Mixed Feelings

It appears that Gordon Hayward is going to test the NBA waters after all.

As a Butler alum and fan, I have mixed feelings.

On one hand, I want to see him come back next year and finish the job, winning a national title for the Bulldogs.

On the other, I understand the allure of NBA money (even though there's no way he'll get picked as high as Kentucky one-and-dones John Wall and Demarcus Cousins), especially in light of the potential NBA lockout (again? really? especially at the same time the NFL may have one because you guys are all so darn greedy?).

The silver lining is that Hayward hasn't hired an agent, which means he could return to the college ranks. I feel horrible hoping that he will be disappointed with his short-term professional prospects, but his presence and leadership are so crucial to the Dawgs success next year.

I am not a big NBA fan, but I guarantee that whenever Gordon Hayward gets a place on an NBA roster, they will automatically become my favorite team in the Association. I'd love to see a professional player who understands the team concept, and who doesn't have any neck tats.

Please, Gordon, for the love of God, don't get any ink on your neck...

Supporting Jennifer Knapp

The way people behave on the internet astounds me sometimes. I read a number of different blogs, and it seems that for every intelligent comment there are at least five that have next to nothing to do with the topic, or are downright ignorant and/or hateful.

I think perhaps it's a combination of the instant nature of online communication and the anonymity that the internet provides that take away the usual filters that most people have in almost every other form of communication. If you sat down and hand wrote a letter, you'd probably not say every single thing that comes to your mind, because your hand travels at a much slower speed than your brain. Not so with a computer keyboard. And if you were face to face with someone expressing an opinion, there would be some kind of filter between your brain and your mouth. But on the internet you may only know someone's screen name, and having no idea who they are, normal restraints fly out the window. (I've only had a few instances of this kind of thing happening on my blog, thankfully)

I have to confess that I'm often tempted to do these kinds of things, especially when I see posts or replies that drive me up the wall. At least once a day I'm about to post a reply telling "ignorantcommenter666" (I really hope that's not anyone's actual handle) where they can stick their ill-informed, hateful opinions. I am usually able to stop myself, because I don't want to stoop down to their level, but I'd be lying if I said I haven't written a couple "anonymous" replies saying things I would never say or write under any other circumstance. I think many of you can identify with this.

The reason I bring it up today is that I'm nervously awaiting the blowback from the "Christian" blogosphere regarding Jennifer Knapp's admission in an interview with Christianity Today that she is gay. Thus far the only things I've seen have been supportive posts from progressive thinkers like Tony Jones, and admittedly I haven't gone trolling for the hateful stuff yet because it only tempts my judgmental spirit and increases the likelihood that I will post a mean "anonymous" comment.

But I know it will come, and it's probably already out there. There is plenty of indiscriminate hatred out there toward people with different sexual orientations: witness the Westboro Baptist Church phenomenon. And the Christian-media-industrial-complex has a track-record of being ruthless in enforcing their standard of morality. One only needs to remember how CCM magazine invented an apology from Amy Grant  to her fans following her divorce (you can read about it in Matthew Paul Turner's excellent book, Hear No Evil) to know what levels these corporate entities will often stoop to.

Regarding the interview with Christianity Today, I admire Jennifer Knapp for being willing to discuss the issue when she knows full well what kind of treatment she will receive. I especially admire her for rejecting the premise of some of the interviewer's questions (on pg. 3, if you're reading it online). When the interviewer asked if she was "struggling with these issues" at certain points, she refuses to characterize her sexual orientation as a sin or some kind of fundamental defect. Her only struggle was to be fully who God created her to be, regardless of how some allegedly Christian people might respond.

Here's my pledge: when I see negative reactions to Jennifer Knapp, I'm going to respond with positive, thoughtful, loving words. I'm not going to stoop down to the level of the haters. I'm going to keep the conversation civil and invite others to do so, too.

Lasting Images

I'll get back to posting about religious issues soon enough, but I though I'd share a couple of my favorite images from Butler's run in the NCAA tournament.

"Air Gordon" Hayward blocks a dunk attempt by UTEP guard Randy Culpepper in the Bulldog's opening round game in San Jose.

Butler's mascot, Blue II, chews on a huge bone

Coach Stevens and the players celebrate beating Kansas State for a trip back to Indy for the Final Four (I think there were some flying hip bumps going on here)

The final verdict? Duke wins the title, Butler wins America's hearts.

And they stand a darn good chance of winning the title next year, since they've given Coach Stevens the payday he deserves.

Now hopefully Gordon Hayward makes the right decision and stays in school. David Letterman put it well: "they have guns in the locker rooms in the NBA. Don't let him go!"

Go Dawgs!!!

The Cross and Flame

One of the blogs I subscribe to on my Google reader is called God Hates Protesters. Today they featured what appeared to be a screenshot from the KKK website saying that they are not affiliated with Westboro Baptist Church and that they do not approve of WBC.

While this is the most clear-cut case of the pot using racial slurs against the kettle, I wanted to see if it was true. So even though it made me sick to do so (I took a shower afterward and am seriously considering burning my computer) I went to the KKK's website to find their denunciation.

I figured the FAQ page would be the most likely place, so I scanned down the page, which is mostly devoted to "clearing up misconceptions". One of the questions was attempting to say how burning crosses isn't racist, violent, or disrespectful to Christianity. (By the way, if you buy their argument, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you)

Part of the Klan's defense of burning crosses was a claim that "Methodist churches also have a burning cross". They are referencing the Cross and Flame, which is the official symbol of the United Methodist Church.

In case anyone was wondering, our symbol IS NOT a burning cross!!!

