild Goose Festival (a gathering of emergent and progressive Christians), sitting under the stars at the campsite, reaching to comprehend and process the transformations that were taking place in me and around me by texting a dear friend and colleague. Turned out to be one very long text.</em>\r\n\r\nThe warning has come in many forms over the years: watch out for the slippery slope. If we dare to question what we’ve been taught, we cannot predict what could follow, what unearthly pit is around the corner. If we dare to question, before we know it we could be...well…something and surely hell and hand-baskets are involved. Don’t raise those questions, don’t voice any doubts, you don’t know where it may lead. I had been warned.\r\n\r\nI didn’t listen. I’ve had conversations with people whose views differ from mine. I’ve gone to worship services that have stretched me beyond my comfort zone. I’ve traveled to other cultures. I’ve read those “edgy” theological books. I’ve entered into conversations where I am challenged and uncomfortable. And in January I finally left the church organization I had called home for many years, as a “radical” pursuing ordination as a woman. Since then, I’ve dared to open up the Bible without being preemptively sure of what it might have to say to me. I’ve become friends with fellow seminarians who are seeking to serve God wholeheartedly who also happen to be lesbian, transgendered and gay. I’ve begun to question the cultural assumptions that had defined my theological reality and am finding the Bible to be alive with humanity and contradiction and the gospels to be downright manifestos of radical living. I continue to question the theology and church culture, as I understood it, while boldly stumbling along, pursuing God and spiritual community.\r\n\r\nYou open any of these doors, and before you know it, you’re led down a road where you\'re speaking up about the marginalized, selling your possessions to give to the poor, and surrendering your life to something greater than yourself. It\'s a slippery slope. If you open yourself up to revelation being alive and moving, letting it be more than a moral code or a patriarchal history lesson, then you slide. You slide and find that you\'re surrounded by revelation. Poems, stories, myths, the writing and lives of Gandhi and Dr. King, Maya Angelou and Rumi, and the mountains, the people, silence, and yes, even the Scriptures are speaking to you. All overflowing with the Breath of the Spirit and infused with Divine Voice. Each offers pathways connecting the human and the Divine, enlivening and disturbing, moving you to action, bathing you in peaceful Love.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a slippery slope, letting go of the lines that divide, seeing people different from yourself as human. Let the walls that make me an \"us\" and they a \"them\" crumble, and there is a world of humanity to love. No longer can you ignore the vulnerability, the humanity, the absolute sinner and saint in all of us. No longer can you push others aside or arbitrarily categorize them. Confronted by the humanity around us, we confront the humanity within us and expose our collective brokenness. We come face to face with the things we are capable of, for ill or good. We lose the ability to hide behind our self-righteousness or be cozy in our carefully constructed boxes of absolutism and superiority.\r\n\r\nAnd then we might start caring. We might start exposing ourselves to the people in the world around us. We might start seeing needs. We might start owning and feeling the pain of the human family as our own story, a story that we are drawn into, that we now want to participate in. It’s risky, this slippery slope of seeing humans as human. It’s transformative, God being Divine.\r\n\r\nEntertaining the idea that God is untamable, uncontainable and immersed in all we know, might just lead us to respond. To ask what Jesus taught and at least play with the possibility, maybe for the first time, that we\'re actually called to follow these teachings, is a daring and radical notion. Maybe Jesus had something right when he told us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. Maybe there\'s something to this command to take care of the widows and orphans. Maybe Jesus wasn\'t being metaphorical when he told us to feed, clothe and heal our human family.\r\n\r\nMaybe, just maybe, this whole Jesus on earth thing, this spark of Divinity walking among us, is something to pay attention to. Maybe model our lives after. And maybe when we go back to the gospels we might find that most of what Jesus was interested in were the marginalized, the poor, speaking up against the oppressing forces, confronting the hard conversations, going to those that need healing, and approaching the broken parts of each of us. We could find that this radical Messiah came to speak and live out an alternative to ruling over others, to consuming, to living only for ourselves. We may begin to entertain the notion that there\'s something more to live for. We could start to hear the gentle breeze whispering in our ears that there\'s a force of Creative Love calling. Calling us to act. Moving us to live in harmony. Drawing us to follow this Radical Christ. And that, that my friend is damned uncomfortable.\r\n\r\nWatch out for the slippery slope.','The Slippery Slope ','','inherit','open','open','','2774-revision-6','','','2011-12-01 10:25:16','2011-12-01 18:25:16','',2774,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/01/2774-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(3010,12,'2011-12-05 17:20:09','2011-12-06 01:20:09','','person pew','','inherit','open','open','','person-pew','','','2011-12-05 17:20:09','2011-12-06 01:20:09','',3001,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/person-pew.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3011,12,'2011-12-05 16:00:54','2011-12-06 00:00:54','In my upcoming book, \"<a href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/284\">Fallen Pastor: Finding Restoration in a Broken World</a>,\" I answer a lot of questions about ministry failure. But there\'s one question I stayed away from: \"<em>Should</em> a fallen pastor be put back into the pulpit and be allowed to preach again?\"\r\n\r\nIn the book, I interview eleven ministers who fell from the ministry due to moral failure. Several of them are pastoring again. The fact that they are can be attributed to several things. First, they went through an intense restoration process. Secondly, the church or denomination they serve decided they were at peace with having them pastor again. Third, these men were able to see the call of God in their life as a thing that did not go away once they fell.\r\n\r\nThis is a huge issue within the church. Those of a more conservative stripe say a minister who commits adultery should never be restored to the pastorate. The argument typically falls along biblical lines. The guidelines for an overseer in 1 Timothy 3 are that an overseer in the church should be \"above reproach.\" Once a minister has committed adultery, he has violated the trust of the church and is no longer deemed worthy of the office.\r\n\r\nThis passage also says the overseer must be able to manage his household well, not quarrelsome, well thought of by outsiders, respectable, the husband of one wife, hospitable and self-controlled. It is a serious thing to desire to be an overseer. It is not to be taken lightly and those who desire and are called should understand the weight of it.\r\n\r\nThen, there are those who believe that a fallen pastor can enter back into the ministry. Of course, they understand that those who desire to do so must be repentant and restored to Christ. The main argument is also a biblical one. It comes from Romans 11:29:  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. The argument is that God has granted gifts to people and even if they sin, they still have gifts.\r\n\r\nHonestly, I still don\'t know where I stand, but I\'d like to look at some objections, then tell you how things work out in life.\r\n\r\nThe first argument is that those who serve are held to a high standard. Those who argue that even after a fall a man is worthy of serving argue against it like this: <em>\"The qualifications for overseer are listed as patterns for life. Overseers <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fallen.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-3005\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fallen.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>should have those things be true about them as a rule of life. If those were a hard and fast rule, without grace, then Peter never should have been given the chance to be a leader in the early church because he committed the sin of denying Christ. All sin is worthy of separation. Yes, the bible holds leaders at a high standard, but it is to be measured against grace.\"</em>\r\n\r\nThen there\'s the argument against the second position. <em>\"Yes, the gift is still there, but that doesn\'t mean someone is still worthy of serving in certain capacity. God does forgive fallen leaders, but He has high standards of leadership. Moses is an example of that. After striking the rock, he wasn\'t allowed to enter the promised land. Fallen leaders are still precious to God and can still find other ways to minister other than leadership positions.\"</em>\r\n\r\nIt\'s tough, isn\'t it? I am resolved in this. God\'s grace is much more abounding than many are willing to grant. I\'ve had pastors look me in the eye and basically tell me that I shouldn\'t even pray in public ever again. I know people who believe that fallen pastors should sit in the back pew for the rest of their lives and never make eye contact with God-fearing people ever again. These people are far and few between, but they can feel like the majority.\r\n\r\nChrist\'s voice is clear in the Gospels. He restores sinners. In the face of the religious majority, he picks people up and stands them on their feet. Does this mean we should put fallen pastors back in the pulpit? No, but it does mean that as Christians, we should be the first to seek them out and love them, seeking to show them love.\r\n\r\nNow, for my pragmatic argument. I hate the word \"pragmatism\" because it has a <em>stigmatism</em>. The churches I have seen that have placed repentant, restored fallen pastors back into the pulpit have been blessed. They took a chance. It was up to each congregation to make a decision based on their own personal convictions, but they were blessed.\r\n\r\nI can tell you this as well. When I\'ve been able to preach at churches about my fall, my adultery, my sin, I\'ve been able to reach and minister to people like I never could before. My preaching was overcome with a new level of understanding about grace, empathy, compassion and forgiveness. When I preach now, I can almost guarantee that after I\'m done, I\'ll be approached by someone who wants to confess their own sin of adultery or moral failure.\r\n\r\nThe people who talk to me tell me, \"I could never have told my pastor. He wouldn\'t understand. I feel like you have a different kind of heart.\" Yes, I do. Not because of anything I\'ve done, but because Christ took my mess and made a message out of it. He took my crooked little heart and made it into a tool for him.\r\n\r\nWhere does the fallen pastor belong? That\'s a decision for each church to make after he goes through a restoration process. I do know this - he does not belong on the trash heap of society. He belongs among the rest of God\'s people, receiving compassion, participating in worship, and sharing in His grace.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Putting The Fallen Pastor In His Place','','inherit','open','open','','3001-revision-3','','','2011-12-05 16:00:54','2011-12-06 00:00:54','',3001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/3001-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(3012,12,'2011-12-05 17:20:35','2011-12-06 01:20:35','In my upcoming book, \"<a href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/284\">Fallen Pastor: Finding Restoration in a Broken World</a>,\" I answer a lot of questions about ministry failure. But there\'s one question I stayed away from: \"<em>Should</em> a fallen pastor be put back into the pulpit and be allowed to preach again?\"\r\n\r\nIn the book, I interview eleven ministers who fell from the ministry due to moral failure. Several of them are pastoring again. The fact that they are can be attributed to several things. First, they went through an intense restoration process. Secondly, the church or denomination they serve decided they were at peace with having them pastor again. Third, these men were able to see the call of God in their life as a thing that did not go away once they fell.\r\n\r\nThis is a huge issue within the church. Those of a more conservative stripe say a minister who commits adultery should never be restored to the pastorate. The argument typically falls along biblical lines. The guidelines for an overseer in 1 Timothy 3 are that an overseer in the church should be \"above reproach.\" Once a minister has committed adultery, he has violated the trust of the church and is no longer deemed worthy of the office.\r\n\r\nThis passage also says the overseer must be able to manage his household well, not quarrelsome, well thought of by outsiders, respectable, the husband of one wife, hospitable and self-controlled. It is a serious thing to desire to be an overseer. It is not to be taken lightly and those who desire and are called should understand the weight of it.\r\n\r\nThen, there are those who believe that a fallen pastor can enter back into the ministry. Of course, they understand that those who desire to do so must be repentant and restored to Christ. The main argument is also a biblical one. It comes from Romans 11:29:  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. The argument is that God has granted gifts to people and even if they sin, they still have gifts.\r\n\r\nHonestly, I still don\'t know where I stand, but I\'d like to look at some objections, then tell you how things work out in life.\r\n\r\nThe first argument is that those who serve are held to a high standard. Those who argue that even after a fall a man is worthy of serving argue against it like this: <em>\"The qualifications for overseer are listed as patterns for life. Overseers <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fallen.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-3005\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fallen.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>should have those things be true about them as a rule of life. If those were a hard and fast rule, without grace, then Peter never should have been given the chance to be a leader in the early church because he committed the sin of denying Christ. All sin is worthy of separation. Yes, the bible holds leaders at a high standard, but it is to be measured against grace.\"</em>\r\n\r\nThen there\'s the argument against the second position. <em>\"Yes, the gift is still there, but that doesn\'t mean someone is still worthy of serving in certain capacity. God does forgive fallen leaders, but He has high standards of leadership. Moses is an example of that. After striking the rock, he wasn\'t allowed to enter the promised land. Fallen leaders are still precious to God and can still find other ways to minister other than leadership positions.\"</em>\r\n\r\nIt\'s tough, isn\'t it? I am resolved in this. God\'s grace is much more abounding than many are willing to grant. I\'ve had pastors look me in the eye and basically tell me that I shouldn\'t even pray in public ever again. I know people who believe that fallen pastors should sit in the back pew for the rest of their lives and never make eye contact with God-fearing people ever again. These people are far and few between, but they can feel like the majority.\r\n\r\nChrist\'s voice is clear in the Gospels. He restores sinners. In the face of the religious majority, he picks people up and stands them on their feet. Does this mean we should put fallen pastors back in the pulpit? No, but it does mean that as Christians, we should be the first to seek them out and love them, seeking to show them love.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/person-pew.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3010\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/person-pew-300x205.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"205\" /></a>Now, for my pragmatic argument. I hate the word \"pragmatism\" because it has a <em>stigmatism</em>. The churches I have seen that have placed repentant, restored fallen pastors back into the pulpit have been blessed. They took a chance. It was up to each congregation to make a decision based on their own personal convictions, but they were blessed.\r\n\r\nI can tell you this as well. When I\'ve been able to preach at churches about my fall, my adultery, my sin, I\'ve been able to reach and minister to people like I never could before. My preaching was overcome with a new level of understanding about grace, empathy, compassion and forgiveness. When I preach now, I can almost guarantee that after I\'m done, I\'ll be approached by someone who wants to confess their own sin of adultery or moral failure.\r\n\r\nThe people who talk to me tell me, \"I could never have told my pastor. He wouldn\'t understand. I feel like you have a different kind of heart.\" Yes, I do. Not because of anything I\'ve done, but because Christ took my mess and made a message out of it. He took my crooked little heart and made it into a tool for him.\r\n\r\nWhere does the fallen pastor belong? That\'s a decision for each church to make after he goes through a restoration process. I do know this - he does not belong on the trash heap of society. He belongs among the rest of God\'s people, receiving compassion, participating in worship, and sharing in His grace.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Putting The Fallen Pastor In His Place','','inherit','open','open','','3001-revision-4','','','2011-12-05 17:20:35','2011-12-06 01:20:35','',3001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/3001-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(3013,0,'2011-12-06 12:50:37','2011-12-06 20:50:37','I  think I like this site- how can I register?\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: mitzi\nAUTHOR EMAIL: grandmavess@yahoo.com\nAUTHOR URL: \nSUBJECT: [Provoketive Magazine] Contact Us\nIP: 189.201.106.116\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; mitzi\n    [Email] =&gt; grandmavess@yahoo.com\n    [Comment] =&gt; I  think I like this site- how can I register?\n)\n','mitzi - 2011-12-06 12:50:37','','publish','open','open','','50291d64f1bd066cb1a5ac12ede9d7ba','','','2011-12-06 12:50:37','2011-12-06 20:50:37','',16,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=3013',0,'feedback','',0),(3014,43,'2011-12-03 07:53:10','2011-12-03 15:53:10','At the end of November, one of our local schools suffered a tragic loss.  A student died by suicide.  Although the people investigating have not officially stated whether bullying was involved, that was the conclusion reached by many of the student’s peers.  How sad that aggression in schools has progressed to the point that when a student ends her life, that is the first thing to come to mind.\r\n\r\nIt doesn’t make any difference whether bullying was the underlying cause.  That it has become epidemic  is far more alarming.  Alongside that, there seems to be a collective feeling of being at a loss for answers—even by school staff.\r\n\r\nOne reason may be that the shape of bullying has changed.  We want to imagine that bullies are easy to spot.  He’s the biggest kid on the playground, the one who always picks on smaller kids.  No one except the ones he’s terrified into the role will befriend him.  Maybe we even want to feel sorry for him, that he comes from a dangerous or frightening family situation himself.\r\n\r\nBut that isn’t always the way it works.  Bullies may come from “good” families.  They may go to church on Sundays.  They may be well-liked by parents, teachers, and other students.  There is no way to distinguish someone who is victimizing someone else unless you witness it happening.  They’re not just stealing kids’ lunch money anymore.\r\n\r\nSo the rest of us are left to deal with the tragic aftermath of adolescent cruelty.  We wonder if our own children are safe at school, or even whether they are the ones hurting others.  Those of us who work with the youth at our churches must find ways to help the students left behind after the dust clears.\r\n\r\nI spoke with the youth pastor at our church, asking if those of us working with the kids were going to discuss this issue as a team.  I mentioned that it was going to be tough for awhile, as we have students who knew the girl who died.  He said, “Imagine being a youth leader at a church where it’s one of your students.\"\r\n\r\nI answered, “What if one day we are?”\r\n\r\nBecause this latest suicide wasn’t halfway across the country, or even in another state.  It wasn’t even in another city.  It was here, just a few miles from us.\r\n\r\nChristians have a responsibility here.  We could sit back and wait for the schools to handle things.  We could expect that teachers will not tolerate disrespectful attitudes and behaviors in class.  We could even pray that our own kids know how much they are loved, even if they are the victims of bullying.  But that won’t solve the problem.  To be honest, I’m not sure what the solution is.  I do know that my duty to love makes it my business to help search for one.\r\n\r\nWe social justice Christians often talk about human dignity and how everyone is worthy of love and respect.  Why not start by honoring the dignity of our children and youth?','When Bullying Leads to Tragedy','','inherit','open','open','','2881-revision-3','','','2011-12-03 07:53:10','2011-12-03 15:53:10','',2881,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/03/2881-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(3015,43,'2011-12-06 18:09:38','2011-12-07 02:09:38','At the end of November, one of our local schools suffered a tragic loss.  A student died by suicide.  Although the people investigating have not officially stated whether bullying was involved, that was the conclusion reached by many of the student’s peers.  How sad that aggression in schools has progressed to the point that when a student ends her life, that is the first thing to come to mind.\r\n\r\nIt doesn’t make any difference whether bullying was the underlying cause.  That it has become epidemic  is far more alarming.  Bullying, and what form it takes, has been big news.  In light of that, it\'s not at all surprising that this video has been making the rounds*:\r\n\r\n[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdkNn3Ei-Lg[/youtube]\r\n\r\nThere seems to be a collective feeling of being at a loss for answers—even by school staff.  One reason may be that the shape of bullying has changed.  We want to imagine that bullies are easy to spot.  He’s the biggest kid on the playground, the one who always picks on smaller kids.  No one except the ones he’s terrified into the role will befriend him.  Maybe we even want to feel sorry for him, that he comes from a dangerous or frightening family situation himself.\r\n\r\nBut that isn’t always the way it works.  Bullies may come from “good” families.  They may go to church on Sundays.  They may be well-liked by parents, teachers, and other students.  There is no way to distinguish someone who is victimizing someone else unless you witness it happening.  They’re not just stealing kids’ lunch money anymore.\r\n\r\nSo the rest of us are left to deal with the tragic aftermath of adolescent cruelty.  We wonder if our own children are safe at school, or even whether they are the ones hurting others.  Those of us who work with the youth at our churches must find ways to help the students left behind after the dust clears.\r\n\r\nI spoke with the youth pastor at our church, asking if those of us working with the kids were going to discuss this issue as a team.  I mentioned that it was going to be tough for awhile, as we have students who knew the girl who died.  He said, “Imagine being a youth leader at a church where it’s one of your students.\"\r\n\r\nI answered, “What if one day we are?”\r\n\r\nBecause this latest suicide wasn’t halfway across the country, or even in another state.  It wasn’t even in another city.  It wasn\'t a stranger on the Internet, a kid we only know because he put his emotions in full view of everyone.  It was here, just a few miles from us, and it was a girl a lot of people knew.\r\n\r\nChristians have a responsibility here.  We could sit back and wait for the schools to handle things.  We could expect that teachers will not tolerate disrespectful attitudes and behaviors in class.  We could even pray that our own kids know how much they are loved, even if they are the victims of bullying.  But that won’t solve the problem.  To be honest, I’m not sure what the solution is.  I do know that my duty to love makes it my business to help search for one.\r\n\r\nWe social justice Christians often talk about human dignity and how everyone is worthy of love and respect.  Why not start by honoring the dignity of our children and youth?\r\n\r\n*Be sure to read the update from Jonah Mowry, the young man, in the text under the video.','When Bullying Leads to Tragedy','','inherit','open','open','','2881-revision-4','','','2011-12-06 18:09:38','2011-12-07 02:09:38','',2881,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/06/2881-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(3020,46,'2011-12-07 17:44:13','2011-12-08 01:44:13','Believe it or not, it\'s Advent season again. It seems like Reformation Sunday was only last week. But it\'s that time again when Christians prepare themselves for Christmas by reflecting on what it means to wait upon the Lord. And as strange as it may sound, I think the \"Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth\" video I posted this morning for Monday Morning Awesomeness perfectly sums up the spirit of Advent.\n\nTake a look at the lyrics:\n\nPeace on earth, can it be?\nYears from now, perhaps we\'ll see\nSee the day of glory\nSee the day when men of goodwill\nLive in peace, live in peace again\nPeace on earth, can it be?\n\nEvery child must be made aware\nEvery child must be made to care\nCare enough for his fellow man\nTo give all the love that he can.\n\nI pray my wish will come true\nFor my child, and your child too.\nHe\'ll see the day of glory.\nHe\'ll see the day when men of goodwill\nLive in peace, live in peace again\nPeace on earth, can it be?\n\nEvery week as we light the Advent wreath, we wait for the day when Jesus comes to bring light into the darkness. And as Isaiah prophesied, when the Light of the World comes, he will \"teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. . . . He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore\" (2:3-4).\n\nSo will David Bowie\'s wish ever come true? I think so. In the meantime, we wait upon Him. ','Advent Meditation:  Peace on Earth, Can it Be?','','inherit','open','open','','3018-revision','','','2011-12-07 17:44:13','2011-12-08 01:44:13','',3018,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/07/3018-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(3165,117,'2011-12-20 08:00:52','2011-12-20 16:00:52','<strong>Rethinking a Messiah’s Miracle</strong>\r\n\r\nWWJB? It’s a legitimate question. Jesus drank with the best of them.[1] He made choice wine from water at a wedding in Cana—and lots of it. About 150 gallons. In case you’re wondering, that’s about 800 bottles. And it was good stuff.\r\n\r\n“You saved the best for last,” said the master of the banquet to the bridegroom.[2] All proof that Jesus approved of earthly celebrations and drinking, despite the fact that some fundamentalists make the ludicrous claim that his wine wasn’t fermented. It was. The Greek word used is oinos, which means fermented drink derived from grapes. In fact, in the Torah, God told the Israelites to use a portion of their tithe to buy food, wine, and strong drink—whatever their appetites craved—for an annual party.[3] Like the Cana wedding, it was a time of rejoicing, which the Psalmist echoed when he said “He makes wine that gladdens the heart of man [and woman].”[4] The scriptures tell us the abundance of wine is a divine blessing.