I did some blog searching and found a few comments about this year's Generation Unleashed Conference. I'm rather conflicted about "youth conferences" in general, mostly, because I am yet to see one that isn't based solely on hype. I don't want to say that they are all bad, but really…is hyping God good for our youth?

At first glance I would say, look at all these kids excited about worshiping God, look at how ready they are to "take the nation", "start a revival", and "live for Jesus"…how can there be anything wrong with that?

I then have to remember my personal experience. I have been to many conferences where I sang, danced, cried, and promised that "I would never be the same again"…but there is one problem: We are the same. People don't change…at least not in a short 3 day conference time period. "Living a life to honor God" takes a bit of time and is not solved by crying out of desperation at the alter once a year. It's more of a life journey.

Ok, so am I really saying that brining 9,000 kids to Portland, Oregon every year to get pumped up about God is wrong …it sounds crazy to say that…right?

Let's look at what one blogger had to say about GU:

HOLY GATES OT HEAVEN!!!
Gen Unleashed is one of the most LIFE CHANGING experiences that like you'll ever have!!!
I dont even know if u can understand the AMAZINGNESS of it..until u go…!
But, its so cool, because like theres literally, THOUSANDS of teenagers there for the same reason…Jesus….& they like ALL just TOTALLY full-on worship God!
He like totally moves people right & left!  (te he…not literally..lol)
n e ways, THE PRESENCE OF GOD IS THE MOST  AMAZING FEELING THAT U CAN EVER HAVE!!!
***& u totally feel Him @ GU..fer sher!*** 
~ I cant even wait till next year~

Once you get past the fact that texting is ruining the English language, you see that she is very excited about God…how can that be bad?

Let's read another:

i had the most amazing weekend ever! my life has truly CHANGED. i have figured out everything that i questioned. everything has been answered for me. i have never cried so much i have never had so much fun nor been so happy. it was amazing. it was incredible seeing people do one hundred percent turn arounds in seconds. i love the new me. i love who i am and who i have become. i do not want the old me anymore. and its time to cut the people out of my life who are only care about themselfs. i want frineds who are going to be there whenEVER i need them. if i need someone to talk to or a sholder to cry on even if it is two thirty in the morning. they will be there. i want people that will infuluence me in a positive way and not bring me down or minipulate me and get me to do negative ways. if you do not like this then i am sorry…no im not sorry. this is me! love me for me NOT for who you want me to be! have a good night :]]

So I went to Generation Unleashed this year…and basically….God totally changed my life! I cannot begin to describe the happiness that I am feeling! I have been completly transformed into a new women of God. AND I am proud of it!! seriously…………..wow……lol           

God "totally changed her life"…that sound's pretty good. Let's read one more:

GEN UNLEASHED WAS INSANLY AMAZING! AND THE WORSHIP WAS INCREDIBLE!

Again, i was amazed by God's grace this year at Gen Unleashed. Im so glad that i went, because part of me didn't want to.  It changed me once again, and i realized how bad ive screwed up this last year.  And i think that may be one of the reasons i didn't want to go is cuz of all that guilt.  But you know in the end, i realized that no matter how much or how bad i screw up, God will be there no matter wut. 

Im ready  to change for good this time i want to live for God and not for myself or anyone else.. just for him. It seems that for so long ive been hiding a lot of things about my life… and sometimes even my faith (or at least not showing it to its full extent) but im done with that…. im ready to do this right this time… im ready to stand up and live for my God!

There it is. There is the problem. You see, this chick is going through the same experience that I went through and that every high school kid I knew went through: It's called Reality. Life. It's what happens during the 51 weeks between conferences. Unfortunately we can't spend 2 hours everyday having a great band lead us in "worship" getting us pumped to go "cry at the alter" (side note: from a simple "Christian music" standpoint, most of the songs I've heard from GU's God's Not Dead cd are great. I don't know that it really qualifies as "worship", but they put out a good album). You see, her desire is "to live for God and not for [her]self or anyone else.. just for him", but it didn't work at last years show and sadly, it won't work now.

When the buzz wears off in a couple of weeks she is going to be in the same place as she was last year: screwing up and feeling guilty. (I'm not trying to be harsh or to pick on her…I don't know who she is…I'm speaking from my own personal experience here). She says this year's conference "changed [her] once again", but if it doesn't last, is it really change?