The flame represents the Holy Spirit (Acts 2), the two flames symbolizing the two denominations that came together to form the United Methodist Church in 1968: The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren.

The United Methodist Church has nothing to do with the KKK. Just thought I'd share that.

Final Four

On Saturday night, after Butler beat Michigan State to advance to the national title game, I decided that I had to go to Indianapolis for Monday night's showdown against Duke. If it had been any weekend other than Easter, I probably would have been in the stands on Saturday, too!

This quick trip was a present to myself for making it through Holy Week with my sanity intact (something you pastors know can be difficult).

I went online, found a ticket, called a friend from college to see if I could crash on their couch, and I was set to go.

After all, when else would I get to to this? Even if my alma mater makes it back to the Final Four next year (a decent possibility, if all the underclassmen return), it wouldn't be just a few hours drive away, and just a few miles from campus!

Even though Butler came up just short of the win, I had an amazing time. I saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in years, and I got to have coffee with my undergrad advisor on campus the following day. The only thing that could have made the trip better (other than winning the title, of course) was if Jessica and Kate could have come with me.

I could lay the blame on some questionable officiating, particularly the lack of a foul call when Ivan Drago, er, Brian Zoubek clothes-lined Gordon Hayward with about 3 minutes to go, but it's hard to win against anybody when they outshoot you from the field 48 to 37 percent.

But now that the disappointment has had a few days to subside, I'm grateful for all the fun I had watching the team all year, and for the prestige they continue to bring to the university. I've never been prouder to be a Butler Bulldog!

They Did It!!!

Can it be? YES!!! IT IS!!! The Butler Bulldogs, the smallest school (4,500 students) ever to go go the Final Four beat Michigan State in a 52-50 nail biter for a shot at the national title game!!!

For any regular readers who may be wondering about the state of the Kelley Family Bracket Smackdown, I'm leading with 56 points, Kate is hot on my heels with 54, and Jessica has 49. If Butler wins it all, the 14 month old wins! How crazy is that?

Oh yeah, about as crazy as Butler being in the national title game! WOO HOO!!!

Stations of the Cross

Tonight we celebrated Good Friday by walking the Stations of the Cross. I know this is something Protestants don't often do, but we thought we'd take advantage of worshipping in a Roman Catholic space where the stations are along the walls of the sanctuary.



Over the traditional rendering of each station is an additional piece of artwork (created by the lovely and talented Jessica Kelley) representing the emotional impact of each station. We photographed them after tonight's service, and they will remain through Easter Sunday. Come see them in person if you're in the Clarksville area this weekend!

Station 1- Jesus is Condemned by Pilate


the words on the surface of the water in the bowl are a selection of the sins of humanity for which Jesus died

Station 2- Jesus is given his cross

Station 3- Jesus falls for the first time

Station 4- Jesus meets his Mother

Station 5- Simon of Cyrene carries the cross

Station 6- Veronica wipes the face of Jesus 

Tradition says that the cloth Veronica used to wipe Jesus' face retained his image, creating one of the treasures of the early church. We used this one to remind ourselves that we are all created in the image of God, and are called to serve as his representatives in the world.

Station 7- Jesus falls the second time

Station 8- Jesus meets the daughters of Jerusalem

Station 9- Jesus falls the third time

Station 10- Jesus is stripped of his garment

Station 11- Jesus is nailed to the cross

Station 12- Jesus dies on the cross

Station 13a 

In the Catholic tradition, this station recalls Jesus being removed from the cross and being mourned, usually by his mother, we made a slightly different choice, as you will see in a moment)

Station 13b- Jesus is laid in the tomb

Station 14 (wide shot)- we thought it would be cool to have this one on the altar

Station 14 (close-up)- The Empty Tomb

Our final station ends with the Resurrection, because Jesus' death is not the end of the story, and Sin, Evil, and Death do not have the last word.

Attention Chicaaaaago Friends!

... I thought the title might get more notice if I said it in your accent. Now that I have your attention...

An old friend of mine is part of a really cool new church plant in the Chicago area, specifically targeting the folks in and around the Loop. You may have seen some of their ads on CTA busses or trains:

I know a lot of churches talk about everyone being welcome, but the folks at Urban Village Church don't just welcome everyone, they value everyone for who they are.

If you're the type of person who is intrigued by faith but has had a hard time with religious systems, I hope you'll check this church out. It might be for you, it might not, but you won't lose anything by giving it a try. And you just might find a really amazing point of connection with God and other people.

update: Urban Village Church has a cool new promo video:

I have to confess, I have the urge to plant a new congregation at some point in my journey in ministry, and I'm quite envious of what these folks are getting to do!

Hoops and Health Care

This morning I saw a poll on CNN's website, asking which I would be following more closely this weekend: the progress on the Health Care Reform bill or NCAA basketball games. Health Care or Hoops?

I had to sit back and think about this for a minute. Ten years from now I'm probably going to remember more about the Health Care bill than the progress of my tournament brackets (aside from Butler's game, of course). So one would assume that I'd be paying more attention to health care. But I clicked on the "NCAA hoops" option on the poll.

I like college basketball a lot. But I care much more deeply about reforming the health care system in our country. This is not an abstract issue for me. I'm not a pro-big-government person, nor am I a socialist or whatever other label Glen Beck is applying to me today. This is a human issue to me. I've met too many people over the years who live on the margins of society, barely surviving because they don't have access to basic services, health care included.