[5]\r\n\r\nDon’t get nervous, teetotalers. God does not approve of alcohol abuse. Paul told his hearers “don’t get drunk with wine”[6] in the Greek continuous tense; meaning don’t be in the habit of overindulging.[7] The implication is, it’s fine to tie one on with restraint once in a while, as the Israelites were encouraged to do once a year; just beware of the dangers of drunkenness, in other words, alcoholism. It will ruin your life. Today, unlike biblical times, it is complicated by the deadly combination of drinking and driving.\r\n\r\nBut what of societies where moderate imbibing is practiced responsibly? If Jesus was invited to a wedding in Belgium or Germany or the home of an American microbrewer, and his mother Mary was worried because they ran out of beer, what would he brew? You can bet your bottom dollar it wouldn’t be Bud Lite.\r\n\r\nAs a microbrew enthusiast I’d like to offer a few suggestions. Just as the water-into-wine miracle teaches us about God’s lavish provision, his concern over a host’s embarrassment about a poorly planned wedding party, and the importance of bounteous celebrations of life and love, our delving into a WWJB scenario will uncover eye-opening revelations. Ones you can test out in real life. And, if you’re inclined, at the local pub.\r\n\r\nWe already began with what he wouldn’t brew. Let’s explore that further. As much as I love the Canadian Ale, La Fin du Monde, a robust, flavorful triple-fermentation with a nine percent wallop, I doubt Jesus would brew it. Why? The English translation of this French-named beer is “The End of the World.” My contention is Jesus doesn’t want to send us that message. Some Evangelical Christians delight in saying his return is imminent along with seven years of harrowing tribulation with nothing to look forward to but Judgment Day. They then use this claim to convince you to “accept Jesus” so you’re spared the horror. As I have written elsewhere,[8] this interpretation of New Testament eschatology is misguided and naïve. Jesus spoke of the end of the age, meaning the era of Jewish Temple worship (which ended with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD), not the end of the world. Lavish provision and celebrations of life are still in play. We may need to limit them for ourselves at times, but not due to a looming apocalyptic global catastrophe, but rather so we can show concern for the poor and empower them to join the party. Spiritual manipulation through fear is not what Jesus is about, which also highlights how his teaching on hell is misinterpreted.[9]\r\n\r\nMight I suggest Jesus would favor brewing up a batch of European varieties such as the Floreffe Special Reserve, a rich dark beer seasoned with anise spice and orange peel. At eight percent alcohol content, this Belgium Ale is a joy to drain and represents a choice brew that would easily match the words of the party master when he says, “You saved the best for last.” Perhaps we should do the same. No, we can’t always do what Jesus did, but at times we can emulate his example. We can bless others by “saving the best gifts for last” and love our neighbors to the end with increasing kindness, beyond their expectations.\r\n\r\nI wonder if Jesus would give us a taste of his sense of humor. If not a Belgium beer, I imagine him turning water from kegs into one of my favorite Pacific Northwest microbrews. Perhaps a Silver City (near Seattle, WA) Scotch Ale, aged in American Oak with a tinge of whiskey. He would anticipate the lovemaking of the bride and groom that would occur later that night and honor them and their guests with this award-winning choice appropriately named, Fat Woody. After tasting it, the banquet master would laugh at the bridegroom (remember, in the story, he doesn’t realize the wine comes from Jesus and not the groom), when he recognizes the exceptional beer and remembers its name.\r\n\r\n“Scandalous to even think of such a thing,” an uptight believer might say. Yet, dwell on this: If Jesus shared with the crowds a scripture appropriate for a wedding, he wouldn’t be constrained by many of the mistranslations we have in our modern Bibles.[10] He may remember the Song of Songs when Solomon writes “Your love is more delightful than wine,”[11] referring to a beautiful maiden doling over her man. Knowing the scriptures like the back of his hand, he might recall the man and woman describing each other’s nude bodies. You read that right: Nude. First, there is the reference to the woman’s breasts being like clusters of fruit. Then, even though our modern translations use the words “navel” or “body” in a couple passages, the correct Hebrew words in the manuscripts from which we derive ours were euphemisms for female and male genitalia.[12] Gotta be naked to notice those. At times our modern Bibles are incorrect and Song of Songs is a tad pornographic—in good taste.\r\n\r\nWhat are some more possibilities? Being concerned with getting to the original truth, perhaps he would create something from the oldest brewery in the world—the origin of beer—the Bavarian Wiehenstephan. Its malty, Dark Wheat Beer, would be worthy of a King. Or maybe an American version of a great German beer, like the Silver City Oktoberfest, an amber lager with a rich malty sweetness. Then there’s the infamous Portland, Oregon Deschutes Brewery. One of their reserve brews like the Imperial Stout, called The Abyss (one beer writer calls it precious stuff), would fit the bill. With delightful hints of molasses, licorice, and chocolate flavors, this 11 percenter would be a fine choice for Jesus to craft, although I trust the banquet master would insist it be served in smaller glasses to encourage moderation.\r\n\r\nI’m struck how this miracle—Jesus’ first—and most of his good works, were not performed in churches or synagogues, but among the riffraff and ragamuffins; in homes, at parties, and among common folk outdoors. In fact, most people are surprised to hear that Jesus didn’t found a new religion or an institutional church,[13] nor expect his followers to set up a Christian version of the synagogue. His “church” he spoke of was known in Greek as <em>ekklesia</em>, which merely means a gathering of people under a common cause. The same word is used for a “mob” in the book of Acts.[14] It is not a human institution with professional salaried clergy, a clergy-laity distinction, meetings in buildings, church budgets, hierarchal leadership, and legalistic requirements, such as tithing; most of these were elements the later Roman church adopted and borrowed from pagan culture.[15] This doesn’t mean modern churches are bad (although they can become so and even oppressive when an environment of legalism is allowed to breed), just that they’re optional.[16]\r\n\r\nWhy dwell on an alternate scenario of the Master’s first miracle? It just might help us see past the religious lens most of us peer through when we imagine Jesus. He is just as likely to create fine microbrews as wine at a party (perhaps more so since most beer is significantly lower in alcohol content than wine). He was known to hang out with gluttons and whores, approved of august celebrations, reminded us he didn’t come to destroy lives,[18] always remembered the poor, and read from a version of the Bible that celebrates human sexuality, rather graphically.\r\n\r\nWWJB? We keep coming back to what he would not brew to answer that question. He would make fine wine, craft choice beer, nurture unselfish love, but never, I contend, brew a spirit of religion that cultivates fear, spiritual manipulation, and a legalistic approach to life.\r\n\r\n____________\r\n1- Matthew 11:19\r\n2 - John 2:1-10\r\n3 - Deuteronomy 14:26\r\n4 - Psalm 104:14-15\r\n5 - Genesis 27:28\r\n6 - Ephesians 5:18\r\n7 - Darwin Chandler, <em>The Royal Law of Liberty: Living in Freedom Under Christ’s Law of Love</em>, pages 252-253\r\n8 - Michael Camp, <em>I Survived the Christian Right: 10 Lessons I Learned on My Journey Home</em>, in Lesson Four.\r\n9 - Camp, Ibid, in Lesson Nine.\r\n10 - Camp, Ibid, in Lesson Two.\r\n11 - Song of Songs 1:2\r\n12 - See Lawrence, Raymond J., Jr., <em>Sexual Liberation: The Scandal of Christendom</em>, page 23, referring to Song of Songs 5:14 and 7:2.\r\n13 - Gary Wills, <em>What Jesus Meant</em>, page 78.\r\n14 - Wills, Ibid., page 78.\r\n15 - Frank Viola and George Barna, <em>Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices</em>, page xix.\r\n16 - A Pew poll the week of August 20, 2010 found 18 percent of Americans think President Barak Obama is a Muslim, only one third correctly identify him as a Christian, and 43 percent have no idea what his religion is. The fact that Obama and his family haven’t joined a Christian church as of the time of the poll may influence these confused perspectives and highlights how Americans often put more stock in superficial religiosity than genuine Christian charity.\r\n17 - Matthew 11:19 and 21:31\r\n18 - Luke 9:56\r\n\r\nPhoto Credit: dynamosquito','What Would Jesus Brew?','','publish','open','open','','what-would-jesus-brew','','','2011-12-19 11:53:16','2011-12-19 19:53:16','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=3165',0,'post','',3),(3023,30,'2011-12-12 08:12:17','2011-12-12 16:12:17','Recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>Later she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\r\n\r\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\r\n\r\n<strong>Because when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.</strong>\r\n\r\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\r\n\r\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\r\n\r\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\r\n\r\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\r\n\r\nThere are arguments and apologies. Good times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\r\n\r\n<strong>None that have anything to do with sexual orientation.</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen the discussion is framed in terms of gay marriage, it becomes much easier to call the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States\">more than 1100 marriage rights</a> that you enjoy \"special.\" When it\'s called gay marriage, it becomes much easier to see it as something deviant or frightening. When we call it gay marriage, we dehumanize the people who are getting married by stripping them down to their orientation.\r\n\r\nSo by all means, let\'s all oppose gay marriage.\r\n\r\n<strong>Instead, join me in supporting marriage equality.</strong>','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','publish','open','open','','why-i-oppose-gay-marriage','','','2011-12-09 08:26:32','2011-12-09 16:26:32','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=3023',0,'post','',61),(3024,110,'2011-12-16 08:00:07','2011-12-16 16:00:07','The four gospels are like the four voices of a choir, singing the song of Jesus in tight harmony. But the composition is so careful and clever that by putting them all together we miss the intricate detail of the individual melodies and counter melodies. Each one is exquisite and unique alone, while contributing to a majestic symphonic masterpiece. But sometimes we hear them all mushed together through little cheap white ear-buds, we forget the detail in each one - which in this series we hope to glimpse a little of.\r\n\r\nThe start of Matthews gospel contains some of the most treasured moments in the nativity play, but read alone, forgetting the \'rest of the story\' that you\'ve heard so many times it is fresh and compelling. Why not take a moment of your day to read the first two chapters of Matthew - it\'s less than 1500 words, it will only take about 6 minutes to read.\r\n\r\nThe two chapters can be summarised like this:\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Ancestors of Jesus</li>\r\n	<li>An angel visits Joseph (and Jesus is born)</li>\r\n	<li>Magi come to find the king of the Jews</li>\r\n	<li>An angel tells Joseph to run from murderous Herod</li>\r\n	<li>They return to Nazareth</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNotice that the only angels are in Joseph\'s two dreams, there\'s no journey to Bethlehem written about - the journeys are the escape to Egypt and the return to Nazareth. In fact the \'main characters\' seem to have quite a small part - neither Mary, Joseph or Jesus are named more that half a dozen times between the two chapters. It\'s all happening so that the prophets\' words come true and at the direction of the angelic dreams.\r\n\r\nMatthew gives away the emphasis of his gospel telling by giving the detailed ancestry of Jesus right at the start of the book. Matthew, over and over, show Jesus coming in the light of all the Old Testament, and this list of people includes so many of the \'heroes\' of the Jewish faith by tracing Jesus back to King David and back to the fathers of the Israelite nation, to Abraham.\r\n\r\nBut then Matthew does something unexpected. Jesus is born exactly as the prophets said he would be, but the only ones looking for him are Persian \'Magicians\'. We call them \'Kings\' or \'Wise Men\' because it\'s not neat to think of them as priests of a foreign religion, but this is exactly the shock value Matthew wants us to see. Herod wanted to be thought of as \'King of the Jews\' but didn\'t appreciate the importance of this baby. His advisors, who are well read enough in religion to tell the Magi where to find Jesus are either too unbelieving or too scared of Herod to do anything but advise. So for Matthew, this distinctively Jewish good news starts with hated foreigners getting it right. The only ones who really understand Jesus and worship him are high-ranking priests in another religion entirely, while the ones who should understand are slaughtering children.\r\n\r\nMatthew\'s first couple of chapters are all about validating who Jesus is and how he will be rejected by some but surprisingly found by others who we wouldn\'t expect. Though Matthew begins with Jesus\' Jewish heritage and ancestry, it is outsiders who see the King of the Jews and even worship \'God with us\'. Jesus\' childhood in exile in Egypt is the final hint that if the Jews don\'t accept this message it will go to the rest of the world, outsiders, people who will see Jesus for who he really is.\r\n\r\nMay we not be so busy this Christmas; organising services, buying, wrapping, cooking and talking about the \'real meaning\' that we miss the \'God with us\'. And no matter how much we know of the history and ritual of worshipping God, let\'s not forget that those with no experience can sometimes find Jesus more easily than we can.','De-harmonizing Christmas - Part 3: Matthew','','publish','open','open','','de-harmonizing-christmas-part-3-matthew','','','2011-12-16 07:55:11','2011-12-16 15:55:11','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=3024',0,'post','',0),(3025,110,'2011-12-08 05:49:09','2011-12-08 13:49:09','The four gospels are like the four voices of a choir, singing the song of Jesus in tight harmony. But the composition is so careful and clever that by putting them all together we miss the intricate detail of the individual melodies and counter melodies. Each one is exquisite and unique alone, while contributing to a majestic symphonic masterpiece. But sometimes we hear them all mushed together through little cheap white ear-buds, we forget the detail in each one - which in this series we hope to glimse a little of.\n\nThe start of Matthews gospel contains some of the most treasured moments in the nativity play, but read alone, forgetting the \'rest of the story\' that you\'ve heard so many times it is fresh and compelling. Why not take a moment of your day to read the first two chapters of Matthew - it\'s less than 1500 words, it will only take about 6 minutes to read.\n\nThe two chapters can be summarised like this:\n<ol>\n	<li>Ancestors of Jesus</li>\n	<li>An angel visits Joseph (and Jesus is born)</li>\n	<li>Magi come to find the king of the Jews</li>\n	<li>An angel tells Joseph to run from murderous Herod</li>\n	<li>They return to Nazareth</li>\n</ol>\nNotice that the only angels are in Joseph\'s two dreams, there\'s no journey to Bethlehem written about - the journeys are the escape to Egypt and the return to Nazareth. In fact the \'main characters\' seem to have quite a small part - neither Mary, Joseph or Jesus are named more that half a dozen times between the two chapters. It\'s all happening so that the prophets\' words come true and at the direction of the angelic dreams.\n\nMatthew gives away the emphasis of his gospel telling by giving the detailed ancestry of Jesus right at the start of the book. Matthew, over and over, show Jesus coming in the light of all the Old Testament, and this list of people includes so many of the \'heroes\' of the Jewish faith by tracing Jesus back to King David and back to the fathers of the Israelite nation, to Abraham.\n\nBut then Matthew does something unexpected. Jesus is born exactly as the prophets said he would be, but the only ones looking for him are Persian \'Magicians\'. We call them \'Kings\' or \'Wise Men\' because it\'s not neat to think of them as priests of a foreign religion, but this is exactly the shock value Matthew wants us to see. Herod wanted to be thought of as \'King of the Jews\' but didn\'t appreciate the importance of this baby. His advisors, who are well read enough in religion to tell the Magi where to find Jesus are either too unbelieving or too scared of Herod to do anything but advise. So for Matthew, this distinctively Jewish good news starts with hated foreigners getting it right. The only ones who really understand Jesus and worship him are high-ranking priests in another religion entirely, while the ones who should understood are slaughtering children.\n\nJesus\' childhood in exile in Egypt is the final hint that if the Jews don\'t accept this message it will go to the rest of the world, outsiders, people who will see Jesus for who he really is. May we not be so busy this Christmas; organising services, buying, wrapping, cooking and talking about the \'real meaning\' that we miss the \'God with us\'.','De-harmonising Christmas - Part 3: Matthew','','inherit','open','open','','3024-revision','','','2011-12-08 05:49:09','2011-12-08 13:49:09','',3024,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3024-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(3026,30,'2011-12-08 05:42:12','2011-12-08 13:42:12','The recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”\n\nLater she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\n\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\n\nBecause when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.\n\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\n\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\n\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\n\nThere are','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision','','','2011-12-08 05:42:12','2011-12-08 13:42:12','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3023-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(3027,30,'2011-12-08 06:03:08','2011-12-08 14:03:08','The recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”\n\nLater she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\n\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\n\nBecause when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.\n\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\n\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\n\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\n\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\n\nThere are arguments and apologies.\n\nGood times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\n\n&nbsp;','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision-2','','','2011-12-08 06:03:08','2011-12-08 14:03:08','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3023-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(3028,30,'2011-12-08 06:06:08','2011-12-08 14:06:08','The recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”\n\nLater she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\n\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\n\nBecause when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.\n\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\n\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\n\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\n\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\n\nThere are arguments and apologies.\n\nGood times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\n\n&nbsp;','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision-3','','','2011-12-08 06:06:08','2011-12-08 14:06:08','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3023-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(3030,30,'2011-12-08 06:06:59','2011-12-08 14:06:59','The recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”\r\n\r\nLater she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\r\n\r\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\r\n\r\nBecause when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.\r\n\r\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\r\n\r\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\r\n\r\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\r\n\r\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\r\n\r\nThere are arguments and apologies.\r\n\r\nGood times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision-4','','','2011-12-08 06:06:59','2011-12-08 14:06:59','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3023-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(3031,46,'2011-12-08 07:54:53','2011-12-08 15:54:53','Last night as I was going through my iTunes library, I realized that most of my favorite Christmas songs have to do with peace on earth . . . specifically the lack of it. For starters, there\'s of course John Lennon\'s \"Happy Xmas (War is Over),\" where Yoko Ono and a children\'s choir sing \"War is over if you want it, war is over now\" throughout the song. Then there\'s Stevie Wonder\'s \"Someday at Christmas,\" where Stevie dreams of a world where \"men won\'t be boys/playing with bombs like kids play with toys.\" Then there\'s Greg Lake\'s \"I Believe in Father Christmas,\" which begins with these words:\n<blockquote><em>\n\"They said there\'ll be snow at Christmas\nThey said there\'ll be peace on earth\nBut instead it just kept on raining\nA veil of tears for the virgin\'s birth\" </em></blockquote>\nOf course my personal favorite is David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing \"Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth.\" According to legend, Bowie was supposed to sing \"Little Drummer Boy\" with Crosby, but asked to sing something else instead, so the producers wrote these new lyrics:\n<blockquote><em>\"Peace on earth, can it be?\nYears from now, perhaps we\'ll see\nSee the day of glory\nSee the day when men of goodwill\nLive in peace, live in peace again\nPeace on earth, can it be?</em>\n\nEvery child must be made aware\nEvery child must be made to care\nCare enough for his fellow man\nTo give all the love that he can.\n\nI pray my wish will come true\nFor my child, and your child too.\nHe\'ll see the day of glory.\nHe\'ll see the day when men of goodwill\nLive in peace, live in peace again\nPeace on earth, can it be?\"</blockquote>\nWhy are so many of my favorite Christmas songs about peace on earth? Maybe it\'s just the anarcho-pacifist in me pushing my radical agenda onto this sacred holiday season of overspending and gross commercialism.\n\nAs I mentioned <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/03/advent-meditation-returning-to-sister-winter/\">a week or so ago</a>, every week during Advent as we light the wreath, we wait for the day when Jesus comes to bring light into the darkness. And as Isaiah prophesied, when the Light of the World comes, he will \"teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. . . . He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore\" (2:3-4).\n\nSo will David Bowie\'s wish ever come true? I think so. In the meantime, we wait upon Him.','Advent Meditation:  Peace on Earth, Can it Be?','','inherit','open','open','','3018-revision-2','','','2011-12-08 07:54:53','2011-12-08 15:54:53','',3018,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3018-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(3032,46,'2011-12-08 08:00:58','2011-12-08 16:00:58','Last night as I was going through my iTunes library, I realized that most of my favorite Christmas songs have to do with peace on earth . . . specifically the lack of it. For starters, there\'s of course John Lennon\'s \"Happy Xmas (War is Over),\" where Yoko Ono and a children\'s choir sing \"War is over if you want it, war is over now\" throughout the song. Then there\'s Stevie Wonder\'s \"Someday at Christmas,\" where Stevie dreams of a world where \"men won\'t be boys/playing with bombs like kids play with toys.\" Then there\'s Greg Lake\'s \"I Believe in Father Christmas,\" which begins with these words:\n<blockquote><em>\n\"They said there\'ll be snow at Christmas\nThey said there\'ll be peace on earth\nBut instead it just kept on raining\nA veil of tears for the virgin\'s birth\" </em></blockquote>\nOf course my personal favorite is David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing \"Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth.\" According to legend, Bowie was supposed to sing \"Little Drummer Boy\" with Crosby, but asked to sing something else instead, so the producers wrote these new lyrics:\n<blockquote><em>\"Peace on earth, can it be?\nYears from now, perhaps we\'ll see\nSee the day of glory\nSee the day when men of goodwill\nLive in peace, live in peace again\nPeace on earth, can it be?\n\nEvery child must be made aware\nEvery child must be made to care\nCare enough for his fellow man\nTo give all the love that he can.\n\nI pray my wish will come true\nFor my child, and your child too.\nHe\'ll see the day of glory.\nHe\'ll see the day when men of goodwill\nLive in peace, live in peace again\nPeace on earth, can it be?\"</em></blockquote>\nWhy are so many of my favorite Christmas songs about peace on earth? Maybe it\'s just the anarcho-pacifist in me pushing my radical agenda onto this sacred holiday season of overspending and gross commercialism.  Or maybe, just maybe, it\'s a little bit more than that.\n\nLike I said <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/03/advent-meditation-returning-to-sister-winter/\">a week or so ago</a>, every week during Advent as we light the wreath, we wait for the day when Jesus comes to bring light into the darkness. And as Isaiah prophesied, when the Light of the World comes, he will \"teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. . . . He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore\" (2:3-4). \n\nI used to think this passage was specifically talking about the Second Coming, until I noticed the part in verse two when Isaiah says, “He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” To me, that indicates Isaiah was talking about Jesus when He came to earth the first time to establish His Kingdom. So that means we don’t have to wait around in order to have peace; we can work for peace right now.\n\nSo will David Bowie\'s wish ever come true? I think so. In the meantime, we wait upon Him.','Advent Meditation:  Peace on Earth, Can it Be?','','inherit','open','open','','3018-revision-3','','','2011-12-08 08:00:58','2011-12-08 16:00:58','',3018,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3018-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(3041,46,'2011-12-08 09:54:21','2011-12-08 17:54:21','Last night as I was going through my iTunes library, I realized that most of my favorite Christmas songs have to do with peace on earth . . . specifically the lack of it. For starters, there\'s of course John Lennon\'s \"Happy Xmas (War is Over),\" where Yoko Ono and a children\'s choir sing \"War is over if you want it, war is over now\" throughout the song. Then there\'s Stevie Wonder\'s \"Someday at Christmas,\" where Stevie dreams of a world where \"men won\'t be boys/playing with bombs like kids play with toys.\" Then there\'s Greg Lake\'s \"I Believe in Father Christmas,\" which begins with these words:\n<blockquote><em>\n\"They said there\'ll be snow at Christmas\nThey said there\'ll be peace on earth\nBut instead it just kept on raining\nA veil of tears for the virgin\'s birth\" </em></blockquote>\nOf course my personal favorite is David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing \"Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth.\" According to legend, Bowie was supposed to sing \"Little Drummer Boy\" with Crosby, but asked to sing something else instead, so the producers wrote these new lyrics:\n<blockquote><em>\"Peace on earth, can it be?\nYears from now, perhaps we\'ll see\nSee the day of glory\nSee the day when men of goodwill\nLive in peace, live in peace again\nPeace on earth, can it be?\n\nEvery child must be made aware\nEvery child must be made to care\nCare enough for his fellow man\nTo give all the love that he can.\n\nI pray my wish will come true\nFor my child, and your child too.\nHe\'ll see the day of glory.\nHe\'ll see the day when men of goodwill\nLive in peace, live in peace again\nPeace on earth, can it be?\"</em></blockquote>\nWhy are so many of my favorite Christmas songs about peace on earth? Maybe it\'s just the anarcho-pacifist in me pushing my radical agenda onto this sacred holiday season of overspending and gross commercialism.  Or maybe, just maybe, it\'s a little bit more than that.\n\nLike I said <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/03/advent-meditation-returning-to-sister-winter/\">a week or so ago</a>, every week during Advent as we light the wreath, we wait for the day when Jesus comes to bring light into the darkness. And as Isaiah prophesied, when the Light of the World comes, he will \"teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. . . . He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore\" (2:3-4). \n\nI used to think that passage was specifically talking about the Second Coming, until I noticed the part in verse two when Isaiah says, “He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” To me, that indicates Isaiah was talking about Jesus when He came to earth the first time to establish His Kingdom. So that means we don’t have to wait around in order to have peace; we can work for peace right now.\n\nSo will David Bowie\'s wish ever come true? I think so. In the meantime, we wait upon Him.','Advent Meditation:  Peace on Earth, Can it Be?','','inherit','open','open','','3018-revision-4','','','2011-12-08 09:54:21','2011-12-08 17:54:21','',3018,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3018-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(3033,30,'2011-12-08 08:09:47','2011-12-08 16:09:47','The recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”\n\nLater she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.” And there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage. Because when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having. Some will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets. There are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work. There are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores. There are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend. There are arguments and apologies. Good times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage. None that have anything to do with sexual orientation. It\'s easy to frame the discussion about marital eq','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision-5','','','2011-12-08 08:09:47','2011-12-08 16:09:47','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3023-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(3034,30,'2011-12-08 08:59:32','2011-12-08 16:59:32','Recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”\n\nLater she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\n\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\n\nBecause when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.\n\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\n\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\n\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\n\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\n\nThere are arguments and apologies. Good times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\n\nNone that have anything to do with sexual orientation.\n\nWhen the discussion is framed in terms of gay marriage, it becomes much easier to call the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States\">more than 1100 marriage rights</a> that you enjoy \"special.\" When it\'s called gay marriage, it becomes much easier to see it as something deviant or frightening. When we call it gay marriage, we dehumanize the people who are getting married by stripping them down to an orientation.\n\nSo by all means, let\'s oppose gay marriage. And instead, let us support ma','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision-6','','','2011-12-08 08:59:32','2011-12-08 16:59:32','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3023-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(3035,110,'2011-12-08 09:15:07','2011-12-08 17:15:07','The four gospels are like the four voices of a choir, singing the song of Jesus in tight harmony. But the composition is so careful and clever that by putting them all together we miss the intricate detail of the individual melodies and counter melodies. Each one is exquisite and unique alone, while contributing to a majestic symphonic masterpiece. But sometimes we hear them all mushed together through little cheap white ear-buds, we forget the detail in each one - which in this series we hope to glimpse a little of.\n\nThe start of Matthews gospel contains some of the most treasured moments in the nativity play, but read alone, forgetting the \'rest of the story\' that you\'ve heard so many times it is fresh and compelling. Why not take a moment of your day to read the first two chapters of Matthew - it\'s less than 1500 words, it will only take about 6 minutes to read.\n\nThe two chapters can be summarised like this:\n<ol>\n	<li>Ancestors of Jesus</li>\n	<li>An angel visits Joseph (and Jesus is born)</li>\n	<li>Magi come to find the king of the Jews</li>\n	<li>An angel tells Joseph to run from murderous Herod</li>\n	<li>They return to Nazareth</li>\n</ol>\nNotice that the only angels are in Joseph\'s two dreams, there\'s no journey to Bethlehem written about - the journeys are the escape to Egypt and the return to Nazareth. In fact the \'main characters\' seem to have quite a small part - neither Mary, Joseph or Jesus are named more that half a dozen times between the two chapters. It\'s all happening so that the prophets\' words come true and at the direction of the angelic dreams.\n\nMatthew gives away the emphasis of his gospel telling by giving the detailed ancestry of Jesus right at the start of the book. Matthew, over and over, show Jesus coming in the light of all the Old Testament, and this list of people includes so many of the \'heroes\' of the Jewish faith by tracing Jesus back to King David and back to the fathers of the Israelite nation, to Abraham.\n\nBut then Matthew does something unexpected. Jesus is born exactly as the prophets said he would be, but the only ones looking for him are Persian \'Magicians\'. We call them \'Kings\' or \'Wise Men\' because it\'s not neat to think of them as priests of a foreign religion, but this is exactly the shock value Matthew wants us to see. Herod wanted to be thought of as \'King of the Jews\' but didn\'t appreciate the importance of this baby. His advisors, who are well read enough in religion to tell the Magi where to find Jesus are either too unbelieving or too scared of Herod to do anything but advise. So for Matthew, this distinctively Jewish good news starts with hated foreigners getting it right. The only ones who really understand Jesus and worship him are high-ranking priests in another religion entirely, while the ones who should understand are slaughtering children.\n\nMatthew\'s gospel starts by validating who Jesus is - firstly his Jewish heritage and ancestry, then that he is recognised as King of the Jews, even \'God with us\' by outsiders, people who couldn\'t be expected to understand. Jesus\' childhood in exile in Egypt is the final hint that if the Jews don\'t accept this message it will go to the rest of the world, outsiders, people who will see Jesus for who he really is. May we not be so busy this Christmas; organising services, buying, wrapping, cooking and talking about the \'real meaning\' that we miss the \'God with us\'. And no matter how much of the history and ritual of worshipping God we know, let\'s not forget that those with no experience can sometimes find Jesus more','De-harmonising Christmas - Part 3: Matthew','','inherit','open','open','','3024-revision-2','','','2011-12-08 09:15:07','2011-12-08 17:15:07','',3024,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3024-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(3036,30,'2011-12-08 09:24:52','2011-12-08 17:24:52','','Marriage Equality','','inherit','open','open','','dsc_0184_w','','','2011-12-08 09:24:52','2011-12-08 17:24:52','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3037,30,'2011-12-08 09:00:47','2011-12-08 17:00:47','Recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”\n\nLater she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\n\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\n\nBecause when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.\n\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\n\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\n\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\n\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\n\nThere are arguments and apologies. Good times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\n\nNone that have anything to do with sexual orientation.\n\nWhen the discussion is framed in terms of gay marriage, it becomes much easier to call the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States\">more than 1100 marriage rights</a> that you enjoy \"special.\" When it\'s called gay marriage, it becomes much easier to see it as something deviant or frightening. When we call it gay marriage, we dehumanize the people who are getting married by stripping them down to an orientation.\n\nSo by all means, let\'s oppose gay marriage. And instead, let us support marriage equality.','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision-7','','','2011-12-08 09:00:47','2011-12-08 17:00:47','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3023-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(3038,30,'2011-12-08 09:27:40','2011-12-08 17:27:40','<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3036\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"250\" /></a>Recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”</p>\nLater she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\n\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\n\nBecause when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.\n\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\n\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\n\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\n\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\n\nThere are arguments and apologies. Good times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\n\nNone that have anything to do with sexual orientation.\n\nWhen the discussion is framed in terms of gay marriage, it becomes much easier to call the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States\">more than 1100 marriage rights</a> that you enjoy \"special.\" When it\'s called gay marriage, it becomes much easier to see it as something deviant or frightening. When we call it gay marriage, we dehumanize the people who are getting married by stripping them down to an orientation.\n\nSo by all means, let\'s oppose gay marriage. And instead, let us support marriage equality.','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision-8','','','2011-12-08 09:27:40','2011-12-08 17:27:40','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3023-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(3039,30,'2011-12-08 09:30:56','2011-12-08 17:30:56','<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3036\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”</p>\r\nLater she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\r\n\r\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\r\n\r\nBecause when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.\r\n\r\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\r\n\r\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\r\n\r\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\r\n\r\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\r\n\r\nThere are arguments and apologies. Good times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\r\n\r\nNone that have anything to do with sexual orientation.\r\n\r\nWhen the discussion is framed in terms of gay marriage, it becomes much easier to call the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States\">more than 1100 marriage rights</a> that you enjoy \"special.\" When it\'s called gay marriage, it becomes much easier to see it as something deviant or frightening. When we call it gay marriage, we dehumanize the people who are getting married by stripping them down to an orientation.\r\n\r\nSo by all means, let\'s oppose gay marriage. And instead, let us support marriage equality.\r\n\r\nPhoto Credit:','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision-9','','','2011-12-08 09:30:56','2011-12-08 17:30:56','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3023-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(3040,30,'2011-12-08 09:31:02','2011-12-08 17:31:02','<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3036\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”</p>\r\nLater she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\r\n\r\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\r\n\r\nBecause when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.\r\n\r\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\r\n\r\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\r\n\r\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\r\n\r\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\r\n\r\nThere are arguments and apologies. Good times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\r\n\r\nNone that have anything to do with sexual orientation.\r\n\r\nWhen the discussion is framed in terms of gay marriage, it becomes much easier to call the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States\">more than 1100 marriage rights</a> that you enjoy \"special.\" When it\'s called gay marriage, it becomes much easier to see it as something deviant or frightening. When we call it gay marriage, we dehumanize the people who are getting married by stripping them down to an orientation.\r\n\r\nSo by all means, let\'s oppose gay marriage. And instead, let us support marriage equality.\r\n\r\nPhoto Credit:','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision-10','','','2011-12-08 09:31:02','2011-12-08 17:31:02','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3023-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(3179,110,'2011-12-22 08:00:17','2011-12-22 16:00:17','In this \'de-harmonising\' series, we\'ve been attempting to see the different threads and emphases that each of the four tellings of the gospel of Jesus in the New Testament. We\'re aiming to see each one as a unique and beautiful work of art, seeing in 4-D rather than the one-dimensional picture that we can sometimes get from nativity plays.\r\n\r\nLuke is the last of the gospels in this series (have a look at <a title=\"De-harmonizing Christmas – Part 1: Mark\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/29/de-harmonizing-christmas-part-1-mark/\">Mark</a>, <a title=\"De-harmonizing Christmas – Part 2: John\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/de-harmonizing-christmas-part-2-john/\">John</a> and <a title=\"De-harmonizing Christmas – Part 3: Matthew\" href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/16/de-harmonizing-christmas-part-3-matthew/\">Matthew</a>), the one that we\'re most familiar with, the one that contributes the most to the story of Christmas that we hear retold each year. Like Matthew, <a title=\"Luke 1-2 NIV - Biblegateway.com\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%201-2&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">Luke tells the story of Jesus\' birth</a> in only two chapters, less even, it will take you about 13 minutes to read.\r\n\r\nThe story that\'s told here is very different to Matthew - beginning with Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist, the angel\'s visit to Mary rather than Joseph, the shepherds and the worship of Simeon and Anna in the Temple. Rather than interpolating the events that Matthew describes, let\'s take Luke at face value and see what he\'s trying to tell us about Jesus and the story he is going on to tell in the remaining 22 chapters.\r\n\r\nFirstly, we notice that all the characters introduced in these chapters are \'cameo parts\' for Luke. Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, the Shepherds, Simeon, Anna - none of these appear again in Luke. Mary comes up once or twice in Luke\'s gospel again; John the Baptist appears a few more times, but these are not the key players in the story of Jesus. They\'re also people who would have been considered marginalised in their context.\r\n\r\nZechariah was a priest, but he must have been quite low down the ranking to be part of the rotation. He and his wife were old, and \'righteous before God\', but childless. This was a huge stigma in ancient society, seen as a curse, no matter how good someone appeared. Shepherds are well known to have been outcasts in first century Palestine - they did a dirty, manual job and were mistrusted in a similar way to Travellers or Gypsies here in the UK. Simeon and Anna, though age was respected, had chosen a lifestyle that was unusual, even weird.\r\n\r\nLuke tells us nothing of Joseph, except that he was a descendant of David. This royal lineage gives him no benefits, however, as he has to follow the command of the Emperor and travel miles to Bethlehem for the census. Mary is a young, unmarried woman - a nobody until she is \'exalted\'. They travel to Joseph\'s \'hometown\', somewhere he should have had family, never mind a place in the inn. But an unmarried couple that were quite obviously about to have a baby was a toxic scandal that no one would touch, not even a hotelier. They camp out by the road - no mention of a stable here. Mangers were stone feeding troughs that a livestock herder would fill with enough hay or straw for his herd or flock, then leave empty when they continued on with their journey to market. It\'s an image of complete emptiness - not a cosy little shed with straw and animals looking on, nothing at all to witness or support this traumatic night. The shattered mother wraps the newborn baby in cloths to cushion him against the hard, cold stone.\r\n\r\nSurely the angelic host should have been supporting and warming Mary and Jesus, not off telling shepherds (shepherds of all people!) about the birth! But this tale sets the tone for Luke. Jesus is here for a mission, one that takes in every outcast, rejected and overlooked person everywhere. He begins as one of us - one of \'them\', the despised, yet we don\'t get the sense that we should be pitying anyone or patronising with gifts. Jesus is the gift to everyone - especially those who don\'t deserve or expect him. The most religious and righteous man in the story is struck dumb for nine months by a single angel, while filthy thieving shepherds go round telling everyone the miracle they were told about by a huge choir of angels.\r\n\r\nFor Luke, everything is about mission. The songs of Mary and Zechariah praise the mercy of God in helping Israel, keeping his promises by sending Jesus. The way this plays out is in the shepherds coming to see what they were told about, then telling everyone who would listen. While Simeon blesses Jesus, praising God for his gift, Anna goes further in telling the story of Jesus throughout Jerusalem. The tone of the story we tell at Christmas should not be the dull monotone of reading familiar lines of scripture but the excited bubbling over of people who have seen and experienced the incredible gift of God, the longed for fulfilment of promises so good we can hardly believe them. It isn\'t nice, neat or civilised. It\'s raw, difficult, messy and includes people who have never understood how they are supposed to act. Yet it\'s those people who have the energy and enthusiasm to really do justice to the incredible story.','De-harmonizing Christmas - Part 4: Luke','','publish','open','open','','de-harmonizing-christmas-part-4-luke','','','2011-12-19 11:59:13','2011-12-19 19:59:13','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=3179',0,'post','',0),(3043,24,'2011-12-11 08:45:13','0000-00-00 00:00:00','<strong>Separateness Revealed</strong>\r\n\r\nSnakes in the garden are a subtle and crafty bunch. They love to slip in and investigate any news within the garden. They are especially fond of the trees. Tree’s are where everyone goes to talk about all the amazing things they are observing. The snakes are shrewd and always looking into what they think they need to know.\r\n\r\nOne day a particular snake named “Nachash” sets out looking for a new place to gather. Finding just the right tree can make for a great vantage point on the happenings in the garden. He is looking intently at the fruit of these trees. He needs one with a fruit that will gather and nurture him for long periods of observation. There it is, in the middle of a glorious open heaven in the garden. A tree so radiant, so brilliant that Nachash stands there, mouth open. This tree is covered in large glowing fruit. He quickly climbs up the tree, grabs some fruit and with all his might sinks his teeth into its surface. A glorious taste, his whole being seems to charge with energy.\r\n\r\nSuddenly he feels something detach from his mind, he becomes aware of himself as a snake. Darkness floods his reality, he feels all alone. His mind racing is soon full of thoughts, ideas and realities about God that he has never known. He recalls a voice speaking to man, God is telling man to not eat of this tree lest he die. Nachash smiles, he now knows something he thinks no one else knows. “You won’t die, you will be like God\"\r\n\r\nNachash’’s memories now come back to him with a different view, he remembers meeting Adam. Dark thoughts flood his mind. “who does Adam think he is?” “He thinks he’s better than me!” “Why did God choose him to name us?” \"Adam is so blind, if he only knew what he was missing.\"\r\n\r\nThe feelings of aloneness seem to be getting stronger and stronger. He finally articulates what he is feeling, “If you eat this fruit, you will be like God.” “I am God. ha ha ha...I am God!” He retreats into a deep part of the tree. Fear, pain, separateness flood his consciousness. Soon words of anger, jealousy and bitterness are all he can say. “Who does God think He is?” “Why has He kept this from us?”\r\n\r\n<strong>Innocence Hides</strong>\r\n\r\nHe soon hears a sound of someone walking near him in the garden. He peers out to see who it is. “Ishshah!” he says. “She needs to know what I know.” “I will give her what God has withheld.” “She must know what she can really have.” He makes his was down the tree, across the meadow and approaches Ishshah. As she notices him she greets him with a glorious smile. “Hello Nachash.” For a moment her radiance seems to numb these new feelings, she seems to slow the thoughts of separateness in his mind. He shakes his head, smiles and with hid great clever says to Ishshah, “Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?\" Ishshah responded to Nachash, \"Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It\'s only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, \'Don\'t eat from it; don\'t even touch it or you\'ll die.\'\"The serpent told the Woman, \"You won\'t die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you\'ll see what\'s really going on. You\'ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.\"\r\n\r\nIshshah in her innocence believes Nachash and looks intently at the tree, mesmerized by its beauty. The fruit looks so good for eating. “If I eat it I will know everything.” she says to herself. She takes the fruit and eats it and walks to Adam to share with him her new experience.  As Adam eats the fruit they immediately begin to feel things they had never experienced. They look at each other realizing they are naked, uncovered and vulnerable to their surroundings. Quickly they grab some leaves from a fig tree and cover themselves. Adam and Eve feel completely alone. The loving presence, the peace, the ecstasy of God now seems completely separate from their experience.\r\n\r\nWithin moments of this terrifying experience they hear the sound of God moving through the garden. They quickly run and hide themselves in some bushes. Guilt, shame, hatred and grief flood their consciousness. Adam looks into Womb man’s now fearful eyes and says, “We are all alone!” “If God see’s us, He will certainly hate what He see’s.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Genesis of Separation</strong>\r\n\r\n* Ishashah - is Hebrew for woman - man with womb. Eve had no given name until commanded to leave garden.\r\n\r\nGod calls to Adam, “my son where are you?” Adam replies, “I heard you walking in the garden, and when I saw that I was naked, I hid myself. God replied, “who told you that you where naked?” “Have you eaten of the tree of which I appointed you that you should not eat?”\r\n\r\nInwardly Adam senses a deep bitterness towards Ishshah. Why would she do this to me? Why did she make me eat this fruit? “God, its Ishshah, the one you gave me, she gave me the fruit and I ate it.” Adam feels the sting of pain and feels himself growing bitter towards woman. When Ishshah hears Adams accusation she begins to weep as deep grief and shame flood her heart. God asks Eve, “ My daughter what is this you have done?” Ishshah choking down tears cry’s out to God, “Nachash that serpent, he lead me astray, he took from me my joy.”\r\n\r\nNachash is laughing at this point. he is fully enjoying watching Adam and Ishshah stumble through this broken reality. When he hears Ishshah tell God that he was to blame he quickly tries to slip away. God speaks and every part of his being freezes in terror. “Nachash, what you have done will now bring detest upon your self. You will no longer walk as a noble creature in my garden. You will now be lowered to a place below all creatures. You shall crawl on you belly and eat dust all the days you exist.” “Hatred and hostility have now entered your mind towards Ishshah, her children and your children will wage war against each other.” “Her children will crush your head and you will strike at their heels.”\r\n\r\nGod turns to Ishshah, with love in His eyes, “Pain is now your world, with sorrow and toil you will bring forth your children.” “Without consideration of my view of you, you will turn to Adam and he in turn will rule and dominate you.”\r\n\r\nHe then looks to Adam, kneels down and grabbing his hand He says, “ My son, because you have listened and choose to be subject to Eve’s sorrow by eating of the tree, which I appointed you not to partake of, this earth, this garden, the life you have had in it you will now detest. You will labor in pain over it for every meal. In sorrow you will partake of your loss all the days of your life. Poked, pricked by your labors for food, with uncontrolled fruitless plants flourishing around will you find food.  With violent motion you will work for bread, and you will toil for things you where never mean’t to toil for. I took you from the red ground to live, but now you shall return to it.”\r\n\r\nAdam turned to Ishshah and says, \"now that we are separate from God. I am going to give you a name outside of me, I shall call you,\" “Eve.” \"You shall be a mother of all living things, because from you children will part from Oneness in sorrow. \"','Return to Innocence','','draft','open','open','','','','','2011-12-11 08:45:13','2011-12-11 16:45:13','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=3043',0,'post','',0),(3044,24,'2011-12-08 10:20:11','2011-12-08 18:20:11','<strong>Separateness Revealed</strong>\n\nSnakes in the garden are the subtle and crafty bunch. They love to slip in &amp; investigate any news within the garden. They are especially fond of the trees. Tree’s are were everyone goes to talk about all the amazing things they are observing. The snakes are shrewd and always looking into what they think they need to know..