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Posts tagged Gospel
I Killed a Cat
Well, kinda. Not really….but kinda.
Most that know me, know that I really don’t like cats. It’s only right that I go ahead and clear that up at the beginning of this post. I really, really don’t like cats.
It was pouring down rain a few days ago and I was on my way to run some errands, in no hurry mind you. When I came a across a tiny little kitten that was struggling and flopping as it tried to get across 4 lanes of traffic in the rain.
My heart said, “You need to get that cat and take it somewhere before it gets killed.”
My mind said, “You hate cats, let somebody else deal with it.”
I drove about another block and realized that I was NOT doing the right thing here. So I turned around and mashed on the gas to try and get back to this vulnerable kitten.
As I got back to it and was about to jump out and get it, I saw a car run over it. Needless to say, the kitten was killed instantly.
I wanted to throw up.
Why didn’t I just stop and do what was right the very second the opportunity was presented to me?
All of the emotions that I felt this past January when I should have checked back on a homeless neighbor and didn’t only to find that he froze to death a few days later, came rushing back over me. Yeah, you can read about that disastrous inaction on my part HERE.
The window we have to do what we know we need to is very small, and doesn’t last long. At all.
Hesitation and distraction can be the difference between life and death. For animals, and for humans.
I pray that one day I’m mature enough to do right for others, instinctively. Without hesitation. Without contemplation. Without blowing it, again.
Please Stop Giving Things to ALL Other Humans!!!!
This has gone on long enough and the risk is just too high to continue giving things to people. It’s just not worth the risk anymore. Especially not in “this” economy.
The only thing we can do at this point is to just stop.
Stop giving Christmas gifts. Stop giving birthday gifts. Stop helping your kids with their first car. And certainly stop helping them pay for college!! Just stop it!!
Stop giving your teenagers lunch money. Stop giving people directions. Stop giving things to people! I can’t stress it enough!!
Because the risk is very high and chances are that those Christmas or birthday gifts may be sold, returned or even RE-GIFTED!!!
There’s a good chance that after you buy your kid a car, they’re going to break the speed limit with that gift! They could even get a ticket! And if we’re really honest, they’re probably gonna have sex in it!!! OMG!!!
And college? Don’t you know what happens there? I’m not going to help somebody pay for college if they’re gonna go to drinking parties and maybe even be exposed to marijuana or something like that! What if they tried it! I’m not contributing to that!
And that lunch money you’re giving your kids? Probably buying baseball cards or maybe even a buddy’s dad’s old Playboy magazine that buddy stole!! I’ll have no part of that. They can find a way to get food on their own!!
And for the sake of all that is good and holy, what about those HOMELESS people?!?!?!
What if God decided to never give me another blessing that He knew I would turn around and use for something I shouldn’t?? Or maybe He just suspected that I MIGHT use it for something I shouldn’t?
But He gives to me still. Abundantly. Knowing that with most of the blessings He has given me in my life I will turn around and break His heart with in some way or another. I’m glad He never stops giving. Never.
Who are we to determine the condition of someone’s heart when giving? How are we even justified in calling it a gift if we attach strings and conditions?
Jesus says to “give to anyone who asks.”
I don’t think He was joking.
And I don’t think He gave us a right to give based on our perception (or prediction) of one’s heart and/or actions.
“Give to anyone who asks.” – Jesus in Luke 6:30
“The Good Man Died. The Bad Man Thrives. Jesus Cries. Because He Loves ‘em Both.”
Sweet Lord, no other song has made me feel like my insides were going to explode. This is amazing. Honestly, I haven’t heard another “Christian” artist that has stirred me like Josh Garrels has over the last few days.
I grabbed his new album off of Noisetrade because it was free and looked interesting. I had no idea what was in store for my ears and my spirit. The album is still available for free on his website, here.
The only video that I could find doesn’t really do it justice, but I’m sharing it anyway. You can see the lyrics underneath the video. They’re brilliant.