So why did I click on the "hoops" option? Why am I so reluctant to even post this? It's because this health care debate has worn me out. There's so much yelling and so little substance that I simply don't have the energy to participate in the way I feel I should. Rarely do I have a conversation about this issue that doesn't quickly devolve into fear based rhetoric or general demonization of the other side (this includes those who support the bill). It seems like everyone has already made up their mind, even if they haven't bothered to look examine the issues for themselves.

So for my own sanity I choose to stay out of the fray, other than sending some emails to my congressional representatives (who are all far right ideologues, so they don't listen to me, anyway). I'll keep an eye on the vote tally, but I'll keep a closer eye on college basketball and my brackets, because it causes me significantly less stress. Is this bad? Probably. But it's where I'm at.

Actually, I will make one more contribution to the debate. I said earlier that this is not an abstract issue, that there are real people whose lives are affected by health care reform. I'll show you one of them.

This is a child that won't have any health insurance coverage if nothing changes. Her name is Becca.

She is the smallest premie ever born at Vanderbilt hospital to survive. She's thriving and doing very well, but she's a walking pre-existing condition, so she'll never be insurable under the status-quo.

You can read her parents' blog for more about her story.

Becca and many other people I've met throughout the years are the reason I support Health Care Reform. If you're someone who actively lobbies your representatives (or if you're in Congress, in which case, thanks for reading!), please consider the human face of this issue.

PS- On April 17, our family is participating in the March of Dimes "March for Babies" walk in Nashville to raise money for treatment for kids like Becca. Our goal is to raise $500. If you could like to contribute, click here to do so online. Thanks for your support.

Kelley Family Bracketology

For the last couple years, Jessica and I have competed against each other in picking the winners in the NCAA tournament, which begins tomorrow. I follow sports more closely than she does, but she's still beaten me about half the time because I tend to over-think my brackets. Most guys I talk to about this express the same frustration, where some guy in the office's girlfriend ends up winning the bracket pool because she picked based on the cuteness of mascots. (Jessica just goes with her gut instinct.)

This year our daughter, Kate, is getting in on the action, too. So here it is: the Kelley family's 2010 Bracket Showdown.

Matt
My bracket is defined by my love for my alma mater, Butler University, and my sincere (perhaps foolish) belief that they could make a serious run in this year's tournament. Upsets include Houston (13) beating Maryland (4) in the first round, Minnesota (11) over Xavier (6),  Sienna (13) over Purdue (4) (though with Purdue's injury situation, this isn't a huge upset), and Marquette (6) making it to the Sweet 16. I have Butler beating Vanderbilt in the second round. Choosing my undergrad over my graduate school was a not as gut-wrenching as some might expect.
My Final Four is Kansas, Butler (yeah, that's right, go Dawgs!!!), Kentucky, and Baylor. I have Kansas beating Kentucky in the title game. I love Butler, but I also want to win the competition.

Jessica
Jessica's bracket shows her love for her parents' alma mater, the University of Kentucky (who, based on their coach's history, will no doubt get their wins for this season revoked when the NCAA uncovers the grade fixing and various other violations Calapari and his one-and-done players are no doubt engaging in). She isn't picking too many upsets, but has Gonzaga beating Syracuse in the second round, and Purdue beating Duke in the Sweet 16.
Her Final Four is Kansas, Butler (because she loves me), Kentucky, and Purdue (clearly she didn't watch the Big 10 Tournament or read up on the Robbie Hummel injury). She has Kentucky beating Kansas in the title game.

Kate
While this is not Kate's first NCAA tournament (she was a whole six weeks old last year), she has yet to learn the intricacies of shooting guard match-ups and the glory of mid-major Cinderellas, so she's making her picks based on the mascots. Specifically, she's going with mascots she recognizes from her books or her stuffed animal collection. Bears trump anything else, then cats and dogs get preferential treatment. Thus we have lots of interesting upsets: Cornell (12), Montana (11), and Oakland (14) all going to the Sweet 16, and Morgan St. (15) upsetting West Virginia (2)!
Since she loves her Mommy and Daddy, Butler and Kentucky are playing each other in the national title game, having defeated Georgetown and Baylor, respectively, in their Final Four games. Right now her national champion slot remains blank, which probably means she hasn't decided which parent she loves more. Guess who's going to be getting lots of cookies from Daddy?

Of course, we all know who would win if graduation rates and player GPAs were factored in:

Go Bulldogs! Enjoy the tournament!

The Wheels on the Bus

Yesterday, Jessica and our friend, Paula, took Kate "yard sale-ing" (as opposed to yard-sailing, which may not exist but sounds kind of cool), and found a couple cool toddler toys.

One of these toys is a little yellow bus that plays the song, "The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round"(a song which I'm convinced, along with "John Jacob Jinglehimer Schmidt", is on a continuous loop in Hell). As you can see, there are a couple little removable plastic passengers. While Kate and I were playing after church this afternoon, I realized that when you press each of these people into their spot, their verse of the song plays.

The person in the front turns out to be the driver, and her verse goes:

The driver on the bus says 'move on back', 
'Move on back', 'move on back'. 
The driver on the bus says 'move on back'
All through the town.

This got me thinking about how fifty-five years ago, a driver on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama told a black woman to "move on back" in the segregated bus because there weren't enough seats on the bus for white people. Rosa Parks refused and was arrested, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began, and our world is a much better place for it.

(By the way, I have no reason to believe this song has any racial overtones, but anyone who knows otherwise, please feel free to correct me.)

Kate isn't talking just yet, but she will soon, and "Wheels on the Bus" will probably be a song that she learns early on. I'm going to teach her one additional verse:

Rosa Parks on the bus says, 'I aint moving'
'I aint moving', 'I aint moving'
Rosa Parks on the bus says, 'I aint moving'
All through the town!

