6 posts tagged “christian”
In the beginning it was Pong. You had your paddle, you had your "blip" and it was good.
Then came Galaxian. You developed a twitch trying to anticipate the next wave, but it was good.
The years can and went, and video gaming went through Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe, Tie Fighter, Aces of the Pacific, Doom, Half-Life, and hundreds of others. There were the "sims" where you could fly, fight, drive and compete. Then the first person shooters reigned for a while - Doom and all the rest.
Now the online games create virtual worlds rivaling the best of Tolkien. Millions from all over the globe enter those portals and exit this world for virtual communities and worlds. I've gone from participant to spectator over the years as games just didn't interest me at all.
But someone is hoping that changes - the creators of "Left Behind - Eternal Forces".
Let me just give you a hint about the game from the CD cover "The antichrist is coming." So the player gets to join either the forces for God or for Evil. But if you join the dark side, you can't win.
I've spent some time reading the press about the game both pro and con. It definitely stirred up a storm of critics who called for Walmart to drop it as well as people to boycott the game's publishers. The game industry insiders commented on the craftmanship and gameplay as not being first rate.
So I guess in the interest of the search for unbiased commentary, I'll have to play the trial they sent and let you know.
Pretty old "new" book. Our local Christian bookstore is having a 75% off sale and I picked this one up solely because of its title.
We are far too good at getting in people's faces and woefully ignorant in understanding their lives. The president of the Southern Baptists said this recently.
In our culture, Southern Baptists have become known as a people who are against things. In Jacksonville you ask many people what are Southern Baptists all about, they'll tell you we are people who are against certain things. And while indeed we are and we don't apologize for that, I am trying to put a new face on Southern Baptists to say "let us tell you what we're for" instead of the caricature, whether it's accurate or not, of an angry, Bible-pounding, fist-waving, angry believer. I'm trying to present the fact that I believe most Southern Baptists are conservative but also compassionate, loving people who present the person of Christ in daily life.I pray his tribe increases. Meanwhile, I have a book to read.
So I'm reading a book for class called "The Great Omission" by Dallas Willard. Cruising along, reading really quickly as I do, and then I get to this: "... we each must ask,"Am I a disciple, or only a Christian by today's standards?"
George Barna, the pollster tells us that in some of the leading indicators of cultural morality - abortion, divorce, cheating - Christians are no different than the rest of the culture. And in fact, when it came to divorce, people who professed to be followers of Jesus were MORE likely to divorce.
Having spent some fruitless hours trying to keep ostensibly Christian people from deliberately doing wrong, I think that question needs to be asked, and asked again, and asked again.
but I'm the one who needs to answer it
with my life
I was pleasantly surprised by the opening act which featured Reeve Carney and the Revolving Band. There's really no way to characterize their music - but it was good. Reeve, brother Zane, and sister Paris really were something different. I'll be checking them out. Reeve Carney and the Revolving Band
Jonny came out and never really let up, from "Turn Around" to "Lie To Me."
He's personable, humble, and obviously values the people who play with him. We almost lost our hearing on a long jam with each player having an opportunity to shine. Bunny liked "A Quitter Never Wins", I liked "Thankful" and "Turn Around" off the new album and "Living In the City", "Lie To Me", and "Wander This World" which featured Reeve Carney fingerpicking on a dobro.
The crowd was quite eclectic with old and young and people of all races. Now if I can just get Jonny to do our Red, White, and Blues concert some day.
I'm a blues fan. How bad is it? Well, I'll sit through some of the worst acting of all time in the two Blues Brothers movies just to get a glimpse of some real bluesmen.
I'm also a follower of Jesus.
Yeah, I know, Christians don't get the blues. Right.
There's something primal in the blues, something that reaches to the core of emotion and causes you to begin to make a turn away from darkness toward the light of new days and possibilities. It's as if you ride along with the bluesman as he sings about "How Blue Can I Get" and then laughs and drives away - to hope.
I've always wanted to see someone with the artistry as a bonified bluesman turn those talents to music with a Christian message and/or theme. Someone whose skill was so stellar that he could walk over and back like Johnny Cash could do in country music.
He's here.
Jonny Lang is his name, and he's released an album with Christian themes. Notice I didn't say a Christian CD, because though every song reflects Jonny's faith, they can stand on their own anywhere. At 14, Jonny was acclaimed by no less than B.B. King as phenomenal. He's toured with Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, B.B., and all the rest. His guitar ability was so good he was one of the few invited personally by Eric Clapton to his Crossroads Guitar Festival two years ago. He's as good as it gets and 24 years old.
On this CD, Lang shows us how the Message can be transmitted through the blues. His voice and his artistry are stellar.
How does a Jesus follower live in a world full of people following different tribal values and not be affected? I know the OT way of dealing with the problem - wipe them all out, but let's assume that's not an option.
What do you do to be "in the world but not of it"?
Got some ideas, but I'd like to hear what you think
