Back to the B&D Studio

Season 4 of the B&D Supershow is starting on Sunday night. For those of you that do not know the history behind the show: it all started with two kids, a karaoke machine, and wild imaginations. Season one is still recorded on cassette tapes, we would release them to the public, but no one wants to hear a couple of hyenas cackle for hours at lame impressions.

Season 2 is a goldmine of random babbling it features B, D, the late grate Damian Biddle, Dave, and other special guests. This season was more about having fun with friends with very little structure.

There was a long hiatus between season 2 and season 3. D (and the studio) moved to South Georgia for a couple of years. Upon his return, we launched Season 3.0 with the title "2 hours worth of funny"

watch the promo video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI17x27xGE0

Season 3.0 was more structured with show topics each night and special guest a-plenty. Show topics included:

-Zombie Apocalypse
-Your Bucket List
-I You had a Million Dollars
-Ghost Stories

Season 4 is going to be "A Step Above Insanity." We promise to deliver.

Christian Politics (Part 1)

Are we "Too political?"
Part one of a series: Questions Christians should be asking.

Disclaimer: I am not a Republican, Democrat, or a socialist. This blog is not meant to push any agenda, rather to question the existence of agendas and what that means to the Christian.

It is a dangerous moment for the church and the gospel when a temporal power is confused for a higher power.

-Mark Rodgers
Former staff director, Senate Republican Conference president

The conservative religious movement - or at least parts of it - has sold its soul to partisan politics. Many young evangelicals see that this is just Republican politics masquerading as conservative religion. When they observe this, they don't like it. And they are concerned that it could happen to the left too - exactly what happened on the right: The politicizing and corrupting of religion for the sake of political power.

-Jim Wallis
Founder and executive director, Sojourners Call to Renewal.

Isn't it funny how the word "politics" is made up of the words "poli" meaning 'many' in Latin, and 'tics' as in 'bloodsucking creatures.'
-Unknown

I am a week behind the curve with this blog, but my views on politics have been seven years in the making. Ever since I hit the ripe old age of eighteen I have sought to make since out of all the right wing, left wing, moderate, socialism, capitalism ideas and ideals. Most importantly, it has been a quest to find out how to be a Christian and still be involved in the world of politics.

George W. Bush vs John Kerry was the first election that I could cast a vote for Jesus and prevent the moral disaster of the century from occurring, with the pro-choice Kerry feeling the sharp edge of my ballot, Bush is re-elected and all is well with the world.

As an 18-year-old I equated the Republican party with the will of God - I was programmed by pastors, teachers, biased news organizations and friends to believe that Republican equals Jesus or at the very least, who he would vote for. The Republicans, after all, were pro-life, pro sanctity of marriage, and they were the best option of dealing with terrorists, not that there is anything wrong with these ideals - I am for all of these things as well.

Flash forward to the next election, the nation was in shambles. The stock market crashed, the recession paralyzed the average American. Millions are out of jobs, and the middle class was quickly disappearing. The race of morality quickly vanished into a race of who could get us out of this mess. The promise of moving forward came into play, Obama is elected and the nation looked forward to better days. Things started moving forward, but it was attributed to a "socialist agenda" so now that midterm elections are over the Republicans have regained an overwhelming majority of the House promising to save the country from a socialist agenda, putting an end to Obamacare and "taking the country back."

Some things that I have learned from all of this ^

1. God is sovereign a government or a leader is not.

Whose to say that the person that God chooses to lead a country is always godly or a Christian. God chose the heathen king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and Darius the great of Persia to rule over the people of God circa 722 - 586 B.C.E. This was a confirmed act of God's will by the profits.

2. You cannot legislate morality.

If I say that I am going to put a ban on crime, it will still exist. If a person has the evil in his or her heart to rob a bank, kill someone, or to have an abortion they will find a way to do so without the governments help. It is unfortunate that we live in such a immoral society but banning things doesn't work, if it did, prohibition would have stuck.

3. Just because you are a Christian doesn't mean you have to be a Republican (or any party).

As of now, I don't know what I am in the world of politics, but I know that I am not a republican. Shane Claiborne changed my thinking about the conservatives when he said: "I must say that I am still passionately pro-life, I just have a much more holistic sense of what it means to be for life, knowing that life does not just begin at conception and end at birth, and that if I am going to discourage abortion, I had better be ready to adopt some babies and care for some mothers."