To sum up my thoughts, Youth conferences are fun, and they inspire for a short time but in the end they leave you cold. Your crash often takes you farther away from God then where you were before you got your high. I say that because I lived that.

Where is the "fruit" from Generation Unleashed? Where are all the life changing, revival makers now? When I was 16, 17, 18, and 19 years old I attended those same conferences with thousands of other youth, so why haven't we changed the world by now?  Because when the conference is over… the hype wears off.

And that is my sad opinion.

Yes… provided He decides to die nearby.

Film director, James Cameron believes he has found where Christ was buried.

And the locals are excited.

Local residents said they were pleased with the attention the tomb has drawn.

"It will mean our house prices will go up because Christians will want to live here," one woman said.

It's not as good as an ocean view or a quality school system, but it's certainly better than a nearby powerplant.

And if only Christ had died in North Portland, my parents would be millionaires. 

(H/T: Popsurfing)

Some thoughts while we wait for Lakisha Jones to win American Idol…

As you may have noticed, my blogging has dropped off a little. This is for a couple of reasons. One, it actually takes a fair amount of effort to run a blog and I kind of got burnt out.

Second, and more importantly, my boss has asked me to start a blog for the company that I work for, and this project is currently taking up most of my "blogging" time.  

So while I'll continue to maintain City Business Church, I imagine the number of posts will slow down.

It's been an absolutely entertaining couple of years. Although I do get frustrated at times, I've loved all the discussions.  And just when I feel that all our hard work is going un-noticed, the Lord will bless the blog with a comment like this from Derek:

Wow…thanks for all the info folks. I’ve officially stepped off the CBC wagon.

I’ve only heard a few of Judah’s messages, and they don’t seem to be “that” off the wall for a High School crowd. But the lack of substance and not being theologically rooted does bother me, especially if he is going to be in a position to influence other upcoming leaders.

Heh. Our work here is done.

Anyway, thanks again for all the love. And consider this post an open thread to discuss anything you want… such as the chances of the Trailblazers making the playoffs (never gonna happen)… why the TV show Scrubs has done more for racial harmony than the Oreo Cookie, or why the new album from Toby Mac is actually pretty good….

 My friends Andrea and Colleen just sent me this note:

Colleen and I found a Madona-esc bra for City Boobie Church. It may be a little too futuristic for their taste, but it's kinda sexy.

Here is a survey sent to young Christian men asking them what aspects of a woman's appearance make them "stumble".

For pure entertainment value, it doesn't get any better than this.  I have no clue how this helps, but it makes me think that Christianity and Islam are not that far apart. In the end, women should just wear Burka's and stay in the home, you know, to keep us guys from "stumbling".

Anyway, here are some of my favorite facts.

Showing any cleavage is immodest.

Seeing a girls chest bounce when she is running or walking is a stumbling block.

A girl bending over and showing her lower back is a stumbling block.

Seeing a girl stretching is a stumbling block.

Skirts that go above the knee are immodest.

And in closing, the survey allows some of the young men to tell their "sisters" how they feel. Here's some sage advice from one young man to his Sisters in Christ:

Dearest sister: God made you a thing of beauty. A thing to be admired and respected. When you dress or act in a way that draws attention to your body, you make it easy for the guys around you to reduce you to the level of a disgusting toy - using you to mentally satisfy their fantasies. They stop thinking about your Godly qualities and immerse themselves in sinful thought. By dressing and acting modestly, you draw attention to your face instead of your body. Your body may be alluring, but your face - those deep, mysterious eyes and smiling mouth - is infinitely more beautiful than any amount of revealing dress. Would you rather be the tool by which guys satisfy themselves or the beautiful thing God created you to be, pure for your husband? My flesh prefers the former, but my heart pleads for the latter.

I just had this emailed to me, maybe you've seen it before but I found it funny:

An open letter to Dr. Laura, by J. Kent Ashcraft, May 2000

Dear Dr. Laura,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev -24). The problem is, how do I tell?

I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify?

Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should they die?

i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging. Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

Temple Christian High School and PBC graduate, Christy Moorman, explains her dating habits to the Willamette Week. It's surprisingly normal and very honest:

Age: 29

Nightly obsession: Jane Austen novels.

