modernmelody's Revelife

Retrospective: A Look Back at Two Years of (Reve)Life

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:11:43 GMT

I'll admit it. I started writing for Revelife out of boredom.

It was a difficult season in my life. I had just moved to a new town where I knew next to no one, having just left behind the dream and career that I had thought was going to be my life. It was a season of disappointments and frustrations, of realizing that the picture-perfect life I thought I had was starting to unravel before my eyes, and there was little I could do to fix it.

Revelife was an opportunity to do something different. If you want to know the truth, I only got the internship because I knew the editor. I've known him since high school, which is a story in and of itself, but that is for another time. And I only got the editorship because my friend stepped down to pursue other ventures. It was a God's will kind of thing that got me to where I am today, and I'm going to tell you how I know this is true.

There have been many times in the last two years I have wanted to shut the site down. It's not really an easy job to take care of an entire community of people when you're the only one on board. My most recent attempt to shut down the site was in May of this year. I had just gotten back from Haiti and, having experienced significant life changes as a result of the trip, I thought maybe the season for Revelife had ended for me.

I was convinced not to do it, and discontented though I was, I pushed ahead and kept the site alive somehow. I had no real concept of why I was running the site anymore, or why I had even been running it in the first place. Nothing in my life had changed, and when all you get to hear are the complaints and frustrations of people who hate trolls and atheists and spam, it's hard to tell that anyone else has changed because of the site either.

And then came a message from the TGB.

Travis is one of the few close friends I have made since I became a part of the Revelife community. Over the last two years, we've been as best of friends as two people who know each other exclusively on the internet can be. Which is surprisingly close, actually.

Right around the same time I was attempting to shut down the very site that brought us into each other's lives, Travis sent me a message that seemed innocent at the time, one that I had completely disregarded -- and he can attest to that -- but that would change the course of my life forever.

He introduced me to Michael.

It's kind of crazy to say that an internet friend introduced me to a real-life one, but that's what happened. And it was just as awkward at first as you can imagine, but it worked surprisingly well. Very well. Very, very well. Weller than anyone could have imagined. (It's love.)

But it wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for Revelife.

I never would have thought that this year would be the year I would understand why God put this site into my hands. And if this is the only reason I ever obtained this editorship at all, then praise God. But I have to think that I'm not the only one with a story to tell. For all the crazy, messed up stuff we feature on that silly little site, there's got to be more life change going on than we know. Because we serve a God who likes to do crazy, messed up things that turn out spectacular and awesome and defy all the things we think we know about life and love.

And so it goes on. I can't say I feel much better about my job than I did in May. It's still not easy, and there's still not enough time to take care of the site the way I want to, but clearly God has a reason for that. Maybe it's because what I want Revelife to be is not what He wants Revelife to be. Revelife is crazy and messy and frustrating and beautiful. It's beyond my control. It's beyond anyone's control. It's an organism of diverse people with conflicting ideas where nothing ever gets truly solved but ideas get laid out on the table and people -- hopefully -- learn something new.

Isn't that cool? Isn't that the best that we, broken and imperfect, can do? And behind the scenes, behind the made-up usernames and harsh words and loving words and profile pictures, God is doing works in each of us that no one will ever know unless we tell our stories, too.

So thanks. Thanks for the blog submissions and comments. Thanks for the "eProps" (lame!) and recommendations. And thanks for being a little part of the big picture of what God is doing in lives that you don't know.

And here's hoping I don't go crazy and shut the site down in 2012!

The Hi-Tech Church: One Florida Congregation to Hold 3D Christmas Services

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:53:00 GMT

In movies, television and video games, the next big thing is 3D technology. If you're like many, you've probably seen a movie in the theaters in 3D. You may have even had the chance to view a 3D television at your local big box retailer.

So what does this have to do with the church? For one Florida congregation, 3D is more than just new technology; it's an outreach opportunity.

According to Mashable, "the Church by the Glades in Coral Springs, Florida, is joining the digital age with a campaign that melds both augmented reality and 3D." And despite the hi-tech nature of the campaign, the concept is surprisingly simple.

The church is featuring 3D technology during all of their 20 Christmas services. In order to spread the word about these services, the congregation is passing out invitation cards. You can also print out an invitation card from the website.

Here's where it gets geeky. With invitation card in hand -- and access to a webcam and audio -- guests are encouraged to surf over to the 3D Christmas website. Then, they simply hold the invitation card up to their webcam with the marker facing the screen, and the site will recognize the marker and play an augmented reality video of pastor David Hughes inviting the guest to one of the 3D services.

