What In Tarnation?!?!? In the Classroom

What is the name of the civil war movie where there is a scene in which a Union soldier goes to a creek to clean out a cup and at the creek a Confederate soldier walks up to the creek as well? I believe it is near Christmas because the hum or sing Joy to the World.

Need that scene to use as an illustration next week.

Witty points if you know the answer!!!

Class dismissed!

VBS (aka Vacation Bible School) week is over and it was good. The kids seemed to have fun and things seemed to go really smoothly. Right now I am in the process of detoxing from the catchy but, in my opinion rather annoying songs (though I really like the song entitled “One” this year) from my system. I look forward to the day that I don’t spontaneously start singing about being a Game Day Central Hero in my mind. This is what it was like in my head during Sunday School this morning:

“Hmmm, that is a really good point that that person made. I need to remember that. I should probably write that down if I just had a piece of paper… I must have in this Bible… [singing] Game Day Central: Where heroes are made / Enduring what lies before us by keeping our eyes on Jesus / we become heroes who face each day like Game Day… [/singing] Ah a paper! Now what did he say? Think Christopher, think! [Singing] A - Admit to God that you are a sinner / B - Believe that Jesus is God’s Son / C - Confess the name and get in the game by confessing Jesus as your Savior and Lord… [/singing] Ah! Not that. Now I don’t even know what everyone is talking about! I am totally lost in this conversation. Oh, well, I give in… [Singing] Being of one mind / having the same love / Being of one accord / having the same heart…”

And basically, the rest of Sunday School was a mini-VBS concert in my head. This is really disruptive.

Like recent years, I was in charge of missions. While preparing for the next day’s missions activity, I was listening to the podcast of the Albert Mohler Radio program. Dr. Russell Moore was guest hosting an episode called “I Am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N: Reaching our Children with the Gospel of Christ” in which Dr. Moore asked the the question (my paraphrase) Are today’s modern methods of evangelizing children effective. Most of the time was actually spent talking about VeggieTale like entertainment programs being used in children’s ministries but Dr. Moore and his guest suggested that today’s typical VBS’s are more interested in entertaining students that telling the about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Got me thinking about the curriculum that my church uses from LifeWay (or as I like to call them the Evil Empire). Now admittedly, this year’s theme wasn’t my favorite but I tried to put that aside and think about the things going on in our church. Eventually I dismissed the conclusion. Sure there are more bells a whistles than when I attended VBS but the content still seemed to be there.

The next morning I overheard a discussion between one of our teachers and our pastor. She was saying that she thought that this year’s material wasn’t very good. She then went on to say that the material seems to be getting worse and worse with each passing year. She felt that the material was relying less and less on scripture and more and more on other things of far less importance. Now, this got my attention. This particular teacher is someone I highly respect. Like the highest respect. She has been teaching in VBS for 60 years. That is nothing to shake a stick at. My pastor responded that the material was just a guide and it was important for the teacher to use it as only that, a guide or a tool. My unvocalized question was about newer Christians stepping into that teacher’s position. People who didn’t have even 5 years of experience ministering to students in such a way. Of course in the perfect world, that wouldn’t happen. A new worker would work as a teacher’s assistance and gradually work into the position, but that isn’t true in many places and I would suggest that wasn’t quite true with our VBS this year. It got me thinking again.

Later in the week, I happened across a blog post at Internet Monk called Entertainment Tonight: VBS and What’s Really Going On. Similar concerns. This time though, as with most rants Spencer posts, I don’t think anything would make him happy (and that is probably an inaccurate perception but it is the one I have). Though I did enjoy a article that he links to from the very funny Lark News (think the Christian Onion, and just as caustic) called For VBS Addicts, It’s a Hard Fall.

There is one thing for sure: there is a huge problem when form trumps substance. I don’t think my church has reached that point with VBS. I’m also not convinced that LifeWay’s VBS curriculum is to that point yet but there do seem to be cracks on the surface that could get bigger. If I had any suggestion for LifeWay that would be to include two variations of each lesson in the upper grades. Let’s say grades 3-6. On version would be used for groups of students who aren’t Christians or new and need basic discipleship and then another version that would be more suited for a class of mostly Sunday School vets who are ready to go beyond the idea that we can share our faith with others and get a bit deeper. That way the teacher could get to know their class and use the version that would be most suitable to his or her class that year. Just a thought and it is definitely something churches need to keep their eye on.