\n\nOne day a particular snake named “Nachash” sets out looking for a new place to gather. Finding just the right tree can make for a great vantage point on the ongoing in the garden. He is looking intently at the fruit of these trees. He needs one with a fruit that will gather and nurture him for long periods of observation. Their it is, in the middle of a glorious open heaven in the garden. A tree so radiant, so brilliant that Nachash stands their mouth open. This tree is covered in large glowing fruit. He quickly climbs up the tree, grabs some fruit and with all his might sinks his teeth into its surface. A glorious taste, his whole being seems to charge with energy.\n\nSuddenly he feels something detach from his mind, he becomes aware of himself as a snake. Darkness floods his reality, he feels all alone. His mind racing is soon full of thoughts, ideas and realities about God that he has never known. He recalls a voice speaking to man, God is telling man to not eat of this tree lest he die. Nachash smiles, he now knows something he thinks no one else knows. “You won’t die, you will be like God\"\n\nNachash’’s memories now come back to him with a different view, he remembers meeting Adam. Dark thoughts flood his mind. “who does Adam think he is?” “He thinks he’s better than me!” “Why did God choose him to name us?” \"Adam is so blind, if he only knew what he was missing.\"\n\nThe feelings of aloneness seem to be getting stronger and stronger. He finally articulates what he is feeling, “If you eat this fruit, you will be like God.” “I am God. ha ha ha...I am God!” He retreats into a deep part of the tree. Fear, pain, separateness flood his consciousness. Soon words of anger, jealousy and bitterness are all he can say. “Who does God think He is?” “Why has He kept this from us?”\n\n<strong>Innocence Hides</strong>\n\nHe soon hears a sound of someone walking near him in the garden. He peers out to see who it is. “Ishshah!” he says. “She needs to know what I know.” “I will give her what God has withheld.” “She must know what she can really have.” He makes his was down the tree, across the meadow and approaches Ishshah. As she notices him she greets him with a glorious smile. “Hello Nachash.” For a moment her radiance seems to numb these new feelings, she seems to slow the thoughts of separateness in his mind. He shakes his head, smiles and with hid great clever says to Ishshah, “Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?\" Ishshah responded to Nachash, \"Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It\'s only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, \'Don\'t eat from it; don\'t even touch it or you\'ll die.\'\"The serpent told the Woman, \"You won\'t die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you\'ll see what\'s really going on. You\'ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.\"\n\nIshshah in her innocence believes Nachash and looks intently at the tree, mesmerized by its beauty. The fruit looks so good for eating. “If I eat it I will know everything.” she says to herself. She takes the fruit and eats it and walks to Adam to share with him her new experience.  As Adam eats the fruit they immediately begin to feel things they had never experienced. They look at each other realizing they are naked, uncovered and vulnerable to their surroundings. Quickly they grab some leaves from a fig tree and cover themselves. Adam and Eve feel completely alone. The loving presence, the peace, the ecstasy of God now seems completely separate from their experience.\n\nWithin moments of this terrifying experience they hear the sound of God moving through the garden. They quickly run and hide themselves in some bushes. Guilt, shame, hatred and grief flood their consciousness. Adam looks into Womb man’s now fearful eyes and says, “We are all alone!” “If God see’s us, He will certainly hate what He see’s.”\n\n&nbsp;','Return to Innocence','','inherit','open','open','','3043-revision','','','2011-12-08 10:20:11','2011-12-08 18:20:11','',3043,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3043-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(3045,24,'2011-12-14 08:00:09','2011-12-14 16:00:09','My recent exploration of the idea of  \"me\" has led \"me\" to a remarkable fact. Self exploration can be the best exploration of all. I have not done much of this in the past?  I have been scared to look within. Afraid that something is wrong with me. (That has actually turned out to be true!) I thought only weak people talk about their weaknesses, then they don\'t have to do anything. They have no mission or vision for their lives so they are perishing.  That was a lame thought. If I every said that to you consider this a formal apology.\r\n\r\nWhat if when God formed man and blew the breath of life into us we became and eternal unsearchable being like him. What if there is no end to our souls. What if the more we search the more we discover about God and His amazing love for us.\r\n\r\nWhere could I go and find God absent? It seems everything I perceive to be \'out there\' is leading me towards and inner gaze.\r\nDavid seemed to recognize this phenomena when he penned the 139 psalm.\r\n\r\n<em>I look behind me and you\'re there,</em>\r\n<em> then up ahead and you\'re there, too—</em>\r\n<em> your reassuring presence, coming and going.</em>\r\n<em> This is too much, too wonderful—</em>\r\n<em> I can\'t take it all in!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?</em>\r\n<em> to be out of your sight?</em>\r\n<em> If I climb to the sky, you\'re there!</em>\r\n<em> If I go underground, you\'re there!</em>\r\n<em> If I flew on morning\'s wings</em>\r\n<em> to the far western horizon,</em>\r\n<em> You\'d find me in a minute—</em>\r\n<em> you\'re already there waiting!</em>\r\n<em> Then I said to myself, \"Oh, he even sees me in the dark!</em>\r\n<em> At night I\'m immersed in the light!\"</em>\r\n<em> It\'s a fact: darkness isn\'t dark to you;</em>\r\n<em> night and day, darkness and light, they\'re all the same to you.</em>\r\nPsalms 139 (message)\r\n\r\nLike David, I am not afraid of the darkness in me anymore. I found that being OK to look at, deal with, run at it and feel the pain of what is hidden in my darkness opens doors of Truth to real freedom. The fact that I used the word \"shit\" as a the title is what I mean. I never cussed before, God forbid someone hear me and think I was not holy, or pure, or the great guy I have worked so hard to be. Forget that! God this shit is overwhelming. I have no clue how to get out of it. I am drowning in darkness. I surrender all!\r\n\r\nSo good ol Peter steps out to walk on the water and before he can get far he is sinking. Lets fast forward a couple thousand years and here we have Jon Crouch trying to walk, but its not water, its shit. My shit, you know the stuff that stinks, the stuff most people don\'t want to see. I am OK looking at it, but if someone else see\'s it they freak. (I know a bit graphic but true.) I tried so hard to be someone, to use people, systems whatever to get love or attention some sort of pat on my back. All the time I am starting to sink, because without real love I turn to any sort of self soothing method. These methods are eating away at my soul. It\'s harder to hide, harder to be nice, I find myself pushing away from those closest to me. I feel like a big piece of shit or like I am sinking into it.\r\n\r\nIn the past I had people come to me who were is the blissful situation, amazingly I had nothing to say. I was shocked at their mess, I would offer the great advice of, pray more, read your bible, or the classical just get over it. Now its me who\'s made a mess, who\'s finally sinking. I realize I am not going to make it without some serious help. I know its good in some deep spiritual cosmic way, but I am terrified. \"Jesus I am sinking in this shit!\"\r\n\r\nSuddenly I realize, He is walking on it. He does not have a nose plug, He\'s not freaking out lecturing me on why I\'m sinking. He is smiling at me with arms out wide. He picks me up give me a big long hug. I am shocked, broken, a mess and He is with me.\r\n\r\nHe tells me, \"It\'s over son, no more trying, no more effort, just let go and trust what I see in you.\"\r\n\r\nSo now this shit I was sinking in has become the energy and fuel for the life Jesus promised.\r\n\r\n\"You\'ll take delight in God, the Mighty One,\r\nand look to him joyfully, boldly.\r\nYou\'ll pray to him and he\'ll listen;\r\nhe\'ll help you do what you\'ve promised.\r\nYou\'ll decide what you want and it will happen;\r\nyour life will be bathed in light.\r\nTo those who feel low you\'ll say, \'Chin up! Be brave!\'\r\nand God will save them.\r\nYes, even the guilty will escape,\r\nescape through God\'s grace in your life.\"\r\nJob 22 (The Message)\r\n\r\nMy pain becomes my platform, my messes my messages, my brokenness an invitation to a living God\'s embrace. Chin up! Be Brave! This messy boy believes in you!\r\n\r\n<strong>\"I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.\" - David Thoreau</strong>','This Shit Makes Energy!','','publish','open','open','','this-shit-makes-energy','','','2011-12-12 09:01:22','2011-12-12 17:01:22','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=3045',0,'post','',0),(3046,24,'2011-12-08 10:33:02','2011-12-08 18:33:02','','194 - Jesus Walks on Water','','inherit','open','open','','194-jesus-walks-on-water','','','2011-12-08 10:33:02','2011-12-08 18:33:02','',3045,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/194-Jesus-Walks-on-Water.gif',0,'attachment','image/gif',0),(3047,24,'2011-12-08 10:30:45','2011-12-08 18:30:45','My recent exploration of the idea of  \"me\" has led \"me\" to a remarkable fact. Self exploration can be the best exploration of all. I have not done much of this in the past?  I have been scared. Afraid that something is wrong with me. (That has actually turned out to be true!) I thought only weak people talk about their weaknesses, then they don\'t have to do anything. They have no mission or vision for their lives so they are perishing.  That was a lame thought. If I every said that to you consider this a formal apology.\n\nWhat if when God formed man and blew the breath of life into us we became and eternal unsearchable being like him. What if there is no end to our souls. What if the more we search the more we discover about God and His amazing love for us.\n\nI look behind me and you\'re there,\nthen up ahead and you\'re there, too—\nyour reassuring presence, coming and going.\nThis is too much, too wonderful—\nI can\'t take it all in!\n\nIs there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?\nto be out of your sight?\nIf I climb to the sky, you\'re there!\nIf I go underground, you\'re there!\nIf I flew on morning\'s wings\nto the far western horizon,\nYou\'d find me in a minute—\nyou\'re already there waiting!\nThen I said to myself, \"Oh, he even sees me in the dark!\nAt night I\'m immersed in the light!\"\nIt\'s a fact: darkness isn\'t dark to you;\nnight and day, darkness and light, they\'re all the same to you.\npsalms 139 (message)\n\nI am not afraid of the darkness in me anymore. I found that being OK to look at, deal with, run at it and feel the pain of what is hidden in my darkness opens doors to real freedom. The fact that I used the word \"shit\" as a the title is what I mean. I never cussed before, God forbid someone hear me and think I was not holy, or pure, or the great guy I have worked so hard to be. Forget that! God this mess is your mess. I have no clue how to get out of it. I am drowning in darkness. I surrender all!\n\nSo good ol Peter steps out to walk on the water and before he can get far he is sinking. Lets fast forward a couple thousand years and here we have Jon Crouch trying to walk, but its not water, its shit. My shit, you know the stuff that stinks, the stuff most people don\'t want to see. I am OK looking at it, but if someone else see\'s it they freak. (I know a bit graphic but true.) I tried so hard to be someone, to use people, systems whatever to get love or attention some sort of pat on my back. All the time I am starting to sink, because without real love I turn to any sort of self soothing method. These methods are eating away at my soul. It\'s harder to hide, harder to be nice, I find myself pushing away from those closest to me. I feel like a big piece of shit or like I am sinking into it.\n\nIn the past I had people come to me who were is the blissful situation, amazingly I had nothing to say. I was shocked at their mess, I would offer the great advice of, pray more, read your bible, or the classical just get over it. Now its me who\'s made a mess, who\'s finally sinking. I realize I am not going to make it without some serious help. I know its good in some deep spiritual cosmic way, but I am terrified. \"Jesus I am sinking in this shit!\"\n\nSuddenly I realize, He is walking on it. He does not have a nose plug, He\'s not freaking out lecturing me on why I\'m sinking. He is smiling at me with arms out wide. He picks me up give me a big long hug. I am shocked, broken, a mess and He is with me.\n\nHe tells me, \"It\'s over son, no more trying, no more effort, just let go and trust what I see in you.\"\n\nSo now this shit I was sinking in has become the energy and fuel for the life Jesus promised.\n\n\"You\'ll take delight in God, the Mighty One,\nand look to him joyfully, boldly.\nYou\'ll pray to him and he\'ll listen;\nhe\'ll help you do what you\'ve promised.\nYou\'ll decide what you want and it will happen;\nyour life will be bathed in light.\nTo those who feel low you\'ll say, \'Chin up! Be brave!\'\nand God will save them.\nYes, even the guilty will escape,\nescape through God\'s grace in your life.\"\n\nJob 22 (message)\n\nMy pain becomes my platform, my messes my messages, my brokenness an invitation to a living God\'s embrace. Chin up! Be Brave! This messy boy believes in you!\n<h3>\"I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.\" - David Thoreau</h3>','This Shit Makes Energy!','','inherit','open','open','','3045-revision','','','2011-12-08 10:30:45','2011-12-08 18:30:45','',3045,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3045-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(3048,24,'2011-12-08 10:37:30','2011-12-08 18:37:30','My recent exploration of the idea of  \"me\" has led \"me\" to a remarkable fact. Self exploration can be the best exploration of all. I have not done much of this in the past?  I have been scared to look within. Afraid that something is wrong with me. (That has actually turned out to be true!) I thought only weak people talk about their weaknesses, then they don\'t have to do anything. They have no mission or vision for their lives so they are perishing.  That was a lame thought. If I every said that to you consider this a formal apology.\n\nWhat if when God formed man and blew the breath of life into us we became and eternal unsearchable being like him. What if there is no end to our souls. What if the more we search the more we discover about God and His amazing love for us.\n\nI look behind me and you\'re there,\nthen up ahead and you\'re there, too—\nyour reassuring presence, coming and going.\nThis is too much, too wonderful—\nI can\'t take it all in!\n\nIs there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?\nto be out of your sight?\nIf I climb to the sky, you\'re there!\nIf I go underground, you\'re there!\nIf I flew on morning\'s wings\nto the far western horizon,\nYou\'d find me in a minute—\nyou\'re already there waiting!\nThen I said to myself, \"Oh, he even sees me in the dark!\nAt night I\'m immersed in the light!\"\nIt\'s a fact: darkness isn\'t dark to you;\nnight and day, darkness and light, they\'re all the same to you.\npsalms 139 (message)\n\nI am not afraid of the darkness in me anymore. I found that being OK to look at, deal with, run at it and feel the pain of what is hidden in my darkness opens doors to real freedom. The fact that I used the word \"shit\" as a the title is what I mean. I never cussed before, God forbid someone hear me and think I was not holy, or pure, or the great guy I have worked so hard to be. Forget that! God this mess is your mess. I have no clue how to get out of it. I am drowning in darkness. I surrender all!\n\nSo good ol Peter steps out to walk on the water and before he can get far he is sinking. Lets fast forward a couple thousand years and here we have Jon Crouch trying to walk, but its not water, its shit. My shit, you know the stuff that stinks, the stuff most people don\'t want to see. I am OK looking at it, but if someone else see\'s it they freak. (I know a bit graphic but true.) I tried so hard to be someone, to use people, systems whatever to get love or attention some sort of pat on my back. All the time I am starting to sink, because without real love I turn to any sort of self soothing method. These methods are eating away at my soul. It\'s harder to hide, harder to be nice, I find myself pushing away from those closest to me. I feel like a big piece of shit or like I am sinking into it.\n\nIn the past I had people come to me who were is the blissful situation, amazingly I had nothing to say. I was shocked at their mess, I would offer the great advice of, pray more, read your bible, or the classical just get over it. Now its me who\'s made a mess, who\'s finally sinking. I realize I am not going to make it without some serious help. I know its good in some deep spiritual cosmic way, but I am terrified. \"Jesus I am sinking in this shit!\"\n\nSuddenly I realize, He is walking on it. He does not have a nose plug, He\'s not freaking out lecturing me on why I\'m sinking. He is smiling at me with arms out wide. He picks me up give me a big long hug. I am shocked, broken, a mess and He is with me.\n\nHe tells me, \"It\'s over son, no more trying, no more effort, just let go and trust what I see in you.\"\n\nSo now this shit I was sinking in has become the energy and fuel for the life Jesus promised.\n\n\"You\'ll take delight in God, the Mighty One,\nand look to him joyfully, boldly.\nYou\'ll pray to him and he\'ll listen;\nhe\'ll help you do what you\'ve promised.\nYou\'ll decide what you want and it will happen;\nyour life will be bathed in light.\nTo those who feel low you\'ll say, \'Chin up! Be brave!\'\nand God will save them.\nYes, even the guilty will escape,\nescape through God\'s grace in your life.\"\n\nJob 22 (message)\n\nMy pain becomes my platform, my messes my messages, my brokenness an invitation to a living God\'s embrace. Chin up! Be Brave! This messy boy believes in you!\n\n<strong>\"I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.\" - David Thoreau</strong>','This Shit Makes Energy!','','inherit','open','open','','3045-revision-2','','','2011-12-08 10:37:30','2011-12-08 18:37:30','',3045,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3045-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(3049,24,'2011-12-08 10:38:51','2011-12-08 18:38:51','','Ship_Sinking_Falklands_Islands_War_HMS_Antelope','','inherit','open','open','','ship_sinking_falklands_islands_war_hms_antelope','','','2011-12-08 10:38:51','2011-12-08 18:38:51','',3045,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Ship_Sinking_Falklands_Islands_War_HMS_Antelope.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3050,24,'2011-12-08 10:37:38','2011-12-08 18:37:38','My recent exploration of the idea of  \"me\" has led \"me\" to a remarkable fact. Self exploration can be the best exploration of all. I have not done much of this in the past?  I have been scared to look within. Afraid that something is wrong with me. (That has actually turned out to be true!) I thought only weak people talk about their weaknesses, then they don\'t have to do anything. They have no mission or vision for their lives so they are perishing.  That was a lame thought. If I every said that to you consider this a formal apology.\r\n\r\nWhat if when God formed man and blew the breath of life into us we became and eternal unsearchable being like him. What if there is no end to our souls. What if the more we search the more we discover about God and His amazing love for us.\r\n\r\nI look behind me and you\'re there,\r\nthen up ahead and you\'re there, too—\r\nyour reassuring presence, coming and going.\r\nThis is too much, too wonderful—\r\nI can\'t take it all in!\r\n\r\nIs there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?\r\nto be out of your sight?\r\nIf I climb to the sky, you\'re there!\r\nIf I go underground, you\'re there!\r\nIf I flew on morning\'s wings\r\nto the far western horizon,\r\nYou\'d find me in a minute—\r\nyou\'re already there waiting!\r\nThen I said to myself, \"Oh, he even sees me in the dark!\r\nAt night I\'m immersed in the light!\"\r\nIt\'s a fact: darkness isn\'t dark to you;\r\nnight and day, darkness and light, they\'re all the same to you.\r\npsalms 139 (message)\r\n\r\nI am not afraid of the darkness in me anymore. I found that being OK to look at, deal with, run at it and feel the pain of what is hidden in my darkness opens doors to real freedom. The fact that I used the word \"shit\" as a the title is what I mean. I never cussed before, God forbid someone hear me and think I was not holy, or pure, or the great guy I have worked so hard to be. Forget that! God this mess is your mess. I have no clue how to get out of it. I am drowning in darkness. I surrender all!\r\n\r\nSo good ol Peter steps out to walk on the water and before he can get far he is sinking. Lets fast forward a couple thousand years and here we have Jon Crouch trying to walk, but its not water, its shit. My shit, you know the stuff that stinks, the stuff most people don\'t want to see. I am OK looking at it, but if someone else see\'s it they freak. (I know a bit graphic but true.) I tried so hard to be someone, to use people, systems whatever to get love or attention some sort of pat on my back. All the time I am starting to sink, because without real love I turn to any sort of self soothing method. These methods are eating away at my soul. It\'s harder to hide, harder to be nice, I find myself pushing away from those closest to me. I feel like a big piece of shit or like I am sinking into it.\r\n\r\nIn the past I had people come to me who were is the blissful situation, amazingly I had nothing to say. I was shocked at their mess, I would offer the great advice of, pray more, read your bible, or the classical just get over it. Now its me who\'s made a mess, who\'s finally sinking. I realize I am not going to make it without some serious help. I know its good in some deep spiritual cosmic way, but I am terrified. \"Jesus I am sinking in this shit!\"\r\n\r\nSuddenly I realize, He is walking on it. He does not have a nose plug, He\'s not freaking out lecturing me on why I\'m sinking. He is smiling at me with arms out wide. He picks me up give me a big long hug. I am shocked, broken, a mess and He is with me.\r\n\r\nHe tells me, \"It\'s over son, no more trying, no more effort, just let go and trust what I see in you.\"\r\n\r\nSo now this shit I was sinking in has become the energy and fuel for the life Jesus promised.\r\n\r\n\"You\'ll take delight in God, the Mighty One,\r\nand look to him joyfully, boldly.\r\nYou\'ll pray to him and he\'ll listen;\r\nhe\'ll help you do what you\'ve promised.\r\nYou\'ll decide what you want and it will happen;\r\nyour life will be bathed in light.\r\nTo those who feel low you\'ll say, \'Chin up! Be brave!\'\r\nand God will save them.\r\nYes, even the guilty will escape,\r\nescape through God\'s grace in your life.\"\r\n\r\nJob 22 (message)\r\n\r\nMy pain becomes my platform, my messes my messages, my brokenness an invitation to a living God\'s embrace. Chin up! Be Brave! This messy boy believes in you!\r\n\r\n<strong>\"I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.\" - David Thoreau</strong>','This Shit Makes Energy!','','inherit','open','open','','3045-revision-3','','','2011-12-08 10:37:38','2011-12-08 18:37:38','',3045,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3045-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(3051,24,'2011-12-08 10:39:15','2011-12-08 18:39:15','My recent exploration of the idea of  \"me\" has led \"me\" to a remarkable fact. Self exploration can be the best exploration of all. I have not done much of this in the past?  I have been scared to look within. Afraid that something is wrong with me. (That has actually turned out to be true!) I thought only weak people talk about their weaknesses, then they don\'t have to do anything. They have no mission or vision for their lives so they are perishing.  That was a lame thought. If I every said that to you consider this a formal apology.\r\n\r\nWhat if when God formed man and blew the breath of life into us we became and eternal unsearchable being like him. What if there is no end to our souls. What if the more we search the more we discover about God and His amazing love for us.\r\n\r\nI look behind me and you\'re there,\r\nthen up ahead and you\'re there, too—\r\nyour reassuring presence, coming and going.\r\nThis is too much, too wonderful—\r\nI can\'t take it all in!\r\n\r\nIs there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?\r\nto be out of your sight?\r\nIf I climb to the sky, you\'re there!\r\nIf I go underground, you\'re there!\r\nIf I flew on morning\'s wings\r\nto the far western horizon,\r\nYou\'d find me in a minute—\r\nyou\'re already there waiting!\r\nThen I said to myself, \"Oh, he even sees me in the dark!\r\nAt night I\'m immersed in the light!\"\r\nIt\'s a fact: darkness isn\'t dark to you;\r\nnight and day, darkness and light, they\'re all the same to you.\r\npsalms 139 (message)\r\n\r\nI am not afraid of the darkness in me anymore. I found that being OK to look at, deal with, run at it and feel the pain of what is hidden in my darkness opens doors to real freedom. The fact that I used the word \"shit\" as a the title is what I mean. I never cussed before, God forbid someone hear me and think I was not holy, or pure, or the great guy I have worked so hard to be. Forget that! God this mess is your mess. I have no clue how to get out of it. I am drowning in darkness. I surrender all!\r\n\r\nSo good ol Peter steps out to walk on the water and before he can get far he is sinking. Lets fast forward a couple thousand years and here we have Jon Crouch trying to walk, but its not water, its shit. My shit, you know the stuff that stinks, the stuff most people don\'t want to see. I am OK looking at it, but if someone else see\'s it they freak. (I know a bit graphic but true.) I tried so hard to be someone, to use people, systems whatever to get love or attention some sort of pat on my back. All the time I am starting to sink, because without real love I turn to any sort of self soothing method. These methods are eating away at my soul. It\'s harder to hide, harder to be nice, I find myself pushing away from those closest to me. I feel like a big piece of shit or like I am sinking into it.\r\n\r\nIn the past I had people come to me who were is the blissful situation, amazingly I had nothing to say. I was shocked at their mess, I would offer the great advice of, pray more, read your bible, or the classical just get over it. Now its me who\'s made a mess, who\'s finally sinking. I realize I am not going to make it without some serious help. I know its good in some deep spiritual cosmic way, but I am terrified. \"Jesus I am sinking in this shit!\"\r\n\r\nSuddenly I realize, He is walking on it. He does not have a nose plug, He\'s not freaking out lecturing me on why I\'m sinking. He is smiling at me with arms out wide. He picks me up give me a big long hug. I am shocked, broken, a mess and He is with me.\r\n\r\nHe tells me, \"It\'s over son, no more trying, no more effort, just let go and trust what I see in you.\"\r\n\r\nSo now this shit I was sinking in has become the energy and fuel for the life Jesus promised.\r\n\r\n\"You\'ll take delight in God, the Mighty One,\r\nand look to him joyfully, boldly.\r\nYou\'ll pray to him and he\'ll listen;\r\nhe\'ll help you do what you\'ve promised.\r\nYou\'ll decide what you want and it will happen;\r\nyour life will be bathed in light.\r\nTo those who feel low you\'ll say, \'Chin up! Be brave!\'\r\nand God will save them.\r\nYes, even the guilty will escape,\r\nescape through God\'s grace in your life.\"\r\n\r\nJob 22 (message)\r\n\r\nMy pain becomes my platform, my messes my messages, my brokenness an invitation to a living God\'s embrace. Chin up! Be Brave! This messy boy believes in you!