4. Jesus seems to be a socialist.

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (redistribution of wealth).

So what am I getting at? I guess the simplest answer is that, for Christians, our hope should not be in a flawed human system. The kingdom of God is not democratic at all, it is a kingdom under a King, which is Christ. Jesus told Pilate when asked if he was a king, "“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” -John 18:36

It is not a bad thing to be involved with politics, after-all, we all have opinions and voices when it comes to who will run the country. But no political party or governmental system will equal the power of the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. In that kingdom there is, joy, wealth, healing, peace, deliverance...perfection. Christians should realize this whether they are Republican, Democrat, Independent etc.

Are Christians too political? If we are talking more about how President Obama is a socialist rather than praying for God to open his ears and heart to hear what is best for the country, then yes.

Are Christians too political? If we have more faith in people, parties and a failing system more than God, then yes.

Are Christians too political? If we spend our time attacking and judging "the left" instead of praying for, loving, and learning from them (there are valid points on both sides), then yes.

What are your thoughts? Join the conversation below if you agree or disagree.

Well Said

This entry is a book review for booksneeze.com. You sign up and they send you free books if you promise to review them on your blog. The book I chose was "Where is God" by Dr. John Townsend.

This book helped me through a difficult time. I wondered "Where is God" when my best friend passed away two years ago. He passed suddenly at only 30 years of age. This book helped me to realize that God is still in control and that he still has the best plans for his people.

This book helped me to uncover a truth I should have seen without so many weeks of questioning:

God is no stranger to suffering.

He felt the sting of betrayal when his creation disobeyed and went after pleasure rather than a relationship of trust. He felt the pain, when mankind began worshiping the creation instead of the creator. He wept at the graveside of his friend Lazarus - he felt the sting of the whips the sharp-edge of the spear and the penetration of the nails. God knows suffering as much as he knows grace, love, and peace.

In our suffering we have a God who identifies with us, this brings me comfort and a deeper understanding of the nature of God.

Growth

I am a Sunday School teacher at the church that I attend...Yes good old fashion 10:30am B.Y.O.B. (Bring your own Bible) Sunday School. On a good Sunday I will have three people (not including my wife in attendance. The age group that I teach are in their 20's an anomaly, nay a disturbance in the force in this generation that two twenty (something) year olds are attending Sunday School. Frankly, I thank God for those two men.

I have thought over the last couple of years of ministry their about growing the class - growing the church. But how do I market a Sunday School class that would seem out-dated and dull to most of my peers? Forgive my futility, but I do not think it will happen. There is too much competition. The average church now has all the bells and whistles, power-points, sermon openers and a rocking praise team; why would someone want to get up an hour early to come hear sound Biblical teaching? That is ridiculous.

Now that I am off of my soapbox: The Bible teaches that (spiritual) growth is a process that begins with death. Take the seed for example, it is a seed at first, it goes in the ground and then it dies to become something else. A plant. The plant then has to push through all kinds of dirt to get to the sunlight in order for it to mature. This process can take days or even weeks.

Christian leaders need to understand that we should never gauge growth by numbers. Numbers feed our ego and make us feel like we are doing a good job and when they are down, so are we. Jesus changed the world and started a movement with 11 committed people (plus the 70 but he didn't hang out with them much). The kingdom of God is like a seed that grows, do not have disdain for small beginnings because a Redwood tree starts from a tiny seed.

Growth should never be gauged numerically - but intrinsically. Jesus had twelve disciples, but one did not grow - I wonder if it was because he skipped Sunday School?

Can you get satisfaction?

Jesus said, "To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by all her children."

Leaders, have you ever felt as though everything you did to please people ending up failing? You try to encourage people and they still end up speaking negatively toward you. You preach love and they return with hate. You preach hate and they hate that as well. You serve, you give, you minister, you pour your life out and get no response.

This generation is like this: You play a song for them and they do not passionately worship. You sing a sad song and no one sheds a tear, nothing you do can truly please this generation because they will always find something to complain about. It is a cynical generation...

