Echoes and Stars

1. “Thank you for your outrage.” – the media outlet$

2. I’ve seen a few articles lately that are critical of the modern-day worship movement. I saw it coming years ago, was worried about it, tried to embrace it and now find myself detesting it for the money-making machine it was and is. There are lots of good hearts making this awful music. That said, I’m glad to see these articles. Hopefully, the equating of worship with music will die quickly along with the movement.

3. Banking is not a great job when your favorite customers have very little money. The ones with money are the least favorite.

4. Jayber Crow has become one of those books I’m reading yearly. I call them blanket books because they make me feel I’m slipping into comforting warmth in December when the cool air is still enjoyable.

5. There aren’t many things I feel l’m created for, but tucking in my kids and kissing them goodnight is one of them. Kissing my wife too.

6. The Apostles spilled no ink, that we know of, on the systemic racially motivated injustices of the state or culture at large. Philemon, maybe. But they did speak out against false-teachers and those who persisted in their sins. I’m not sure I can say we *should* not speak out against injustice outside the church. But it seems evangelicalism is far more willing to go after the sins of an ordinary cop than the sins of its leaders.

7. A friend pointed out to me the other night how church makes no sense apart from the Holy Spirit. That’s a profound thought I’ve been swimming around in since.

8. We also talked about me picking up the guitar again because of my love of music. Now I just need a guitar.

9. I can think no album I’d want to see a biopic made around than Pet Sounds.

10. Matt Chandler and The Village Church’s public apology and repentance is such a rare thing. Think about it. They apologized AND dignified Karen’s choice of annulment. They didn’t just apologize for not handling it incorrectly. They apologized for that and for not acknowledging her decision was right and good. And they gave no defense. we may be witnessing something so unique and powerful that we will be talking about it for a generation or more. I worry that there will be no ripple effect because I have heard nothing from those who defended the actions of The Village Church. Regardless, let me to say young men, if you are going to be part of the neo-Reformed movement, then follow Chandler’s lead here. Public repentance of sins against another will mark you as being the real deal as we watch our culture’s waning acceptance of principled Christianity disappear in a mist of tolerance.