This lyric is one of mine, from a song by my band called Ampersuaded. I guess I got it right ocassionally!
Today I am going to see Rob Bell speak in Dallas and I am really excited! He is one of the pastors/teachers I find challenging and truthful in the midst of a lot of the opposite kind of voices in Christianity. Click the title above to visit Rob Bell's church (Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids) teaching site. I highly recommend their podcast and listening to as many sermons there as time allows. Great stuff!
Another teacher I dig was with me in thought most of the last few weeks. This past weekend I co-led a retreat that used Brian McLaren's book The Secret Message of Jesus as its curriculum. It is an amazing book and I find him an incredible thinker. I have found a small treasure of his teachings at my favorite hangout YouTube.
Brian deserves to be the first of the teachers (who teach me) to find their way onto Exposing Thorns. Watch this. Kick it around. Buy The Secret Message. And stay tuned, there are some other teachers out there worth hearing.
Nov 15, 2007
Blow up the outside world!
This title is the title lyric of a great Soundgarden song. I forgot how great that band was back in the day. To see for yourself click on the title and go watch the video for Blow Up The Outside World.
Pyromania was only one way I could have gone here...
But it seemed the higher road to choose.
THE WEEKLY INAPPROPRIATE CHURCH SIGN
Think there was any fire and brimstone slinging that day?
Pyromania was only one way I could have gone here...
But it seemed the higher road to choose.
THE WEEKLY INAPPROPRIATE CHURCH SIGN
Think there was any fire and brimstone slinging that day?
Nov 14, 2007
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.
This lyric/title is from Pink Floyd's song Time off of their masterwork Dark Side Of The Moon. You will see why in a moment. You may visit Pink Floyd's website by clicking the title.
Tomorrow night I am starting a four week series on The Great Commandment found in Matthew 22:37 where Jesus says we should love the Lord with all our "heart, soul, and mind" and asserts this is the "greatest commandment". I am calling the series Knowing-Believing-Acting and using the characters from the Wizard of Oz to make the point that these things must be each present in the life of a Disciple. I will try to post some of it here. At the end of the series, on December 9, we'll be gathering and watching The Dark Side Of The Rainbow-the sunch of the movie Wizard of Oz with the album Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd.
I did this as one of my very first devotions in the very early days of my youth ministry. Here's what I wrote for it:
Sometimes we have to look at two disconnected things in the world to see how God is at work through all things. Here we'll take a movie from the 30's and an album from the 70's and see what they have to say together, about each other, about the world we live in, and the worlds we can imagine. But there are other things we could take side by side and see God at work; life and death, sin and grace, the life Jesus lived and the death he didn't deserve, the lives we live and the eternity we are offered. Watch as Dorothy Gale is taken on a journey full of danger and magic. Listen as we hear about what corrupts the world and a piece of art that ends with the words All that is now, All that is gone, All that's to come, and everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon. Then finally someone saying "There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it's all dark." The moon's light is merely a reflection of the sun. And the whole thing is entirely about finding your way home. Here is Dark Side Of The Rainbow...
Pretty solid shit for a 19 year old I gotta say!!!
Here are my two favorite movements from Dark Side Of The Rainbow.
Anybody in Texas (you know within a non-ridiculous radius) come check out our study the next four Wednesdays and the synch on December 9. Everybody else do this in your own home with some friends. It'll blow your mind!
Tomorrow night I am starting a four week series on The Great Commandment found in Matthew 22:37 where Jesus says we should love the Lord with all our "heart, soul, and mind" and asserts this is the "greatest commandment". I am calling the series Knowing-Believing-Acting and using the characters from the Wizard of Oz to make the point that these things must be each present in the life of a Disciple. I will try to post some of it here. At the end of the series, on December 9, we'll be gathering and watching The Dark Side Of The Rainbow-the sunch of the movie Wizard of Oz with the album Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd.
I did this as one of my very first devotions in the very early days of my youth ministry. Here's what I wrote for it:
Sometimes we have to look at two disconnected things in the world to see how God is at work through all things. Here we'll take a movie from the 30's and an album from the 70's and see what they have to say together, about each other, about the world we live in, and the worlds we can imagine. But there are other things we could take side by side and see God at work; life and death, sin and grace, the life Jesus lived and the death he didn't deserve, the lives we live and the eternity we are offered. Watch as Dorothy Gale is taken on a journey full of danger and magic. Listen as we hear about what corrupts the world and a piece of art that ends with the words All that is now, All that is gone, All that's to come, and everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon. Then finally someone saying "There is no dark side of the moon really. Matter of fact it's all dark." The moon's light is merely a reflection of the sun. And the whole thing is entirely about finding your way home. Here is Dark Side Of The Rainbow...