This is a great example of a congregation using relevant means to reach people who might not normally attend a church service. There is but one problem: the whole thing seems a bit gimmicky. I can only hope that the Christmas services these guests attend live up to the hype and offer good Christian truths -- not just cool gadgets and technology.

What do you think of the hi-tech inclusions in this Christmas service? Do you think it's mostly gimmick, or do you think the guests who attend will also get good teaching? Would you attend these services?

Welcome to the Hell House: the Evangelical Answer to Halloween

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:19:56 GMT

I remember around this time last year, a girl I worked with asked off for the entire week of Halloween. She had mentioned to our manager that it was for a Christian event. Having told me she was a youth pastor, I thought perhaps she was taking her group on a trip. I asked what her youth group was doing during her days off, and she explained:

We're having a Hell house.

You may have seen signs for Hell houses in your own area. They look like any other haunted house attraction on the outside, but the purpose is very different. While the scenes and events inside are scary, they are meant to depict sin in its ultimate vile form. Many Hell houses portray controversial issues – such as abortion, suicide, murder and death – in a detailed, gruesome light.

All of this is to contrast the final portion of the Hell house tour: an open invitation to accept Christ and avoid having to face all of these horrifying images in real life.

The first Hell house was created in 1971 by Jerry Falwell, televangelist and founder of Liberty Christian Academy. Scaremare, as it is called, is now in its 38^th season, and its website boasts having led approximately 26,000 into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Another well known Hell house is the Temple Hell House in Temple, Texas. Hosted by Bethel Chuch, the Temple Hell House includes, according to its website, a 45 minute tour “guided by a demon,” featuring “guns, blood, violence, intense scenes and disturbing images.”

While Hell houses attract thousands of people, they also cost thousands of dollars and require thousands of volunteer hours to put together. But if you want to start a Hell house, New Destiny Christian Center in Thornton, Colorado, wants to help you out – with its Hell House Outreach Kit. Its promotional motto:

Shake your city with the most
"in-your-face, high-flyin', no denyin', death-defyin', Satan-be-cryin', keep-ya-from-fryin', theatrical stylin', no holds barred, cutting-edge"
evangelism tool of the new millennium!

The Hell house has been around for quite a long time, and while the concept is indeed interesting, it is no less controversial. It may be a bit deceptive, but many churches claim it's nothing if not effective.

Have you ever been to a Hell house? Have you ever helped put on a Hell house? Do you see these as effective ministry tools, or are they too deceptive?

Crystal Cathedral: The Rise and Fall of the Megachurch

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:14:22 GMT

I can still remember the first time I entered a megachurch. What first surprised me were the trees -- real trees in the lobby, situated right next to the Guest Services counter that looked like the check-in kiosk at an airplane terminal. Then there was the very Starbucks-inspired coffee bar, and how could anyone forget the ocean of seats lined in pretty little rows across the auditorium.

Megachurches have sprouted up like weeds across the United States. And while the faithful do flock in droves to their highly produced, often televised services, they are also racking up their fair share of debt -- the key ingredient in this economy's recipe for disaster.

Case in point: Crystal Cathedral. While you may not know it by name, you have probably heard of the Hour of Power, a televangelist program hosted at the California megachurch. Crystal Cathedral is also known for its extravagant Easter and Christmas productions, complete with live animals. Thousands attend these holiday extravaganzas, but few consider the exorbitant cost to put on such an event.

According to The Huffington Post, live animals for Crystal Cathedral's nativity scene alone cost $57,000, and Kristina Oliver, who owns the company that was contracted for the animals, doesn't expect to get a dime.

"The church never made any kind of advancement that they wanted to pay their debt, that they were willing to try to make it happen," Oliver said, "and every time we tried they told us, 'You can't tell us how to run our business.'"

The Associated Press estimates that the church's debt lies somewhere in the tens of millions of dollars, and on Sunday, founder and pastor Robert H. Schuller tearfully begged the congregation for their financial support. "If you are a tither, become a double-tither," Schuller pleaded. "If you are not a tither, become a tither. This ministry has earned your trust. This ministry has earned your help."

What has taken place at Crystal Cathedral is in no way indicative of what will happen at all other megachurches, but this news certainly does beg the question as to how much longer the era of megachurches will last.

Do you think the problems faced by the Crystal Cathedral are symptoms of a broader dysfunction within the framework of the megachurch? Are there megachurches that, unlike Crystal Cathedral, are surviving or thriving in this difficult economy? What do you think will be the future of the megachurch?