\r\n\r\n<strong>\"I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.\" - David Thoreau</strong>','This Shit Makes Energy!','','inherit','open','open','','3045-revision-4','','','2011-12-08 10:39:15','2011-12-08 18:39:15','',3045,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3045-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(3052,24,'2011-12-12 09:11:10','2011-12-12 17:11:10','My recent exploration of the idea of  \"me\" has led \"me\" to a remarkable fact. Self exploration can be the best exploration of all. I have not done much of this in the past?  I have been scared to look within. Afraid that something is wrong with me. (That has actually turned out to be true!) I thought only weak people talk about their weaknesses, then they don\'t have to do anything. They have no mission or vision for their lives so they are perishing.  That was a lame thought. If I every said that to you consider this a formal apology.\n\nWhat if when God formed man and blew the breath of life into us we became and eternal unsearchable being like him. What if there is no end to our souls. What if the more we search the more we discover about God and His amazing love for us.\n\nWhere could I go and find God absent? It seems everything I perceive to be \'out there\' is leading me towards and inner gaze.\nDavid seemed to recognize this phenomena when he penned the 139 psalm.\n\n<em>I look behind me and you\'re there,</em>\n<em> then up ahead and you\'re there, too—</em>\n<em> your reassuring presence, coming and going.</em>\n<em> This is too much, too wonderful—</em>\n<em> I can\'t take it all in!</em>\n\n<em>Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?</em>\n<em> to be out of your sight?</em>\n<em> If I climb to the sky, you\'re there!</em>\n<em> If I go underground, you\'re there!</em>\n<em> If I flew on morning\'s wings</em>\n<em> to the far western horizon,</em>\n<em> You\'d find me in a minute—</em>\n<em> you\'re already there waiting!</em>\n<em> Then I said to myself, \"Oh, he even sees me in the dark!</em>\n<em> At night I\'m immersed in the light!\"</em>\n<em> It\'s a fact: darkness isn\'t dark to you;</em>\n<em> night and day, darkness and light, they\'re all the same to you.</em>\nPsalms 139 (message)\n\nLike David, I am not afraid of the darkness in me anymore. I found that being OK to look at, deal with, run at it and feel the pain of what is hidden in my darkness opens doors of Truth to real freedom. The fact that I used the word \"shit\" as a the title is what I mean. I never cussed before, God forbid someone hear me and think I was not holy, or pure, or the great guy I have worked so hard to be. Forget that! God this shit is overwhelming. I have no clue how to get out of it. I am drowning in darkness. I surrender all!\n\nSo good ol Peter steps out to walk on the water and before he can get far he is sinking. Lets fast forward a couple thousand years and here we have Jon Crouch trying to walk, but its not water, its shit. My shit, you know the stuff that stinks, the stuff most people don\'t want to see. I am OK looking at it, but if someone else see\'s it they freak. (I know a bit graphic but true.) I tried so hard to be someone, to use people, systems whatever to get love or attention some sort of pat on my back. All the time I am starting to sink, because without real love I turn to any sort of self soothing method. These methods are eating away at my soul. It\'s harder to hide, harder to be nice, I find myself pushing away from those closest to me. I feel like a big piece of shit or like I am sinking into it.\n\nIn the past I had people come to me who were is the blissful situation, amazingly I had nothing to say. I was shocked at their mess, I would offer the great advice of, pray more, read your bible, or the classical just get over it. Now its me who\'s made a mess, who\'s finally sinking. I realize I am not going to make it without some serious help. I know its good in some deep spiritual cosmic way, but I am terrified. \"Jesus I am sinking in this shit!\"\n\nSuddenly I realize, He is walking on it. He does not have a nose plug, He\'s not freaking out lecturing me on why I\'m sinking. He is smiling at me with arms out wide. He picks me up give me a big long hug. I am shocked, broken, a mess and He is with me.\n\nHe tells me, \"It\'s over son, no more trying, no more effort, just let go and trust what I see in you.\"\n\nSo now this shit I was sinking in has become the energy and fuel for the life Jesus promised.\n\n\"You\'ll take delight in God, the Mighty One,\nand look to him joyfully, boldly.\nYou\'ll pray to him and he\'ll listen;\nhe\'ll help you do what you\'ve promised.\nYou\'ll decide what you want and it will happen;\nyour life will be bathed in light.\nTo those who feel low you\'ll say, \'Chin up! Be brave!\'\nand God will save them.\nYes, even the guilty will escape,\nescape through God\'s grace in your life.\"\nJob 22 (The Message)\n\nMy pain becomes my platform, my messes my messages, my brokenness an invitation to a living God\'s embrace. Chin up! Be Brave! This messy boy believes in you!\n\n<strong>\"I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.\" - David Thoreau</strong>','This Shit Makes Energy!','','inherit','open','open','','3045-autosave','','','2011-12-12 09:11:10','2011-12-12 17:11:10','',3045,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3045-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(3053,24,'2011-12-08 10:42:25','2011-12-08 18:42:25','<strong>Separateness Revealed</strong>\n\nSnakes in the garden are the subtle and crafty bunch. They love to slip in &amp; investigate any news within the garden. They are especially fond of the trees. Tree’s are were everyone goes to talk about all the amazing things they are observing. The snakes are shrewd and always looking into what they think they need to know.\n\nOne day a particular snake named “Nachash” sets out looking for a new place to gather. Finding just the right tree can make for a great vantage point on the ongoing in the garden. He is looking intently at the fruit of these trees. He needs one with a fruit that will gather and nurture him for long periods of observation. Their it is, in the middle of a glorious open heaven in the garden. A tree so radiant, so brilliant that Nachash stands their mouth open. This tree is covered in large glowing fruit. He quickly climbs up the tree, grabs some fruit and with all his might sinks his teeth into its surface. A glorious taste, his whole being seems to charge with energy.\n\nSuddenly he feels something detach from his mind, he becomes aware of himself as a snake. Darkness floods his reality, he feels all alone. His mind racing is soon full of thoughts, ideas and realities about God that he has never known. He recalls a voice speaking to man, God is telling man to not eat of this tree lest he die. Nachash smiles, he now knows something he thinks no one else knows. “You won’t die, you will be like God\"\n\nNachash’’s memories now come back to him with a different view, he remembers meeting Adam. Dark thoughts flood his mind. “who does Adam think he is?” “He thinks he’s better than me!” “Why did God choose him to name us?” \"Adam is so blind, if he only knew what he was missing.\"\n\nThe feelings of aloneness seem to be getting stronger and stronger. He finally articulates what he is feeling, “If you eat this fruit, you will be like God.” “I am God. ha ha ha...I am God!” He retreats into a deep part of the tree. Fear, pain, separateness flood his consciousness. Soon words of anger, jealousy and bitterness are all he can say. “Who does God think He is?” “Why has He kept this from us?”\n\n<strong>Innocence Hides</strong>\n\nHe soon hears a sound of someone walking near him in the garden. He peers out to see who it is. “Ishshah!” he says. “She needs to know what I know.” “I will give her what God has withheld.” “She must know what she can really have.” He makes his was down the tree, across the meadow and approaches Ishshah. As she notices him she greets him with a glorious smile. “Hello Nachash.” For a moment her radiance seems to numb these new feelings, she seems to slow the thoughts of separateness in his mind. He shakes his head, smiles and with hid great clever says to Ishshah, “Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?\" Ishshah responded to Nachash, \"Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It\'s only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, \'Don\'t eat from it; don\'t even touch it or you\'ll die.\'\"The serpent told the Woman, \"You won\'t die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you\'ll see what\'s really going on. You\'ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.\"\n\nIshshah in her innocence believes Nachash and looks intently at the tree, mesmerized by its beauty. The fruit looks so good for eating. “If I eat it I will know everything.” she says to herself. She takes the fruit and eats it and walks to Adam to share with him her new experience.  As Adam eats the fruit they immediately begin to feel things they had never experienced. They look at each other realizing they are naked, uncovered and vulnerable to their surroundings. Quickly they grab some leaves from a fig tree and cover themselves. Adam and Eve feel completely alone. The loving presence, the peace, the ecstasy of God now seems completely separate from their experience.\n\nWithin moments of this terrifying experience they hear the sound of God moving through the garden. They quickly run and hide themselves in some bushes. Guilt, shame, hatred and grief flood their consciousness. Adam looks into Womb man’s now fearful eyes and says, “We are all alone!” “If God see’s us, He will certainly hate what He see’s.”\n\n<strong>Genesis of Separation</strong>\n\n* Ishashah - is Hebrew for woman - man with womb. Eve had no given name until commanded to leave garden.\n\nGod calls to Adam, “my son where are you?” Adam replies, “I heard you walking in the garden, and when I saw that I was naked, I hid myself. God replied, “who told you that you where naked?” “Have you eaten of the tree of which I appointed you that you should not eat?”\n\nInwardly Adam senses a deep bitterness towards Ishshah. Why would she do this to me? Why did she make me eat this fruit? “God, its Ishshah, the one you gave me, she gave me the fruit and I ate it.” Adam feels the sting of pain and feels himself growing bitter towards woman. When Ishshah hears Adams accusation she begins to weep as deep grief and shame flood her heart. God asks Eve, “ My daughter what is this you have done?” Ishshah choking down tears cry’s out to God, “Nachash that serpent, he lead me astray, he took from me my joy.”\n\nNachash is laughing at this point. he is fully enjoying watching Adam and Ishshah stumble through this broken reality. When he hears Ishshah tell God that he was to blame he quickly tries to slip away. God speaks and every part of his being freezes in terror. “Nachash, what you have done will now bring detest upon your self. You will no longer walk as a noble creature in my garden. You will now be lowered to a place below all creatures. You shall crawl on you belly and eat dust all the days you exist.” “Hatred and hostility have now entered your mind towards Ishshah, her children and your children will wage war against each other.” “Her children will crush your head and you will strike at their heels.”\n\nGod turns to Ishshah, with love in His eyes, “Pain is now your world, with sorrow and toil you will bring forth your children.” “Without consideration of my view of you, you will turn to Adam and he in turn will rule and dominate you.”\n\nHe then looks to Adam, kneels down and grabbing his hand He says, “ My son, because you have listened and choose to be subject to Eve’s sorrow by eating of the tree, which I appointed you not to partake of, this earth, this garden, the life you have had in it you will now detest. You will labor in pain over it for every meal. In sorrow you will partake of your loss all the days of your life. Poked, pricked by your labors for food, with uncontrolled fruitless plants flourishing around will you find food.  With violent motion you will work for bread, and you will toil for things you where never mean’t to toil for. I took you from the red ground to live, but now you shall return to it.”\n\nAdam turned to Ishshah and says, \"now that we are separate from God. I am going to give you a name outside of me, I shall call you,\" “Eve.” \"You shall be a mother of all living things, because from you children will part from Oneness in sorrow. \"','Return to Innocence','','inherit','open','open','','3043-revision-2','','','2011-12-08 10:42:25','2011-12-08 18:42:25','',3043,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3043-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(3054,46,'2011-12-08 11:33:07','2011-12-08 19:33:07','Last night as I was going through my iTunes library, I realized that most of my favorite Christmas songs have to do with peace on earth . . . specifically the lack of it. For starters, there\'s of course John Lennon\'s \"Happy Xmas (War is Over),\" where Yoko Ono and a children\'s choir sing \"War is over if you want it, war is over now\" throughout the song. Then there\'s Stevie Wonder\'s \"Someday at Christmas,\" where Stevie dreams of a world where \"men won\'t be boys/playing with bombs like kids play with toys.\" Then there\'s Greg Lake\'s \"I Believe in Father Christmas,\" which begins with these words:\n<blockquote><em>\n\"They said there\'ll be snow at Christmas\nThey said there\'ll be peace on earth\nBut instead it just kept on raining\nA veil of tears for the virgin\'s birth\" </em></blockquote>\nOf course my personal favorite is David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing \"Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth.\" According to legend, Bowie was supposed to sing \"Little Drummer Boy\" with Crosby, but asked to sing something else instead, so the producers wrote these new lyrics:\n<blockquote><em>\"Peace on earth, can it be?\nYears from now, perhaps we\'ll see\nSee the day of glory\nSee the day when men of goodwill\nLive in peace, live in peace again\nPeace on earth, can it be?\n\nEvery child must be made aware\nEvery child must be made to care\nCare enough for his fellow man\nTo give all the love that he can.\n\nI pray my wish will come true\nFor my child, and your child too.\nHe\'ll see the day of glory.\nHe\'ll see the day when men of goodwill\nLive in peace, live in peace again\nPeace on earth, can it be?\"</em></blockquote>\nWhy are so many of my favorite Christmas songs about peace on earth? Maybe it\'s just the anarcho-pacifist in me pushing my radical agenda onto this sacred holiday season of overspending and gross commercialism.  Or maybe, just maybe, it\'s a little bit more than that.\n\nLike I said <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/12/03/advent-meditation-returning-to-sister-winter/\">a week or so ago</a>, every week during Advent as we light the wreath, we wait for the day when Jesus comes to bring light into the darkness. And as Isaiah prophesied, when the Light of the World comes, he will \"teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. . . . He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore\" (2:3-4). \n\nI used to think that passage was only referring to the Second Coming, until I noticed the part in verse two when Isaiah says, “He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” To me, that indicates Isaiah was talking about Jesus\' first advent, when He came to teach us about the Kingdom of God. So if I\'m not mistaken, that means we don’t have to wait around in order to have peace; we can work for peace right now.\n\nSo will David Bowie\'s wish ever come true?  Yes, but I don’t think we’ll have perfect peace until Jesus returns However, I do believe it’s time the Church took Jesus’ teachings about nonviolence seriously, and start working to make the world a more peaceful place (with the help of God, of course).','Advent Meditation:  Beating Swords Into Plowshares','','inherit','open','open','','3018-revision-5','','','2011-12-08 11:33:07','2011-12-08 19:33:07','',3018,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3018-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(3055,1,'2011-12-08 12:22:08','2011-12-08 20:22:08','[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4yDCUJJm_U[/youtube]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.dylanratigan.com/\">Dylan Ratigan</a> is speaking what I think is the heart of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.\r\n<blockquote>I would like him to go to the people of the United States of America and say, \"Your congress is bought.  Your congress incapable of making legislation on healthcare, banking, trade, or taxes because if they do it, they will lose their political funding.\"</blockquote>\r\nHis passion isn\'t one sided like Rush Limbaugh that demonizes the other side.  The problem is the system that has robbed people of their representation.  It\'s been stolen from us.  I voted for Obama, but I really think Dylan is on to something.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think?','The United States Is Being Extracted','','publish','open','open','','the-united-states-is-being-extracted','','','2011-12-09 07:46:53','2011-12-09 15:46:53','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=3055',0,'post','',7),(3056,1,'2011-12-08 12:17:21','2011-12-08 20:17:21','This guy is speaking what I think is the heart of the\n\nI would like him to go to the people of the United States of America and say, \"Your congress is bought.  Your congress incapable of making legislation on healthcare, banking, trade, or taxes because if they do it, they will lose their political funding.\"','','','inherit','open','open','','3055-revision','','','2011-12-08 12:17:21','2011-12-08 20:17:21','',3055,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3055-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(3057,1,'2011-12-08 12:21:34','2011-12-08 20:21:34','','dylan_ratigan','','inherit','open','open','','dylan_ratigan','','','2011-12-08 12:21:34','2011-12-08 20:21:34','',3055,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/dylan_ratigan.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3058,1,'2011-12-08 12:22:02','2011-12-08 20:22:02','<a href=\"http://www.dylanratigan.com/\">Dylan Ratigan</a> is speaking what I think is the heart of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.\n\nI would like him to go to the people of the United States of America and say, \"Your congress is bought.  Your congress incapable of making legislation on healthcare, banking, trade, or taxes because if they do it, they will lose their political funding.\"\n\nI voted for Obama, but I really think Dylan is on to something.\n\nWhat do you think?','The United States Is Being Extracted','','inherit','open','open','','3055-revision-2','','','2011-12-08 12:22:02','2011-12-08 20:22:02','',3055,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3055-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(3059,1,'2011-12-08 12:22:08','2011-12-08 20:22:08','<a href=\"http://www.dylanratigan.com/\">Dylan Ratigan</a> is speaking what I think is the heart of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.\r\n\r\nI would like him to go to the people of the United States of America and say, \"Your congress is bought.  Your congress incapable of making legislation on healthcare, banking, trade, or taxes because if they do it, they will lose their political funding.\"\r\n\r\nI voted for Obama, but I really think Dylan is on to something.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think?','The United States Is Being Extracted','','inherit','open','open','','3055-revision-3','','','2011-12-08 12:22:08','2011-12-08 20:22:08','',3055,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3055-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(3060,1,'2011-12-09 07:47:58','2011-12-09 15:47:58','[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4yDCUJJm_U[/youtube]\n\n<a href=\"http://www.dylanratigan.com/\">Dylan Ratigan</a> is speaking what I think is the heart of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.\n<blockquote>I would like him to go to the people of the United States of America and say, \"Your congress is bought.  Your congress incapable of making legislation on healthcare, banking, trade, or taxes because if they do it, they will lose their political funding.\"</blockquote>\nHis passion isn\'t one sided like Rush Limbaugh that demonizes the other side.  The problem is the system that has robbed people of their representation.  It\'s been stolen from us.  I voted for Obama, but I really think Dylan is on to something.\n\nWhat do you think?','The United States Is Being Extracted','','inherit','open','open','','3055-autosave','','','2011-12-09 07:47:58','2011-12-09 15:47:58','',3055,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3055-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(3061,1,'2011-12-08 12:22:31','2011-12-08 20:22:31','<a href=\"http://www.dylanratigan.com/\">Dylan Ratigan</a> is speaking what I think is the heart of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.\r\n<blockquote>I would like him to go to the people of the United States of America and say, \"Your congress is bought.  Your congress incapable of making legislation on healthcare, banking, trade, or taxes because if they do it, they will lose their political funding.\"</blockquote>\r\nI voted for Obama, but I really think Dylan is on to something.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think?','The United States Is Being Extracted','','inherit','open','open','','3055-revision-4','','','2011-12-08 12:22:31','2011-12-08 20:22:31','',3055,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3055-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(4870,0,'2012-02-04 08:18:38','2012-02-04 16:18:38','Christianity, babies, refugees, intentional community, anti-capitalism rhetoric, anything that has to do with the kingdom of God.\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: D.L. Mayfield\nAUTHOR EMAIL: danielle.l.mayfield@gmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://dlmayfield,wordpress.com\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 76.27.244.140\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; D.L. Mayfield\n    [Email] =&gt; danielle.l.mayfield@gmail.com\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; http://dlmayfield,wordpress.com\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Christianity, babies, refugees, intentional community, anti-capitalism rhetoric, anything that has to do with the kingdom of God.\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; krispindanielle\n)\n','D.L. Mayfield - 2012-02-04 08:18:38','','publish','open','open','','07917ad6932d006e222587e4a8318709','','','2012-02-04 08:18:38','2012-02-04 16:18:38','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=4870',0,'feedback','',0),(3063,1,'2011-12-08 12:23:55','2011-12-08 20:23:55','<a href=\"http://www.dylanratigan.com/\">Dylan Ratigan</a> is speaking what I think is the heart of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.\r\n<blockquote>I would like him to go to the people of the United States of America and say, \"Your congress is bought.  Your congress incapable of making legislation on healthcare, banking, trade, or taxes because if they do it, they will lose their political funding.\"</blockquote>\r\nHis passion isn\'t one sided like Rush Limbaugh that demonizes the other side.  The problem is the system that has robbed people of their representation.  It\'s been stolen from us.  I voted for Obama, but I really think Dylan is on to something.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think?','The United States Is Being Extracted','','inherit','open','open','','3055-revision-5','','','2011-12-08 12:23:55','2011-12-08 20:23:55','',3055,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3055-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(3065,1,'2011-12-09 07:46:13','2011-12-09 15:46:13','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.dylanratigan.com/\">Dylan Ratigan</a> is speaking what I think is the heart of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.\r\n<blockquote>I would like him to go to the people of the United States of America and say, \"Your congress is bought.  Your congress incapable of making legislation on healthcare, banking, trade, or taxes because if they do it, they will lose their political funding.\"</blockquote>\r\nHis passion isn\'t one sided like Rush Limbaugh that demonizes the other side.  The problem is the system that has robbed people of their representation.  It\'s been stolen from us.  I voted for Obama, but I really think Dylan is on to something.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think?','The United States Is Being Extracted','','inherit','open','open','','3055-revision-7','','','2011-12-09 07:46:13','2011-12-09 15:46:13','',3055,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3055-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(3067,0,'2011-12-09 07:56:59','2011-12-09 15:56:59','As a student pursuing my Masters Degree in Theology at a conservative school, I write a great deal on Theology and Spirituality. Articles that I submit for your consideration would normally fall under the Faith Category; however, I am also a big fan of college football and the NFL so I may occasionally feel the need to submit a sports-related article.\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Clark Goble\nAUTHOR EMAIL: cdgoble@gmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://theimperfectdisciples.com/\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 174.101.112.52\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Clark Goble\n    [Email] =&gt; cdgoble@gmail.com\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; http://theimperfectdisciples.com/\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; As a student pursuing my Masters Degree in Theology at a conservative school, I write a great deal on Theology and Spirituality. Articles that I submit for your consideration would normally fall under the Faith Category; however, I am also a big fan of college football and the NFL so I may occasionally feel the need to submit a sports-related article. \n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; imperfectchristian1\n)\n','Clark Goble - 2011-12-09 07:56:59','','publish','open','open','','7260d7b42d6b9a4517a137b89e40cfec','','','2011-12-09 07:56:59','2011-12-09 15:56:59','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=3067',0,'feedback','',0),(3064,1,'2011-12-09 07:14:25','2011-12-09 15:14:25','<a href=\"http://www.dylanratigan.com/\">[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4yDCUJJm_U[/youtube]</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.dylanratigan.com/\">Dylan Ratigan</a> is speaking what I think is the heart of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.\r\n<blockquote>I would like him to go to the people of the United States of America and say, \"Your congress is bought.  Your congress incapable of making legislation on healthcare, banking, trade, or taxes because if they do it, they will lose their political funding.\"</blockquote>\r\nHis passion isn\'t one sided like Rush Limbaugh that demonizes the other side.  The problem is the system that has robbed people of their representation.  It\'s been stolen from us.  I voted for Obama, but I really think Dylan is on to something.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think?','The United States Is Being Extracted','','inherit','open','open','','3055-revision-6','','','2011-12-09 07:14:25','2011-12-09 15:14:25','',3055,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3055-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(3066,1,'2011-12-09 07:46:31','2011-12-09 15:46:31','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.dylanratigan.com/\">Dylan Ratigan</a> is speaking what I think is the heart of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.\r\n<blockquote>I would like him to go to the people of the United States of America and say, \"Your congress is bought.  Your congress incapable of making legislation on healthcare, banking, trade, or taxes because if they do it, they will lose their political funding.\"</blockquote>\r\nHis passion isn\'t one sided like Rush Limbaugh that demonizes the other side.  The problem is the system that has robbed people of their representation.  