A History of Confession

Many recent influences in my life like Brian McLaren, Tony Campolo, Don Miller and Jim Wallis have shown me the necessity for confession. Not just confession of my own sins and wrongdoings, but confession of my past.

By my past, I mean my Christian heritage...e.g. the age of slavery done in the name of Christ, the crusades done in the name of Christ, the Holocaust even done in part in the name of Christ...and even our brothers in the Catholic church and their recent allegations of abuse...even the way Christians in general today treat each other and those outside of our circles with contempt and anger instead of love and compassion.

For these things, I am sorry. I am sorry that my brothers and sisters in Christ have committed acts that turn people away from God...and I can only ask that those who have been hurt by the church and Christians would give Christ a chance. Take Him at His word. I am also sorry for the times that I have acted in anger and pride instead of compassion.

I also found that the Israelites did this very thing. Confess for the sins that the generations before them committed. In Ezra and Nehemiah, they ask for forgiveness of the sins of idolatry and for walking away from God for their ancestors...not that their ancestors would receive forgiveness now dead, but to recognize that they are linked with the generations past, and that they need to move on forward in ways that previous generations did not.

Let's follow the example of our predecessors and seek to fully turn away from the sins of our ancestor's past.

Blogbox part 2

And just like that...blogbox is gone. :( I'm hosting my mp3 files at Yahoo's "Geocities"...for free...which means that I have a bandwidth limit, and after a few dozen page loads and song listens...I'm out.

So, until I can find a better host with more bandwidth, You'll have to read my blog in silence.

Blogbox

It's been a few days, geesh, almost a week since I last blogged. It's been busy around here, schoolwork, and Thanksgiving and all.

If you're reading this blog from the web (i.e. not from an rss feed), then you'll notice the sound of music (if your speakers are on). I'll try to put new songs up each week so that you won't get too bored, and if you want your own mp3 player for your blog, go to blogbox.com. It's a bit tricky...you have to know basic xml, but worth it!

Let me know what you think!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy thanksgiving to all who read this blog. I hope that God blesses you greatly and that you would see all the good He has done and brought in your life.

Now go eat some turkey... ;)

Rearrangement

After my awesome yet tiring weekend, my wife and I came home to a rearranged apartment.

We asked her brother to feed our cat, but he went much further. He and his fiance flipped our living room around...couch, coffee table, rug, and three chairs...all opposite where they normally were.

Next, our glass cupboard was switched with our dinnerware, the pots and pans switched with the tupperware, the silverware switched with the cooking utensils, and finally, the toaster oven with the knife holder, coffee and espresso makers.

We spent an hour cleaning and re-re-arranging our house, while finding fireworks hidden around the entire place.

Good grief!

Retreat & Photos

What do you get when you take a few of your best friends, car loads of sound gear, 300 mid-schoolers and their youth leaders, a cold weekend in November on a lake in Washington and put them all together?...You get a great retreat.

I went back up this weekend again to Lake Retreat to play electric guitar for my friend Justin and our informal "band." There might not be anything better than getting to lead worship for a bunch of mid-schoolers that want to praise God.

Over the weekend, many students came to begin a relationship with Christ, and others began to work on healing the hurts in their life. It is so exciting to see what God can do in a young life.

The pictures are of around camp...hope you enjoy.

O yeah, on the way home, my car hit 100,000 miles!

	The blob and water trampolene on the lake.
	Foggy lake in the morning
	Sunlight coming through fog and a tree
	Moss on the roof outside our cabin window
	100,000 miles baby!
	Not Us - the band

More Fall Photos

Hope you're not bored to death, but I wanted to share a few fall pictures that I took at school today. Thank you God.

Enjoy...

Fog over the West Hills

Do you remember that Everclear song where they sing, I would buy you a big house way up in the west hills. Well, I live on the hill that faces those beautiful west hills. And this is the view I had as I came home from my coffee meeting this morning. It was beautiful. Fog draped over the hills and covered over the base of the two towers. (One of them is council crest) I love fall, and all the beautiful colors and interesting weather it brings. I just can't wait for winter...hope there's snow!

Do it anyway

My mom came across a poem by Mother Teresa that I'd like to share:

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Day of rest? (Day of free food)

I had the distinct pleasure of attending 3 church services and one meeting today, making for a lovely 11 hour day of rest.

It began at youth group this morning, where I lead worship for the mid and high school groups. It was a great morning. All three of the major high schools in the area just won their first football playoff games, so there was added excitement in the air. I also bet 1 penny against the youth pastor that Tigard would beat Southridge. We sang one of my favorite songs again, Wholly Yours, by the David Crowder Band.

My beautiful wife and I then ducked out early and headed to a nearby Presbyterian church for an assignment from my Bible College class on the church. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the choir, the liturgy, and the message.

We continued back to our church for a youth staff meeting...good times of praying for each other and discussing the next few months of group. plus free food.

Finally, we went to Greater Portland Bible Church where I led worship for my friend Justin, who is just getting back from Guatemala. What a wonderful church. I love the open space they have in the back and sides of the room for prayer, contemplation, and other activities. After that, they had dinner for everybody, then different classes you could attend.

All in all, for a long day, it was pretty refreshing! Thank you God!

Pat Speaks Again

Well, after implying that we should assassinate Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, Pat Robertson's comments got the New Tribes Missionaries expelled from Venezuela.

Now he's just proclaimed destruction on Dover, PA.

I'm very tempted to say something like Why does his voice have to be the one that speaks for Evangelicals? But then I'm reminded by watching Rob Bell's Bullhorn Nooma video that maybe my voice isn't loud enough. Maybe my love isn't loud enough. What am I doing to actually show the love of God to others. (instead of complaining how other Christians speak of God)

Hmmm...

Sweet...I'm Rich!!!!

I just found out that I am richer than 5,335,730,918 on this earth. Not bad eh? Especially considering I'm a part-time church worker. That's not even a pastor's salary! I am in the top 11.07% people in the world when it comes to income.

I guess I have it pretty good. Want to see how rich you are? Go to globalrichlist.com and enter in your annual salary.

Hmm...maybe I should join the one campaign, like my friend Jon, or give more to Compassion International or World Vision.

Nah. I don't really have that much money.