Revelife Reviews: Sufjan Stevens' "All Delighted People"

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:46:51 GMT

In case you didn't know, Sufjan (pronounced: Soof-Yawn) Stevens is the darling of the indie folk world. His 2005 album, Come On, Feel the Illinoise, made it all the way to number one on the Billboard US Heatseekers Chart and received much praise and critical acclaim. So popular was Illinoise, in fact, that the accompanying album, Avalanche, containing outtakes and songs cut from the original album, both met and, in some ways, exceeded its predecessor in popularity.

Yet in the five years that followed, very little was made of Sufjan. He released a cinematic and orchestral ode to the British-Queens Expressway in 2007, but outside of that, despite hints and the occasional new song at a concert, there seemed to be no hope of a new album.

On August 20, Sufjan surprised everyone, releasing an eight-track digital EP entitled All Delighted People.

All Delighted People is an orchestrated roller coaster of emotion and personal struggle. While very similar in terms of sound and musical structure to Illinoise and Avalanche -- a choir of voices, wailing electric guitars, a haunting piano and epic string sections all make their appearances in this EP -- missing are the civic anthems and patriotic melodies found on Illinoise. There are no references to forgotten heroes and local tall tales; replacing them are the thoughts and reflections of a man who seems to have seen a lot of hurt and pain.

The EP focuses on one song performed two ways: the title track, "All Delighted People." While the name might suggest it is an anthem for happy people -- and the recurring phrase, "All delighted people, raise their hands," might also suggest uniting all happy people for a celebration -- it is a dark and sinister song, focusing on war, hate and the apocalypse. When Sufjan asks for delighted people to raise their hands, it is not out of excitement and unity; it is out of the hope that someone, anyone, will raise a hand in these dark days.

These dark and brooding themes transcend the entire EP. In the second track, "Enchanting Ghost," Sufjan seems to be drawing inspiration from personal heartbreak. He beckons an unseen antagonist not to leave him, but then retracts that statement, saying, "If it pleases you to leave me, just go." Elements of heartbreak also exude from the seventh track, "Arnika," in which Sufjan grieves of this life:

I’m tired of life; I’m tired of waiting for someone
I’m tired of prices; I’m tired of waiting for something

There are a few pleasant surprises to be found on All Delighted People, not the least of which being an electronic-infused bridge at just past the one-minute mark of the fourth track, "From the Mouth of Gabriel." Considering the more cynical nature of the rest of the EP, this bridge is perhaps the most delightful moment of the entire album, and, even further, might be seen as a harbinger of new things. Sufjan's upcoming album, The Age of Adz, is an epic electronic opus slated for release on October 12.

Overall, All Delighted People is a well-constructed, diverse collection of thoughtful and sometimes painfully honest reflections on the state of life, love and the world around us. It is, musically speaking, the exclamation point on the end of the Illinoise and Avalanche sentence and the preamble to The Age of Adz still yet to be released.

And while I have no scale to rate this on, nor do I have a score I can give this EP, I wish to leave you with one final plea: give this album a chance. It costs a mere $5 and can be streamed from the Sufjan Stevens Bandcamp site.

Do you have an album you'd like us to review? Send us a message and we'll discuss it!

Could the Qu'ran Burning Have Huge Global Implications?

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:18:00 GMT

When the planned Qu'ran burning at Dove World Outreach Center made the national news, I groaned, having already heard about it for weeks, maybe even months prior through local news outlets. But when the event made international headlines this week, I shook my head. I'd rather Gainesville, Florida, be in the news for something much less divisive than this.

The global response to the church's self-proclaimed "International Burn a Qu'ran Day" has been harsh and violent. CNN reports that thousands of Muslims protested outside the United States embassy in Indonesia. According to ABC News, protesters in Afghanistan chanted, "Death to America," and burned flags and pictures of Dove World pastor Terry Jones. They then turned their anger on a U.S. military convoy, throwing rocks at it.

It's hard to believe what has started as the actions of a small local church has become an event of massive proportions -- and potentially deadly implications. It's even harder to believe that, despite condemnation from everyone from politicians to the Pope, despite violence and protests near and abroad, and despite the denial of a city permit that would allow the group to burn copies of the Qu'ran legally, pastor Jones has but one response: "We are still determined to do it." More Here...

Holy Hangover: Following a Spiritual High With a Spiritual Low

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:38:18 GMT

It's Monday, and for a lot of us, that means going back to work or school -- noses to the grindstone for another week of toil. Depending on your weekend activities, Monday can be particularly draining.