Farther along we’ll know all about it
Farther along we’ll understand why
So, cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine
We’ll understand this, all by and byTempted and tried, I wondered why
The good man died, the bad man thrives
And Jesus cries because he loves em both
We’re all cast-aways in need of rope
Hangin’ on by the last threads of our hope
In a house of mirrors full of smoke
Confusing illusions I’ve seenWhere did I go wrong, I sang along
To every chorus of the song
That the devil wrote like a piper at the gates
Leading mice and men down to their fates
But some will courageously escape
The seductive voice with a heart of faith
While walkin’ that line back homeSo much more to life than we’ve been told
It’s full of beauty that will unfold
And shine like you struck gold my wayward son
That deadweight burden weighs a ton
Go down into the river and let it run
Wash away all the things you’ve done
Forgiveness alrightFarther along we’ll know all about it
Farther along we’ll understand why
So, cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine
We’ll understand this, all by and byStill I get hard pressed on every side
Between the rock and a compromise
Like the truth and pack of lies fightin’ for my soul
And I’ve got no place left go
‘Cause I got changed by what I’ve been shown
More glory than the world has known
Keeps me ramblin’ onSkipping like a calf loosed from its stall
I’m free to love once and for all
And even when I fall I’ll get back up
For the joy that overflows my cup
Heaven filled me with more than enough
Broke down my levees and my bluffs
Let the flood wash meAnd one day when the sky rolls back on us
Some rejoice and the others fuss
‘Cause every knee must bow and tongue confess
That the Son of God is forever blessed
His is the kingdom, we’re the guests
So put your voice up to the test
Sing Lord, come soonFarther along we’ll know all about it
Farther along we’ll understand why
So, cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine
We’ll understand this, all by and by
It’s Not a New Problem. It’s Not a New Solution….
…..but it’s a problem that has no solution being offered at this time.
These are the problems I want to attack. I don’t want to do what you’re doing. I don’t want to do what they’re doing. I want to do what’s not being done.
I used to think that I needed to correct everything. I still catch myself acting that way sometimes. But overall I’m learning that this is a complete waste of my life. It’s a pride issue that makes me think that I can do things better than those doing it. God let me know a while back that this mentality is very far from where He wants me living.
So, for the last few months I’ve been attacking the things that I think need done, that nobody else is doing. It seems to be working. People are much more receptive. Much more grateful. Much more supportive. And much more encouraged.
And me? Well, I’m much more happy. More motivated. More alive. More grateful. More inspired. More loving.
No, not every day. I can still be a very prideful asshole. A lot.
But at the end of the day it’s greatly reduced and I’m able to help a greater number of people in much greater ways when I ignore what others are doing, and just do what I can do that’s not being done.
Hope that somehow inspires you to play chicken with your life’s freight train as well…..
I’ll Always be an Advocate. I’ll Just Never be a Great One.
You know those kinds of people that you either love or hate? No in-between…
I often hear that I’m one of them.
When I was much younger this always bothered me. These days, I’m learning to embrace it.
You see, the only things that I’m really good at are driving and seeing. I don’t mind telling you that I’m the best driver in the history of the universe. Just ask my wife! ;) And I can see like a hawk. Even at night.
Fact is, I’m too fat to fit in a NASCAR….and nobody pays you to see things. That I know of.
So the next best thing is to find something I’m really passionate about, and run my mouth about it. If you know anything about me, you know that this is what I enjoy.
I advocate and run my big fat mouth about homelessness.
Advocacy takes that. Running the mouth. Shouting what others won’t. Screaming what others ignore. It means sometimes pissing people off. Making people cheer for you or want to punch you. It’s polarizing. It makes people love you….or hate you….
So if that’s already going on……capitalize!!
I advocate. I run my mouth. I don’t plan to stop.
The problem is that I’ll never really be great at it. I take it too seriously. I believe in the things that I advocate for….to the point that I get angry. Sometimes I get so mad that my hands shake or my eyes cry.
I’m too rough around the edges and passionate to be diplomatic or bureaucratic. 
And I won’t waste my time trying to be. That’s probably why Dr. Phil edited half of my time on his show!! I figure it’s for the same reason that Ellen still hasn’t called! ;)
With that, comes the fact that I’ll never be the next Ghandi. Or MLK. Or one of the “greats”. But I’ll never stop regardless.
I guess my point in this seemingly pointless rant, is that there is too much pain and too much ignorance coinciding in our world to tip-toe around the issues.
There isn’t enough time in the day to quietly and carelessly see the needs and hope they’re better tomorrow. And there isn’t enough time to quietly and passively sit and try to convince others that these horrific injustices exist.
The kicker, is that there isn’t enough evidence to convince me that Jesus wants us to shut up and stop fighting for others.
(PG-13) What The Crap Are You Looking At??
I just love a good, clever church sign. You know, one that makes everybody want to come to that church….
Like this one I saw the other day: “Our church is like fudge. Sweet with a few nuts.”
Now isn’t that just cute?
But the best one I’ve seen so far this year, is actually being displayed on at least 4 church signs around here now!! You’re gonna love it!! It says:
“Focused on Heaven, in 2011″
Now isn’t that one just brilliant?!?! I knew you’d love it as much as I do.
I love it because it’s true!! And we all love us some truth, right??
I know it’s true because I encounter people from churches all over our community daily. They really are focused on heaven. Really.
I know it’s true because there is a point in each conversation where I make them really uncomfortable. I do so by taking the conversation to a place they’ve clearly not been lately.
That place is a foreign reality. It’s a reality never visited, and grossly ignored by most.