I still wonder though, would there be any mixture of Gospel and gee whiz factor that would be acceptable to those who are crying foul? Or do we just need to sit down and read the Bible with nothing else? I honestly don’t think that there would be many people who would want that…

One thing I know, miracles do still happen at VBS.

Like normal with these kinds of posts, more questions than answers. If you have some answers, I would love to read them in the comments.

Pictures of the week can be found here and I have already posted short videos of the week.

Later taters!

Or the Church Office that is. This is a fairly accurate portrayal of most youth/student ministers that I have know.

Later taters.

This time of the year, we remember the infant Jesus, the answer to a World covered in sin, the answer to prophecy. We remember his humble beginnings, his ordinary parents made great through God. We remember God’s greatest gift to humanity, God plan put into motion.

Recently however, I have been drawn to a song that speaks of God’s endgame. The result of God’s love made into man to walk among us, to die for us.

Sweetly Broken (Link requires iTunes)
by Jeremy Riddle From the album Sweetly Broken

To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled

Chorus:

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness

(2x’s)
Chorus

Class dismissed!

Avast ye, there matey! Perhaps I have taken the title to this entry a little too literally. There are of course many types of piracy. There is the act of stealing at sea without the commission of a sovereign nation (I guess with a commission it is alright), patent infringement, trademark infringement, there is even biopiracy! I however am referring to copyright infringement.

The bane of the music and movie/TV industries right now. Copyright infringement is defined as unauthorized use of material that is protected by intellectual property rights law and it can also refer to unauthorized reproduction and distribution of electronic and audio-visual media. (Definitions and the cute little Pirate Guy obtained through Wikipedia.)

During the heyday of Napster and other file sharing programs, copyright infringement was pretty common among those who where educated about such things. I found several songs that I took from other computers via Napster. I never downloaded whole albums, just a few songs here and there. After the fall of the centralized Napster, other decentralized file sharing clients popped up. Today you can download a free BitTorrent client and start downloading movies and TV shows (an activity that I have also dabbled in and suggested to others via the Cranium Leakage Podcast, I believe in Episode 8.)

So what is a Christian to do? Is copyright infringement (CRI) stealing? Evidently there are some Christians who justify CRI by saying they are somehow spreading the Christianity. This is an idea explored in a recent article in the Los Angles Times called Pirating Songs of Priase.

Surveys show that born-again Christian teens are just as active in stealing and swapping music as their secular peers who pinch the latest Eminem rap hit or Kelly Clarkson power ballad.

It comes down to a show-off between “Spread the Word and Thou shalt not steal” for some Christians.

“What we’re seeing is young people and youth pastors are bringing this moral perspective that, well, it’s not exactly right to download the music, but from their point of view they’re doing it for greater good, and in their minds that offsets it to some degree,” said David Kinnaman, vice president of Barna Group.

From my perspective, it isn’t just Christian youth who are having an issue with this. As a member of my church’s media team, we are often asked for recording of sermons which we are more than happy to give away, we even podcast them on our church website. Then there are those requests for a music performance. Those can be difficult.

It normally goes something like this:

Church-type Person (CTP): Yes, I just loved that song that so and so sang last week. It was just lovely.

Me: Yes, it was very nice.

CTP: It just blessed me so much.

Me: I’m glad you enjoyed it.

CTP: I was wondering… Would it be possible to get a copy of it?

Me: I’m sorry, that is against copyright law, the track that was used can only be used for performances only. We don’t record the special music, unless it is in the Public Domain or it is an original song and we have been given permission to record it.

CTP: (Totally ignoring the fact that I just said we didn’t record it, or it is worse if they ask before a performance.) Oh, well, it would just be for me, no one else.

Me: I’m sorry, we can’t do that.

CTP: I’ll even take a tape, it doesn’t have to be on CD (as if the tape is more legal).

Me: It’s not about the CD or the tape, it is just illegal. I’m sorry.

