On Tuesday, the American Film Institute selected their top 100 Most Inspiring Films of All Time.  I love these lists and always watch the television special just so I can scream at the TV when they pick Citizen Kane or Gone With The Wind as the Greatest Whatever of All time.

Although this year I think AFI did a pretty good job in their selection. The committee chose It's a Wonderful Life as the number one most inspiring film ever. And at the time, I nodded approvingly at the TV, because this is a movie I love.

[To be completely honest though, I was kind of schocked that Braveheart didn't even crack the Top 100. What moment in film is more inspiring than Mel Gibson screaming FREEDOM. Also, Karate Kid should have been #2 not #98. But whatever.]

During the Presentation, the Institute usually gets actors to comment on the films that make the list. This is a process I always find a little annoying, because the actors inevitably act like the movies are really their lives. (Note to Ben Kingsley, just because you play a Holocaust Surivovor in a movie, does not necessarily mean you survived the Holocaust.)

And in discussing It's a Wonderful Life, several of the actors commented that the theme of the movie was that every life is important. Believing that if George Bailey had never been born, the townspeople of Bedford Falls would have been destroyed by the Banker, Mr. Potter.

However, I don't really think that is the lesson of It's a Wonderful Life. To me, the lesson of It's a Wonderful Life is You Reap What You Sow.

George Bailey sowed love and compassion into the lives of his family and the townspeople of Bedford Falls. He continually sacrified his own life for the lives of others. And when George Bailey's own life ran into a wall, and he didn't think he could make it anymore, he reaped back all the love he had sown.

Which takes me to my point, and the best sermon I ever heard at City Bible Church.  About 10 years ago, I heard a pastor from Northern Ireland speak on the principle of reaping what you sow. And his sermon has always stuck with me. He shared this advice: Whatever you want in your own life, first give that to others. If you want friends in your life, be friendly. If you want grace, then be gracious to others. If you desire patience, then be patient. And most importantly, if you want love in your life, then love others.

And to me that's what makes It's a Wonderful Life so inspiring. George Bailey reaped what he sowed.

10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.

9 - You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt.

8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.

7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the "atrocities" attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in "Exodus" and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in "Joshua" including women, children, and trees!

6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky.

5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old.

4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs — though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the most "tolerant" and "loving."

3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity.

2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.

1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian.

I recently received this email from a CBC member who passes his time at church in some creative ways.

We men need our 'dude' time together. It's perfectly OK. 

            My kids and wife won't leave City Business and I wont force my bride to leave (I guess my wife has made more effort than me to interject issues like faith and relationship with God with her circle-shame on her!-and I have met some men who are incredible guys; albeit we really don't always see the world in the same way) so I pass the time during sermons or forced group hugs oddly and a bit curiously.

              For instance, when the message of "Imagine" some new-age, mall quality, stupefying drivel drones forth I catch myself trying to determine which spot in this dome will be the safest in the event of an earthquake, or why do most of the women here look so ridiculously attractive, and just where in the heck are they walking back and forth to for an hour and a half?…am I suffering mid-life issues…Is there a crack dealer in the lobby?

              A fave time passer is trying to figure out whether the countries represented by each flag have jihadists battling our Marines.  Other times I think it would be truly hilarious to have a Rainbow bumper sticker affixed to each car parked in the lot, or a

Hilary in '08 sticker permanently affixed just to be a fly on the wall at the drive in claims office…"you smashed your bumper because why?

             Or sometimes I want to join the video team and interject updated sports scores under FD's sattelited sermons like ESPN, or run a slightly edited version of the tithe message of the week, such as "Good morning, this is your Lord, and I do not completely authorize this message",:) and then take for take, just once, break down this stuff from the Bible's broader meaning of liberal tithing. This would be accompanied by liberal doses of discussion of the emergence of the post-modern church or at least proper batting techniques, micro brews or something else I really care about. I really wish the 90 minutes could be devoted to issues a bit more weighty, but this sad pup has resigned himself to the notion that that is a fantasy at present.

On the Web, under 'Our purpose', the Pastor writes "Simply put, out(sic) purpose and mission is to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ." OK then, when do we start?

Oh the ways I amuse myself are countless, but it's really sad that I have to. By the way, thanks to whoever started this site.

No sir, thank you. Thank you for giving every male member of CBC, who can't leave because of their family, something to do next week. By the why readers, where is the safest place in the domes in the event of an earthquake?