Of two minds

I've been following the dust-up over Glenn Beck's call for folks to leave their churches if they hear the words "social justice" with a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

On the one hand, I'm not remotely surprised that Beck said it. He's in the business of saying outrageous things to get people to pay attention to him. The only time I see him on TV is when Jon Stewart is making fun of him on The Daily Show, and I figure that not paying attention to him is the best thing to do. (Yes, I realize devoting a blog post to him is undermining that strategery)

On the other hand, a lot of people do listen to him and take him seriously. Jim Wallis thinks that he is worth taking on, asking people bombard Beck with emails proclaiming themselves "social justice Christians"  (another way of saying we take what Jesus said seriously), which you can do through the Sojourner's website. Wallis is apparently even challenging Beck to a debate.

I can't decide if that's a good idea or not. Are we somehow validating Glen Beck as a legitimate voice in the conversation by responding to the crazy things he says? Or is his voice so influential that we have no choice but to respond? Is a televised debate between Glen Beck and Jim Wallis a good opportunity or stooping down to Beck's level?

Discuss...

Festival of Young Preachers on You Tube

Back in January I was privileged to be a part of the inaugural Festival of Young Preachers in Louisville, KY. It was a great experience, because as the oldest of the young preachers (at 29), I got to see other preachers as young as eighteen who are just beginning to explore their calling. It was also lots of fun to sit there and listen to a bunch of awesome sermons for three days!

The Academy of Preachers has now put all the sermons from the festival on their You Tube channel. I highly recommend checking it out. You'll see a variety of preaching styles from very diverse theological backgrounds, all of them very good.

Perhaps against their better judgment, the Academy even posted my sermon. It's not the best delivery I've ever done, but overall I was pleased.

The videos aren't able to be embedded right now, but you can view Part 1 and Part 2 on the You Tube site.

Any feedback is, of course, welcome.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is one of my favorite liturgical holidays. Maybe it's because the corporate world hasn't found a way to squeeze greeting cards, furniture sales, and faux controversy ("keep the Christ in Christmas") out of it. Or maybe it's for the same reason one of my seminary professors talked about existentialists loving Fall "because of all this beautiful death around us".

Actually, the reason I love Ash Wednesday is how its symbols remind us of the cyclical nature of the liturgical calendar, and more broadly, the impermanence of life. Each year, we save the palm fronds from Palm Sunday, let them dry for eleven months, and then burn them to make the ashes we use to mark the beginning of another Lent. As bright and colorful as those palm fronds were last year, and as great as the children's procession into the sanctuary with them was, they end up dry and brittle, and one small spark turns them into a thick, black, ashy dust.

"Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return..."

Last year, Ash Wednesday took on a new significance for me because it was the first time I put ashes on my daughter's forehead. She was just a few weeks old at the time, and was asleep when I did it, but it was still very sobering to think that even Kate, that energetic little girl with her whole life ahead of her, is just as mortal as any of us.

That lesson was brought back to me again this year, because she's now so mobile and active like a big person, and she was awake and looking at me curiously, wondering why I was smearing something on her when that's usually her job, and I'm the one always cleaning her off! She, too, will one day shuffle off his moral coil, though I pray that it's long after Jessica and I are gone.

I think our congregation was also much more aware of the impermanence of life this year. Our beautiful, historic church building was reduced to ashes, to dust it returned. Before we cleaned up the site, I went and collected some of the ashes in a jar, and I mixed them with the palm fronds this year. It served as a reminder to all of us that despite all the time and energy we're putting into the new building, one day it, too, will return to dust, as will we all.

And the winner is...

The random person who spammed me in Mandarin with links to websites whose content will not be repeated on this blog!

Just kidding. Seriously, though, don't do that. Kids read this blog.

Bradley J. Smith of Pulaski, TN wins a free copy of Hear No Evil! Congratulations, Brad!

Thanks so much for all those who commented and retweeted. This was fun, and I'll do another giveaway some time soon. In the meantime, I hope you'll keep coming back to The Truth as Best I Know It and interact as much as you can.

Review of Hear No Evil and Giveaway

Matthew Paul Turner's latest book, Hear No Evil: My Story of Innocence, Music, and the Holy Ghost is a very enjoyable followup to Churched, his previous memoir about growing up in and eventually out of fundamentalist Christianity.

This book surprised me a bit. I was expecting a standard memoir, where Turner tells the story of a certain portion of his life, covering all the major events in that period and more or less allowing the reader to take whatever themes from it they will. While Hear No Evil generally fits into this category- it begins when Turner is a teenager and ends in the present day- the narrative jumps around a bit. Conversations with friends pause to show flashbacks. Major events of Turner's life, such as meeting and marrying his wife, Jessica, the birth of his son, Elias Jude, and what are undoubtedly many interesting anecdotes about his time as a student at Belmont University, manager of a Christian coffee shop, and editor of CCM Magazine, are left out.

This may sound like criticism, but it's not. The fact that Hear No Evil doesn't follow the standard linear memoir format is what makes it stand out from the plethora of enjoyable memoirs by gifted storytellers out there. These episodes in Turner's life serve as vignettes to chart the emergence of Turner's understanding of the relationship between religious faith and popular culture, specifically "secular" music. Hear No Evil is a literary version of a concept album: someone who comes to it expecting the standard fare may not get it, but will probably find something to enjoy nonetheless.

Sidenote: if this is a concept album, what happens if I read it backwards while I'm watching the Wizard of Oz?