You've probably felt that way before. You've gone to Sunday service -- or maybe a weekend retreat or a missions trip -- and everything resonated with you. The services were great; you really felt the presence of God during worship, someone prayed a radical prayer over you during an altar call, and it was like the pastor was speaking directly to you some life-changing, earth-shaking truth. Sunday night, you got home feeling on top of the world, the kind of feeling that you never want to end.

But Monday comes, and with it the routine. The person at work who constantly criticizes you seems especially irritable this morning. The teacher at school who is never satisfied with your work is dissatisfied yet again, and mom and dad are nagging about some thing you forgot to do. And before you know it, you're standing on the vast precipice of spiritual doldrums.

I believe our God doesn't want these roller coaster spiritual walks for us. I believe He wants us to always be growing and always encouraged. We are blessed to have a God and a spiritual community providing us numerous opportunities to keep the momentum alive. Here are just a few ways we can overcome the holy hangover. More Here...

Are Christian Teenagers Practicing a "Fake" Faith?

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:24:56 GMT

Are you a Christian teenager? If you are, according to a recent CNN article, there's a good chance your're following a “mutant” Christianity that features a “watered-down faith” with a God “whose chief goal is to boost people's self-esteem.”

The article comes on the coattails of the recently released book Almost Christian, by Kenda Creasy Dean. Dean was inspired to write her book after interviewing Christian teenagers for a controversial research study. What she discovered, the article says, is that “most American teens who called themselves Christian were indifferent and inarticulate about their faith.”

Dean cites a number of reasons for this Christian apathy, focusing mostly on the faults of adults. “If teenagers lack an articulate faith, it may be because the faith we show them is too spineless to merit much in the way of conversation,” Dean writes.

I have to say, I kind of agree.

When I was in high school, I found myself in the midst of a spiritual crisis. I had always had questions about my faith, and while my parents did a great job of raising me in a Catholic home, I found myself wondering more and more if I only believed because that's what I was told to do.

I became friends with a bunch of youth group kids and eventually began attending their youth service. At first, I was like a spiritual sponge. Even today, I look back on those first few months of youth group as some of the most challenging and most spiritually growing times of my life. I dove head-first into sermons, devotionals and scripture, but before long, I got bored.

Youth group had always been about being flashy and enticing. The day we got yelled at for playing “Jesus Freak” too loud during youth group was a day we secretly celebrated. We held concerts and parties after football games, and we lived to draw crowds. I had been one of those drawn in by the initial splendor and spectacle, but I found myself wanting more. I knew the faith of Christianity, but I still didn't know how to live it, and that fact bothered me.

Over time, the youth group dwindled. Many of my best friends – the very people who had encouraged me to attend in the first place – stopped coming around. I felt a distance between myself and them. They had convinced me of my faith, but I saw many of them abandoning it.

In the end, I got out. I moved to college and attended a great church that did challenge me, did provide the spiritual guidance I desired, and did teach me about the spiritual disciplines that have sustained my faith into adulthood, but I wonder what would have been different if I hadn't had that opportunity.

I don't know if this Christian apathy I saw and felt is the same thing Dean writes about in her book, but I have to say, I saw the same symptoms she describes. Perhaps my experience is not an isolated incident; perhaps we misunderstand what it means to teach teenagers. Maybe we put too much emphasis on the being relevant and edgy part of ministry and forget to teach kids how to be Christians.

Did you or do you attend youth group in high school? Or are you involved in youth ministry? What has your experience been? Do you see many people getting bored and leaving the faith? What could we do differently to keep kids involved in Christianity?

The Loving Response: America, the Islam-ophobic (Part Three)

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:49:49 GMT

In parts one and two of this series, we discussed an example of Islam-ophobia in American society courtesy of the “Ground Zero Mosque” debate and an example of Islam-ophobia in Christian society by way of the planned Qu'ran burning by Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida. There are many more examples of the rising dislike of Islam in America that we could discuss further, including the protests against mosques and Islamic centers in Tennessee, California and Connecticut.

But what conclusions can be drawn from all of this? What actions can we as Christians take to be less Islam-ophobic and more loving toward the Muslim community?

Be Educated

As Christians, we are called to go and make disciples. That sometimes means having tough conversations with people who may not agree with our faith. If the goal of our Christian witness is to convert others to Christianity, there will come a time when we will have to discuss our faith with the Muslim community.

