Hitchcock and Life

I love Hitchcock. His movies were made decades ago but they are timeless. I watched the birds last night and it kind of rattled me. It actually left me dazed. Why did those birds start attacking people? Movies like that don't necessarily have a happy ending and they actually do a better job at mirroring life. Sometimes we get through different tests and different seasons and survive but there is still a sense of mystery. There's still that gnawing question of "Why did that happen?" Sometimes the answer never comes.

Keeping the creative juices flowing

I am writing alot these days and working on four projects in four different genres.

1. Life with God. These are just my observations on life from a spiritual point of view

2. Wake up Call. This is a suspenseful mystery and also a commentary on busy American life

3. Little Brother Cricket. This is a kid's book that will be tailored to an African American audience. I just need an illustrator

4. The Name. This is the most extensive one yet. It is basically a mythological sort of work inspired by Lord of the Rings. It will be in 3 parts and I am now only creating the fantasy world. I probably won't actually begin writing until the end of the year.

So there you have it and if that's not enough I am also writing songs and poems again. Have to keep the creative juices flowin'

Signs of Revival

Here are ten signs of revival from a book written by John Piper A God Entranced Vision of All Things. It is about Jonathan Edwards one of the great 18th century preachers, theologians, and revivalists. So here they are:

1. God comes down Isaiah 64:1

2. God's Word pierces 1 Thess 2:13, 2 Thess 3:1 (run and be glorified)

3. Man's sin is seen Acts 2:37, John 16:8-1

4. Christ's cross is valued 1 Cor 1:23-24, Gal 6:14

5. Change goes deep Acts 19:18-19, Matt 11:12, Luke 16:16

6. Love breaks out Acts 2:44,45 4:32, 2 Cor 8:1-4, Col 1:8, 1 Thess 4:9

7. Joy fills hearts 1 Peter 1:8

8. Each church becomes itself 1 Cor 14:24,25

9. The lost are found Acts 2:41, 4:4, 5:14, 6:7

10. Satan keeps pace Eph 6:10-20

This is taken from part two but you can read the whole book here
Part One
Part Two
Part Three

Back blogging-still preaching

Hello everyone. I'm back in the "blogosphere". Today I have to preach. It's funny but every Sunday morning when I have to speak I get anxiety attacks. Is this common for preachers and pastors? Let me know what you think.

Lonely

Have u ever felt like u didn't have a friend in the world? I have. I'm feeling it right now. The funny thing is feelings play tricks on us. They play tricks on me so much that when I second guess them I don't know how to feel. So I just go numb. I guess that is a sure fire stairway to loneliness

Bodily excercise profits little.....

Yes. I did it. I feel like a new man. After I hit just a mere 25 minutes on the cycle I came home oozing with love for my wife. Full of a different kind of euphoria. The euphoria of endorphins. When I sat down and opened up the Bible the verses of 1 Timothy lunged out at me. My mind was clear and my heart was filled with God's joy. It reminded me of 1 Timothy 4:8. Bodily excercise profits little but godliness is profitable for all things. It doesn't say godliness doesn't profit at all just a little. In the greek little is a word for time and not quality. That's a good word for alot of pastors. Especially those of the pentecostal, suit about to bust open, eating fried chicken with biscuits and gravy after church types. Get on that treadmill!!!

Writing and Vulnerability

Recently I have been prompted to write more. More poems. More raps. Articles. Blogs. I am even contemplating a non fiction autobiographical spiritual memoir (Say that fast five times :)

In this new zeal to write I am also pushing the boundaries of what to write. I called a friend up today and asked "What should I write about?" He replied "Write something vulnerable." So maybe it's not what to write maybe God is teaching me how to write.

Live life to the fullest.

A secret to fulfillment: Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. Ecclesiastes 9:10

The secret to fulfillment: Live life to the fullest. Go for broke in everything you do. Stop the navel gazing. Seize the day...and the night.

No more childhood

This videogame is evidence that for many kids there is no such thing as childhood

The cost of popcorn

While I am in this protesting inquisitive mood can somebody tell me......

What's up with the cost of popcorn at the movies?!?!!?

You can get it for 50 cents a bag at the grocery store.
Do fifteen men die just to get one kernel? Is popcorn grown in the Middle East?
Has it now become a gourmet upper class food like caviar? Only at your local AMC, Edwards, Regency, or Pacific theater.