CTP: Oh I just loved that song so much…

Me: Maybe I could find out who recorded it for you and you could purchase the album?

CTP: It just wouldn’t be the same without so and so singing it…

Me: I’m very sorry.

CTP: Well thank you anyway.

People can kind of get mean about cantatas and such.

This is an issue that I deal with from time to time still. For example, for the last two years I have given students in my class a DVD with a video that I made. It has music that is protected but I give it out anyway.

One thing I do know is that copyright needs to be revisited and changes should be made. If things keep going like they are, there will be no more new public domain works, not if Disney has anything to say about it.

Class dismissed!

Day Two at ministry sites.

Previously on WIT?!?!?:
Special Mission

Our second day at ministry sites was in stark contrast to our relatively easy first day. Our first stop was a nursing home called Seabreeze. This nursing home didn’t have all the nice extras that the home we visited on the first day had and its residents were typically in much worse condition. Thankfully there were quite a few more residents here. I started talking to a resident who was unable to repsond though he did give me a few guteral sounds and grunts. The students sang quite a few songs. We had two students who were quite gifted with the fiddle and guitar which the residents really enjoyed. I was impressed with how the students jumped into talking with the residents. When our track leader was describing Seabreeze, he painted a very bleak picture. Most of the students commented that it wasn’t as bad as the picture that J-Little (our track leader’s nickname) had given. When we enter the facility we all entered through the front door. It can take a little while for a group of our size to get in. I was one of the last people to enter and just as I grabbed the door this horrific alarm. I immediately began to take inventory of metal items that I had on my person, maybe I had set off a metal detector. No it was an alarm on the door inicating it had been opened too long.

For lunch our team stopped in a nice little park in downtown Mobile and we ate with the pigeons and the wide variety of people who took lunch in the park. (Pictures of the park below.) While we were there, students shared extra lunch food with the homeless in the park. A few of our adults had a lengthy discussion with one homeless gentleman who shared his story of how he got to where he is.

Click for larger images.

After lunch we headed off to the site that I was most looking forward to: L’Arche. L’Arche is a faith based community for people with mental handicaps. The L’Arche in Mobile is located in four different houses in a two block area. In each house there were four residents and staff. Unfortunately because of the size of our group, only about ten people got to go visit with the residents. The rest of the group, including myself were asked to stay outside and do some work in the yard (our PCY experience). We weeded, trimmed bushes, raked leaves, and cleaned out a shed. I won’t lie, I was quite disappointed, that was the one site that I was really looking forward to but those of us outside were able to make the house to look much nicer.That was day two.

Later taters!

The 30 hour famine starts tomorrow. For more info about the 30 Hour Famine see this previous post.

Stealing Pressed’s idea from last year, I will donate $1 for each comment, one comment per visitor (e-mail address/IP address) to the 30 Hour Famine. The comments will remain open until Friday, February 24 at 6:00 pm Saturday, February 25 at 3:00 pm. In your comment, tell me an interesting fact or a funny story, I really like funny stories. Act fast, this is a limited opportunity. Void where prohibited.

So help a hungry person out and leave a comment.

If you want to go further, you can leave a donation in via PayPal through the PayPal button below.

Hey, donate and make a comment!

Wanna read the lyrics to my new favorite song?

You Are God Alone
by Billy and Cindy Foote

You are not a god
Created by human hands
You are not a god
Dependant on any mortal man
You are not a god
In need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

Chorus:
You are God alone
From before time began
You were on Your throne
Your are God alone
And right now
In the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone

You’re the only God
Whose power none can contend
You’re the only God
Whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God
Who’s worthy of everything we can give
You are God
And that’s just the way it is

Repeat Chorus

Bridge:
Unchangeable
Unshakable
Unstoppable
That’s what You are

Repeat Bridge
Repeat Chorus
Repeat Bridge Out

You can listen to my favorite recording of this song by going to billyfoot.com and clicking media and choosing You Are God Alone. Those are some powerful lyrics.

Anywho, get to commenting!

Class dimissed!

Later: I guess no one reads my site anymore. Pressed has started his comment to raise money deal as well. Help raise even more money over at Avoiding Evil.