Everybody's buddy, Arcane Warrior, recently sent me this email.

I am attaching the link to a pdf version of a flyer I reveiced in the mail. It is called Seminars4Worship. On this 2 day seminar, I can learn a lot of new stuff about how to worship. If I act now, I can go to this conference for only $195. If I am an alumni, (meaning that I have gone before I assume) then the cost is $99. If I wait, I pay $249.

But wait, here's the good part. If I want to get the "Go Deeper" package, the cost jumps to $499. Granted, I will get one Integrity Worship Institute Class for free if I pay this amount.

I am losing heart.

Here's the link:

http://www.seminars4worship.com/images/S4W-web-broch-021606.pdf

If that seminar doesn't interest you try http://www.cmtc.org/. According to the brochure I received "If you are ready for increase you MUST attend this event". For only $119 (workbook not included) you will learn how to keep your money from the IRS.

Remember "GOD CANNOT AND WILL NOT BLESS A MESS" (apparently they don't consider being born a sinner a "MESS" and salvation a "BLESSING", but with all the new tithe laws who can blame them).

My brother Jesse just forwarded me

a link to THE.BEST.NEWSARTICLE.EVER!  (Sorry Zach.)  Last weekend, there was an Aquire the Fire rally at the Portland Coliseum. And the Portland Mercury sent out a reporter to cover the event. It was no Generation Unleashed, but a good time nonetheless. The reporter makes some incredible observations. (I'll be honest, I wish I had written the article.) Also, as my brother Jesse mentions, the pictures are too good. As always, I challenge you to read the whole thing, but let me share a paragraph to whet your appetite:

A year ago, I blogged about the Northwest Breakthrough Conference. Specifically, I questioned City Bible’s decision to charge attendees $20 to park, since there was not really any other way to get to the church. And thus, the church was basically adding a $20 fee to attend the conference.

This year I am happy to report that City Bible has listened to my complaint and is now providing free shuttles to the conference. The shuttles are available at the airport and various hotels around the church.

And in order to clear up any confusion, here is City Bible’s new parking manifesto:

• Automobile parking passes are available $20. A parking pass guarantees you a place to park on the City Bible Church campus. These parking passes are available only for the first 250 requests for conference A and the first 250 for conference B
• If you are staying at one of the listed hotels, please use our free shuttles
• If you live in the Portland area, we encourage you to use public transportation.
  Please use our free shuttles from Leatherman, 12106 NE Ainsworth Circle
  Portland, OR 97220 (off 122nd and Airport Way).

I have got to be honest. This seems like a pretty good response. Obviously, City Bible still does not have to charge for parking, but I have begun to realize that these conferences are held for primarily one purpose, to make money. And charging for parking fits nicely within that purpose. Yet to their credit, City Bible is at least providing alternatives for those who cannot or do not want to pay for parking.

Lastly, the conference also includes a seminar on Mr. Damazio’s new book titled, 14 Tests All Leaders Must Face.  I guess during the seminar, Mr. Damazio goes through the 14 tests that all leaders must face. Someone let me know if rebellious bloggers make the list. Somehow I sincerely doubt it, but I would really appreciate the recognition for all my hard work.

The “Eternity” play is now showing at your local CBC campus and I wanted to share a few excerpts from their website http://www.eternityproduction.com/index.html and then give a few thoughts of my own.

For those who don’t know, "Eternity" is a play where they show people dying and going to either heaven (if you’re a good person) or hell (if you’re gay). It basically uses scare tactics to get people to the alter. Yes, it’s effective for short term results; NO, it’s not effective for long term goals. Fear only motivates for a short time; people get numb too quickly.

With that in mind, here’s what they have to say:

They said: “Eternity" is an intense dramatic presentation of the Gospel that shows the reality of life after death… Heaven or Hell.

RP said: Really? Maybe a better title would have been “Heaven’s Gates/ Hell’s Flames”.

They said: City Bible Church determined to better impact their community for Christ. In 1996, Senior Pastor Frank Damazio and Pastor Ed Schefter set out to develop an outreach that would win souls by activating the local church. As a result, Eternity was built to be a relevant and hard hitting ninety-minute stage presentation to preach the gospel of Christ.

RP said: Let me re-write this accurately:
As you can see, not only do I think “Eternity” is a waste of time; I also think it’s a plagiarized waste of time. Now, what does the Bible say about stealing? (Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal). But, I suppose if you change the music it’s not really stealing. Isn’t that right, Ed?

City Bible Church determined to better impact their community for Christ and make a little cash on the side. In 1996 Senior Pastor Frank Damazio and Pastor Ed Schefter stole an outreach that would win souls by activating the local church. As a result, the play "Heaven’s Gates / Hell’s Flames" was renamed "Eternity" and they’ve been taking credit for it ever since.

For those of you interested in learning about the real “Eternity” please visit http://mze.com/heavensgates/

For those of you not wanting to waste your time; please don’t visit either site.

Its Sunday, and I haven’t posted in a while, which means JP is probably sitting at home fuming over my lack of dedication to the blog. So in an effort to head off an angry phone call, I am going to discuss my favorite website: www.genunleashed.com

They recently posted comments from kids who attended the 2005 Gen Conference. Nothing pleases me more, than reading these comments. I love ‘em. Anyway a couple of them caught my interest, so here are my reactions to the Gen Unleashed comments.

Jordan – Generation Unleashed acts as a Furnace or Catalyst that speedily puts us in a place of surreneder and openess to what the spirit is doing. A catalyst that puts us in an open place to experience the awesome heart of God and forever be changed. – GU 2005

Is Jordan mocking me? I totally think he’s mocking me. This is GU’s way of getting back at this blog… to which I say, "Touche, Gen Church Ministries… …touche."

Gabe – Today, my first day back in school, people were amazed, and kept asking me what I was on. I told them it was the Holy Spirit. – GU 2005

Highschool kids really are that stupid. The kids probably asked Gabe where they could score some "Holy Spirit". I remember getting back from these functions, and people would be like, "Wow you’re so happy. What happened?" And I’d be like, "I just got to spend 5 days away from my family. Five whole days. It was the best… oh, thank you Jesus, …Praise the Lord."

Cassie - I attend Willamette University, an extremely liberal school and have been afraid to say things at times when prompted. Doug’s sharing of the testimony regarding involvement in Measure 36 really convicted and encouraged me. – GU 2005

If you think its difficult to be a Christian in a liberal school, then you should probably be sympathetic to what its like to be gay. You don’t have to support homosexuality, but you should probably still accept them. And if you speak out against homosexuality, but ignore the million other sins your classmates are committing, well, its kind of hypocritical.

Also, I attended Willamette as well, and yes its liberal. But almost all colleges are liberal. You know why, because its full of 19-22 year old kids who are away from home for the first time. I remember my first day at college, and the Resident Advisor was like, "Listen there aren’t a lot of rules here. Basically, please don’t break the law. Please don’t break any of my stuff. And for the love of all that is sacred and holy, "Please, no fornicating in the hallway." I didn’t really understand that rule, until my roomate came home from a party one night with some girl and they started having sex in the bed right next to mine. I promptly kicked them out of the room and sent them to the hallway. I figured, "better the hallway, than right next to my face."

Glenn - I love your band and I think that Jeremy Scott and Donna Lasit are awesome! – GU 2005.

I’m pretty sure Jeremy Scott wrote this one.

Alright, well great… that’s my post for the day… good times… good times…

(Oh and all the stuff about my family and JP. Its all a joke. I love my family. And me and JP aren’t really fighting. Its just funnier when I write it that way.)