how about this for an after-school program

My great and ridiculously talented friend, Brit and I were talking last night about a variety of political and ethical issues. Mostly, we discussed how no government or politician will ever be able to save the world, but only Jesus can do that. We pointed out that, in reality, it is not the government’s responsibility to be the advocate for hope, peace, aid, and care to a broken and hurting world, but the Church’s. God is not going to hold Congress responsible for caring for the poor and suffering, but will rather hold His Church accountable.

After a rousing discussion on whether or not increased education is the best option to prevent abortion, teen pregnancy, gang involvement, and the like, we talked about after-school programs and how we, as Christians, really need to step up our efforts in caring for our city’s youth. Most of our experiences with after-school programs have seemed more like overgrown daycares than beneficial avenues for student development. In addition, it seemed that the schools that need these programs the most don’t have them. I’m not necessarily saying that those ideas are true, but it just seems that way.

So, Brit and I got to thinking. How cool would it be to offer an after-school program that actually provided education on subjects urban students are interested in? For instance, what if there were an after-school program that offered hip-hop dance classes or a course in music recording and mixing? I’ve heard of something like this happening in Arkansas, and I think VH1 did some sad reality program kind of like it. However, I don’t know if anything like it has ever happened in Columbia. 

Here’s my idea of some good curriculum:

Hip-Hop 101: Organization and Isolation

The Art of Lyricism 

Beat Droppin’ & Mixin’

Graffiti: not rebellion, but expression

Ballin’ on a Budget: Life Management for the Responsibly Flossy

In my head, it seems like an urban arts program. By no means, would this be simply an excuse to let kids run around and do what they are already doing at home and on the streets, but rather teaching them the art and the appreciation of it in our society, as well as equipping them to be upstanding contributors to the community.

If it doesn’t already exist, I’d be completely down for something like this starting up in Columbia. Heck, I kind of want to attend it myself… my pop and lock could use some improvement.

The Small Group Exchange

I recently began a venture as a contributor to a online small group resource site called “The Small Group Exchange.” The website gave its official launch a few weeks ago. The Small Group Exchange is full of resources, reviews, and articles to help equip leaders.

I bring up the site for two reasons:

1. I highly recommend any LifeGroup leader at Midtown searching for curriculum, resources, or leading tips to check the site out. There are tons of articles by great church voices on small groups, as well as a wide variety of products to assist in group development. 

2. The site actually published an article of mine. I really didn’t think they would because, if I’m really quite honest, I’m not that capable of a writer. The article is actually a previous blog post of mine, but you can check it out here. The article is rather lengthy and definitely reveals my novice writing skills, but I thought it was pretty neat.

Water And God

The Columbia music scene is… well… basically garbage. There really isn’t a whole lot of diversity in this small city. If your tastes are for anything other than singer/songwriter, indie-pop, a little hardcore, or drunk-bar jams, you’re not going to find it here. Nonetheless, the few really good acts in Columbia (Baumer, All Get Out, The Devil and The Lion, Austin Crane, Marry a Thief, etc) are actually pretty dece at what they do.

While I’m not a gigantic fan of All Get Out, but at times I find these guys pretty fun to watch. Every time I hear them, their ridiculously catchy tune Water and God gets stuck in my head for days. I came across this video for the song earlier today and thought I’d post it so I won’t be the only one singing for the next 48 hours. 

Check it out here.

cardboard testimonies

Lately, our God has been hammering my soul with how the Gospel changes us. I’ve been thinking about how when Jesus slams into our souls, He turns everything upside down, healing us, restoring us, giving hope, giving peace, changing us from who we were to who we are in Him. 

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” - Ezekiel 36:26

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come… He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  - 2 Corinthians 5:17 & 21

One of my facebook friends linked this video and I could watch it over and over again.

 

I used to love drugs, sex, and popularity more than Jesus… now, I can’t live without Him. 

What about you?

rick rolling with obama

It doesn’t matter what your political opinions are, this is just good ol’ fashioned youtube fun!

change.

Do you ever feel the need to make a change? Move to another house or city? Make a bunch of new friends? Get a new career? Leave the country? etc?

I get like that, sometimes. I struggle to understand if it is how God has wired me or something else.

lion reunion

Beck showed this to me today and I knew I had to share it with everyone else

jonathan edwards this morning

“Man was made for God: to serve God, or else he was made for nothing.”

                        - Jonathan Edwards, The Scripture is the Word of God, 1753.

from Of First Importance

“God’s grace means that I can rest assured that I’ll have everything I need to be what he wants me to be and to do what he wants me to do in the situation in which he’s placed me.

I’m no longer restricted to the limits of my own strength and wisdom. By his grace, I’ve a new identity and a new potential. I’m a child of God; the risen Christ now lives inside of me. I need no longer fear people or circumstances; I don’t have to feel weak in the face of suffering or temptation, because I no longer rest in the resources of my own ability. I’m in Christ and he’s in me.

This new identity gives me new potential as I face the realities of life in this bent and broken world. God’s grace gives me reason to ‘take heart.’”

—Paul David Tripp, “Psalm 27: Take Heart”

My friend, Peter, and I talked about this yesterday. We mentioned how its so important for us to actually believe it, yet so often we don’t. I think its funny that it just so happened to appear on the Of First Importance blog this morning.

You can check out more quotes like these here.

Everything I love about the O.C. is everything I hate about real life

The drama that surrounds Ryan, Marissa, Seth, and Summer keeps me on the edge of my seat. The break-ups make the make-ups so much sweeter.

However, if you asked me about my own life, I’d tell you the sweetest thing would be no drama at all!

Interesting…