All posts by mjfelker1980

Ministry, Theology

The Practical Theology of the Waffle House

It was probably only the second time that I had ever stepped foot inside one of these resturants. The air was smokey. The clientel shady. I made my way over to the booth in the corner careful not to touch anything. As I looked over the menu, I was less than thrilled with the choices. I wasn’t hungry for any of the items listed but I was with my parents so I felt that I should at least eat something here instead of walking to the fast food establishment next door. I ended up ordering a simple hamburger. After I ordered, I began to glance around the building looking at the other people there.

I saw an older man sitting at the counter. His face was beaten and weathered by the elements. He looked homeless. I didn’t see him eat but I watched him as he drank his coffee. After a cup or two he lowered his head and walked out into the cold night. As he left, two young women walked in. The had just come from a high school sporting event. Their sweat shirts sported the f-bomb in bold white letters. As they cozied into the booth behind me all eyes were on them. Whispers became audible insults. The girls just laughed and went on about their night. Some high schoolers came in looking for something to eat. They sat down at the counter where the old man had sat. These people were so different from me.

The more and more I watched them the more convinced I became of the new belief stirring in my heart. This belief is a simple and radical idea. It doesn’t sit comfortably with me because it demands a response. A response to the world and to the people sitting around me that night. I am convinced.

Jesus would have eaten at the Waffle House.

He would have. There is no doubt in my mind. Jesus was the kind of Savior that would have cozied up to the counter and had some hashbrowns covered and smothered with some guy who was at the end of his rope. Jesus would have eaten with him, covered the bill, and changed the man’s life. Maybe it would be with the touch of his hand or maybe it would have been with just a look or Jesus might have even spoken a word of encouragement or discipline to the man but the message would be clear.

Yeah, Jesus would have eaten at the Waffle House. What does that say about where we eat and who we eat with?

Popular Culture, Theology

Swimming in the Sea

If you don’t subscribe to the Relevant Podcast you need to!

This week’s podcast features the first of two installments of a poignant and eye-opening interview with author Don Miller. Don speaks with the Relevant staff about postmodern thought, the war in Iraq, Christians response to culture, and the Christian legacy of peace. Don’s words go along with what I posted on Friday concerning theological reflection. A great podcast. I encourage you to check it out!

Don Miller broke onto the scene with his book Blue Like Jazz and has become a highly sought after speaker. BLJ really struck a chord with twenty-somethings all over the planet and just took off. I was mentally stretched by the book and was challenged by Don’s real and raw style. I had a chance to meet Don back in October at the Catalyst conference. He was warm and engaging and I think that his personality really comes across in the podcast. Again, great stuff. I can’t wait for the second installment.

Relevant Magazine

Books, Theology

Starting Right (Again), pt. 1

“Practical theological reflection- reflection that connects what we believe about God with how we live as disciples of Jesus Christ- is the first task of ministry with young people.”

I have begun re-reading Starting Right: Thinking Theologocally About Youth Ministry a powerful and thought-provoking tome edited by Kenda Creasy Dean, Chap Clark, and Dave Rahn. Hopefully, I will be transitioning into full-time youth ministry at a church in the next few months and I wanted to reconnect with this book that has meant so much to me. Starting Right was one of those books I read before I gradutaed college. It helped me form my philosophy of ministry and helped me look at ministry to students from the perspective of the total mission of the church. I have enjoyed being reminded of how powerful and necessary practical theology is today, not just for my students but for me as well.

In the opening chapter, Kenda Creasy Dean tells us that “adolescents traffic in theology everyday.” However, she says, “most of their theological reflection goes unheard, unnamed, and unclaimed.”

They are unaware that their social studies discussion on freedom is a theological discussion. They don’t realize that the way they treat an unpopular classmate reflects a doctrine of creation.

We all, students and adults alike, engage in theological reflection whether we admit it or not. Just because I have the title of minister doesn’t mean that I have the theological market cornered all for myself. Theology is simply “human reflection on who God is and how God works in the world.” It is as simple as that. The way you veiw your job, the way you treat your coworkers or employees, the way you act toward people of other races, how you treat people of different religions, and the way you live your life all come from at least some sort of theological reflection on your part. You are a theologian.

I’ll continue this thought after the weekend but I want to encourage you to begin to hear, name, and claim the theology that you’ve been living. Be conscious of it.

Ministry, Theology, U2

Perspective for Life

“Our critics — I’ve met them in rock ‘n’ roll in the early years and they’re the same people: cranks carping from the sidelines. A lot of them wouldn’t know what to do if they were on the field. They’re the party who will always be in opposition so they’ll never have to take responsibility for decisions because they know they’ll never be able to implement them. We get hits from the left, we get hits from the right, but in the end, every year, the world’s poor are better off for our presence.”

Sometimes it is difficult to see if what you are working on or pouring your life into is really making a difference in the lives of the people you serve. There will always be critics and “cranks” that love to stand in opposition. Whether your a youth minister, a coach, a social worker, a teacher or a globe-trotting rock star philanthropist- keep up the good work.

Stand firm. Be rooted in love. Keep making a difference for the Kingdom.

Via

Music, News, Rants

The RIAA Needs Some Good PR

1 Comment

Unfortuantely for them, they keep making statements like this that alienate consumers.