It\'s been stolen from us.  I voted for Obama, but I really think Dylan is on to something.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think?','The United States Is Being Extracted','','inherit','open','open','','3055-revision-8','','','2011-12-09 07:46:31','2011-12-09 15:46:31','',3055,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3055-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(3068,1,'2011-12-06 19:29:01','2011-12-07 03:29:01','At the end of November, one of our local schools suffered a tragic loss.  A student died by suicide.  Although the people investigating have not officially stated whether bullying was involved, that was the conclusion reached by many of the student’s peers.  How sad that aggression in schools has progressed to the point that when a student ends her life, that is the first thing to come to mind.\r\n\r\nIt doesn’t make any difference whether bullying was the underlying cause.  That it has become epidemic  is far more alarming.  Bullying, and what form it takes, has been big news.  In light of that, it\'s not at all surprising that this video has been making the rounds*:\r\n\r\n[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdkNn3Ei-Lg[/youtube]\r\n\r\nThere seems to be a collective feeling of being at a loss for answers—even by school staff.  One reason may be that the shape of bullying has changed.  We want to imagine that bullies are easy to spot.  He’s the biggest kid on the playground, the one who always picks on smaller kids.  No one except the ones he’s terrified into the role will befriend him.  Maybe we even want to feel sorry for him, that he comes from a dangerous or frightening family situation himself.\r\n\r\nBut that isn’t always the way it works.  Bullies may come from “good” families.  They may go to church on Sundays.  They may be well-liked by parents, teachers, and other students.  There is no way to distinguish someone who is victimizing someone else unless you witness it happening.  They’re not just stealing kids’ lunch money anymore.\r\n\r\nSo the rest of us are left to deal with the tragic aftermath of adolescent cruelty.  We wonder if our own children are safe at school, or even whether they are the ones hurting others.  Those of us who work with the youth at our churches must find ways to help the students left behind after the dust clears.\r\n\r\nI spoke with the youth pastor at our church, asking if those of us working with the kids were going to discuss this issue as a team.  I mentioned that it was going to be tough for awhile, as we have students who knew the girl who died.  He said, “Imagine being a youth leader at a church where it’s one of your students.\"\r\n\r\nI answered, “What if one day we are?”\r\n\r\nBecause this latest suicide wasn’t halfway across the country, or even in another state.  It wasn’t even in another city.  It wasn\'t a stranger on the Internet, a kid we only know because he put his emotions in full view of everyone.  It was here, just a few miles from us, and it was a girl a lot of people knew.\r\n\r\nShouldn\'t that wreck us, that a young girl died?  Shouldn\'t that video of Jonah Mowry make us cry, and scream, and demand that something be done for these kids?  Shouldn\'t it break our hearts that human beings, created in the image of God, are being reduced to dust by the very words spoken to them?  Christians have a responsibility here.  We could sit back and wait for the schools to handle things.  We could expect that teachers will not tolerate disrespectful attitudes and behaviors in class.  We could even pray that our own kids know how much they are loved, even if they are the victims of bullying.  But that won’t solve the problem.  To be honest, I’m not sure what the solution is.  I do know that my duty to love makes it my business to help search for one.\r\n\r\nWe social justice Christians often talk about human dignity and how everyone is worthy of love and respect.  Why not start by honoring the dignity of our children and youth?\r\n\r\n*Be sure to read the update from Jonah Mowry, the young man, in the text under the video.','When Bullying Leads to Tragedy','','inherit','open','open','','2881-revision-5','','','2011-12-06 19:29:01','2011-12-07 03:29:01','',2881,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/06/2881-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(3069,1,'2011-12-05 17:20:47','2011-12-06 01:20:47','In my upcoming book, \"<a href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/284\">Fallen Pastor: Finding Restoration in a Broken World</a>,\" I answer a lot of questions about ministry failure. But there\'s one question I stayed away from: \"<em>Should</em> a fallen pastor be put back into the pulpit and be allowed to preach again?\"\r\n\r\nIn the book, I interview eleven ministers who fell from the ministry due to moral failure. Several of them are pastoring again. The fact that they are can be attributed to several things. First, they went through an intense restoration process. Secondly, the church or denomination they serve decided they were at peace with having them pastor again. Third, these men were able to see the call of God in their life as a thing that did not go away once they fell.\r\n\r\nThis is a huge issue within the church. Those of a more conservative stripe say a minister who commits adultery should never be restored to the pastorate. The argument typically falls along biblical lines. The guidelines for an overseer in 1 Timothy 3 are that an overseer in the church should be \"above reproach.\" Once a minister has committed adultery, he has violated the trust of the church and is no longer deemed worthy of the office.\r\n\r\nThis passage also says the overseer must be able to manage his household well, not quarrelsome, well thought of by outsiders, respectable, the husband of one wife, hospitable and self-controlled. It is a serious thing to desire to be an overseer. It is not to be taken lightly and those who desire and are called should understand the weight of it.\r\n\r\nThen, there are those who believe that a fallen pastor can enter back into the ministry. Of course, they understand that those who desire to do so must be repentant and restored to Christ. The main argument is also a biblical one. It comes from Romans 11:29:  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. The argument is that God has granted gifts to people and even if they sin, they still have gifts.\r\n\r\nHonestly, I still don\'t know where I stand, but I\'d like to look at some objections, then tell you how things work out in life.\r\n\r\nThe first argument is that those who serve are held to a high standard. Those who argue that even after a fall a man is worthy of serving argue against it like this: <em>\"The qualifications for overseer are listed as patterns for life. Overseers <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fallen.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-3005\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fallen.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" /></a>should have those things be true about them as a rule of life. If those were a hard and fast rule, without grace, then Peter never should have been given the chance to be a leader in the early church because he committed the sin of denying Christ. All sin is worthy of separation. Yes, the bible holds leaders at a high standard, but it is to be measured against grace.\"</em>\r\n\r\nThen there\'s the argument against the second position. <em>\"Yes, the gift is still there, but that doesn\'t mean someone is still worthy of serving in certain capacity. God does forgive fallen leaders, but He has high standards of leadership. Moses is an example of that. After striking the rock, he wasn\'t allowed to enter the promised land. Fallen leaders are still precious to God and can still find other ways to minister other than leadership positions.\"</em>\r\n\r\nIt\'s tough, isn\'t it? I am resolved in this. God\'s grace is much more abounding than many are willing to grant. I\'ve had pastors look me in the eye and basically tell me that I shouldn\'t even pray in public ever again. I know people who believe that fallen pastors should sit in the back pew for the rest of their lives and never make eye contact with God-fearing people ever again. These people are far and few between, but they can feel like the majority.\r\n\r\nChrist\'s voice is clear in the Gospels. He restores sinners. In the face of the religious majority, he picks people up and stands them on their feet. Does this mean we should put fallen pastors back in the pulpit? No, but it does mean that as Christians, we should be the first to seek them out and love them, seeking to show them love.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/person-pew.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3010\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/person-pew-300x205.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"205\" /></a>Now, for my pragmatic argument. I hate the word \"pragmatism\" because it has a <em>stigmatism</em>. The churches I have seen that have placed repentant, restored fallen pastors back into the pulpit have been blessed. They took a chance. It was up to each congregation to make a decision based on their own personal convictions, but they were blessed.\r\n\r\nI can tell you this as well. When I\'ve been able to preach at churches about my fall, my adultery, my sin, I\'ve been able to reach and minister to people like I never could before. My preaching was overcome with a new level of understanding about grace, empathy, compassion and forgiveness. When I preach now, I can almost guarantee that after I\'m done, I\'ll be approached by someone who wants to confess their own sin of adultery or moral failure.\r\n\r\nThe people who talk to me tell me, \"I could never have told my pastor. He wouldn\'t understand. I feel like you have a different kind of heart.\" Yes, I do. Not because of anything I\'ve done, but because Christ took my mess and made a message out of it. He took my crooked little heart and made it into a tool for him.\r\n\r\nWhere does the fallen pastor belong? That\'s a decision for each church to make after he goes through a restoration process. I do know this - he does not belong on the trash heap of society. He belongs among the rest of God\'s people, receiving compassion, participating in worship, and sharing in His grace.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Putting The Fallen Pastor In His Place','','inherit','open','open','','3001-revision-5','','','2011-12-05 17:20:47','2011-12-06 01:20:47','',3001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/05/3001-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(3070,1,'2011-12-12 08:11:23','2011-12-12 16:11:23','Recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>Later she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\n\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\n\n<strong>Because when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.</strong>\n\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\n\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\n\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\n\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\n\nThere are arguments and apologies. Good times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\n\n<strong>None that have anything to do with sexual orientation.</strong>\n\nWhen the discussion is framed in terms of gay marriage, it becomes much easier to call the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States\">more than 1100 marriage rights</a> that you enjoy \"special.\" When it\'s called gay marriage, it becomes much easier to see it as something deviant or frightening. When we call it gay marriage, we dehumanize the people who are getting married by stripping them down to their orientation.\n\nSo by all means, let\'s all oppose gay marriage.\n\n<strong>Instead, join me in supporting marriage equality.</strong>','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-autosave','','','2011-12-12 08:11:23','2011-12-12 16:11:23','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3023-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(3071,1,'2011-12-09 08:20:54','2011-12-09 16:20:54','','Tree_of_Love','','inherit','open','open','','tree_of_love','','','2011-12-09 08:20:54','2011-12-09 16:20:54','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Tree_of_Love.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(3072,1,'2011-12-08 09:35:50','2011-12-08 17:35:50','<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3036\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”</p>\r\nLater she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\r\n\r\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\r\n\r\n<strong>Because when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.</strong>\r\n\r\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\r\n\r\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\r\n\r\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\r\n\r\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\r\n\r\nThere are arguments and apologies. Good times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\r\n\r\n<strong>None that have anything to do with sexual orientation.</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen the discussion is framed in terms of gay marriage, it becomes much easier to call the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States\">more than 1100 marriage rights</a> that you enjoy \"special.\" When it\'s called gay marriage, it becomes much easier to see it as something deviant or frightening. When we call it gay marriage, we dehumanize the people who are getting married by stripping them down to their orientation.\r\n\r\nSo by all means, let\'s all oppose gay marriage.\r\n\r\n<strong>Instead, join me in supporting marriage equality.</strong>','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision-11','','','2011-12-08 09:35:50','2011-12-08 17:35:50','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3023-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(3073,1,'2011-12-08 10:39:40','2011-12-08 18:39:40','My recent exploration of the idea of  \"me\" has led \"me\" to a remarkable fact. Self exploration can be the best exploration of all. I have not done much of this in the past?  I have been scared to look within. Afraid that something is wrong with me. (That has actually turned out to be true!) I thought only weak people talk about their weaknesses, then they don\'t have to do anything. They have no mission or vision for their lives so they are perishing.  That was a lame thought. If I every said that to you consider this a formal apology.\r\n\r\nWhat if when God formed man and blew the breath of life into us we became and eternal unsearchable being like him. What if there is no end to our souls. What if the more we search the more we discover about God and His amazing love for us.\r\n\r\nI look behind me and you\'re there,\r\nthen up ahead and you\'re there, too—\r\nyour reassuring presence, coming and going.\r\nThis is too much, too wonderful—\r\nI can\'t take it all in!\r\n\r\nIs there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?\r\nto be out of your sight?\r\nIf I climb to the sky, you\'re there!\r\nIf I go underground, you\'re there!\r\nIf I flew on morning\'s wings\r\nto the far western horizon,\r\nYou\'d find me in a minute—\r\nyou\'re already there waiting!\r\nThen I said to myself, \"Oh, he even sees me in the dark!\r\nAt night I\'m immersed in the light!\"\r\nIt\'s a fact: darkness isn\'t dark to you;\r\nnight and day, darkness and light, they\'re all the same to you.\r\npsalms 139 (message)\r\n\r\nI am not afraid of the darkness in me anymore. I found that being OK to look at, deal with, run at it and feel the pain of what is hidden in my darkness opens doors to real freedom. The fact that I used the word \"shit\" as a the title is what I mean. I never cussed before, God forbid someone hear me and think I was not holy, or pure, or the great guy I have worked so hard to be. Forget that! God this mess is your mess. I have no clue how to get out of it. I am drowning in darkness. I surrender all!\r\n\r\nSo good ol Peter steps out to walk on the water and before he can get far he is sinking. Lets fast forward a couple thousand years and here we have Jon Crouch trying to walk, but its not water, its shit. My shit, you know the stuff that stinks, the stuff most people don\'t want to see. I am OK looking at it, but if someone else see\'s it they freak. (I know a bit graphic but true.) I tried so hard to be someone, to use people, systems whatever to get love or attention some sort of pat on my back. All the time I am starting to sink, because without real love I turn to any sort of self soothing method. These methods are eating away at my soul. It\'s harder to hide, harder to be nice, I find myself pushing away from those closest to me. I feel like a big piece of shit or like I am sinking into it.\r\n\r\nIn the past I had people come to me who were is the blissful situation, amazingly I had nothing to say. I was shocked at their mess, I would offer the great advice of, pray more, read your bible, or the classical just get over it. Now its me who\'s made a mess, who\'s finally sinking. I realize I am not going to make it without some serious help. I know its good in some deep spiritual cosmic way, but I am terrified. \"Jesus I am sinking in this shit!\"\r\n\r\nSuddenly I realize, He is walking on it. He does not have a nose plug, He\'s not freaking out lecturing me on why I\'m sinking. He is smiling at me with arms out wide. He picks me up give me a big long hug. I am shocked, broken, a mess and He is with me.\r\n\r\nHe tells me, \"It\'s over son, no more trying, no more effort, just let go and trust what I see in you.\"\r\n\r\nSo now this shit I was sinking in has become the energy and fuel for the life Jesus promised.\r\n\r\n\"You\'ll take delight in God, the Mighty One,\r\nand look to him joyfully, boldly.\r\nYou\'ll pray to him and he\'ll listen;\r\nhe\'ll help you do what you\'ve promised.\r\nYou\'ll decide what you want and it will happen;\r\nyour life will be bathed in light.\r\nTo those who feel low you\'ll say, \'Chin up! Be brave!\'\r\nand God will save them.\r\nYes, even the guilty will escape,\r\nescape through God\'s grace in your life.\"\r\n\r\nJob 22 (message)\r\n\r\nMy pain becomes my platform, my messes my messages, my brokenness an invitation to a living God\'s embrace. Chin up! Be Brave! This messy boy believes in you!\r\n\r\n<strong>\"I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.\" - David Thoreau</strong>','This Shit Makes Energy!','','inherit','open','open','','3045-revision-5','','','2011-12-08 10:39:40','2011-12-08 18:39:40','',3045,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/08/3045-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(3074,1,'2011-12-09 08:24:12','2011-12-09 16:24:12','My recent exploration of the idea of  \"me\" has led \"me\" to a remarkable fact. Self exploration can be the best exploration of all. I have not done much of this in the past?  I have been scared to look within. Afraid that something is wrong with me. (That has actually turned out to be true!) I thought only weak people talk about their weaknesses, then they don\'t have to do anything. They have no mission or vision for their lives so they are perishing.  That was a lame thought. If I every said that to you consider this a formal apology.\r\n\r\nWhat if when God formed man and blew the breath of life into us we became and eternal unsearchable being like him. What if there is no end to our souls. What if the more we search the more we discover about God and His amazing love for us.\r\n\r\n<em>I look behind me and you\'re there,</em>\r\n<em> then up ahead and you\'re there, too—</em>\r\n<em> your reassuring presence, coming and going.</em>\r\n<em> This is too much, too wonderful—</em>\r\n<em> I can\'t take it all in!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?</em>\r\n<em> to be out of your sight?</em>\r\n<em> If I climb to the sky, you\'re there!</em>\r\n<em> If I go underground, you\'re there!</em>\r\n<em> If I flew on morning\'s wings</em>\r\n<em> to the far western horizon,</em>\r\n<em> You\'d find me in a minute—</em>\r\n<em> you\'re already there waiting!</em>\r\n<em> Then I said to myself, \"Oh, he even sees me in the dark!</em>\r\n<em> At night I\'m immersed in the light!\"</em>\r\n<em> It\'s a fact: darkness isn\'t dark to you;</em>\r\n<em> night and day, darkness and light, they\'re all the same to you.</em>\r\nPsalms 139 (message)\r\n\r\nI am not afraid of the darkness in me anymore. I found that being OK to look at, deal with, run at it and feel the pain of what is hidden in my darkness opens doors to real freedom. The fact that I used the word \"shit\" as a the title is what I mean. I never cussed before, God forbid someone hear me and think I was not holy, or pure, or the great guy I have worked so hard to be. Forget that! God this mess is your mess. I have no clue how to get out of it. I am drowning in darkness. I surrender all!\r\n\r\nSo good ol Peter steps out to walk on the water and before he can get far he is sinking. Lets fast forward a couple thousand years and here we have Jon Crouch trying to walk, but its not water, its shit. My shit, you know the stuff that stinks, the stuff most people don\'t want to see. I am OK looking at it, but if someone else see\'s it they freak. (I know a bit graphic but true.) I tried so hard to be someone, to use people, systems whatever to get love or attention some sort of pat on my back. All the time I am starting to sink, because without real love I turn to any sort of self soothing method. These methods are eating away at my soul. It\'s harder to hide, harder to be nice, I find myself pushing away from those closest to me. I feel like a big piece of shit or like I am sinking into it.\r\n\r\nIn the past I had people come to me who were is the blissful situation, amazingly I had nothing to say. I was shocked at their mess, I would offer the great advice of, pray more, read your bible, or the classical just get over it. Now its me who\'s made a mess, who\'s finally sinking. I realize I am not going to make it without some serious help. I know its good in some deep spiritual cosmic way, but I am terrified. \"Jesus I am sinking in this shit!\"\r\n\r\nSuddenly I realize, He is walking on it. He does not have a nose plug, He\'s not freaking out lecturing me on why I\'m sinking. He is smiling at me with arms out wide. He picks me up give me a big long hug. I am shocked, broken, a mess and He is with me.\r\n\r\nHe tells me, \"It\'s over son, no more trying, no more effort, just let go and trust what I see in you.\"\r\n\r\nSo now this shit I was sinking in has become the energy and fuel for the life Jesus promised.\r\n\r\n\"You\'ll take delight in God, the Mighty One,\r\nand look to him joyfully, boldly.\r\nYou\'ll pray to him and he\'ll listen;\r\nhe\'ll help you do what you\'ve promised.\r\nYou\'ll decide what you want and it will happen;\r\nyour life will be bathed in light.\r\nTo those who feel low you\'ll say, \'Chin up! Be brave!\'\r\nand God will save them.\r\nYes, even the guilty will escape,\r\nescape through God\'s grace in your life.\"\r\n\r\nJob 22 (message)\r\n\r\nMy pain becomes my platform, my messes my messages, my brokenness an invitation to a living God\'s embrace. Chin up! Be Brave! This messy boy believes in you!\r\n\r\n<strong>\"I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.\" - David Thoreau</strong>','This Shit Makes Energy!','','inherit','open','open','','3045-revision-6','','','2011-12-09 08:24:12','2011-12-09 16:24:12','',3045,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3045-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(3075,1,'2011-12-09 08:21:31','2011-12-09 16:21:31','Recent comments by presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann have stirred up the discussion about gay marriage once again. While speaking to a group of high school students, <a href=\"http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/11/30/michele-bachmann-debates-same-sex-rights-with-high-school-students-in-waverly/\">she said</a> that gay people could get married, just not to someone who was the same sex. “They (same-sex couples) can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DSC_0184_w-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>Later she went on to add that “there are no special rights for people based upon your sex practices. There’s no special rights based upon what you do in your sex life.”\r\n\r\nAnd there it is; the reason why I oppose gay marriage.\r\n\r\n<strong>Because when we talk about <em>gay</em> marriage, we’re talking about the kind of sex that this couple is having.</strong>\r\n\r\nSome will suggest that we don’t talk about straight marriage because marriage already implies that it is to be a man and a woman. But I think it’s more than that. We don’t call it straight marriage because we know that there’s far more to a marriage than what happens between the sheets.\r\n\r\nThere are the foot rubs on the couch after a hard day at work.\r\n\r\nThere are the discussions about budgets and menus and chores.\r\n\r\nThere are birthday gifts to buy, vacations to plan, family reunions to attend.\r\n\r\nThere are arguments and apologies. Good times and bad times. Births and deaths. Laughter and tears. All things that make a marriage.\r\n\r\n<strong>None that have anything to do with sexual orientation.</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen the discussion is framed in terms of gay marriage, it becomes much easier to call the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States\">more than 1100 marriage rights</a> that you enjoy \"special.\" When it\'s called gay marriage, it becomes much easier to see it as something deviant or frightening. When we call it gay marriage, we dehumanize the people who are getting married by stripping them down to their orientation.\r\n\r\nSo by all means, let\'s all oppose gay marriage.\r\n\r\n<strong>Instead, join me in supporting marriage equality.</strong>','Why I Oppose Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','3023-revision-12','','','2011-12-09 08:21:31','2011-12-09 16:21:31','',3023,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3023-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(3078,24,'2011-12-09 10:33:12','2011-12-09 18:33:12','My recent exploration of the idea of  \"me\" has led \"me\" to a remarkable fact. Self exploration can be the best exploration of all. I have not done much of this in the past?  I have been scared to look within. Afraid that something is wrong with me. (That has actually turned out to be true!) I thought only weak people talk about their weaknesses, then they don\'t have to do anything. They have no mission or vision for their lives so they are perishing.  That was a lame thought. If I every said that to you consider this a formal apology.\n\nWhat if when God formed man and blew the breath of life into us we became and eternal unsearchable being like him. What if there is no end to our souls. What if the more we search the more we discover about God and His amazing love for us.\n\nWhere could I go and find God absent? It seems everything I perceive to be \'out there\' is leading me towards and inner gaze.\nDavid seemed to recognize this phenomena when in Psalm 139.\n\n<em>I look behind me and you\'re there,</em>\n<em> then up ahead and you\'re there, too—</em>\n<em> your reassuring presence, coming and going.</em>\n<em> This is too much, too wonderful—</em>\n<em> I can\'t take it all in!</em>\n\n<em>Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?</em>\n<em> to be out of your sight?</em>\n<em> If I climb to the sky, you\'re there!</em>\n<em> If I go underground, you\'re there!</em>\n<em> If I flew on morning\'s wings</em>\n<em> to the far western horizon,</em>\n<em> You\'d find me in a minute—</em>\n<em> you\'re already there waiting!</em>\n<em> Then I said to myself, \"Oh, he even sees me in the dark!</em>\n<em> At night I\'m immersed in the light!\"</em>\n<em> It\'s a fact: darkness isn\'t dark to you;</em>\n<em> night and day, darkness and light, they\'re all the same to you.</em>\nPsalms 139 (message)\n\nLike David, I am not afraid of the darkness in me anymore. I found that being OK to look at, deal with, run at it and feel the pain of what is hidden in my darkness opens doors of Truth to real freedom. The fact that I used the word \"shit\" as a the title is what I mean. I never cussed before, God forbid someone hear me and think I was not holy, or pure, or the great guy I have worked so hard to be. Forget that! God this shit is overwhelming. I have no clue how to get out of it. I am drowning in darkness. I surrender all!