I Like Jesus … Not the Church

You know, you have seen the stickers I heart Jesus.
People really do like Jesus, even love him,
but guess what they don't like the church.

This is the title of Dan Kimball's latest book.
You can read more about what went into the writing of his latest book here. Today's non-Christian 20- and 30-somethings are big fans of Jesus but are less thrilled with His followers and the churches where they worship. Pastor/author Dan Kimball reveals their six most common perceptions of Christians and the Church, what they wish church was like—and why you should be listening to these emerging voices. Here are the misconceptions:
1) The Church is an organized religion with a political agenda.

2) The Church is judgmental and negative.

3) The Church is dominated by males and oppresses females.

4) The Church is homophobic.

5) The Church arrogantly claims all other religions are wrong.

6) The Church is full of fundamentalists who take the whole Bible literally.

In the article at Christianity Today, which was originally written for outreachmagazine.com, he gives some good ideas of how to deal with the 6 misconceptions. One thing he talked about that struck me was what he called the Church Office Bubble. He talked about how it is so easy to be caught up in the business and busyness of the church that we don't as Pastors get outside the office. And that mostly we hang out with Christians or churchgoers. He found himself in that position. It made me think about my work as a Pastor, and challenged me to plan to get out of the office more and be around people. When I lived in Wadley, I got out more spent time with a lot of people, some Christian, some not, some church goers, some not. I feel encouraged and inspired to find a way to do it here in the culture and area I live in.



There is a website for the book called theylikejesus.com. Dan Kimball has his own blog as well, and other websites: Blogs and websites to follow:

• Dan Kimball
• MySpace
• http://www.vintagefaith.com/

This is another book I will be reading.

Looks like Sororities have not changed

Well, especially if you were a member of the Delta Zeta at DePauw University. Perhaps you read the news story; When a psychology professor at DePauw University here surveyed students, they described one sorority as a group of “daddy’s little princesses” and another as “offbeat hippies.” The sisters of Delta Zeta were seen as “socially awkward.”Worried that a negative stereotype of the sorority was contributing to a decline in membership that had left its Greek-columned house here half empty, Delta Zeta’s national officers interviewed 35 DePauw members in November, quizzing them about their dedication to recruitment. They judged 23 of the women insufficiently committed and later told them to vacate the sorority house.The 23 members included every woman who was overweight. They also included the only black, Korean and Vietnamese members. The dozen students allowed to stay were slender and popular with fraternity men — conventionally pretty women the sorority hoped could attract new recruits. Six of the 12 were so infuriated they quit. Tthe picture above is of some of the girls

“Virtually everyone who didn’t fit a certain sorority member archetype was told to leave,” said Kate Holloway, a senior who withdrew from the chapter during its reorganization.“I sensed the disrespect with which this was to be carried out and got fed up,” Ms. Holloway added. “I didn’t have room in my life for these women to come in and tell my sisters of three years that they weren’t needed.”

The mass eviction battered the self-esteem of many of the former sorority members, and some withdrew from classes in depression. There have been student protests, outraged letters from alumni and parents, and a faculty petition calling the sorority’s action unethical.DePauw’s president, Robert G. Bottoms, issued a two-page letter of reprimand to the sorority. In an interview in his office, Dr. Bottoms said he had been stunned by the sorority’s insensitivity.

The sorority “is saddened that the isolated incident at DePauw has been mischaracterized,” Ms. Menges wrote. Asked for clarification, the sorority’s public relations representative e-mailed a statement saying its actions were aimed at the “enrichment of student life at DePauw.” Uh, depression, having to withdraw from classes, battering people's self esteem sounds like enriching to me. Not. Hey even the President got booted.

I knew I didn't have legacy. I knew I wasn't going to be in a sorority, and I didn't care. But to people who have legacy, want to be in one, it does matter. I was a member of Service Sorority where looks, money, popularity, skin color, any of those things didn't matter. I enjoyed the sister hood, the fun, the service we did, and other good times. I had friends in sororities, and if this happened it would have been devastating. I guess I am naive I keep thinking we can get past looks, money popularity etc, but I guess we can't. It makes me sad for these girls. It makes me sad for the girls of the future. And it makes me sad for my girls, I guess they won't be sorority girls either, being Asian. They will have to find their fun and group else where.

Check out LaDonna Witmer's New Cinepoem

LaDonna Witmer has a new cinepoem called Elastine.

You can watch it several places. U Tube My Space Her website or here
It has some beautiful scenes of Paris. Here is what she shays about her poem: Elasticine is a very non-linear kind of girl who's really enamored with a certain French phrase. She talks a lot about seasonal mud pies and haunted shopping carts. And if you ask me what the hell it all means I'll just say, "Well, what does it mean to you?"