Redemption by Johnny Cash

From the hands it came down
From the side it came down
From the feet it came down
And ran to the ground
Between heaven and hell
A teardrop fell
In the deep crimson dew
The tree of life grew

And the blood gave life
To the branches of the tree
And the blood was the price
That set the captives free
And the numbers that came
Through the fire and the flood
Clung to the tree

And were redeemed by the blood
From the tree streamed a light
That started the fight
‘Round the tree grew a vine
On whose fruit I could dine
My old friend Lucifer came
Fought to keep me in chains
But I saw through the tricks
Of six-sixty-six

And the blood gave life
To the branches of the tree
And the blood was the price
That set the captives free
And the numbers that came
Through the fire and the flood
Clung to the tree
And were redeemed by the blood

From his hands it came down
From his side it came down
From his feet it came down
And ran to the ground
And a small inner voice
Said “You do have a choice.”
The vine engrafted me
And I clung to the tree

Bible & Google Wave

I finally got an invite to Google wave thanks to my friend Lizzie!  I got my account setup and rolling yesterday.  Then I hit a wall, I don’t really have a reason to use GW right now.  I don’t exchange a ton of e-mails like it’s designed for and I don’t collaborate with a ton of people though e-mail either.  So I was stuck, and thought, “Crap.  Why did I even sign up for this.”

THEN, this morning I had a brilliant idea!!  Why not try using Google wave to have a shared daily devotional?  To really get your head around what Google wave is you need to go watch this video:

Here’s what I’m envisioning: a group of people (maybe 8 or possibly more) invited to share a weekly wave together that revolves around this study that I have called “The Gospel Centered Life”.  I’ll act as the guide for the group and will each night introduce an element for us to read and discuss in the wave.  Here’s what is expected from you: Log on to Google wave each day, join the group in reading the material, and discuss the topic with us.  At a minimum it should take just 10 minutes out of your day, but if you’re really awesome you can contribute in the mornings, during your lunch break, and (if you’re really bold) some that afternoon.

I’ve got 8 google wave invites.  So if you’re interested and want to try it out, email me at paulbarger@hotmail.com (Yeah that’s right, I have a hotmail account–But I only use it for public stuff like this…)

What do you say? Do you think it will work?

The Return

I just bought my new MacBook yesterday morning.  Expect the post to start rolling again…I’ve got tons of stuff stored up from the last couple of months!

MIA

Sorry everyone.  I haven’t abandoned my blog!  I just haven’t been able to post anything in the last several months.  This is largely because someone STOLE MY LAPTOP!!!!  So now I’m reduced to borrowing my roommates computer at opportune times and using my iPhone.  I hope to get a new computer soon, but the finances are just not available to me right now.

Quick update:  I’m living in Portland now.  I moved back there in September.  There’s a really long back story to all of this, but the short version is that God closed doors in Texas and opened doors in the Pacific NW.  So I’m back in PDX.  I’ll be finishing school at Western Seminary next year.  If you’ve ever want to come visit Portland, ring me up and I’d love to show you the city!

–Paul

Censorship is Wack!

I went to Wal-mart today to pickup the new Jay-Z album, The Blueprint Three.  I was stunned to find out that Wal-mart only carries “clean” versions of all CDs in their store.  I found this very interesting and shared this with a few friends.  I got the following response back from one guy–

JP: They also sell handguns, liquor, Playboy’s and countless other things that could be considered more objectionable then adult music lyrics.  Censorship in general is wack.

==================

Censorship FAIL.

Good Mornings

There’s an App for that!

I just discovered an awesome new application for my iPhone last night.  It’s called “AlarmTunes”.  It allows me to set my alarm the night before and select some songs from my personal iTunes library as my alarm sound for the next morning.  You used to need an alarm clock with a  connection for your iPod to enjoy this option.  Now all you need to do is to download the $0.99 application and you’re ready to roll!

So my question to you: If you could wake up each morning to just one song, what song would that be?  This morning I woke up to The Postal Service, instructing me on their plans of “Sleeping In”.  What’s your morning theme song????

Things I Love

Tonight, I decided that I would start a little series of mini-blogs concerning things I love.  I won’t overwhelm you with blogs about this.  I just thought it would be fun.

I love showers that have ridiculous water pressure that almost turns your skin red.  Of course the shower head must be higher than my own head.  I also love big fluffy towels to dry off with.

I hate bath tubs that try to be showers.

“For the little things in life that make it livin’”

We Grope for the Wall

Isaiah 59

9 Therefore justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not overtake us;
we hope for light, and behold, darkness,
and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
10 We grope for the wall like the blind;
we grope like those who have no eyes;
we stumble at noon as in the twilight,
among those in full vigor we are like dead men.
11 We all growl like bears;
we moan and moan like doves;
we hope for justice, but there is none;
for salvation, but it is far from us.
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before you,
and our sins testify against us;
for our transgressions are with us,
and we know our iniquities:
13 transgressing, and denying the Lord,
and turning back from following our God,
speaking oppression and revolt,
conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.
14 Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands far away;
for truth has stumbled in the public squares,
and uprightness cannot enter.
15 Truth is lacking,
and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

Death to Small Groups!!!

I haven’t really been writing very much of late, and I almost passed over my blog again today.  But for all of you who subscribe through your Google Reader and those regulars who actually read and respond to some of my post, I decided that I would throw something out there for you to think about and respond.

First, I just want to throw a little side note for everyone out there.  I want you to know that often what I post up here are new ideas or things that I’ve been mulling around in my head.  I wouldn’t want anyone to assume that what I post is what I believe to be absolutely true or biblically mandated.  I started this blog as an outlet to post some ramblings and share some great resources/music.  So please always take what I say with a grain of salt, and feel free to react and respond in whatever way you see fit.  Moving right along…

I write this blog in response to a dream that I had last night.  I remember being in a room discussing the church and ministry with several fellows.  I don’t remember much of the discussion, with the exception of the following line:  “We don’t really understand community.  Community is a very Eastern concept.  We think we have the answer, but I’m afraid we’ve missed what it really means to live in community.”  I don’t remember who said this in my dream, but I kind of resonate with these words.

Yesterday, Leadership Network released an article containing a list of the “Top Kingdom Ideas”, and I must say I was disappointed in the list.  These were supposed to be the Top 10 kingdom ideas over the last decade.  I must say if these are the best ideas that reflect the kingdom, then we’ve got a really average view of the kingdom.  Surely we can come up with better new and innovative ideas than these.

One of the ideas that I want to question is the idea of community and small groups.  The last entry on the list was, “Deeper penetration and shifts in small group models (life groups, cells, etc.) into a broad variety of churches.”  Tell me something.  Hasn’t the idea of small groups, home groups, cell groups-whatever you want to call them-been around for a while now?  And yet we still are groaning about the lack of authentic community in the church.  Everyone seems to think that small groups are the answer to the problem.  But what if they not the answer.  What if the answer is something different?  What if it is something we have not thought up yet?  I titled this blog Death to Small Groups not because I think every church needs to shut down their small groups ministries.  But to really catch your attention to suggest that we might need to start at least entertaining this idea:  We may be wasting all our creative efforts on starting something that has not and may not lead us towards community in the end.  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Do you agree or disagree?

What do you think about when someone says the word, community?

What’s been your best experience in a small group?

What’s the biblical definition of community?  Or better yet, can you even find the word community in the Bible?

Christian Accountability Sucks!

Mike Foster published a two part article for Conversant Life on why he doesn’t believe in Christian accountability.  You can read Part One & Part Two here.  What do you think about Mike’s thoughts?  Agree?  Disagree?