Christy Moorman has three no-nos when it comes to the man she wants to marry: No pastors, firefighters or cops. A petite, perfectly made-up blonde, Moorman has spent the past two decades soaking up Christian culture and teachings at a local religious grade school, high school and college. These days, she splits her waking hours between her job as an executive assistant at a Christian music licensing firm, hanging out at City Bible Church (a 4,000-plus member megalith based in outer Northeast Portland) and at her community college web design classes. That leaves little time at home, which she shares with her sister and brother-in-law and their five kids in Camas, Wash. And while she's not actively dating right now, she does attend singles events sponsored by her church…just to practice putting "the vibes" out there. —Kelly Clarke

WW: Why aren't you dating right now?

Christy Moorman: I often only have about one hour to myself every day [between work and school]. [But] I have a very diverse group of friends. I've got my church friends, who sit around and play card games…and my friends that like to go clubbing…. It's two worlds, and I don't fit into either.

Where do you go clubbing?

Downtown…Barracuda, Noche, Voodoo Lounge. It's uncomfortable sometimes; I'm there to have fun, and I feel like I'm fighting off these guys that I don't want near me. I'm looking for a deep relationship, not a one-night deal.

What's a night with your church friends like?

I have some very cool, not uptight church friends. But there are the ones where church is like their entire lives. It's like, "Can we go deeper than who led worship on Wednesday " I'm more interested in what's going on in the world, business, politics….

How has your faith affected your dating in Portland through the years?

I went to Portland Bible College, which is part of my church. A lot of the guys were there to find wives. And a lot of the girls were there to be pastors' wives. That was their goal. Not me…. I was very innocent about sex. And I still am. I haven't had sex ever…. Sometimes, it's like, "Oh my God! I'm gonna die [if I don't have sex]." And other times, I'm fine. It's a factor if I'm attracted to somebody mind, body and soul. But it's never been, "Oh, they're hot. I wanna have sex."

Do you only date guys from City Church due to your no-sex stance?

In the 19 years I've gone there, I've had one boyfriend from that church. He was non-churchy. He'd been around the block, had six tattoos and an earring. Ambitious. All the things I'd never seen. You look around the church, you see a bunch of guys who look bored. You get bored just looking at them. We dated for six months [in 2003]. He wanted to get married. I didn't.

Have you ever dated outside the church?

There was a guy I met at Barracuda that I went out with once last summer [for lunch at Stanford's at Lloyd Center]. He was looking me up and down. He was talking about getting me drunk and up on the table taking my clothes off. I was kind of hoping for something deeper than that.

Biblical personage you wanna date?

Joseph [of Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat fame]. He went through so much crap, and he knew how to handle himself. I see him as this muscley hot guy…no scraggly beard. I like hairless people.

What's the biggest problem with Portland men?

I get very frustrated with the lack of manliness I find here. It's like guys don't want to be men. There are tons of them in my church. I mean, if [me and my boyfriend] get mugged, I wanna know that I wouldn't have to fight off [the attacker] while he went running off screaming….

Are there openly gay people dating in your church?

No…I do feel frustrated by gay men because they lessen my chances to find a husband…. When I see a hot gay guy I just wanna slap him—I mean, you're so hot!

I went to high school with Christy, and she was just as wonderful and sweet back then. You can send her a Valentine by clicking on the Willamette Week link and scrolling to the bottom of her profile.  

(H/T - Chris Snethen)

I just got this email from someone who recently found the blog:

I was scouring the net to find out where Judah Smith got his theological training from. Do you know where he went to school/seminary?

Does anyone know the answer to this question. I ask because I find that most of the pastors and elders at City BibleChurch/City Church are uneducated, meaning they don't have a college degree from an accredited institution.

I just want to wish my brother JP a happy 28th birthday. With seven kids in our family, we rarely aknowledge birthdays. (There are just too many of them).  So this will have to suffice.

Lately, I have been spending a lot of time at the Boundless Blog. (Focus on the Family's blog for young people) It's a little like this blog, except the author's take themselves more seriously, and there are fewer tithing jokes.

In my favorite post so far, one the authors argues that Global Warming is a farce, and then the readers take him to task in the comment section. (All while loving him in Christ).

There are some good discussions going on over there, and it gives me hope that the next generation of Christians are going to be a little less Dobsonesque.