My favorite advice columnist is at it again. Candace Watters, who writes for Boundless Magazine, offers this nugget of wisdom for a young woman who wants to move a relationship forward but isn't sure what to do. Ms. Watters advises:

Whatever this young man's reasons for not moving beyond friendship, I'd encourage you to not try and make things happen. A situation like this requires great wisdom because you don't want to do anything that sets a precedent for you as the leader. Biblically, it's a man's role to initiate and a woman's role to respond.

This is also a good way to STAY SINGLE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE! Seriously, I'm all down with the guy making the first move. But some guys aren't aggressive, and if you just spend all your life waiting for guys to Be The Leader. Well, you may just spend all your life waiting. (Of course, not that there's anything wrong with that. I happen to value singlehood.)

Anyway, I know I said I would stop linking to Ms. Watters columns. But I can't help myself, they're too good.

I received the following email last night from my 21 year old brother Joel, entitled Why We Need Church. I'm not exactly sure what he's trying to say, other than perhaps that church can serve a useful purpose. I don't really know. Anyway, I'm pretty sure he'd been drinking when he sent the email.

I'm not posting it because he says anything particularly interesting or relevant, but because if I don't post it, he'll complain that JP and I think we're better than everyone else. So here it is:

Yes it seems that church is irrelavant at times, so why do we need church? I'll tell you why. We as people are lazy and if we didnt have a place to meet, greet, and repeat, eventually Christianty and God would be forgotten.

Of course, if a church set up a time to provide food to the homeless you might go, but that's only if the Real World is a rerun. However, imagine having to open up your own soup kitchen and keep it running. You would also have to get on the phone and arrange for a couple hundred people to show up to a soup kitchen or anywhere.  Its just not going to happen.

The point is people need leadership and organization and thats what the church provides. I mean we get it our whole lives from our parents, teachers, bosses. (JP gets it from his wife). 

Granted church gets redundant or boring at times. I myself can't do anything for more than five minutes without taking a break. Hell, I've taken two beer breaks and a Cheeto time-out just to write this crap.

Also dont tell me church is too self-absorbed. Most people are into themselves. Thats all church wants is to be apprciated for giving lazy assholes like ourselves a place to go, so we dont have to setup something up ourselves. 

So thanks church. Thanks for being there. That way when I get drunk Saturday night I can make myself feel better Sunday morning and I dont have to do a damn thing.

Just so you know, Joel is another product of home-schooling and Temple Christian High School. Well done, people, well done. You are known by your fruit.

There is an interesting article in the Washington Post today that asks why men don't go to church: Empty Pews: Where Did all the Men Go?

The article attempts to find out why Church is comprised predominantly of women. According to the article, the main factor is that in Christianity God is a He, and men don't want to spend their Sunday mornings professing their love for another man. The article quotes a book that discusses the difference between the Muslim Faith and Christianity and their approach to church.

"Every Muslim man knows that he is locked in a great battle between good and evil, and although that was a prevalent teaching in Christianity until about 100 years ago, today it's primarily about having a relationship with a man who loves you unconditionally," Murrow said.

"And if that's the punch line of the Gospel, then you're going to have a lot more women than men taking you up on your offer because women are interested in a personal relationship with a man who loves you unconditionally. Men, generally, are not."

I find this reasoning a bit of an oversimplification, but it may be the basis for why men are resistant to attend church. I tend to think church is geared more toward women and their needs. The music, the emphasis on relatonship, the overly long sermons, Church is just not a very masculine experience.

So let me throw this out to the guys. What could church do to make it more appealing to you?

A friend recently sent me a link to a website called IX Marks. While I haven't had a chance to read through and find out exactly what they are about, I did enjoy their article defining "the problem". Here's what they had to say:

The Problem Defined

The church has come to reflect her culture rather than to shape it. The leadership principles of corporate America have made their way into church leadership meetings. The consumerism of suburban malls has infiltrated ministry methods. The therapeutic model of secular counseling has found a comfortable place on the couch in the pastor's office. And the sins that typify the culture all too often scandalize the church.

We believe this situation has come about because modern church practices have been gradually redefining the spiritual understanding of Americans. In the evangelistic quest to "be all things to all people," many churches have become "audience-driven," "seeker-sensitive" and full-service. In the ecumenical quest for unity, many churches have preferred to see doctrine evaporate rather than elucidate.

