As promised, here is a video of a Generation Unleashed worship song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMKv_KtN_1I&search=generation%20unleashed

(For those computer literate people out there, I've tried every way I know to embed youtube's videos on the blog. But it's really difficult because we're using WordPress. So for now, you're stuck with just the link.)

As for the song, it seemed like a good production and a good concert. I'm just not sure what it has to do with Christianity or Christ. In highschool I attended a couple of these youth conferences, and while they're a lot of fun, they're absolutely useless in strengthening your Faith.

Most kids stop attending City Bible (or church in general) after they leave high school. In fact, I reckon most of those kids will be readers of this blog in five years. Why? Because they're looking for something Real and Generation Unleashed isn't it. If City Bible wants to keep it's youth plugged into the church, they should try less hype and more Jesus.  

Here's the latest take on City Bible's recent Ice Rink acquisition. This comment comes from new commenter MarcEstesMidLifeCrisis:

It makes good business sense. CBC has no liability in the loan or the building, and the partners can make a profit, something the church can't do. Plus the LLC provides a firewall between the church and other organizations.

The name of the LLC pretty much says it all. If they had actually bought the building expressly for the church, they could have named it CBC Vancouver, or CBC North, or Frank's Love Shack. Instead, they named it something innocuous so other groups will rent or lease from them.

A few years in the future, if property values go up, Bruce can sell the building for $$$ and CBC still keeps its lease. Or if property values stay steady, Bruce can sell the property to the church under market value and claim the remainder as a donation. CBC gets the building at half price, Bruce gets a huge tax deduction.

Just like God intended.

Well, at least it's an intelligent business move. This doesn't bother me as much as the constant preaching of wealth from the pulpit.

Here's a link to a list of the 50 Most Influential Churches in America

http://12.163.122.165/JULY06top50.pdf

I wonder if Jonah's church made the list?

For your viewing pleasure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NwH_et2g8o

Is there anything more uncomfortably funny, than a youth pastor talking about having sex with his wife?

At Ken Lay's recent funeral, he is compared to Jesus and Martin Luther King Jr. (Hat Tip: Andrew Sullivan)

Reverend Dr. William Lawson: "He reached out to touch many people from many backgrounds … many economic levels … that included minorities like me."

"Ken Lay was neither black nor poor, but I'm angry because Ken Lay was a victim of a lynching."

"The folks who don't like him have had their say. I'd like to have mine … (Like Jesus Christ) he was crucified by a government that mistreated him."

Reverend Steve Wende, pastor at First Methodist Church of Houston which Lay attended: Lay was "in many ways a great hero to me."

"At the height of his power and position … he used the position to lift others up."

This is ridiculous. I get being respectful at a funeral. But come on. The guy was convicted in court of stealing millions of dollars from his employees.  That's not What Jesus Would Do.

There has been some debate as to whether City Bible actually purchased the Ice Rink or whether they are merely renting it. Here is an article from The Columbian that discusses the purchase:

Money Quote:

"Our excitement is in blending the uses together," said Bruce Wood, who with partner Tom Kemper purchased the building on behalf of the church for $4.8 million. The new owners, operating as Vancouver Ice Arena, LLC, plan to invest an additional $3.2 million into renovating the facility, Wood said.

For what it's worth, I still think City Bible bought the property. They may not have purchased it themselves, but I bet if you get down to the nitty gritty of the contract, they're on the hook for the property if in the end it fails.

That said, in the interest of accuracy, I cleaned up the language in the post below to reflect the fact that CBC is only leasing the property.

Here's hoping this all works out for them. For my money, this may not be the best time to be buying property.

City Bible Church has found a site for their newest campus and will convert a Mountain View Ice Rink into their new Vancouver satellite church. According to the Vancouver Business Journal, City Bible expects to begin services in the fall. Money quote:

The church is subleasing to the rink’s management group operating as Mountain View Ice Arena LLC. Programs are expected to remain at existing levels.

Improvements are expected to cost $3.2 million and will include an 800-seat auditorium, classrooms and a café/meeting area. The remaining rink will also receive upgrades and deferred maintenance, said Wood.

You can here more details of the business venture at City Bible Church, Pastor Jack Louman discusses the new campus in his July 2 sermon, A Time and Season of Favor.

Reader, Listening for the Call, makes the following prevocative statement:

A person with Christ cannot suffer. It just can’t happen. In a true relationship with Christ, there is no room for suffering.  He is my hedge, He is my protection, my joy, my comfort, and IN HIM, I have peace. How can joy and suffering coincide? In circumstance, they can, but in the psyche, and this is what is being debated, we cannot. How can you be depressed and abundantly happy at the same time? You can’t.

That being said, If you are suffering, you cannot possibly have a personal relationship with Christ, and, from my perspective and in my expirience, the only thing that hinders my walk with Christ is Sin.

I cannot really hear the Lord’s voice when I am having a bad attitude with my boss or having a less-than-helpful attitude while working. I cannot really feel his peace when I’m just doing things half-way or not loving people to the best of my ability. I cannot expirience his amazing Joy when I’m too busy to notice his longing for my attention once again.

These are my personal most common sins right now, but even so, are they not just as bad to God as if I were Stealing, killing and destroying? With Sin out of they way, my heart is right and even though, circumstantially, I have every right to say “I AM SUFFERING!!!!”, I don’t need to, because I am truely not. I have Him.

FICM responds:

You may feel that your walk with Christ helps you get through your own problems and suffering to the point where it doesn’t seem so bad to you. But to imply that Christians shouldn’t suffer, and by doing so, also imply that they are somehow inferior for not transcending above them is ludicrous and condescending.

Any thoughts from our readers.

The pastor's at City Bible are starting to come around to the blog idea, and here is an interesting blog from Marc Estes titled: Why I Need Church

God intends for (church) to provide the following needs:

• An environment of spiritual growth.
• An atmosphere of God’s presence.
• A place to belong to a genuine community.
• A family to help meet your needs.
• A place of covering and protection.
• A place for accountability and safety.
• A place for wisdom, direction, and counsel.
• A place to make a difference.
• An opportunity to pour your life into others.
• A safe atmosphere to raise families.
• A place to give of finances, time, and energy

Great article in the NYT about a megachurch in Memphis that feels Lady Liberty is missing a little something.

And evidently, that something is Jesus.

Money Quote:

At the pizza place next door, Amanda Houston pronounced the combination of the Statue of Liberty and Christianity "ridiculous," though her co-worker Landon Condit was far less critical: "I can't see anything wrong with it. This is the Bible Belt."