That place is where…..
Single moms live in cars with their kids
Dads live in tents while thier kids live with their mom, who is strung out
Women who are pregnant live in tents because their baby-daddy is doing dope again
Some women choose between freezing to death or giving a blowjob for the $7 it takes to stay another night in the Christian homeless shelters
Need I keep going???
See why our conversations get so awkward? See why they quickly end the conversations when I point these things out? If they’re that focused on heaven, they don’t want to hear about these things, believe these things, or do a damn thing about these things.
Oh, Aaron….you’re just jaded and hate The Church……
Me? Jaded? Hell yeah I am…..
Me? Hate The Church? No way. I hate imposters. I hate when people just want to “have” church and not “be” church.
What I do just loooooove about them though, is how they brand us the liberals, emergents, heretics, false-teachers…..etc…
I don’t hate The Church. I love her.
What I do hate is the psuedo-Church that hides behind the bible, all the while ignoring the very teachings of Christ and the instructions that He has given us.
So……what the crap are you looking at in 2011??
Of Course “God” Wants Marines to Kill Muslims Who Help the Homeless!!
Now, I’m not one to let the stupiditity of those who worship “America” in the name of “God” get me all pissed off. You know that.
So why would a group of American flag draped neo-nazis screaming about God to a group of Muslims who want to help their homeless neighbors, get me worked up? Seriously.
Because THIS is not my God. THIS is not my Jesus. And THIS is not my country.
THIS is abhorent, disgusting, hatred.
THIS is embarrasing. THIS makes it hard to do what Christ commanded and actually love these “brothers and sisters”.
THIS makes me confused as I try to figure out how I can do anything other than hate those who breed this much hate.
What say you?
I Bet a Homeless Pastor Would Rape Every Kid in Town
Everybody knows that all the crime in the world is caused by those without homes.
For instance, the 7 year old girl that was raped in the bathroom of a restaurant on Cantrell. The server who did that was clearly homeless.
And break-ins. Every single time somebody’s house is broken into, the goods are always found under bridges, in tents and even in shelters.
And kidnapping. What about all those kids that are kidnapped, only to be found days or weeks later in the basement of some homeless persons tent??
Yep, you can bet money that if a crime has been committed, it was done by one of those people who don’t have a home.
Every drunk driver? Homeless!
Every serial killer? Homeless!
Every bank robber? Homeless!
Every wife-beater? Homeless!
You see, last night I sat in a zoning committee meeting because one city director seems to think that having the OFFICES of a non-profit that serves our homeless neighbors in the same neighborhood as a school is a safety threat.
We’re not talking about a shelter, a mental health clinic, a detox unit, etc….
We’re talking about offices, and a small warehouse.
Is there any logic to this absurd mentality that homeless people are generally bad people who are preying on those who do have homes??
Complete ignorance.
The same people who want to fight these services which are the work of Christ, had the audacity to brag about some local churches banding together to defeat services to the impoverished in our area.
Look around people! Christians!
How many “pastors” or “ministers” are in the news for child molestation and the like?
How many people without homes are in there for the same things?
How foolish to tout Christianity in fighting services to the homeless by generalizing all homeless as pedophiles, while there’s more of a problem with it in our Church leadership than there ever has been out on the streets.
Just yesterday a local “pastor” was sentenced to a year in prison for having sex with a 15 year old boy. Tally them all up. There’s more than you can count.
So, when you want to plant another church…..
You better not do it by a school!! Because all those pastors are going to be putting everybody’s kids at risk!!
And should one of those pastors become homeless? Oh shit!!
Wake up “Christianity”….
This crap is so far from the teachings of Christ.
What a sad, and embarrassing state of Christianity we have found ourselves in when our biggest battle is defending the work of the gospel against those who claim it so recklessly….
A High School Teacher Sells Her Body, While an 8th Grade Boy Gets the Shaft
This is the world in which we live. This is the media coverage by which we are fed. This is our sad reality.
All weekend long here in central Arkansas, local news media seemed turned on driven by the story of a high school teacher who had taken on interesting after-school activities. I believe the PC term to be prostitution….
It’s made clear at the same time that an 8th grader mobilizing his peers to raise money to support homeless veterans is far from newsworthy. Bull. Wanna know why I think so? Because when I was in 8th grade I began doing drugs. I never had a single thought about doing something for somebody else.
Well, I may not have that big of a platform. But I’m damn sure going to share the news that this happened this weekend. A remarkable young man named Ethan Graham organized a touch-football tournament amongst his peers to benefit the homeless veterans that reside at the St. Francis House.
Though the world was unaware and there wasn’t a Super Bowl sized turn out, in just a few short hours this young man raised enough money to feed lunch to 40+ homeless veterans for a week.