At first blush, these appear to be worthy goals and promising methods. But too often we have assumed that the church must resemble the culture in order to attract it. And so we let modern methods and mores determine church methods, dressing the church in the mirror of the culture and standing the Bride of Christ on culture's corner. The bottom line leaves the church indebted to the culture for both strategy and direction, which leads her into unhealthy compromise that subtly replaces sound teaching with management theory and biblical morality with circumstantial ethics.

As a result, a new perception of religion has quietly become the status quo: a customized faith which makes meeting personal needs the Golden Rule while minimizing commitments to God and others. The consumerism and theological vacuity that so permeate the culture have now penetrated and pervaded the church.

This is why we believe that Christian churches are leading an exercise in cultural accommodation and, in some cases, even surrender. While many churches affirm their belief in God, they look more like the culture than the Christ. Pastors bear a great deal of responsibility for these developments, often abdicating their role as filters for the church and acting instead as conduits for the culture. The result is the steep decline of holiness that is apparent even among many so-called conservative churches.

I too have a Marathon Vision for the "Christian Church" allow me to share it with you.

In general, I'm not a big fan of Church. Don't get me wrong, as far as churches go, I love the one I go to. The sermons follow scripture, the people are real, the songs we sing during worship are actually songs giving praise to God, instead of songs about ourselves, and I often learn and grow there (I have learned and grown a ton in the past few years and for that I am very greatfull)

A quick side note: there is one song we sing called "Just sing" . The lyrics are something like:

"And I don't know why, I Don't know why, I don't know why,

But there's something inside of me, something in side of me saying,

Just Sing"

It goes something like that. And every time we sing it I can't help but get frustrated. Just sing? Exactly. Just sing, damn it. Why are we singing about wanting to sing? It's ridiculous.

Anyway, as I was saying; I like my church. The worship is good, the teaching is good, the programs are good, I even like the people (most of them). But that's not the point.

As I sit in the pews week after week I wonder "why"? Why do we go to church? Why is worship always singing? Why does the sermon have to be 45 minutes long? Why am I expected to be in a small group based on my age or geographic location? Why do we do the things we do and what purpose do they serve?

I decided to scrap everything I know about church and tried to imagine what I would do if I had never been inside a church in my life, if out of nowhere I went from living on the moon to becoming a Christian and living on earth.

Would my Christianity be acted out by meeting with other Christians once a week to sing, pray, and be taught from the Bible?

I'm not sure it would.

Oddly enough, I find myself wondering what Jesus would do? What Jesus did?

Seems to me, Jesus spent most of his time ministering to others. He walked around teaching and preaching and eating and drinking and sacrificing. Ah yes, there it is. Sacrifice. To sum up Jesus, Sacrifice. He gave everything. Makes me think I owe everything… but how?  

Ok, I don't know how. I'm selfish. But there's got to be a better way. Christians are constantly mocked by public television, newspapers, radio, even this blog, and it isn't because the devil is persecuting them. It's because we're arrogant assholes, who go to church every week to hear about being a "good person" and rarely do anything about it. Jesus helped people, we talk about helping people. Jesus lived a life of sacrifice, we dream about one.

Suppose your pastor got up one Sunday and said "Next Sunday, our Church Service is going to be going down to the homeless shelter to feed lunch and to build relationship with people in need". What percentage of people would show up that week? 10%? Less then 10%? (less than a tithe?? Ouch!)

Unfortunately, the current focus of Church seems to be itself, while the focus of Jesus was always on others. 

So what does my ideal church look like? Let's see…

I would like Sunday service to be just that…Sunday SERVICE.

Go to a children's hospital…smile, hug, read a few books. That's church. Your service is service, your worship is service.

Go feed the homeless, pick up some trash in the street, mow an old lady's lawn, get involved with a charity, march for AIDS, I don't really care…

Let's get the Church (big C) to stop focusing on the church (little C) and start focusing on Christ (The biggest C).

Sunday morning the congregation could meet and serve somewhere. Then during the week everyone could get together for a Bible study, worship (by song), prayer, and the rest of the traditional church activities, if they wanted. But Sunday…Sunday would be reserved for acting out what we have been taught about all our Christian life.

To me this sounds more like church, more like Jesus.

Who's in?

City Bible take heart… you're not the only one getting skewered.

Pasted below is a great link on youtube to a group called The Chaser Team. They are an Australian Satirical group and they do a great parody of Hillsong. It's classic. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj6G7MC85Rw

You know how much we love songs.

Money Lyric:

Praise the Lord for the cash I've got.

Praise him for my rolls royce and my yacht.

Serving God ain't hard with a credit card

Jesus Died so I could make a lot.