Regardless of what you're looking for, you're going to find something to like about Hear No Evil. Matthew Paul Turner is an excellent storyteller. His love and compassion for all the people he writes about is clearly evident, even when he's describing things that made him mad or frustrated him at the time.

Some highlight include: a group of Pentecostals loudly praying over him at a restaurant for deliverance from his acid-reflux disease, all the while trying to hold back a massive belch; buying and throwing away an Amy Grant album several times because of the guilt over its supposed "ungodliness"; and the heartbreaking story of his publisher at CCM rewriting an interview with Amy Grant to make her apologize for getting a divorce.

His somewhat sarcastic (some might use the word "snarky") sense of humor is only off-putting to those who take themselves way too seriously, and these are the folks who are in the greatest need of what Matthew Paul Turner has to offer. The kind of Christianity he describes is genuine, full of hope and free from fear and judgment. The church would be a much better place if more people understood Jesus the way Matthew Paul Turner does.

OK, now for the freebie! Want to win a free copy of Hear No Evil? Of course you do. Here are a couple ways to get one:

1. Leave a comment on this post.
2. Follow my blog by clicking the button on the right.
3. Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/matthewlkelley
4. Speaking of Twitter, retweet this:
RT @matthewlkelley: win a free copy of Hear No Evil: http://matthewlkelley.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-of-hear-no-evil-and-giveaway.html

Each of these actions will get you an entry, and I will randomly select a winner Wednesday morning.

Disclaimer: This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. The opinions expressed in this review, however, are my own.

50th Anniversary of the Nashville Sit-Ins

Today marks a significant anniversary for the Nashville community. Fifty years ago today, the lunch counter sit-ins began, protesting legalized segregation in many places in Nashville, including lunch-counters, water fountains, bathrooms, etc.

I wasn't alive during this time, and I'm white, so it may sound strange to say that this is a very meaningful anniversary for me personally. But these sit-ins played a major role in my own faith development.

First, one of my teachers in high school was a student at Fisk University during this time and participated in the sit-ins. He would tell his story to students, sparing no detail about the verbal and physical abuse he suffered at the hands of white people who feared sitting next to him at a lunch counter. I had read about the Civil Rights movement in text books, but hearing someone who was there tell his story, and seeing the scars on his arms from being dragged off by police, made social injustice more real and less theoretical to me at an early age.

Also, my seminary, Vanderbilt Divinity School, played a central role in the Nashville sit-ins. James Lawson, a divinity student at the time, was the organizer of the sit-ins, and the controversy his involvement in civil rights and subsequent expulsion created nearly shut down not only the Divinity School, but the entire university. The events of these years were so significant that there is a whole chapter devoted to them in the official history of the Divinity School. 

There is also an amazing book about the sit-ins by the late David Halberstam, called The Children. James Lawson and many others are brilliantly profiled by Halberstam, who was a reporter for The Tennessean at the time.

So I wish all those who have fought for equality these last fifty years a happy anniversary. Thank you for  making this world a better place for me and my children to live in, and for inspiring us to do our part in the struggle for a nation where all are truly accepted and loved for who they are.

Witness to Love

This week, I was privileged to be part of a unique, grassroots event. On Wednesday night, Judy Shepard spoke at Austin Peay State University. Fred Phelps and his followers from Westboro Baptist Church were planning to be there spreading their hatred, so a group of students organized a counter protest, welcoming Judy Shepard to Clarksville and witnessing to the fact that not all followers of Jesus are have hatred and fear as their primary motivation. I went, wearing my clerical collar to represent all the loving, tolerant pastors who couldn't be present.

The crowd was fairly diverse, and since it included lots of college students, there were a number of creative and somewhat snarky signs. Here are few of my favorites:

This last photo is my favorite, because it shows a small portion of the crowd, but it gives a sense of just how many folks showed up. It was very peaceful, and organized entirely by the students. Those of us who were older and out of school were very impressed!

Even though they've been following Judy Shepard around the country, Fred Phelps and his followers didn't show up to protest. I was a little disappointed, because I wanted to see that circus in person, but I was overjoyed to see how the crowd stuck around for the purpose of affirming something and someone, and not just protesting against a particular group.

Witnessing to Love Tonight

Tonight (Wednesday, February 3), Judy Shepard will be speaking at Austin Peay at 7pm. Judy's son, Matthew, was murdered in 1998 by a gang of young men who hated him for one reason: he was gay. Recent legislation signed by President Obama extending hate crimes protection to cover sexual orientation bares Matthew Shepard's name, and his mother now speaks all over the country sharing Matthew's story spreading awareness of hate crimes.

Sadly, hate will be present on campus as she speaks. Fred Phelps and members of Westboro Baptist Church will be protesting on campus. My dear friend, Rev. Jodi McCullah, the director of the Wesley Foundation at Austin Peay, has informed me that numerous student groups, religious and secular, will be present as well to witness to the love of Jesus Christ against the hatred spread by Phelps and his followers.

I will be joining the APSU students in their witness, and I invite anyone else in the Clarksville area who wishes to do so to join us. If you choose to bring signs, please keep them respectful, affirming God's love and grace, and not attacking anybody else. Please also refrain from verbally engaging Phelps or his followers, as they have a history of being extremely aggressive and attempting to create physical conflict.

If you plan to join us, please email me or leave a comment on the blog so I know to look for you.

update- A friend of mine on Facebook made a great suggestion. For every minute that Phelps and his followers are out there protesting, I'm going to donate $1 to PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). Tomorrow I'll post the total number of minutes for anyone else to wants to participate.