Meet Ethan. He’s newsworthy. His efforts are newsworthy. He is a hero.
Because of 2010, I Believe in “The Church” Again
Let me just say that 2009 thoroughly sucked. And when I say sucked….I mean….
Well, it just sucked, OK?
There were some really amazing things that took place, but their glory seemed to have been robbed by the actions of others, and other circumstances.
If this post were about me, I’d tell you all about it. But it’s not. It’s about you, The Church.
In 2010 though, you have shown me the beauty that lurks beneath the surface of the “Sunday crowds”. You’ve shown me that the beauty and love that exists there, far exceeds the darkness and destruction that we can periodically face there.
It’s so easy to let the stupid, careless, and selfish actions of others completely ruin our love for The Church. It’s so, so easy.
I’ve now found that it’s equally easy to see the beauty of the majority. If you want to see it.
I didn’t attend very many church services in 2010. I didn’t want to. I still don’t want to. But I have seen the unveiled hearts of the people in many local churches as they banded together to meet more needs than any of us could keep up with.
I did get to see liberals working with conservatives. Blacks working with whites. Men working with women. Teens working with elders. Denominations working with “nons”. And even churches working with the de-churched.
It has been remarkable. It hasn’t been about what church was doing what. It’s been about identifying needs and finding ways to meet them, no matter the cost. It has been nothing short of beautiful. Thank you all for showing
me that I need not place a “church name label” on people who attend particular churches. I need only place a “family” label on members of The Church.
We don’t need more church services to change the world. I’ve always believed that. And you’ve proven it to me in 2010.
I won’t list everyone that has played a part in all of this, as I can’t keep up with them all. Nor is it about individual credit to any one person or organization. It’s just about saying thank you. Even though I won’t list anybody, you know who you are.
Thank you for showing me more of the heart of Christ. Thank you for bringing me closer to God. Thank you for helping me to judge less, and love more. Thank you for pushing me to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in my actions. Thank you for encouraging me when I wanted to quit. For pushing me when I wanted to slow down. Thank you for being my friends. And thank you for showing me that “The Church” is real, and very much alive.
I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2011.
“Questions” by Matthew Paul Turner (@JesusNeedsNewPR)
This is great. In a few ways. It’s clever and funny. But it’s real. It’s real great. This is one of the reasons that I’m proud to call MPT my friend. I mean, we’re not bff’s or anything, but I did have coffee with him once. And I kick his ass at Words With Friends once every 32 games. Enjoy!
Matthew Paul Turner-On Questions from Cross Point Church on Vimeo.
Confessions of the Currently De-Churched
The following is an email that one of my friends sent me the other day. It wasn’t written to be read or discussed publicly, but once I finished it, I knew it had to be. I told him that I would publish it anonymously.
Church people often struggle to understand the “de-churched”. Even though the “de-churched” make up a significant part of today’s Church, they are often overlooked and have their entire faith questioned. You can’t deny it happens. But, is it right? Read what my friend has to say…..
wow, it’s every where and no one can or wants to see it, or is in complete denial, it works well with most humans in the community of faith, woe unto us who see the reality of homelessness, mental health issues, drug and alcohol abuse, pornography; issues of morality at one time were real social issues of great importance to the church and people of faith, proving people do change with the times, even people who go to church, pretty much 100 percent of all the stuff Jesus did or said on the aforementioned subjects was so clear it’s blinding, although they do have some damn fine and impressive debt free facilities and do give gas cards in lieu of not giving contributions for needed actions that will help people. Pretty simple things that save peoples lives. What’s a life going for these days on the open market? Churches are in my less than sane opinion and worldly view personal experience a religious world created system of theistic beliefs, bureaucracies run by people locked inside a psychological mind set of a world that exist mostly within the four walls of the buildings, or humongous campuses built with cash as Earthly altars to God, of course God is money, so it makes sense. God by the way told me He could care less about your balance sheets or donations being down year to year, that’s an excuse. I respect some people want to stay tucked away from the scary world full of “those people” so they run to the suburbs and buy a ton of Glocks, then they give money to over seas missions and such, they do give money to St. Francis House, which is good though I don’t know how much or what it is for, I don’t know much these days except that people that run churches who identify with Christ have developed a bad vision problem. This may be a real chance to open up some of our local churches for the homeless, being you can count me soon to be there, all I know is to keep on fighting cause it is all black and white knowing God is own your side. Which can be Hell if he actually is not, my internet being on is a miracle. May God bless your work and continue blessing you Aaron. Always question authority. Unless it gets you fired from your paying job or you are independently wealthy. Go ahead anyway, the worse thing that can happen is always the ones that you think never will. Or is it just the other way around?
I’d love to know your thoughts…..if you dare!!! Leave a comment and let’s talk!
