Ragamuffin Soul

Beyond a doubt, my favorite moment of the trip was watching Jonathan get baptized and literally seeing Jesus explode from him as he arose from the water.
God. STILL. Moves.
Los

I’m typing this from Rwanda.  I just got a massage.  I’m a short term missionary.

1.  I absolutely, without a doubt, do not struggle with staying in nice hotels while I’m in developing countries on mission trips.  Quit judging me.
2.  This is my second trip to Africa.  The children’s behavior here makes American children look like wild animals.
3.  I like taking pics of me and the cute Rwandan kids but I would never take pics of me and cute American kids.
4.  God did not call me or you to be Mother Teresa.  He called me to be Carlos Whittaker and you to be you.  Be you.
5.  When I am on a short term mission trip I’m constantly thinking that “long term missionaries” are rolling their eyes at me.
6.  I always become friends with the bell hop so that by night 3, he takes me out for some local nightlife.
7.  When it’s 1:30 am, and I enter the third, shady, back alley bar…I immediately start looking at how Jason Borne would get out of this room if cornered.
8.  Americans are the most impatient people on the planet.  And I’m American.
9.  I am so scared that I’ll eat something that will kill me in Rwanda, but I’ll McDonalds every other day and that will kill me faster.
10.  The three most important things for this stumbling short term missionary…
a.  Wifi
b.  Ministry
c.  Wifi
In that order.

What confessions can you add?
Los
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What as been one thing that you thought was true about scripture forever and then realized you were dead wrong?
I’m assuming everybody can comment on this one.
I will.
What have you been wrong about what you thought scripture said?
Los

So, we’ve finally narrowed down a winner for our Project 7 Year of Swag Contest.

We challenged Ragamuffin Readers to use a real or virtual chalkboard to express one of Project 7′s SEVEN causes. (HEAL – SAVE- FEED – QUENCH – HOUSE – TEACH – HOPE)

And, as usual you did not disappoint. We received some AMAZING depictions of these causes. I honestly love seeing how creative you are.

But, alas, there can only be ONE winner.

Cheyenne Hensley is the one.

Congrats Cheyenne! Get ready for an entire YEAR’S worth of swag.

And the rest of you…let’s not let our creativity stop with the chalkboard…

Why not take a creative approach to gift giving this year? Make 2011 the year you give gifts that give back.

I’m about to hop on a plane to Rwanda for the next 7 days, maybe you aren’t. (Well you probably aren’t) But you can do good here with your feet planted on US soil, and still have Chipotle for lunch.

So do it.

The Project 7 Store is a fantastic way to make that happen.

I went to the JayZ/Kanye show last night in Dallas.
I’m pretty sure it was one of the greatest performances I have ever seen. Live.
The crazy thing is, with as much swag as those 2 guys had on stage, their talent was undeniable.
This genre of music actually breeds and celebrates self indulgence.
It works better when the artist is actually MORE full of themselves.
I think this is why, in some respects, it is hard to grab fans in the Christian marketplace if you are a rapper.
It’s hard to see someone coming across on stage as a bad ass yet rapping about something other than themselves being greater.
I’m just processing here.
There are rappers in the Christian market who have actually succeeded in coming across authentic and still rapping positive messages.
Especially the guys out of the Reach Record crowd.
But I just think it has to be the toughest genre to crossover from and keep the same intensity and feel.
Call me crazy.
Cause I probably am.
What do you think?
Is hiphop/rap the hardest form of music to spin a Christian message to?
Los

Today is a great day to…
Los

Virgin Diaries.
Chronicling the lives of everyday virgins, just like we once were, or if our name is Tripp Crosby, still are.
I watched this show last night and was all over twitter .
I watched in horror.
I watched cheering the guy on.
I watched in pain.
I watched dying laughing.
But I watched.
Why?
Because to watch 2 people kiss for the first time on their wedding day in front of friends and family like a mother bird feeding her young was exhilarating and horrifying.

I mean after that kiss I fear that the poor groom wanted to run to the hills so he didn’t have to endure that again.
How much hands off is too much hands off before the wedding day?
1st base? Second base? Third base? Foul Ball?
Los

Blog Closet That Is.
There are thousands of people who grace us with their minds a day.
Obviously most do not comment.
They just read.
Today is their time to come out of the closet.
Who are you secret ninjas?
Leave us a comment, even if this is your only one ever…
Telling us who you are and what you do!
Come out of the closet.
Los

He comes to your church.
He is gay and living with the love of his life.
He wants to serve on your missions team to help the sick.