Superbowl Ads

Like many red-blooded American males, I like football. I like watching it, I like talking about it with other guys, and I even briefly tried to play it in middle school (let's not talk about how that one went). So even if my second favorite team, the Indianapolis Colts, wasn't in the game, I'd still be excited about this weekend's Superbowl.

One of the reasons I like the Superbowl is that it is the one football game a year that I can get my wife to watch with me. She doesn't care much about the game, despite my numerous, patient, and erudite attempts to explain it to her, but she does like the commercials. Large companies spend millions of dollars per second competing with each other to see who can put on the most lavish production, which may or may not have even the tiniest connection with the product they're selling. Kind of like the game itself, watching the Superbowl commercials is mindless fun, a great escape from the grind of everyday life.

That is, until this year. It turns out that Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, a devout and vocal (although not in an annoying way, thankfully) evangelical Christian, is appearing with his mother in a pro-life ad sponsored by Focus on the Family (one of the few remaining home-bases of the religious right). Predictably, there was vocal reaction from all sides, because few issues get people up in arms these days like abortion.

This development didn't bug me, personally. If Focus on the Family wants to spend the money to buy air-time during the Superbowl, it's their right to do so. They air beer commercials during the Superbowl, and not everyone approves of alcohol use. For that matter, they air soda ads, and some religious traditions forbid consumption of caffeine. The ability to purchase air-time is an exercise of the First Amendment.

What disturbs me is that CBS is now applying inconsistent standards in what ads they'll air during the Superbowl. A dating website that caters specifically to those with same-sex attraction attempted to buy air-time, and they were rejected, even though the only thing they showed was two guys holding hands. CBS claims the ad "is not within the Network's broadcast standards for Super Bowl Sunday." Scantily clad women selling beer and couples heading off for a one night stand selling condoms are OK, but not two guys holding hands? Really?

Ad to this the fact that CBS rejected an ad several years ago from MoveOn.org that was critical of then-President Bush. They have also previously rejected ads from the United Church of Christ, a progressive Christian denomination. If everyone has the right to buy air-time if they can afford it, why is CBS discriminating?

Once again we see that conservative Christian groups have tremendous power in America because they are more than willing to unleash their wrath on people and groups they perceive to have offended them in the smallest way. I don't think CBS has a political agenda. CBS is a publicly traded corporation, and as such it is afraid of bad press and boycotts that would hurt their ratings, both of which the Christian-media-industrial-complex is happy to use as weapons.

It's really sad that the dominant voices in our society of those who allegedly represent Jesus Christ, a man who was killed for preaching love and grace against the fear-based, violently coercive systems of his day, use as their first option the tactics against which Jesus preached.

I'm going to enjoy the Superbowl this year, especially if the Colts win, but seeing certain ads included and excluded based almost solely on the fear of issue-groups will lessen my enjoyment.

Kate's First Birthday

Kate is one year old today! For a detailed wrap-up of her first year, check out Jessica's blog.

Happy Birthday, Kate! I'm so lucky to be your daddy! I love you!

Haiti Relief

At the risk of adding to everyone's compassion fatigue, I want to make folks aware of a couple opportunities to participate in relief efforts following this week's earthquake in Haiti.

Most of the immediate needs are financial, so that relief organizations can purchase supplies through their normal networks. In-kind gifts are often slowed by transportation and customs issues, but will be useful in the weeks and months to come as efforts shift from rescue to rebuilding. Organizations like the Red Cross, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and Conduit Mission, an organization that a good friend of mine from college is passionate about, are good places to start.

If you want to find out about opportunities to physically participate in rebuilding efforts, UMCOR is currently exploring options for sending teams. It probably won't be safe until at least March, but you can sign up on their website to get updates on teams as they become available.

Lastly, the Bahamas Methodist Habitat is uniquely positioned to play a huge role in relief efforts due to their proximity to Port au Prince. The Habitat is run by my friend Abe McIntyre, and right now they're flying in food and water, surgical supplies, and transporting several missionaries out of the country for transit back to the US. To do this, they need money right away.

We're taking up a collection for their efforts at Bethlehem tomorrow, and I hope you'll consider supporting them, as well. In the coming months, the Bahamas Habitat will probably also have opportunities for hands-on service.

None of us can individually meet all of these needs. If you haven't already given, please consider one of these or one of the literally hundreds of other worthy organizations. It may seem like a drop in the bucket, but every little bit counts.

New Layout

Thanks to The Design Girl and my lovely wife, Jessica, The Truth As Best I Know It has a new look!

If you're reading this post in Google Reader, on Facebook, or another aggregator, click on over to see the new design.

Thanks to all the readers who interact with my musings and continue to make this project worthwhile. I hope you enjoy the new look.

Oh, you were finished? Well then allow me to retort!

This is my 200th post. That has nothing to do with its subject, I just thought I'd mention it.

Most folks in the blogosphere have probably heard about Pat Robertson's comments regarding the massive earthquake in Haiti earlier today. If you haven't, Google it, because I'm not dignifying that man or anything he says by embedding the video here.

In fact, I am a bit hesitant to blog about this at all, especially when so many people who are smarter and more articulate than I are providing thoughtful responses.

All I'll say is this: Pat Robertson ironically proves that the kind of god he worships doesn't actually exist. If God, as Pat sells him (and Pat's god is clearly a petty, insecure, impulsive man), really does rain down horrible vengeance on anyone who makes him look bad, then wouldn't this god smite Pat Robertson on TV for everyone to see?

How many millions of people have turned away from faith because of the hatred spewed by people like Pat Robertson? Who, save for the 9/11 terrorists, makes God look worse than Pat Robertson? The fact that he hasn't been obliterated by a bolt of lightning proves that this monstrous, vengeful god Pat Robertson preaches doesn't actually exist.