Take politics for example (I am not endorsing any party or person here): When Bush was in office everyone hated what he was doing, by the end of his presidency his approval rating was like -50. Along comes Obama, and most people loved him and hurried to get behind his vision for change in America. Fast forward to now, his approval rating is almost as bad as Bush's was.

My point: You can't please anyone. It is always the leader's fault when something goes wrong and no matter what is done the response is always the opposite.

John the Baptist and Jesus had this problem. John was the prime example of holiness. He set him self apart from the world in the wilderness, and the religious people (Pharisee and Teachers of the Law who prided themselves on being set apart) said he had a demon. Jesus hung out with people who the religious people wouldn't and he was shunned as a drunk.

-In ministry you are not going to be able to reach the lost and maintain good standing with the ones who consider themselves "too good" for those people.

-In ministry you are not going to be able to maintain a good relationship with the lost people and try to fit into the squeaky clean perfect church mold.

Maybe there is a balance??

Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones sang it this way: "I can't get no satisfaction." This seems to be the theme song of this generation. I wonder if people danced to this song?

Working Man's Blues

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26)

These two verses have caused a lot of debate throughout the centuries. They seem to be in logical tension with one another.

A person is saved by the grace of God (God's preformative initiative in ones life, or simply, his presence leading one to know him) through faith (being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see).

NOT OF YOURSELVES, NOT BY WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE CAN BOAST

If a man can keep all of the commandments, and be a good person then he has a right to ride into heaven with a golden horse while all of the saint lift up his name. He should even get his name on heaven's marquee with flashing lights and a neon color than no one has ever seen before.

The above exaggeration is absolutely false: No one can ever be good enough, can never do enough to earn God's favor. What does earn God's favor is FAITH in Christ because Jesus is the only person who was ever able to please him..."You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Grace initiates, Faith strengthens, works demonstrate faith, works do not earn good standing with God.

The person who is caught up in a "works based" mindset has the blues. Why? They can never do enough to earn the acceptance of God, and it leaves them feeling defeated because they are relying on their good deeds to try to get heaven to do standing ovation in their honor. Some people who are caught up in this mindset are not trying to please God, but they are trying to please people. They love to hear their shouts and admiration, they receive their reward in full.

True relationship with Jesus is honored, not how much you have done for him.

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' ²³Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:21-23).

The above passage shows us two things:

1. It is the will of God that we know Jesus
2. It is not the will of God that we exclusively do things "In Jesus name"

The working man's blues will be sung by a lot of people who thought they could work their way into heaven, and not enter into the door of heaven (Jesus) by simply knowing and obeying him.

For all of you works lovers out there, remember that God wants relationship with Jesus to be primary in your life. You cannot be saved through your own effort, you must accept that Jesus has already "paid it all."

Is this saying that Christians should sit back and do nothing? No! It does say that salvation is a gift from God through relationship with Christ. Salvation can not be earned by doing things for God.

Works bring faith to life. It shows everyone else your gift of salvation and hopefully makes them want to receive it themselves. Works demonstrate to God that you are serious about following his lead, and surrendering to his plan for your life.

Ministers are not Therapists

For the past couple of weeks I have come into contact with everyone from family members to loose acquaintances who want to unload all of their problems onto me. They go into graphic details about their struggles financially, relationally, emotionally, spiritually. As a minister, I feel like out of that list I am only qualified to counsel on one of those topics (I will let you guess which one). I know a good bit about the other topics, but they are not my areas of expertise.

People think that because I am a minister that I am a priest at a confessional booth wanting to hear about all their problems and to tell them to say some hail marys and our Fathers so that there sins will be forgiven.

Okay, so I understand that in order to be a minister that I am going to have to sympathize/empathize with people in their struggles in life. That I am supposed to pray for the ones that are having a hard time, and trust me, I do. My cry, however, is not for everyone to stop unloading their problems on me, in a way I consider that an honor. My cry is that people would not just see me as a free therapist for them. That I would not be labeled and stereotyped into someone that I am not. There are many people with many problems in the world, and I have my own as well.

If you are having problems I beg you, go see someone who is trained to help you. Don't bother your pastor because mostly all he can give you is spiritual advise. There comes a time when a minister can only do so much to help. Go to a professional, and confess your sins to God (1 John 1:8-9).