Monthly Archive for June, 2008

Just a group of disgruntled punks and Satan worshippers

Published
by
Todd
on Thursday, June 19, 2008
in Breathe
. 3 Comments

Breathe has been called a number of things in its extremely short lifetime. Honestly, nobody’s called it anything negative to my face, but I have heard from people I trust that some not-so-positive descriptors have been thrown around to describe our ubiquitous group.

I would like to address two of them. Admittedly, this is more for me than those who said these things; they likely don’t read my blog.

A Group of Disgruntled Punks*
A lifetime-church-goer used this phrase to describe us when hearing an off-handed, relatively casual, but accurate comment about Breathe. He/she was bothered that a group of angry, bitter, hurt individuals were all congregating together to complain about church. The individual couldn’t understand why the group felt this way; he/she had attended church his/her whole life and loved it. His/her church community had helped him/her get through difficult struggles and some of his/her fondest memories and relationships were forged in church. Surely no one should have a problem with church, he/she thought.

I understand this individual’s train of thought. A lifetime-church-goer myself, I have been blessed with many relationships and support that I wouldn’t have had access to were it not for an organized community of believers. And, honestly, I haven’t really been burned by the church too much myself – I’ve only been mildly condemned and judged, though I have felt largely ignored.

But I’m not sure that our experience is the norm. There are an incredible number of individuals who have been hurt, either through a perceived or actual hurt (I’m not sure there’s really a difference there). They have no interest at all in returning to a group who treated them so poorly – and who can blame them really?

What if a group existed to provide all the love, support and community that the name-caller and I have experienced to those who are without it because of a fear of/hatred for/repulsion by/indifference to church? What if that community did more than sit around and moan about the problems in church (even though that does happen – we are indeed disgruntled), but also started moving in the direction of becoming like Jesus? What if that community transformed into a church in the traditional (like first century “traditional”) sense? What if that group helped move the church forward with its unique, albeit damaged perspective?

That’s the plan for this “disgruntled” band of ours. We’ll see if we get there. Just know that our desire is to be more – much more – than just pissed off punks.

*Ok, the way I heard it, it wasn’t “punks.” But that makes for a much more dramatic subhead. And I believe that it was the spirit of what was said.

Satan Worshippers
We’re not.

Any names you’ve heard or wanted to call us? Leave them in the comments below.
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Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk

Is your church better than Westboro?

Published
by
Todd
on Wednesday, June 18, 2008
in Random
. 5 Comments

Westboro Baptist’s head cheese, Fred Phelps, released a video the day of Tim Russert’s death, declaring the act an example of God’s further condemnation of America and, in particular, its media.

Obviously, I don’t agree with Phelps’ assertions. But I do wonder what he would have us do. They continually call for repentance, but they never provide a clear call to action. How are we to repent? How are we to turn our nation back to God? What do they want us to do?

What is your church doing differently? Is it making the message of repentance and salvation tangible and practical? Or is it equally as abstract and unclear as Westboro?

Just curious.
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Am I a church planter?

Published
by
Todd
on Monday, June 16, 2008
in Breathe and Church
. 18 Comments

Am I one of these?My senior year of college, I got connected with a group contemplating a church plant in Los Angeles. The idea was fresh and exciting. And I liked the people spearheading the plant. Unfortunately, their plan was to move to L.A. in 2008 or 2009, and I was ready to get out of Searcy. No matter how cool a plan, how cool the people, it wasn’t worth staying at Harding.

After graduation, I knew that Hayley and I were coming back to Wichita, and that we would plug into Central cChurch of Christ – the church at which Hayley grew up and at which I interned the previous summer. I assumed that I would engage in youth ministry (as a sponsor) and Hayley would continue working with children.

That went well for a while, but I honestly had less time, energy and passion for youth ministry than I expected. I also, slowly but surely, lost my connections with the teens – both in terms of personal relationships and the desire to communicate with them as I used to (which usually involved my hitting my head on a chair or acting the fool in some other, equally creative way). I also felt much more drawn to people my own age, people who were turned off by church. Turned off by institutions. Bored by traditions.

People a lot like me.

Then I met Cliff, and as I’ve mentioned before, the combination of Cliff and Velvet Elvis led me down a path of asking, “What’s next for the church?” And obviously, today I’m exploring that through Breathe.

I subscribe to a couple of blogs from current and former, now successful, church planters. I’m impressed with their passion, commitment and thought that goes into every decision. I think their plans are amazing. I sometimes grow jealous of their success.

But I don’t feel a connection to them. I don’t feel like we’re doing the same thing. I don’t feel like I’m a church planter.

So, friends, the question I pose to you today: what makes a person a church planter?

Happy Monday.
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Back in the groove

Published
by
Todd
on Monday, June 9, 2008
in Random
. 6 Comments

Friends, I have returned from Phoenix, Arizona. I was there, celebrating the marriage of my ol’ college chum and Theatron pal Sam Peters to Brooklynne Travis-Peters. (I can neither confirm nor deny the possibility of Brooklynne using a hyphen.) It was a beautiful ceremony, but it was outdoors, in Phoenix, in June, in a tux. So…I got hot.

But my heat-suffering wasn’t the low-point of my trip – it was my airline “adventures” that stole the show. On my way out there, I missed my connection in Denver due to weather. I arrived in Phoenix at 10:30 instead of 6:15. Which in CST is 12:30 a.m. Needless to say, I was a sleepy fellow.

On the return flights, we hit some nasty, nasty turbulence on our way into Denver. It wasn’t terrifying, but it wasn’t fun either. Unfortunately, on our way into Wichita, I experienced terror such as I have never felt before. I’m not afraid of flying – mostly because I’ve never had reason to be. I don’t mind turbulence too terribly much. But I do mind my plane turning on its side and doing a significant dip, while picking up speed, going through an electrical storm.

I sincerely thought that I was done for. I think the two pilots to my right (they were out of uniform, and only later did I discover they were pilots when they said, “That was the worst I’ve ever experienced”) thought we were done for. All the women (and probably men) who screamed thought we were done for.

It. Was. Terrifying.

But, I am alive and well.

As is my wonderful wife, Hayley. And today marks the 25th year of her being alive and well. Since she no longer maintains a blog of her own, leave your comments here, wishing her well and providing words of encouragement for arriving at her mid-20s – I’m not sure she’s handling it well.

Happy Monday.
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