Conversion as a "great example to the world"

By now you've probably heard about Fox News' Brit Hume's take on Tiger Woods' personal problems. For those that haven't, here's what he said on "Fox News Sunday":



Let's assume for a moment that Brit Hume (who has no education or experience in theology, comparative religion, or interfaith dialogue) intended this statement as something more than mere pandering to the  rich, white, wealthy, suburban, evangelical Christian demographic that makes up the core of Fox News' audience. Let's assume he's trying to make a substantive point.

First, on what basis does Mr. Hume claim that Buddhism does not have the redemptive qualities of Christianity? For that matter, where has he heard that Tiger Woods is a Buddhist?

It's true that Buddhism does not place an emphasis on radical, instantaneous conversion in the same way as does Western, post-Augustinian Christianity (particularly the American brand that styles itself in the mold of the Second Great Awakening). But to say that Buddhism doesn't speak to Tiger Woods' or any other person's moral failings is simply not true.

The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism state that the suffering of life comes from our attachment to worldly things, and that the way to alleviate suffering is to combat this attachment. If Tiger Woods is, in fact, a sex addict, as some have suggested, isn't his problem too great a desire for worldly pleasures? Might the core tenants of Buddhism encourage him to detach himself from his desires be very helpful? For something to be redemptive, it must, by definition, participate in healing and making something new. The Buddhist faith would, in fact, be very redemptive for Tiger Woods' situation.

Along the same lines, I have to wonder where Mr. Hume grounds his claim for Christianity as being more redemptive than Buddhism or any other religion? Does he ground this in the examples of Christian ministers who used to be guests on his channel until their own moral failings came to light (Ted Haggard, etc.)? Or on the televangelists who frequently appear on the network, who make their reputations more on who they hate and what they oppose than on the God of love and peace made known to us in the Bible they claim to take so seriously?

As a Christian I do believe in the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. It is a claim upon which I have staked my life and my very being. But why do we have to attempt to prove that by bashing other religions about which we know so little? And aren't there better reasons to enter into the journey of being a disciple of Jesus Christ than "to be a great example to the rest of the world"?

The faith of the one who said "deny thyself, take up your cross and follow me" (Luke 9:23) means ridding ourselves of our attachment to our reputations and not worrying about "being a great example to the world". It actually means the opposite and being thought a fool by most of the world.

Mr. Hume, let me encourage you to read a bit about Buddhism, and maybe a little bit about Christianity, before you try making any more grand theological statements.

Looking back, looking forward

2009 has come and gone, and I've seen lots of folks do different kinds of retrospectives (Top/Bottom 10 lists, etc.) on the year. Since my year was consumed by two defining moments, the birth of my daughter and the loss of our church building, I'm not sure I can really wrap my mind around the year just yet.

I'll probably do a retrospective on my first year as a father later this month when Kate officially turns 1. And the recovery and rebuilding work we've done over the last six months will bear fruit over the course of this year, so I'll revisit it at some point. So the jury is still out on Matt's 2009.

Another thing I've seen folks doing is retrospectives on the past decade. Yes, I know the calendar purists argue that there's another year left in the decade, but the years 200_ have ended. Plus, this has been the first decade of actual adulthood for me (although that's also debatable!), so I'm looking back to where I was when the 2000s began.

Note- this is the only picture I could find of myself from 2000. This is me at a laundromat somewhere in Grundy County, TN, doing laundry with my Mountain TOP staff. For some reason we thought it would be funny to "ride" the dryer.

On January 1, 2000, I was nineteen years old and a freshman at Butler University. I was majoring in political science and considering adding religion as a second major. Of course, my second major would quickly become my priority and I would end up dedicating my life to studying religion, specifically Christian theology and how it is practiced in the world.

Some of my friends claimed that this was an odd combination of majors, since one is not supposed to talk religion or politics in polite company. But less than two years later, on September 11, 2001, we all realized how intertwined these two subjects really are.

Ten years ago I was a few months into my first youth ministry job at Speedway UMC in Indianapolis. What this church was doing hiring someone as young as me to work with teenagers, I still have no clue. I was very aware of how in over my head I was, so I probably called my mentor, Will Penner, a couple times a week for advice.

Local church ministry, whether as a youth pastor, associate, and now senior pastor, has taught me many things about myself, about the nature of humanity and how we relate to one another, and even a thing or two about God. But perhaps that first impression, that I'm in over my head and have no idea what I'm doing, has been the greatest lesson ministry has taught me. When I realize how little I know and little control I have, I become more dependent on God to guide me, which is probably the idea in the first place.

I've given up thinking that I'll ever "arrive" and be completely comfortable in my role as a pastor. I have, however, become more at peace with that discomfort, and I hope I will continue to grow in this way.

Ten years ago I was also involved in campus ministry with Campus Crusade. If you asked me about my goals ten years ago, I probably would have said that one of them would be to be the leader of Crusade's praise band, which I eventually got to do. My spiritual life at the time was very much fed by praise and worship music.

Perhaps it's partially the result of some negative experiences with Crusade and evangelicalism generally, or just my own growth and change in preferences, but I got really burned out on praise and worship music, and I've never really regained my taste for it. In a world that's full of noise and clutter, I find rock band praise music to be just more noise. There are those, my wife included, for whom it's very beneficial, and that's great. But I increasingly find myself more drawn to contemplative disciplines that force me to slow down and block out the many distractions around me. I find it much easier to listen for God's still, small voice when there is less noise around me.