“Nor does the fact that permission to make a copy in particular circumstances is often or even routinely granted, necessarily establish that the copying is a fair use when the copyright owner withholds that authorization. In this regard, the statement attributed to counsel for copyright owners in the MGM v. Grokster case is simply a statement about authorization, not about fair use.”

What does this mean? What exactly is the Recording Industry Association of America hinting at?

The RIAA is now saying that ripping your own CDs to your iPod or other portable device doesn’t constitute as fair use.

The filing also says that creating a back-up CD of an album that you purchased goes against the RIAA’s current fair use policy.

Why can’t this industry get its act together? All this will do is encourage more people to steal music or purchase music from iTunes-like online distributors. Be sure to read the article from EFF and check out the legal briefings and the legal flip-flopping that is coming to define the RIAA as an association that doesn’t care about its clients or consumers.

Link
Via

News, Popular Culture

Toads Take Over Austrailia

The toxic cane toad in Australia is evolving into an “eco-nightmare” capable of covering huge distances, a study in the journal Nature reports.

Scientists say the species Bufo marinus is developing a leggier, faster-moving form that is now hopping out rapidly across the continent.

The toads were introduced 70 years ago to control pests, but have since wrought havoc on indigenous animals.

They kill snakes, lizards, water birds – even crocodiles and dingos.

A young boy from Springfield has been brought in for questioning. Details as the emerge.

BBC NEWS Link

Popular Culture, Technology, U2

So Bummed Updated

Update: This morning @U2 posted a link to Macnn which has posted a pic of the fake invite. Now can you see why I got a little excited? According to Macnn, the invite was sent from a user in Germany and according to @U2, Bono will be in Bueno Aries on March 1st so a press confrence in the US would be pretty difficult to pull off. Even for Bono.

I got way too excited over a post on iLounge that announced that Bono and Steve Jobs might be holding a press confrence in March to announce a red iPod as part of the Product Red initiative. Alas, the rumors turned out to false.

Minutes after I saw the post, iLounge posted a retraction:

Contrary to an earlier report, Apple will not be holding a special event on March 1. An Apple representative has confirmed to iLounge that an electronic invitation – marked with indicia of a benefit for AIDS – is an elaborate fake. The sender was apparently taking advantage of recent speculation that Apple would introduce a red iPod as part of Bono’s Product RED initiative. iLounge apologizes for any confusion this may have caused.

Companies including American Express, Converse, Gap and Giorgio Armani have all joined the project and plan to release specially-designed red products with a portion of the profits going to the Global Fund to support AIDS programs in Africa. The U2 frontman was reportedly overheard mentioning that Apple would be joining the initiative and introduce a red iPod.

I hope that Apple will join with Product Red sometime soon. There is always hope. Until then, I should learn to temper my excitement. The news that this was a fake has been a total bummer.

iLounge.com

Music

Times Like These

2 Comments

Scott, this one’s for you buddy!

I am totally digging on some Jack Johnson at the moment. I have been listening to the new soundtrack to the Curious George movie entitled Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies. Absolutely brilliant! The chord structures are so simple. The title of the album is totally appropriate. One minute I was singing and the next I was wishing for a cot so I could scoot off to dreamland.

I popped in Jack’s last album, In Between Dreams, and got lost daydreaming. With Spring around the corner, I need to be a little more careful about listening to Jack. He makes me want to take my shoes off and wade into the ocean. I barely got out of college in the middle of the country, I can’t imagine how much school I would have missed at the beach if my parents had let me go to college in California.

Out of all the songs on In Between Dreams, I love Breakdown the most. On the DVD Live at the Greek Jack explains that he wrote this song while on the train between European gigs. He said that as they were passing through the little villages and towns he began thinking about all those people that lived there. He was tired and wasn’t too excited about getting to the next show. He wanted the train to “breakdown” so he could get out into those towns and meet people and soak up the atmosphere.

I’ve been spending quite a few weekends on the road in my car and inside airplanes and airports. As I’ve sat watching people and as I’ve looked down at the cities and farmlands or looked out over the plains in Texas or ricefields in Arkansas I have had this song in the back of my head. Sometimes we just need to slow down and soak it in.

What do you need to “breakdown?” As the wise philospher Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves by pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while you could miss it.” So go ahead, take off your shoes, slow down, wade into the ocean and daydream a little. You’ll thank yourself later.

Breakdown

I hope this old train breaks down then I could take a walk around
See what there is to see, time is just a melody
With all the people in the street walking fast as their feet
Can take them, I just roll through town
And though my window’s got a view, well the frame I’m looking through
Seems to have no concern for now
So for now I

I need this here old train to breakdown
Oh please just let me please just breakdown

Well this engine screams out loud, centipede going to crawl westbound
So I don’t even make a sound cause it’s going to sting me when I leave this town
And all the people in the street that I’ll never get to meet
If these tracks don’t bend somehow
And I got no time that I got to get to where I don’t need to be
So I

I need this here old train to breakdown
Oh please just let me please just breakdown

I want to break on down
But I can’t stop now
Let me break on down

But you can’t stop nothing if you got no control
Of the thoughts in your mind that you kept and you know
That you don’t know nothing but you don’t need to know
The wisdom’s in the trees not the glass windows
You can’t stop wishing if you don’t let go
Of the things that you find and you lose and you know
You keep on rolling, put the moment on hold
Because the frame’s too bright, so put the blinds down low

I need this here old train to breakdown
Oh please just let me please just breakdown

I got to break on down
But I can’t stop now

Jack Johnson Official Site