One thing that does not win over converts is ignorance. Preaching to the Muslim community without an understanding of the Muslim faith will not change minds and hearts; it will perpetuate the notion that Christians are militantly evangelical and closed-minded. If you truly want to minister to Muslims, or even if you just want to have an educated opinion on the issues of mosques and Islamic community centers in America, start by educating yourself. Christianity Today writer Warren Larson offers a very informative critique of seven books written by Christians on the subject of Islam.

Be Humble

While Muslims are blamed for a whole host of atrocities, Christians are also to blame for some terrible things. Beyond the major historical events, from 9/11 to the Crusades, Christians are just as guilty as Muslims of being liars, manipulators and haters. The sooner we admit to the faults we all have, the sooner all of us can meet one another on an even playing field.

Because the opposite approach – a holier-that-thou approach – will not fulfill our great commission. It will not encourage people to consider thoughtfully our faith and beliefs. It will not be a good representation of Christ, who has every reason to behave holier than us and chooses throughout the New Testament to be humble.

Be Peaceful

Above all, please, be peaceful. So many of these religious squabbles begin in acts of hate. We should oppose acts of hatred toward the Muslim community as much as we would oppose acts of hatred against our own community. Would you want people to protest around a Christian community center? Would you want people to burn the Bible? If not, then seek alternative ways to spread your message – for these actions will only encourage more hateful acts against one another. To stop the cycle of hatred, it must stop with us.

I encourage Christians to stop the protesting and start developing relationships with the Muslim community. The only way to truly lose our Islam-ophobia is to know people who practice it. And when they see your attempt to be educated, humble and peaceful, perhaps they will be open to hearing the message of Christ.

I don't believe I have all the answers. I don't know that I even think America can rid of itself of its Islam-ophobia, but I do think Christians have the potential to reach the Muslim community in love and in peace. If we truly want to see the Muslim community changed, it will have to be done in a relational way.

What else can we do to reach the Muslim community? What is the Christian community doing wrong when trying to spread the message of Christ to Muslims? What is it doing right? If you've ministered to the Muslim community, what have you found most effective?

Christians and Qu'ran Burnings: America, the Islam-ophobic (Part Two)

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:38:47 GMT

In part one of this series, we discussed the proposed Muslim community center and mosque in Manhattan called the Park51 Project, referred to by protesters as the “Ground Zero Mosque.” We learned that, while the project is within the law and Constitution of the United States, there is some debate as to whether the organization is right in building its center so close to Ground Zero.

As an example of Islam-ophobia in the United States, the Park51 Project is by far the most widely known case, but there are many other examples to be found across the country which point to a much larger American distaste of Islam.

Where I currently reside in Gainesville, Florida, many locals talk less about the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” and more about the planned Qu'ran burning being held in town on September 11^th of this year by the Dove World Outreach Center.

Dove World is a self-proclaimed New Testament church, focusing on the return to spiritual faith and Biblical principles. The church spreads its message through a variety of ways, not the least of which being controversial signs and protests. Locally, Dove World is known largely for its campaign against the election of a homosexual mayor, which included signs, flyers and videos that pushed for “No Homo Mayor.”

But Dove World's planned Qu'ran burning event, which they dub “International Burn a Koran Day,” has received national attention, from multiple major news stories to an interview with Senior Pastor Terry Jones on CNN. According to CNN's Belief Blog, local Gainesville religious leaders have spoken out and plan to hold events to counter the Qu'ran burning. Even the city of Gainesville has opposed the event, not out of religious reasons but because the event is unsafe; Dove World's request for a permit to host the event was denied, but the group insists it will continue with the event as planned.

While most of the response has been negative toward the group, there are still some who seek to support Dove World in their Qu'ran burning extravaganza

“We fully support Dove World Outreach Center and its efforts to put an end to the notion that Islam is a peaceful religion,” wrote Right Wing Extreme founder Shannon Carson in a statement. “Islam is a violent cult with the goal of world domination.” The report also says the “armed conservative Christian group” will be protecting the church during the event. Yikes.

All of this talk of violence and protests leads me to beg the question: how does any of this translate to scripture? Where in “the greatest of these is love” is there room for Qu'ran burnings? And what message does this event send those who are seeking Christ but instead finding hate? It seems counter-intuitive that a Christian organization protesting what they claim to be a hateful, violent faith are choosing to resort to hate and violence to spread their message.

It's clear that Islam-ophobia is not just prevalent in American society but also in Christian society. In part three of this series, we will discuss what Christians can do in light of the rising dislike of Islam in America.

Do you agree or disagree with the actions of Dove World Outreach Center? Do you think a Qu'ran burning will send the appropriate Christian message? What alternative actions could the church take?