She comes to your church.
She is a B list actress who currently has 2 semi nude love scenes in her upcoming movie.
She wants to teach the 4 years olds on Sunday morning.

He comes to your church.
He’s 21 and fresh out of prison for statutory rape with a 15 year old when he was 18.
He wants to play drums.

She comes to your church.
She is gorgeous but is binging and purging every meal but no one knows.
She wants to teach the 14 year old girls small group.

He comes to your church.
He is meeting escorts 2 afternoons a week but no one knows.
He wants to teach the 17 year old boys small group.

She comes to your church.
She is embezzling money from her corporation but no one knows.
She wants to be an usher.

The problem lies when we draw lines in the sand with peoples sins.
The bottom 3 are already serving in your church.
The top 3 are probably not.

In my eyes the top 3 are probably more apt to serve than the bottom 3 because they are not hiding it.
I know this is a sweeping generalization. But I feel an authentic desire to exist in who you are is much better than the desire to hide who you are.
How can the church help facilitate radical grace while knowing that no ones sin is greater than the other?
Talk to me…
Los

Nathan Finnochio has quickly become one of my dearest friends.
He loves my kids, my family, and me.
In that order.
He is also one of the most brilliant people I know.
We got to talking about the Michael Gungor blog post, that I retweeted because I thought it was amazing, and the dialogue dug deeper.
Nathan had great thoughts on what Gungor wrote and because I value conversation I asked Nathan to write a guest blog on Ragamuffin in response to Gungor and his opinions on the Christian Music Industry, Disingenuous Sonic of Christian Music, and Christian Social Drinking.
Take heed. I know Micheal and Lisa personally and have nothing but respect for them both and honestly agree with what they wrote. That’s why I couldn’t write this. I had to have someone else write it.
This is why we dialogue…

Hey guys.  Nathan here.  I have three simple questions for Michael Gungor and everyone else:

1. Why are we having worship nights at bars, knowing full well that Christians are going to come and stiff the bar, but also expecting them to stiff the bar because, hey, maybe you should NOT drink at a worship night? Let’s be honest: it’s mainly Christians that go to these worshippy shows in bars. I say worshippy cause I don’t really know what they are. They’re like… quasi-worship but more but not… I don’t know, I’ve always been really confused at these events. I saw Gungor in Toronto earlier this year at a church. I’ve always loved his worship stuff, but I didn’t get his show. It was so damn good but it felt confusing. I was wishing it was less Christian or more Christian. I know that makes no sense to some people philosophically, but practically, it makes a lot of sense. I just think the guy belongs in the general market AND church worship market, and not a mix of both. I also think that would eliminate the frustration at the alcohol toting venues.  I don’t have a problem with alcohol and Christians, or people who have achieved wisdom and righteousness superior to Jesus and therefore abstain.

2. Can you decipher the authenticity or reasons of the heart by genre or sonic? If you sound like Sufjan Stevens does that mean you’re disingenuous? It sounded like Gungor doesn’t like CCM. Who does? CCM doesn’t even like CCM. They’re like their own dirty secret. And screamo? Bro, I think Underoath were legit, not a bone of insincerity in the whole band. And let’s be honest, 50 years ago Rock N Roll was considered the devils music and Christians who adopted the genre were considered anethema. Mike both Rocks AND Rolls. Unfair.

3. Should Christian music that isn’t congregational or overtly devotional even exist? I don’t think so. I think Christians that don’t do music expressly for spiritual devotion (Keith Green) or congregational worship (Chris Tomlin) should just do general market stuff. Why? Influence and Creativity, two concepts antiquated evangelicalism has given up on and almost completely abdicated in society altogether. And THAT is a completely different topic.

If you’re a Christian worship leader, please don’t do a Christian side project. No Christians want that. Just do worship music and general market music. Your general market stuff will be enjoyed by both Christians and non-Christians alike, and maybe God will give you influence in places you never dreamed.

Nathan…

OK Ragamuffins…DIVE IN…Thoughts?
Los

But i mean seriously, Nathan plays Father Abraham on a daily basis. He’s a softie.

Happy Christmas Father Abraham from The Paradigm Collective on Vimeo.