\n\nSo good ol Peter steps out to walk on the water and before he can get far he is sinking. Lets fast forward a couple thousand years and here we have Jon Crouch trying to walk, but its not water, its shit. My shit, you know the stuff that stinks, the stuff most people don\'t want to see. I am OK looking at it, but if someone else see\'s it they freak. (I know a bit graphic but true.) I tried so hard to be someone, to use people, systems whatever to get love or attention some sort of pat on my back. All the time I am starting to sink, because without real love I turn to any sort of self soothing method. These methods are eating away at my soul. It\'s harder to hide, harder to be nice, I find myself pushing away from those closest to me. I feel like a big piece of shit or like I am sinking into it.\n\nIn the past I had people come to me who were is the blissful situation, amazingly I had nothing to say. I was shocked at their mess, I would offer the great advice of, pray more, read your bible, or the classical just get over it. Now its me who\'s made a mess, who\'s finally sinking. I realize I am not going to make it without some serious help. I know its good in some deep spiritual cosmic way, but I am terrified. \"Jesus I am sinking in this shit!\"\n\nSuddenly I realize, He is walking on it. He does not have a nose plug, He\'s not freaking out lecturing me on why I\'m sinking. He is smiling at me with arms out wide. He picks me up give me a big long hug. I am shocked, broken, a mess and He is with me.\n\nHe tells me, \"It\'s over son, no more trying, no more effort, just let go and trust what I see in you.\"\n\nSo now this shit I was sinking in has become the energy and fuel for the life Jesus promised.\n\n\"You\'ll take delight in God, the Mighty One,\nand look to him joyfully, boldly.\nYou\'ll pray to him and he\'ll listen;\nhe\'ll help you do what you\'ve promised.\nYou\'ll decide what you want and it will happen;\nyour life will be bathed in light.\nTo those who feel low you\'ll say, \'Chin up! Be brave!\'\nand God will save them.\nYes, even the guilty will escape,\nescape through God\'s grace in your life.\"\nJob 22 (The Message)\n\nMy pain becomes my platform, my messes my messages, my brokenness an invitation to a living God\'s embrace. Chin up! Be Brave! This messy boy believes in you!\n\n<strong>\"I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.\" - David Thoreau</strong>','This Shit Makes Energy!','','inherit','open','open','','3045-revision-8','','','2011-12-09 10:33:12','2011-12-09 18:33:12','',3045,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3045-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(3079,24,'2011-12-09 10:33:23','2011-12-09 18:33:23','My recent exploration of the idea of  \"me\" has led \"me\" to a remarkable fact. Self exploration can be the best exploration of all. I have not done much of this in the past?  I have been scared to look within. Afraid that something is wrong with me. (That has actually turned out to be true!) I thought only weak people talk about their weaknesses, then they don\'t have to do anything. They have no mission or vision for their lives so they are perishing.  That was a lame thought. If I every said that to you consider this a formal apology.\r\n\r\nWhat if when God formed man and blew the breath of life into us we became and eternal unsearchable being like him. What if there is no end to our souls. What if the more we search the more we discover about God and His amazing love for us.\r\n\r\nWhere could I go and find God absent? It seems everything I perceive to be \'out there\' is leading me towards and inner gaze.\r\nDavid seemed to recognize this phenomena when in Psalm 139.\r\n\r\n<em>I look behind me and you\'re there,</em>\r\n<em> then up ahead and you\'re there, too—</em>\r\n<em> your reassuring presence, coming and going.</em>\r\n<em> This is too much, too wonderful—</em>\r\n<em> I can\'t take it all in!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?</em>\r\n<em> to be out of your sight?</em>\r\n<em> If I climb to the sky, you\'re there!</em>\r\n<em> If I go underground, you\'re there!</em>\r\n<em> If I flew on morning\'s wings</em>\r\n<em> to the far western horizon,</em>\r\n<em> You\'d find me in a minute—</em>\r\n<em> you\'re already there waiting!</em>\r\n<em> Then I said to myself, \"Oh, he even sees me in the dark!</em>\r\n<em> At night I\'m immersed in the light!\"</em>\r\n<em> It\'s a fact: darkness isn\'t dark to you;</em>\r\n<em> night and day, darkness and light, they\'re all the same to you.</em>\r\nPsalms 139 (message)\r\n\r\nLike David, I am not afraid of the darkness in me anymore. I found that being OK to look at, deal with, run at it and feel the pain of what is hidden in my darkness opens doors of Truth to real freedom. The fact that I used the word \"shit\" as a the title is what I mean. I never cussed before, God forbid someone hear me and think I was not holy, or pure, or the great guy I have worked so hard to be. Forget that! God this shit is overwhelming. I have no clue how to get out of it. I am drowning in darkness. I surrender all!\r\n\r\nSo good ol Peter steps out to walk on the water and before he can get far he is sinking. Lets fast forward a couple thousand years and here we have Jon Crouch trying to walk, but its not water, its shit. My shit, you know the stuff that stinks, the stuff most people don\'t want to see. I am OK looking at it, but if someone else see\'s it they freak. (I know a bit graphic but true.) I tried so hard to be someone, to use people, systems whatever to get love or attention some sort of pat on my back. All the time I am starting to sink, because without real love I turn to any sort of self soothing method. These methods are eating away at my soul. It\'s harder to hide, harder to be nice, I find myself pushing away from those closest to me. I feel like a big piece of shit or like I am sinking into it.\r\n\r\nIn the past I had people come to me who were is the blissful situation, amazingly I had nothing to say. I was shocked at their mess, I would offer the great advice of, pray more, read your bible, or the classical just get over it. Now its me who\'s made a mess, who\'s finally sinking. I realize I am not going to make it without some serious help. I know its good in some deep spiritual cosmic way, but I am terrified. \"Jesus I am sinking in this shit!\"\r\n\r\nSuddenly I realize, He is walking on it. He does not have a nose plug, He\'s not freaking out lecturing me on why I\'m sinking. He is smiling at me with arms out wide. He picks me up give me a big long hug. I am shocked, broken, a mess and He is with me.\r\n\r\nHe tells me, \"It\'s over son, no more trying, no more effort, just let go and trust what I see in you.\"\r\n\r\nSo now this shit I was sinking in has become the energy and fuel for the life Jesus promised.\r\n\r\n\"You\'ll take delight in God, the Mighty One,\r\nand look to him joyfully, boldly.\r\nYou\'ll pray to him and he\'ll listen;\r\nhe\'ll help you do what you\'ve promised.\r\nYou\'ll decide what you want and it will happen;\r\nyour life will be bathed in light.\r\nTo those who feel low you\'ll say, \'Chin up! Be brave!\'\r\nand God will save them.\r\nYes, even the guilty will escape,\r\nescape through God\'s grace in your life.\"\r\nJob 22 (The Message)\r\n\r\nMy pain becomes my platform, my messes my messages, my brokenness an invitation to a living God\'s embrace. Chin up! Be Brave! This messy boy believes in you!\r\n\r\n<strong>\"I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.\" - David Thoreau</strong>','This Shit Makes Energy!','','inherit','open','open','','3045-revision-9','','','2011-12-09 10:33:23','2011-12-09 18:33:23','',3045,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3045-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(3080,115,'2011-12-13 08:00:04','2011-12-13 16:00:04','It has been said that divorce is like a death in the family. I would submit that this is not a fair comparison. When a member of your family passes away, loved ones flock to the funeral. Your friends stand by you at the cemetery and watch as the deceased is lowered into the ground. Friends and family descend upon your house with gifts of food and companionship. I can remember when my mother passed away. My closest friends in the world traveled great distances just to sit with me. We stayed up late that night telling stories about my mother.\r\n\r\nDuring my divorce, however, I was alone.\r\n\r\nI was partially to blame for my isolation. Although my marriage had long been in trouble, I was too ashamed to tell others. Rather than confront the issue head-on, I chose to withdraw into solitude. I pursued activities that I could enjoy alone. Cycling, hiking, writing, and even Bible study became reasons to avoid my marital woes. The marriage was over before anyone even attempted to save it. No counseling. No conversation. Like an old dog, it simply died.\r\n\r\nI was a leader in my local church. I taught small groups and volunteered for nearly every opportunity to serve. Many people assumed I would follow in the pastor’s footsteps. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have the courage to tell them my marriage had failed. As a Christian, I had suffered the loss of more than just my marriage. I had lost standing in my church. I had lost a way of life. I felt as if I had let everyone in my church down.  So I withdrew into my shell. For weeks I isolated myself from my friends. It was easier to avoid my church friends than face their criticism and disappointment.\r\n\r\nLittle did I know I was playing right into the enemy’s hands.\r\n\r\nSatan wants to keep us in the dark. Just a few short weeks after my marriage ended, I looked out the window to see my friend and pastor pulling into the driveway. Positive he was there to chastise me for my mistakes, I hurried to turn out the lights and hid behind some furniture. My friend knocked on the door a few times while I remained in my hiding place. There I was, a grown man, crouched in the dark like a common thief. God had thrown me a lifeline in the form of my friend and I <em>chose</em> to remain in the dark – right where the enemy wanted me.\r\n\r\nThe Word makes it clear that things are easier to deal with once they are in the light. Christ Himself said, “I have come <em>as</em> Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46 NASB). The darkness Christ spoke of was a metaphorical one. It was a darkness denoted by wickedness and ignorance of the Divine. The end result of the darkness Christ spoke of is a miserable, hellish existence. As I crouched behind furniture in my darkened living room, I was creating the kind of hellish existence that Christ hoped I would avoid.\r\n\r\nNearly a month would pass before I agreed to meet my friend at a local coffee shop. He revealed to me that he had known I was in the house that night. He had watched from the outside as my lights turned off one by one. He explained to me that he had come to apologize for failing as my pastor. He blamed himself for not catching the warning signs that my marriage was in trouble. While he acknowledged that the church might judge me harshly for my divorce, he assured me that he simply wanted to be there for me and offer support. His support helped set me on the path to healing. Knowing that I had just one Christian friend who loved me unconditionally helped reconcile me with God. His example was one that I desperately needed.\r\n\r\nIronically, I could have enjoyed his support much earlier had I just opened my front door when he came to my house. Light would have entered into the darkness of my situation.\r\n\r\nIf you have experienced the pain of divorce, you may be tempted to hide yourself in the darkness. For fear of judgment and ridicule you may avoid your church and Christian friends. You may be tempted to withdraw from God, however, the Word reveals how futile such a strategy is:\r\n<blockquote><sup>7</sup> Where can I go from Your Spirit?\r\nOr where can I flee from Your presence?\r\n<sup>8</sup> If I ascend to heaven, You are there;\r\nIf I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.\r\n<sup>9</sup> If I take the wings of the dawn,\r\nIf I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,\r\n<sup>10</sup> Even there Your hand will lead me,\r\nAnd Your right hand will lay hold of me.\r\n<sup>11</sup> If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,\r\nAnd the light around me will be night,”\r\n<sup>12</sup> Even the darkness is not dark to You,\r\nAnd the night is as bright as the day.\r\nDarkness and light are alike <em>to You</em>. – Psalm 139:7-12 NASB</blockquote>\r\nThere is no retreating from a God who loves you. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Rather than crouch in the darkness, seek out Christian friends and family who can help shed God’s light on your situation.\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: dieraecherin courtesy of morgueFile','From Darkness Into Light ','','publish','open','open','','from-darkness-into-light','','','2011-12-12 08:23:14','2011-12-12 16:23:14','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=3080',0,'post','',2),(3081,115,'2011-12-09 10:54:11','2011-12-09 18:54:11','It has been said that divorce is like a death in the family. I would submit that this is not a fair comparison. When a member of your family passes away, loved ones flock to the funeral. Your friends stand by you at the cemetery and watch as the deceased is lowered into the ground. Friends and family descend upon your house with gifts of food and companionship. I can remember when my mother passed away. My closest friends in the world traveled great distances just to sit with me. We stayed up late that night telling stories about my mother.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nDuring my divorce, however, I was alone.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI was partially to blame for my isolation. Although my marriage had long been in trouble, I was too ashamed to tell others. Rather than confront the issue head-on, I chose to withdraw into solitude. I pursued activities that I could enjoy alone. Cycling, hiking, writing, and even Bible study became reasons to avoid my marital woes. The marriage was over before anyone even attempted to save it. No counseling. No conversation. Like an old dog, it simply died.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI was a leader in my local church. I taught small groups and volunteered for nearly every opportunity to serve. Many people assumed I would follow in the pastor’s footsteps. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have the courage to tell them my marriage had failed. As a Christian, I had suffered the loss of more than just my marriage. I had lost standing in my church. I had lost a way of life. I felt as if I had let everyone in my church down.  So I withdrew into my shell. For weeks I isolated myself from my friends. It was easier to avoid my church friends than face their criticism and disappointment.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLittle did I know I was playing right into the enemy’s hands.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSatan wants to keep us in the dark. Just a few short weeks after my marriage ended, I looked out the window to see my friend and pastor pulling into the driveway. Positive he was there to chastise me for my mistakes, I hurried to turn out the lights and hid behind some furniture. My friend knocked on the door a few times while I remained in my hiding place. There I was, a grown man, crouched in the dark like a common thief. God had thrown me a lifeline in the form of my friend and I <em>chose</em> to remain in the dark – right where the enemy wanted me.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe Word makes it clear that things are easier to deal with once they are in the light. Christ Himself said, “I have come <em>as</em> Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46 NASB). The darkness Christ spoke of was a metaphorical one. It was a darkness denoted by wickedness and ignorance of the Divine. The end result of the darkness Christ spoke of is a miserable, hellish existence. As I crouched behind furniture in my darkened living room, I was creating the kind of hellish existence that Christ hoped I would avoid.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nNearly a month would pass before I agreed to meet my friend at a local coffee shop. He revealed to me that he had known I was in the house that night. He had watched from the outside as my lights turned off one by one. He explained to me that he had come to apologize for failing as my pastor. He blamed himself for not catching the warning signs that my marriage was in trouble. While he acknowledged that the church might judge me harshly for my divorce, he assured me that he simply wanted to be there for me and offer support. His support helped set me on the path to healing. Knowing that I had just one Christian friend who loved me unconditionally helped reconcile me with God. His example was one that I desperately needed.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIronically, I could have enjoyed his support much earlier had I just opened my front door when he came to my house. Light would have entered into the darkness of my situation.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you have experienced the pain of divorce, you may be tempted to hide yourself in the darkness. For fear of judgment and ridicule you may avoid your church and Christian friends. You may be tempted to withdraw from God, however, the Word reveals how futile such a strategy is:\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<sup>7</sup> Where can I go from Your Spirit?\nOr where can I flee from Your presence?\n<sup>8</sup> If I ascend to heaven, You are there;\nIf I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.\n<sup>9</sup> If I take the wings of the dawn,\nIf I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,\n<sup>10</sup> Even there Your hand will lead me,\nAnd Your right hand will lay hold of me.\n<sup>11</sup> If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,\nAnd the light around me will be night,”\n<sup>12</sup> Even the darkness is not dark to You,\nAnd the night is as bright as the day.\nDarkness and light are alike <em>to You</em>. – Psalm 139:7-12 NASB\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThere is no retreating from a God who loves you. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Rather than crouch in the darkness, seek out Christian friends and family who can help shed God’s light on your situation.','','','inherit','open','open','','3080-revision','','','2011-12-09 10:54:11','2011-12-09 18:54:11','',3080,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3080-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(3083,115,'2011-12-09 10:55:57','2011-12-09 18:55:57','It has been said that divorce is like a death in the family. I would submit that this is not a fair comparison. When a member of your family passes away, loved ones flock to the funeral. Your friends stand by you at the cemetery and watch as the deceased is lowered into the ground. Friends and family descend upon your house with gifts of food and companionship. I can remember when my mother passed away. My closest friends in the world traveled great distances just to sit with me. We stayed up late that night telling stories about my mother.\r\n\r\nDuring my divorce, however, I was alone.\r\n\r\nI was partially to blame for my isolation. Although my marriage had long been in trouble, I was too ashamed to tell others. Rather than confront the issue head-on, I chose to withdraw into solitude. I pursued activities that I could enjoy alone. Cycling, hiking, writing, and even Bible study became reasons to avoid my marital woes. The marriage was over before anyone even attempted to save it. No counseling. No conversation. Like an old dog, it simply died.\r\n\r\nI was a leader in my local church. I taught small groups and volunteered for nearly every opportunity to serve. Many people assumed I would follow in the pastor’s footsteps. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have the courage to tell them my marriage had failed. As a Christian, I had suffered the loss of more than just my marriage. I had lost standing in my church. I had lost a way of life. I felt as if I had let everyone in my church down.  So I withdrew into my shell. For weeks I isolated myself from my friends. It was easier to avoid my church friends than face their criticism and disappointment.\r\n\r\nLittle did I know I was playing right into the enemy’s hands.\r\n\r\nSatan wants to keep us in the dark. Just a few short weeks after my marriage ended, I looked out the window to see my friend and pastor pulling into the driveway. Positive he was there to chastise me for my mistakes, I hurried to turn out the lights and hid behind some furniture. My friend knocked on the door a few times while I remained in my hiding place. There I was, a grown man, crouched in the dark like a common thief. God had thrown me a lifeline in the form of my friend and I <em>chose</em> to remain in the dark – right where the enemy wanted me.\r\n\r\nThe Word makes it clear that things are easier to deal with once they are in the light. Christ Himself said, “I have come <em>as</em> Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46 NASB). The darkness Christ spoke of was a metaphorical one. It was a darkness denoted by wickedness and ignorance of the Divine. The end result of the darkness Christ spoke of is a miserable, hellish existence. As I crouched behind furniture in my darkened living room, I was creating the kind of hellish existence that Christ hoped I would avoid.\r\n\r\nNearly a month would pass before I agreed to meet my friend at a local coffee shop. He revealed to me that he had known I was in the house that night. He had watched from the outside as my lights turned off one by one. He explained to me that he had come to apologize for failing as my pastor. He blamed himself for not catching the warning signs that my marriage was in trouble. While he acknowledged that the church might judge me harshly for my divorce, he assured me that he simply wanted to be there for me and offer support. His support helped set me on the path to healing. Knowing that I had just one Christian friend who loved me unconditionally helped reconcile me with God. His example was one that I desperately needed.\r\n\r\nIronically, I could have enjoyed his support much earlier had I just opened my front door when he came to my house. Light would have entered into the darkness of my situation.\r\n\r\nIf you have experienced the pain of divorce, you may be tempted to hide yourself in the darkness. For fear of judgment and ridicule you may avoid your church and Christian friends. You may be tempted to withdraw from God, however, the Word reveals how futile such a strategy is:\r\n<blockquote><sup>7</sup> Where can I go from Your Spirit?\r\nOr where can I flee from Your presence?\r\n<sup>8</sup> If I ascend to heaven, You are there;\r\nIf I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.\r\n<sup>9</sup> If I take the wings of the dawn,\r\nIf I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,\r\n<sup>10</sup> Even there Your hand will lead me,\r\nAnd Your right hand will lay hold of me.\r\n<sup>11</sup> If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,\r\nAnd the light around me will be night,”\r\n<sup>12</sup> Even the darkness is not dark to You,\r\nAnd the night is as bright as the day.\r\nDarkness and light are alike <em>to You</em>. – Psalm 139:7-12 NASB</blockquote>\r\nThere is no retreating from a God who loves you. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Rather than crouch in the darkness, seek out Christian friends and family who can help shed God’s light on your situation.','','','inherit','open','open','','3080-revision-3','','','2011-12-09 10:55:57','2011-12-09 18:55:57','',3080,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3080-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(3082,115,'2011-12-09 10:54:19','2011-12-09 18:54:19','It has been said that divorce is like a death in the family. I would submit that this is not a fair comparison. When a member of your family passes away, loved ones flock to the funeral. Your friends stand by you at the cemetery and watch as the deceased is lowered into the ground. Friends and family descend upon your house with gifts of food and companionship. I can remember when my mother passed away. My closest friends in the world traveled great distances just to sit with me. We stayed up late that night telling stories about my mother.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDuring my divorce, however, I was alone.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI was partially to blame for my isolation. Although my marriage had long been in trouble, I was too ashamed to tell others. Rather than confront the issue head-on, I chose to withdraw into solitude. I pursued activities that I could enjoy alone. Cycling, hiking, writing, and even Bible study became reasons to avoid my marital woes. The marriage was over before anyone even attempted to save it. No counseling. No conversation. Like an old dog, it simply died.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI was a leader in my local church. I taught small groups and volunteered for nearly every opportunity to serve. Many people assumed I would follow in the pastor’s footsteps. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have the courage to tell them my marriage had failed. As a Christian, I had suffered the loss of more than just my marriage. I had lost standing in my church. I had lost a way of life. I felt as if I had let everyone in my church down.  So I withdrew into my shell. For weeks I isolated myself from my friends. It was easier to avoid my church friends than face their criticism and disappointment.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLittle did I know I was playing right into the enemy’s hands.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSatan wants to keep us in the dark. Just a few short weeks after my marriage ended, I looked out the window to see my friend and pastor pulling into the driveway. Positive he was there to chastise me for my mistakes, I hurried to turn out the lights and hid behind some furniture. My friend knocked on the door a few times while I remained in my hiding place. There I was, a grown man, crouched in the dark like a common thief. God had thrown me a lifeline in the form of my friend and I <em>chose</em> to remain in the dark – right where the enemy wanted me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Word makes it clear that things are easier to deal with once they are in the light. Christ Himself said, “I have come <em>as</em> Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46 NASB). The darkness Christ spoke of was a metaphorical one. It was a darkness denoted by wickedness and ignorance of the Divine. The end result of the darkness Christ spoke of is a miserable, hellish existence. As I crouched behind furniture in my darkened living room, I was creating the kind of hellish existence that Christ hoped I would avoid.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNearly a month would pass before I agreed to meet my friend at a local coffee shop. He revealed to me that he had known I was in the house that night. He had watched from the outside as my lights turned off one by one. He explained to me that he had come to apologize for failing as my pastor. He blamed himself for not catching the warning signs that my marriage was in trouble. While he acknowledged that the church might judge me harshly for my divorce, he assured me that he simply wanted to be there for me and offer support. His support helped set me on the path to healing. Knowing that I had just one Christian friend who loved me unconditionally helped reconcile me with God. His example was one that I desperately needed.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIronically, I could have enjoyed his support much earlier had I just opened my front door when he came to my house. Light would have entered into the darkness of my situation.