The Inside Man

Last night me and Yvette caught the Inside Man. It's a crime thriller starring Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and Jodie Foster. It's a Spike Lee joint so there is no resolution. The bad guy actually gets away. It is a strong dose of reality. Who are the real criminals? The thugs on Grape Street or Wall Street?

Distaste for God

At the panel discussion the Ambassador hit on an interesting truth: Even though I know there is holy hip hop and alternatives to some of the crap that's out there is something in me that wants the garbage more. Is it a result of having a craving for garbage or just a distaste for God?

Galaxy West in the house

I am sitting here recuperating from a ghettofabuluous hip hop party and open mic that we had at Awakenings Coffeehouse. It was pretty cool to see my cousin's group Galaxy West performing. Honestly I didn't know the boy had it in him. I really liked the song LA to the Bay. Top quality stuff. Don't sleep. Check out the website Galaxy West

Hiphop day at Fuller

I was at Fuller pretty much all day this Thursday for Hiphop day. There was a breakfast and discussion about hiphop and the church. Why are the civil rights generation and the hiphop generation so estranged from each other? Why aren't churches putting a priority on serving missionally in this culture in which so many youth are involved in? Why is there a big push in interest and money towards the "emerging church" which is a predominantly white movement and not the same push towards reaching the hip hop generation?

The night was capped by a panel discussion at Lake Avenue Church and a performance by the Ambassador. If u haven't heard the Ambassador then u r definitely sleeping. The sickest metaphors and punchlines all "submitted to the glorious Lord". Also check out the Cross Movement These guys have been putting in work for years in terms of the art form and representing Christ faithfully.

Les Nubians

If u don't know about Les Nubians u have got to check them out. They are a french afropean hip hop r&b duo. I am currently listening to their r&b/hiphop/spoken word album "Echos". Check out their website Les Nubians

Chicken Run

Chickens longing to be free....longing to break out of their fences. That's us. That's me anyway. I'm a big chicken trying to break out of the coop.

I love Yvette

I love my wife. She just brought me some jamba juice to bring me back to life. What a nurturer. I remember when we first met who would have thought we would be married. Dating even. We were so far away geographically and maturity wise. But God has a plan. He moves in mysterious ways. Here is a picture of us at a restaurant overlooking the crater lake in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia. We will be there again this summer and I'm hoping that it will be just the beginning of our many adventures.

I love you Yvette

Sick as a dog

I am sick as a dog. I don't know where that expression came from but that describes it. Runny nose, sore throat, and sore bones. The only good thing is that I have time to read and write.

So I'm reading:

Genesis. I am reading this because I have not read the Old Testament in a long time and what better place to start than..in the beginning. Great story. Great narrative. Now I am reading it with new eyes since I discovered the main hero or protagonist is God

Luke. Luke's gospel is for the hurt, the downcast, the marginalized, the outsider. That's who I am and that's who I want to be in touch with. It is a well of compassion.

Spiritual Leadership by Oswald Sanders. I read this during the time I led a Campus Crusade/Impact summer project to Ethiopia. It was the first time I officially led anything. I was in charge of 15 people, the liason between 4 groups, and responsible for $20,000. So needless to say I was out of my league but this book gave me some footing and grounding in a very shaky time.

How to Read the Bible for all it's Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart. This book is something that I can pull out and read anytime. A true gem that gives you the mechanics of interpreting each genre of scripture. It also gives you a new respect for the Bible. The book of books.

Prayer for support

God I know u r in control of everything. I really want to go on this trip to Ethiopia. It just seems like every time I try to raise money there are so many obstacles. Lord I don't want to raise it anymore I want you to raise it. It is too big of a task for me but not too big for the owner of the world and the universe. My hands are wide open to receive from you. So Lord I pray that you would give us peace in the middle of this process. Amen.

A prophet or a profit?

I truly wonder about the state of our churches and that in turn gets me to wonder about the state of our leaders and that leads to an examination of self.

Recently I read these verses in Luke 7:16-17

They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea[a] and the surrounding country.

My question is when people talk about me do they say "a great prophet has appeared among us" or "He is trying to profit from us. After an interaction with our church do they say "God has come to help his people" or "People are helping themselves and using God".

Maybe they don't say anything at all and pass by us like day old roadkill.

Scary thought.