I enjoyed writing ten years ago, but I didn't know how big a part o my life it would become. In the past decade I've been very fortunate to get to write for a number of different online and print publications. Hopefully this will continue to be part of my personal and professional life.

If, on January 1, 2000, you asked me where I'd be in ten years, I'm not sure what I would have said. I probably would have said I'd be married by then. I probably wouldn't have said I'd have a child by then, because my parents were both in their 30s when they had me, and I figured I'd follow suit. I certainly would have said I wanted to only have boys! What I got was way better than what I ever could have imagined.

In the past ten years I've collected a pair of degrees, met and married the love of my life, gotten to travel to a number of interesting places, met a lot of interesting (mostly wonderful) people, and become a father. All things considered, not a bad way to spend my twenties.

Thoughts on the Eve of Christmas

I haven't blogged in the past few weeks, not because I haven't had any thoughts, but because I'm having such trouble getting them out in a coherent manner. Perhaps it's simply the busyness of this season, but maybe it's something more than that.

Like most pastors, I find the Advent/Christmas season to be simultaneously joyful and frustrating. It's wonderful because of all the traditions, the songs, and the decorations. They remind us of wonderful memories, and since this is my first Christmas as a parent, we are making wonderful new memories that we will cherish for a lifetime.

This season can be frustrating, too. The sheer volume of activity can be tiring. The stress of getting the "right" gift for someone can quickly overshadow the whole purpose of giving gifts in the first place. And, of course, the annual campaign of the "culture-warriors" who crusade against a perceived enemy (that doesn't actually exist) and turn "Merry Christmas" into a political statement.

In my moments of exhaustion and frustration I wonder what any of this actually has to do with Jesus.

But then, at the moment I least expect it, God reminds me that beneath the rather thick layer of crass commercialism and cultural shmaltz, there remains a deep significance to Advent and Christmas. Brian McLaren shared a Jackson Brown song on this blog the other day, called "The Rebel Jesus"



This Christmas, let us look past the lights and the presents for just a moment and remember how God showed up in the least expected of places and became a rebel who challenged the unjust social and religious practices taught by the leaders of his day, and continues to do so today. Let us not forget the Rebel Jesus whose birth we celebrate.

(Note- at the request of my dear friend and excellent New Testament scholar, Maria Mayo Robbins, I'd like to clear up any confusion about my view of Second Temple Judaism. Judaism as a religion has not ever been unjust, but the way it has been practiced by certain individuals has at times been unjust. Such is the case with every religion, especially my own. One need only casually read my blog to see that I am more critical of my own tribe than of any other. What Jesus challenged was not Judaism itself, as he was a very faithful and observant Jew, but certain practices that were enforced by politically powerful religious elites.)

Least Bad Options?

President Obama just finished giving his speech at West Point announcing his decision to deploy 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. The details have leaked out over the last few days, so what follows are a mixture of thoughts I've sat with for a bit and stream-of-consciousness reactions to the speech.

First, a disclaimer: I voted for President Obama, and I actively supported his campaign even though I did not agree with all of his policies. I opposed the Iraq war from the beginning, and I have never quite known what to think about Afghanistan. I also pastor a church in a town connected to a large military base, so people I and my parishoners know will be on the ground for this surge. This is the context from which I am speaking, so take it for what you will.

As a Christian I believe that non-violence is always the most ideal solution to any problem. I believe that Jesus spoke against violence, and that his greatest followers throughout history (people like St. Francis of Assisi and Martin Luther King, Jr.) have been fully committed to the path of peace.

That being said, I also recognize the reality of living in a fallen world and that the ideal solution is not always possible. In those situations, faithful, ethical decision making involves determining what is the "least bad" situation. I disagree with the "just war" theory articulated by St. Augustine. Violence is never justified, but there are occasions when it is the least bad option available in the absence of good options.

Both of my grandfathers fought in World War II, and neither of them felt that the violence they engaged in was good, but they understood it achieved a better outcome than doing nothing in the face of aggressive, oppressive forces. In other words, they saw the conflict as the least bad option available to them. Every other combat veteran I have spoken to about these issues has expressed similar feelings.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one of the greatest theologians of the twentieth century, wrestled with the idea of "least bad options". Bonhoeffer wrote The Cost of Discipleship, a meditation on the Sermon on the Mount that passionately argues for non-violence at all costs. And yet Bonhoeffer was executed by the Nazis for his participation in a plot to kill Hitler. Was Dietrich Bonhoeffer a hypocrite? Did he change his mind on his core beliefs?

No. He saw an intolerable situation before him and realized that there was no good option available to him, and that doing nothing in the face of evil was worse than acting in a manner that was against his conscience. He said that he felt compelled to act, even if his actions sent him to Hell. Bonhoeffer felt that participating in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler was the least bad option available to him.

So while I'm not 100% sure what I think, it may be that the temporary Afghan surge is the least bad option available to us. Afghanistan is highly unstable, and as an occupying power we have a responsibility to consider the long term well being of the country as we hand over control to its people. The timetable set by President Obama may be the most responsible way to do this.

Should we have gone into Afghanistan in the first place? I don't really know. My sense is that we should have invested more in building infrastructure and schools in Afghanistan when the Russians pulled out instead of leaving the country full of weapons but few tools for long term, sustainable peace. But we can't go back in time and fix previous mistakes. We can only do the best we can given the situation today. So the President's plan may be the least bad option.

So what do you think, dear readers? What did you think of the speech? Do you think war is ever justified? Can it be a "least bad" option? Discuss!

PS- Regardless of what you think, please pray for the men and women on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families. Please also pray for the civilians affected by these wars, and for the leaders of these countries that they will pursue a lasting peace.