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you have experienced the pain of divorce, you may be tempted to hide yourself in the darkness. For fear of judgment and ridicule you may avoid your church and Christian friends. You may be tempted to withdraw from God, however, the Word reveals how futile such a strategy is:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<sup>7</sup> Where can I go from Your Spirit?\r\nOr where can I flee from Your presence?\r\n<sup>8</sup> If I ascend to heaven, You are there;\r\nIf I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.\r\n<sup>9</sup> If I take the wings of the dawn,\r\nIf I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,\r\n<sup>10</sup> Even there Your hand will lead me,\r\nAnd Your right hand will lay hold of me.\r\n<sup>11</sup> If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,\r\nAnd the light around me will be night,”\r\n<sup>12</sup> Even the darkness is not dark to You,\r\nAnd the night is as bright as the day.\r\nDarkness and light are alike <em>to You</em>. – Psalm 139:7-12 NASB\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThere is no retreating from a God who loves you. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Rather than crouch in the darkness, seek out Christian friends and family who can help shed God’s light on your situation.','','','inherit','open','open','','3080-revision-2','','','2011-12-09 10:54:19','2011-12-09 18:54:19','',3080,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3080-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(3084,115,'2011-12-09 11:07:52','2011-12-09 19:07:52','','IMG_2136_y','','inherit','open','open','','img_2136_y','','','2011-12-09 11:07:52','2011-12-09 19:07:52','',3080,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/IMG_2136_y.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3085,115,'2011-12-09 11:10:48','2011-12-09 19:10:48','It has been said that divorce is like a death in the family. I would submit that this is not a fair comparison. When a member of your family passes away, loved ones flock to the funeral. Your friends stand by you at the cemetery and watch as the deceased is lowered into the ground. Friends and family descend upon your house with gifts of food and companionship. I can remember when my mother passed away. My closest friends in the world traveled great distances just to sit with me. We stayed up late that night telling stories about my mother.\n\nDuring my divorce, however, I was alone.\n\nI was partially to blame for my isolation. Although my marriage had long been in trouble, I was too ashamed to tell others. Rather than confront the issue head-on, I chose to withdraw into solitude. I pursued activities that I could enjoy alone. Cycling, hiking, writing, and even Bible study became reasons to avoid my marital woes. The marriage was over before anyone even attempted to save it. No counseling. No conversation. Like an old dog, it simply died.\n\nI was a leader in my local church. I taught small groups and volunteered for nearly every opportunity to serve. Many people assumed I would follow in the pastor’s footsteps. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have the courage to tell them my marriage had failed. As a Christian, I had suffered the loss of more than just my marriage. I had lost standing in my church. I had lost a way of life. I felt as if I had let everyone in my church down.  So I withdrew into my shell. For weeks I isolated myself from my friends. It was easier to avoid my church friends than face their criticism and disappointment.\n\nLittle did I know I was playing right into the enemy’s hands.\n\nImage by\n\nSatan wants to keep us in the dark. Just a few short weeks after my marriage ended, I looked out the window to see my friend and pastor pulling into the driveway. Positive he was there to chastise me for my mistakes, I hurried to turn out the lights and hid behind some furniture. My friend knocked on the door a few times while I remained in my hiding place. There I was, a grown man, crouched in the dark like a common thief. God had thrown me a lifeline in the form of my friend and I <em>chose</em> to remain in the dark – right where the enemy wanted me.\n\nThe Word makes it clear that things are easier to deal with once they are in the light. Christ Himself said, “I have come <em>as</em> Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46 NASB). The darkness Christ spoke of was a metaphorical one. It was a darkness denoted by wickedness and ignorance of the Divine. The end result of the darkness Christ spoke of is a miserable, hellish existence. As I crouched behind furniture in my darkened living room, I was creating the kind of hellish existence that Christ hoped I would avoid.\n\nNearly a month would pass before I agreed to meet my friend at a local coffee shop. He revealed to me that he had known I was in the house that night. He had watched from the outside as my lights turned off one by one. He explained to me that he had come to apologize for failing as my pastor. He blamed himself for not catching the warning signs that my marriage was in trouble. While he acknowledged that the church might judge me harshly for my divorce, he assured me that he simply wanted to be there for me and offer support. His support helped set me on the path to healing. Knowing that I had just one Christian friend who loved me unconditionally helped reconcile me with God. His example was one that I desperately needed.\n\nIronically, I could have enjoyed his support much earlier had I just opened my front door when he came to my house. Light would have entered into the darkness of my situation.\n\nIf you have experienced the pain of divorce, you may be tempted to hide yourself in the darkness. For fear of judgment and ridicule you may avoid your church and Christian friends. You may be tempted to withdraw from God, however, the Word reveals how futile such a strategy is:\n<blockquote><sup>7</sup> Where can I go from Your Spirit?\nOr where can I flee from Your presence?\n<sup>8</sup> If I ascend to heaven, You are there;\nIf I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.\n<sup>9</sup> If I take the wings of the dawn,\nIf I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,\n<sup>10</sup> Even there Your hand will lead me,\nAnd Your right hand will lay hold of me.\n<sup>11</sup> If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,\nAnd the light around me will be night,”\n<sup>12</sup> Even the darkness is not dark to You,\nAnd the night is as bright as the day.\nDarkness and light are alike <em>to You</em>. – Psalm 139:7-12 NASB</blockquote>\nThere is no retreating from a God who loves you. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Rather than crouch in the darkness, seek out Christian friends and family who can help shed God’s light on your situation.\n\nPhoto credit: dieraecherin courte','From Darkness Into Light ','','inherit','open','open','','3080-revision-4','','','2011-12-09 11:10:48','2011-12-09 19:10:48','',3080,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3080-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(3086,115,'2011-12-09 11:11:14','2011-12-09 19:11:14','It has been said that divorce is like a death in the family. I would submit that this is not a fair comparison. When a member of your family passes away, loved ones flock to the funeral. Your friends stand by you at the cemetery and watch as the deceased is lowered into the ground. Friends and family descend upon your house with gifts of food and companionship. I can remember when my mother passed away. My closest friends in the world traveled great distances just to sit with me. We stayed up late that night telling stories about my mother.\r\n\r\nDuring my divorce, however, I was alone.\r\n\r\nI was partially to blame for my isolation. Although my marriage had long been in trouble, I was too ashamed to tell others. Rather than confront the issue head-on, I chose to withdraw into solitude. I pursued activities that I could enjoy alone. Cycling, hiking, writing, and even Bible study became reasons to avoid my marital woes. The marriage was over before anyone even attempted to save it. No counseling. No conversation. Like an old dog, it simply died.\r\n\r\nI was a leader in my local church. I taught small groups and volunteered for nearly every opportunity to serve. Many people assumed I would follow in the pastor’s footsteps. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have the courage to tell them my marriage had failed. As a Christian, I had suffered the loss of more than just my marriage. I had lost standing in my church. I had lost a way of life. I felt as if I had let everyone in my church down.  So I withdrew into my shell. For weeks I isolated myself from my friends. It was easier to avoid my church friends than face their criticism and disappointment.\r\n\r\nLittle did I know I was playing right into the enemy’s hands.\r\n\r\nImage by\r\n\r\nSatan wants to keep us in the dark. Just a few short weeks after my marriage ended, I looked out the window to see my friend and pastor pulling into the driveway. Positive he was there to chastise me for my mistakes, I hurried to turn out the lights and hid behind some furniture. My friend knocked on the door a few times while I remained in my hiding place. There I was, a grown man, crouched in the dark like a common thief. God had thrown me a lifeline in the form of my friend and I <em>chose</em> to remain in the dark – right where the enemy wanted me.\r\n\r\nThe Word makes it clear that things are easier to deal with once they are in the light. Christ Himself said, “I have come <em>as</em> Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46 NASB). The darkness Christ spoke of was a metaphorical one. It was a darkness denoted by wickedness and ignorance of the Divine. The end result of the darkness Christ spoke of is a miserable, hellish existence. As I crouched behind furniture in my darkened living room, I was creating the kind of hellish existence that Christ hoped I would avoid.\r\n\r\nNearly a month would pass before I agreed to meet my friend at a local coffee shop. He revealed to me that he had known I was in the house that night. He had watched from the outside as my lights turned off one by one. He explained to me that he had come to apologize for failing as my pastor. He blamed himself for not catching the warning signs that my marriage was in trouble. While he acknowledged that the church might judge me harshly for my divorce, he assured me that he simply wanted to be there for me and offer support. His support helped set me on the path to healing. Knowing that I had just one Christian friend who loved me unconditionally helped reconcile me with God. His example was one that I desperately needed.\r\n\r\nIronically, I could have enjoyed his support much earlier had I just opened my front door when he came to my house. Light would have entered into the darkness of my situation.\r\n\r\nIf you have experienced the pain of divorce, you may be tempted to hide yourself in the darkness. For fear of judgment and ridicule you may avoid your church and Christian friends. You may be tempted to withdraw from God, however, the Word reveals how futile such a strategy is:\r\n<blockquote><sup>7</sup> Where can I go from Your Spirit?\r\nOr where can I flee from Your presence?\r\n<sup>8</sup> If I ascend to heaven, You are there;\r\nIf I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.\r\n<sup>9</sup> If I take the wings of the dawn,\r\nIf I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,\r\n<sup>10</sup> Even there Your hand will lead me,\r\nAnd Your right hand will lay hold of me.\r\n<sup>11</sup> If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,\r\nAnd the light around me will be night,”\r\n<sup>12</sup> Even the darkness is not dark to You,\r\nAnd the night is as bright as the day.\r\nDarkness and light are alike <em>to You</em>. – Psalm 139:7-12 NASB</blockquote>\r\nThere is no retreating from a God who loves you. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Rather than crouch in the darkness, seek out Christian friends and family who can help shed God’s light on your situation.\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: dieraecherin courtesy of morgueFile','From Darkness Into Light ','','inherit','open','open','','3080-revision-5','','','2011-12-09 11:11:14','2011-12-09 19:11:14','',3080,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3080-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(3087,115,'2011-12-09 11:11:21','2011-12-09 19:11:21','It has been said that divorce is like a death in the family. I would submit that this is not a fair comparison. When a member of your family passes away, loved ones flock to the funeral. Your friends stand by you at the cemetery and watch as the deceased is lowered into the ground. Friends and family descend upon your house with gifts of food and companionship. I can remember when my mother passed away. My closest friends in the world traveled great distances just to sit with me. We stayed up late that night telling stories about my mother.\r\n\r\nDuring my divorce, however, I was alone.\r\n\r\nI was partially to blame for my isolation. Although my marriage had long been in trouble, I was too ashamed to tell others. Rather than confront the issue head-on, I chose to withdraw into solitude. I pursued activities that I could enjoy alone. Cycling, hiking, writing, and even Bible study became reasons to avoid my marital woes. The marriage was over before anyone even attempted to save it. No counseling. No conversation. Like an old dog, it simply died.\r\n\r\nI was a leader in my local church. I taught small groups and volunteered for nearly every opportunity to serve. Many people assumed I would follow in the pastor’s footsteps. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have the courage to tell them my marriage had failed. As a Christian, I had suffered the loss of more than just my marriage. I had lost standing in my church. I had lost a way of life. I felt as if I had let everyone in my church down.  So I withdrew into my shell. For weeks I isolated myself from my friends. It was easier to avoid my church friends than face their criticism and disappointment.\r\n\r\nLittle did I know I was playing right into the enemy’s hands.\r\n\r\nImage by\r\n\r\nSatan wants to keep us in the dark. Just a few short weeks after my marriage ended, I looked out the window to see my friend and pastor pulling into the driveway. Positive he was there to chastise me for my mistakes, I hurried to turn out the lights and hid behind some furniture. My friend knocked on the door a few times while I remained in my hiding place. There I was, a grown man, crouched in the dark like a common thief. God had thrown me a lifeline in the form of my friend and I <em>chose</em> to remain in the dark – right where the enemy wanted me.\r\n\r\nThe Word makes it clear that things are easier to deal with once they are in the light. Christ Himself said, “I have come <em>as</em> Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46 NASB). The darkness Christ spoke of was a metaphorical one. It was a darkness denoted by wickedness and ignorance of the Divine. The end result of the darkness Christ spoke of is a miserable, hellish existence. As I crouched behind furniture in my darkened living room, I was creating the kind of hellish existence that Christ hoped I would avoid.\r\n\r\nNearly a month would pass before I agreed to meet my friend at a local coffee shop. He revealed to me that he had known I was in the house that night. He had watched from the outside as my lights turned off one by one. He explained to me that he had come to apologize for failing as my pastor. He blamed himself for not catching the warning signs that my marriage was in trouble. While he acknowledged that the church might judge me harshly for my divorce, he assured me that he simply wanted to be there for me and offer support. His support helped set me on the path to healing. Knowing that I had just one Christian friend who loved me unconditionally helped reconcile me with God. His example was one that I desperately needed.\r\n\r\nIronically, I could have enjoyed his support much earlier had I just opened my front door when he came to my house. Light would have entered into the darkness of my situation.\r\n\r\nIf you have experienced the pain of divorce, you may be tempted to hide yourself in the darkness. For fear of judgment and ridicule you may avoid your church and Christian friends. You may be tempted to withdraw from God, however, the Word reveals how futile such a strategy is:\r\n<blockquote><sup>7</sup> Where can I go from Your Spirit?\r\nOr where can I flee from Your presence?\r\n<sup>8</sup> If I ascend to heaven, You are there;\r\nIf I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.\r\n<sup>9</sup> If I take the wings of the dawn,\r\nIf I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,\r\n<sup>10</sup> Even there Your hand will lead me,\r\nAnd Your right hand will lay hold of me.\r\n<sup>11</sup> If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,\r\nAnd the light around me will be night,”\r\n<sup>12</sup> Even the darkness is not dark to You,\r\nAnd the night is as bright as the day.\r\nDarkness and light are alike <em>to You</em>. – Psalm 139:7-12 NASB</blockquote>\r\nThere is no retreating from a God who loves you. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Rather than crouch in the darkness, seek out Christian friends and family who can help shed God’s light on your situation.\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: dieraecherin courtesy of morgueFile','From Darkness Into Light ','','inherit','open','open','','3080-revision-6','','','2011-12-09 11:11:21','2011-12-09 19:11:21','',3080,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3080-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(3088,1,'2011-12-12 08:22:19','2011-12-12 16:22:19','It has been said that divorce is like a death in the family. I would submit that this is not a fair comparison. When a member of your family passes away, loved ones flock to the funeral. Your friends stand by you at the cemetery and watch as the deceased is lowered into the ground. Friends and family descend upon your house with gifts of food and companionship. I can remember when my mother passed away. My closest friends in the world traveled great distances just to sit with me. We stayed up late that night telling stories about my mother.\n\nDuring my divorce, however, I was alone.\n\nI was partially to blame for my isolation. Although my marriage had long been in trouble, I was too ashamed to tell others. Rather than confront the issue head-on, I chose to withdraw into solitude. I pursued activities that I could enjoy alone. Cycling, hiking, writing, and even Bible study became reasons to avoid my marital woes. The marriage was over before anyone even attempted to save it. No counseling. No conversation. Like an old dog, it simply died.\n\nI was a leader in my local church. I taught small groups and volunteered for nearly every opportunity to serve. Many people assumed I would follow in the pastor’s footsteps. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have the courage to tell them my marriage had failed. As a Christian, I had suffered the loss of more than just my marriage. I had lost standing in my church. I had lost a way of life. I felt as if I had let everyone in my church down.  So I withdrew into my shell. For weeks I isolated myself from my friends. It was easier to avoid my church friends than face their criticism and disappointment.\n\nLittle did I know I was playing right into the enemy’s hands.\n\nSatan wants to keep us in the dark. Just a few short weeks after my marriage ended, I looked out the window to see my friend and pastor pulling into the driveway. Positive he was there to chastise me for my mistakes, I hurried to turn out the lights and hid behind some furniture. My friend knocked on the door a few times while I remained in my hiding place. There I was, a grown man, crouched in the dark like a common thief. God had thrown me a lifeline in the form of my friend and I <em>chose</em> to remain in the dark – right where the enemy wanted me.\n\nThe Word makes it clear that things are easier to deal with once they are in the light. Christ Himself said, “I have come <em>as</em> Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46 NASB). The darkness Christ spoke of was a metaphorical one. It was a darkness denoted by wickedness and ignorance of the Divine. The end result of the darkness Christ spoke of is a miserable, hellish existence. As I crouched behind furniture in my darkened living room, I was creating the kind of hellish existence that Christ hoped I would avoid.\n\nNearly a month would pass before I agreed to meet my friend at a local coffee shop. He revealed to me that he had known I was in the house that night. He had watched from the outside as my lights turned off one by one. He explained to me that he had come to apologize for failing as my pastor. He blamed himself for not catching the warning signs that my marriage was in trouble. While he acknowledged that the church might judge me harshly for my divorce, he assured me that he simply wanted to be there for me and offer support. His support helped set me on the path to healing. Knowing that I had just one Christian friend who loved me unconditionally helped reconcile me with God. His example was one that I desperately needed.\n\nIronically, I could have enjoyed his support much earlier had I just opened my front door when he came to my house. Light would have entered into the darkness of my situation.\n\nIf you have experienced the pain of divorce, you may be tempted to hide yourself in the darkness. For fear of judgment and ridicule you may avoid your church and Christian friends. You may be tempted to withdraw from God, however, the Word reveals how futile such a strategy is:\n<blockquote><sup>7</sup> Where can I go from Your Spirit?\nOr where can I flee from Your presence?\n<sup>8</sup> If I ascend to heaven, You are there;\nIf I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.\n<sup>9</sup> If I take the wings of the dawn,\nIf I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,\n<sup>10</sup> Even there Your hand will lead me,\nAnd Your right hand will lay hold of me.\n<sup>11</sup> If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,\nAnd the light around me will be night,”\n<sup>12</sup> Even the darkness is not dark to You,\nAnd the night is as bright as the day.\nDarkness and light are alike <em>to You</em>. – Psalm 139:7-12 NASB</blockquote>\nThere is no retreating from a God who loves you. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Rather than crouch in the darkness, seek out Christian friends and family who can help shed God’s light on your situation.\n\nPhoto credit: dieraecherin courtesy of morgueFile','From Darkness Into Light ','','inherit','open','open','','3080-autosave','','','2011-12-12 08:22:19','2011-12-12 16:22:19','',3080,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3080-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(3089,115,'2011-12-09 11:12:13','2011-12-09 19:12:13','It has been said that divorce is like a death in the family. I would submit that this is not a fair comparison. When a member of your family passes away, loved ones flock to the funeral. Your friends stand by you at the cemetery and watch as the deceased is lowered into the ground. Friends and family descend upon your house with gifts of food and companionship. I can remember when my mother passed away. My closest friends in the world traveled great distances just to sit with me. We stayed up late that night telling stories about my mother.\r\n\r\nDuring my divorce, however, I was alone.\r\n\r\nI was partially to blame for my isolation. Although my marriage had long been in trouble, I was too ashamed to tell others. Rather than confront the issue head-on, I chose to withdraw into solitude. I pursued activities that I could enjoy alone. Cycling, hiking, writing, and even Bible study became reasons to avoid my marital woes. The marriage was over before anyone even attempted to save it. No counseling. No conversation. Like an old dog, it simply died.\r\n\r\nI was a leader in my local church. I taught small groups and volunteered for nearly every opportunity to serve. Many people assumed I would follow in the pastor’s footsteps. Maybe that’s why I didn’t have the courage to tell them my marriage had failed. As a Christian, I had suffered the loss of more than just my marriage. I had lost standing in my church. I had lost a way of life. I felt as if I had let everyone in my church down.  So I withdrew into my shell. For weeks I isolated myself from my friends. It was easier to avoid my church friends than face their criticism and disappointment.\r\n\r\nLittle did I know I was playing right into the enemy’s hands.\r\n\r\nImage by\r\n\r\nSatan wants to keep us in the dark. Just a few short weeks after my marriage ended, I looked out the window to see my friend and pastor pulling into the driveway. Positive he was there to chastise me for my mistakes, I hurried to turn out the lights and hid behind some furniture. My friend knocked on the door a few times while I remained in my hiding place. There I was, a grown man, crouched in the dark like a common thief. God had thrown me a lifeline in the form of my friend and I <em>chose</em> to remain in the dark – right where the enemy wanted me.\r\n\r\nThe Word makes it clear that things are easier to deal with once they are in the light. Christ Himself said, “I have come <em>as</em> Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46 NASB). The darkness Christ spoke of was a metaphorical one. It was a darkness denoted by wickedness and ignorance of the Divine. The end result of the darkness Christ spoke of is a miserable, hellish existence. As I crouched behind furniture in my darkened living room, I was creating the kind of hellish existence that Christ hoped I would avoid.\r\n\r\nNearly a month would pass before I agreed to meet my friend at a local coffee shop. He revealed to me that he had known I was in the house that night. He had watched from the outside as my lights turned off one by one. He explained to me that he had come to apologize for failing as my pastor. He blamed himself for not catching the warning signs that my marriage was in trouble. While he acknowledged that the church might judge me harshly for my divorce, he assured me that he simply wanted to be there for me and offer support. His support helped set me on the path to healing. Knowing that I had just one Christian friend who loved me unconditionally helped reconcile me with God. His example was one that I desperately needed.\r\n\r\nIronically, I could have enjoyed his support much earlier had I just opened my front door when he came to my house. Light would have entered into the darkness of my situation.\r\n\r\nIf you have experienced the pain of divorce, you may be tempted to hide yourself in the darkness. For fear of judgment and ridicule you may avoid your church and Christian friends. You may be tempted to withdraw from God, however, the Word reveals how futile such a strategy is:\r\n<blockquote><sup>7</sup> Where can I go from Your Spirit?\r\nOr where can I flee from Your presence?\r\n<sup>8</sup> If I ascend to heaven, You are there;\r\nIf I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.\r\n<sup>9</sup> If I take the wings of the dawn,\r\nIf I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,\r\n<sup>10</sup> Even there Your hand will lead me,\r\nAnd Your right hand will lay hold of me.\r\n<sup>11</sup> If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,\r\nAnd the light around me will be night,”\r\n<sup>12</sup> Even the darkness is not dark to You,\r\nAnd the night is as bright as the day.\r\nDarkness and light are alike <em>to You</em>. – Psalm 139:7-12 NASB</blockquote>\r\nThere is no retreating from a God who loves you. There is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Rather than crouch in the darkness, seek out Christian friends and family who can help shed God’s light on your situation.\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: dieraecherin courtesy of morgueFile','From Darkness Into Light ','','inherit','open','open','','3080-revision-7','','','2011-12-09 11:12:13','2011-12-09 19:12:13','',3080,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/09/3080-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),