As bloggers, we’re all into this online “community” thing.

But have you ever gotten to meet any of your online friends in person?

I’ve met a few.

The first one was out of the blue.  I was applying for a job.  I was sitting in the lobby, waiting for my appointment, when the lady at the desk asked if I was a blogger.  That was weirdly awesome, and it is the only time I have been recognized in public.

Pete and Leslie invited my wife and I to have lunch with them at their house this summer.

Last winter, Seth and Darrell both asked me to have coffee with them while they were in my neck of the woods.  My wife is not the sort of person who just goes to have coffee with strangers, but her fears and expectations were not met when I did not return home from coffee, murdered.

But there is one time of year when I get to meet a whole bunch of cool bloggers…if that’s not an oxymoron.

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What do we tell children every day of their lives?

“Just believe in yourself.”

Just believe in yourself, and you can do anything you set your mind to do.

Geez.  We spend a lot of time trying to build up our kids self-esteem.  I’m pretty sure we worship childhood.  The last thing we want to do is let a kid go disappointed, or let their self esteem get dinged.

But that phrase, “Just believe in yourself,” it suddenly seems…well, wrong.  Like it’s the last thing, especially as Christians that we ought to be teaching our kids.

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The first winner of my blog post giveaway is none other than John Cowart!  For reasons unknown to me, John is one of my most loyal commentors, always with something clever to say, and often the first to chime in.  When I read this post, I knew I had to share it with you.  Leave a comment, and then go see what else John has to say on his own blog.

Some of my fellow fundamentalist Christians expected Jesus to appear recently in New Zealand.  News outlets, talk shows and cartoonists enjoyed a field day making fun of us Christians and mocking those who thought Christ would appear at that time.

I did not expect Him to return yesterday anymore than I expect Him any day.

Those believers who did hope for His appearance in New Zealand have been disappointed. They calculated the precise time and place for Jesus’ return.  I do not know what happened in New Zealand.  But I do know that Jesus Christ appeared here in my hometown of Jacksonville, Florida just yesterday.

In fact, Ginny and I saw Him appear a couple of times.

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Four years ago, I left my church.

And while I realize that I didn’t leave the Church, it seemed like a big deal at the time to leave behind our particular church, with its particular building, and everything inside it and invite people to worship in a home.  It felt like we were leaving behind a lot more than just a building.  We were leaving behind a way of life.  And in a lot of ways, we felt like we were losing.  

Since then, I haven’t become this rabid crazy person who says that all church buildings should be torn down.  House church is just one way to do things.  A good way, maybe better than some other ways, but not the only way.

And in the last four years, I realized I learned a few things.  Things that would make it very difficult for me, should God ever call me back to a more typical church.

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Back to school!

Over the next several days, millions of children and teenagers will head back to class.  There, they’ll learn important skills in math, reading, and doing holiday themed word searches and busy work.

And as parents, teachers, and students get their school supplies and classrooms ready, it reminds me of a few of the ways school has drastically changed, just since I was a student (which was not all that long ago.)  Sure, math and history hasn’t changed much.  But there are all kinds of things that used to be commonplace in every school, things that kids don’t even know they’re missing!

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I guess all good things must come to an end.

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I got a letter from her grandmother, who lives in the rural Midwest.

Among the topics that grandmothers talk about, she mentioned that the town’s Catholic church, her home church had closed.  The whole town had turned out for a big goodbye picnic.  It was sad.

My wife and I can drive across the Midwest, and no matter how rural or isolated the area we are in, every dusty little farm town inevitably has a big old stone or brick Catholic church.  I doubt these tiny communities ever would’ve ever raised the money required to build such churches.  They exist thanks to the Catholic church’s extraordinarily deep pockets.

These churches are also usually less than half full, except maybe Christmas Eve and Easter.  Now this church will soon be emptied of all its furniture.  The pews, altar, confessional booth, statues, pulpit, sacristy, candles, and even poor old Jesus nailed to the cross will be taken away to be put in storage.

And in this situation, my wife and I asked each other, “Why did this church need to close?”  

Whatever the reason, it’s happening all over the country.  And every time a church closes, it sends a message that doesn’t quite seem right.  Here’s the message…

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