Pretty solid shit for a 19 year old I gotta say!!!
Here are my two favorite movements from Dark Side Of The Rainbow.
Anybody in Texas (you know within a non-ridiculous radius) come check out our study the next four Wednesdays and the synch on December 9. Everybody else do this in your own home with some friends. It'll blow your mind!
Nov 13, 2007
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway!
About time I quoted some Willie Nelson in the title! Long long overdue. This line is from On The Road Again. You can hear some of his work, inlcuding an amazing/unsettling thing called Peaceful Solution on his mysapce page by clicking the title here.
THE WEEKLY PIC OF THE ADVENTURES OF J.D. ROSE
Driving some kids in the church van to camp this summer!
THE WEEKLY PIC OF THE ADVENTURES OF J.D. ROSE
Driving some kids in the church van to camp this summer!
Nov 12, 2007
From the start in your own way, you just want somebody listening to what you say.
This line is from one of my favorite bands Colpday's song Square One. You can hear some of their stuff on their myspace page and you can get there by clicking the title above.
I led an adult retreat this weekend and the last morning we did some journaling and reflecting on the story of Zacchaeus the tax collector. If you've nevr read it, check out Luke 19:1-10. While we reflected I just started writing and thought what I wrote might be of interest and value to whomever finds the blog today or in future days.
The Cheap Seat
By J.D. Rose
November 11, 2007
Ran ahead, Zacchaeus did
because sometimes you've got to beat the crowd to the arena, be the first one in line, sleep on the sidewalk for two weeks to be admitted to the concert. The official fanclub and groupies are coming in with the act and the VIP's will surely find their place close to the stage. But you; a bottom feeder, despised, hated, reviled - no one's saving a seat for the likes of you.
And let's admit it! You're not that impressive. You're not the biggest and baddest, the best or the brightest, tall in stature or great in contribution. The dirt and rocks have a greater purpose. The trees above at least can shade and be climbed by children in summer. The trees! The Sycamore in the town square; you could climb it and wait for his coming. You could perch there and wait and see. Run ahead Zacchaeus to claim your spot. Run ahead and find your place. Look up! Look up!
Then just maybe he'll look up and offer you a first row seat. Maybe he's not like all the others. Maybe he's not here for the VIP's after all, but the people like you who just want to see and hear and have a place.
And if confronted with the truth you suspect he might be bringing...
If you see boundless love...
If forgiveness is for you, for sinners, for sinners even like you...
none of the rest of it will matter.
Give it away.
Give it all away - your money, your possessions, your job, your title, your place, your life as you know it, your life forever. Give it away. Give it all away!
He's calling your name even now.
I led an adult retreat this weekend and the last morning we did some journaling and reflecting on the story of Zacchaeus the tax collector. If you've nevr read it, check out Luke 19:1-10. While we reflected I just started writing and thought what I wrote might be of interest and value to whomever finds the blog today or in future days.
The Cheap Seat
By J.D. Rose
November 11, 2007
Ran ahead, Zacchaeus did
because sometimes you've got to beat the crowd to the arena, be the first one in line, sleep on the sidewalk for two weeks to be admitted to the concert. The official fanclub and groupies are coming in with the act and the VIP's will surely find their place close to the stage. But you; a bottom feeder, despised, hated, reviled - no one's saving a seat for the likes of you.
And let's admit it! You're not that impressive. You're not the biggest and baddest, the best or the brightest, tall in stature or great in contribution. The dirt and rocks have a greater purpose. The trees above at least can shade and be climbed by children in summer. The trees! The Sycamore in the town square; you could climb it and wait for his coming. You could perch there and wait and see. Run ahead Zacchaeus to claim your spot. Run ahead and find your place. Look up! Look up!
Then just maybe he'll look up and offer you a first row seat. Maybe he's not like all the others. Maybe he's not here for the VIP's after all, but the people like you who just want to see and hear and have a place.
And if confronted with the truth you suspect he might be bringing...
If you see boundless love...
If forgiveness is for you, for sinners, for sinners even like you...
none of the rest of it will matter.
Give it away.
Give it all away - your money, your possessions, your job, your title, your place, your life as you know it, your life forever. Give it away. Give it all away!
He's calling your name even now.
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